Resource Zone
Welcome to the Resource Zone — home to MDRT’s multimedia resources to help you improve your productivity and run your business more efficiently.
Search by keyword, or browse by topic or collection, to find ideas in video, audio or text format.
Resource Zone
How you can use webinars and virtual reality for prospecting millennials
Panagiotis Leledakis, LUTCFTo be successful in the future, you need to be where your clients are. Leledakis explains how 70% of his meetings utilize digital tools, and as a result, he makes 10 times more appointments than before.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Presidential address
Regina Bedoya, CLU, ChFCWhen life takes you on an unexpected and difficult journey, there are those who step up and infuse the world with MDRT’s message of excellence, service and significance, said MDRT President Regina Bedoya, in her Presidential address at the 2020 MDRT Annual Meeting and Global Conference Virtual Event.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Incoming President's speech
Ian Green, Dip PFSMDRT First Vice President Ian Green talks about what MDRT has meant for him personally, through the Whole Person concept, and for his career, through access to the ideas of his peers.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
3 easy ways to wow clients
Michael Morrow, CFPThoughtful client gifts show attention to detail and care for your client, according to MDRT member Michael Morrow.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Nominee acceptance speech
Gregory B. Gagne, ChFCGagne discusses the beginning of financial services career, his MDRT family and his involvement within the organization as he joins the Executive Committee.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Advising Clients
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5 things millennials wish financial advisors knew
Millennials have unique financial needs. If a financial advisor can address those needs, they’ll find a willing group of people ready to become clients and build wealth.
Don’t overlook communicating the big economic picture
Learn how one MDRT member helps anxious clients understand the difference between “event-driven,” “cyclical” or “structural” recessions.
Rewards of risk management
Tan shares tips for helping entrepreneurs identify risks logically and mitigate them systematically.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
How to successfully talk business with a friend
Great friends can become good clients, without any awkwardness, with these ideas.
Don't limit your clients and your income
In the beginning of her career, Heather Courneya, of Canada, underestimated the amount of coverage her clients could afford. Now she lets clients know what she thinks they need, and she lets them determine if they can afford it.
How to build strong client bonds in stressful times
By applying the principles of emotional intelligence you’ll strengthen bonds with clients, friends and family as well as become a better leader.
Changes I’ve made in response to surprising client reactions during crisis
Every client is different – how will you adapt if one catches you off-guard regarding their coverage, or in their openness to refer you during a challenging period? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they are making adjustments to meet each client’s needs.
You’ll hear from:
Anant Jain, AFP, CFP
Miliana, CFP
Sherry Lee Ong
Episode breakdown:
0:30 – Connecting clients’ plans with a time when they’re especially needed
1:45 – Acclimating to receiving unexpected referrals
3:36 – Communicating with clients who can’t sleep because of financial worries
Memorable connections
Chin finds innovative ways to establish relationships and lets the business blossom from there.
When the client's job has an early expiration date
Ning navigates best practices with stunt people, athletes and more.
Explaining volatility
Why you should discuss market volatility and financial planning with your insurance clients.
Marketing
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Significant ways I’m adapting to a new normal
During a crisis, advisors are seeing that they must make big changes in their practice, particularly when it comes to marketing and presenting to clients. In this episode, MDRT members share the adjustments they’ve made and the benefits they have seen as a result.
You’ll hear from:
Catherine Chee Keng Lian, MBA, FChFP
John P. Enright
Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII
Episode breakdown:
0:27 – Replacing a plan for seminars with webinar marketing
2:38 – Recognizing that it’s better late than never to be active on social media
3:10 – Transferring in-person drawings to drawing on a screen
4:40 – Seeing that you can separate yourself through consistency
6:52 – Realizing that what you post on social media must change
8:41 – Embracing the power of sharing video content
An often-overlooked center of influence
Centers of influence don't have to be accountants and attorneys. Aurora Tancock shares her best source for reaching more clients.
How seminars can help you find ideal clients
Aurora Tancock has been doing seminars for a local human resources department for 18 years. Here's how they help grow her practice.
Why work with centers of influence?
Building relationships with centers of influence can be a long and challenging process. But here's why Aurora Tancock believes it's worth it.
What centers of influence want from you
When you work with centers of influence, you get surrogate trust from their referrals. Paresh Shah shares the four things they want in return.
Learn to love objections
Longley discusses strategies and tactics for identifying different types of objections and how to anticipate them.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
What sets me apart as an advisor
Do you provide unique gifts to fit your clients’ interests? Do you hold them accountable to their goals? In this episode, MDRT members share some ways in which they make themselves stand out to their clients.
You’ll hear from:
Peter Jason Byrne
Danielle J. Genier, CFP, CLU
Jonathan Godshall Camacho, LUTCF, MBA
Randall D. Kaufmann
Episode breakdown:
0:33 – The benefit of branded teddy bears
3:11 – Calling clients to sing “Happy birthday” to them
4:27 – Having clients identify their interests to utilize as gift opportunities
6:37 – Holding clients accountable as a means to ensure success
10:58 – Inviting clients to send postcards from their dream vacation spot
Generating quality introductions from centers of influence
Building relationships with centers of influence is an important part of growing your practice, but there’s no single way to do it. In this webinar, two MDRT members share their methods of working with centers of influence, including why making those connections is so essential. They explore ways to get introductions, how to build relationships that result in introductions to prospects, and how centers of influence can lead to building a referral-based practice.
Lessons from a marketing whiz
Goebel shares techniques that launched him from extended struggles to constant expansion.
Fishing in rough water
Prospecting secrets for achieving success in a challenging business environment.
Can I still get referrals during the pandemic?
While clients may still be apprehensive, you can help their friends and earn referrals.
Practice Management
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How you can use webinars and virtual reality for prospecting millennials
To be successful in the future, you need to be where your clients are. Leledakis explains how 70% of his meetings utilize digital tools, and as a result, he makes 10 times more appointments than before.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
3 easy ways to wow clients
Thoughtful client gifts show attention to detail and care for your client, according to MDRT member Michael Morrow.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
A system for effectively tracking your time and productivity
What does time managment have to do with chess? Learn how Timothy Clairmont's time management method assigns values to different activities, and how it could improve your productivity.
How MDRT members refine, differentiate and grow
A panel of early-stage, mid-career and longtime MDRT members discuss what it took to get to their current level and what they are doing to stay there. They also talk about the importance of setting goals, tracking activity and being coachable, as well as how they handle hiring and how they balance work with other responsibilities. Learn how they've grown over the years, the failures they've faced, and how MDRT helped them achieve success.
Safety protocols to make clients and staff more comfortable
How can you acknowledge and adjust your office and your communication to deal with concerns related to the pandemic? In this episode, MDRT members share changes they are making and strategies for showing that health and safety are a top priority.
You’ll hear from:
Catherine Chee Keng Lian, MBA, FChFP
John P. Enright
Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII
Episode breakdown:
0:25 – Communicating changes made for in-person meetings
1:07 – Additional tweaks made to prioritize safety, including automatic hand sanitizer
2:54 – Investing in continued connection without meeting in person
How to communicate to move your business from stress to strength
If clients and team members are stressed, they’re not at their best, and your business may not be either. Find out what communication techniques can keep those connections running at their best.
3 critical things when working from home
You can successfully work from home when you manage your time, create processes and hire the right people. Learn more from Jennifer Mann, who has been working from home for several years, in this short video.
Navigating difficult situations with clients and staff regarding the virus
During these unusual times, how will you handle potentially awkward conversations regarding safety? In this episode, MDRT members share how they are dealing with the complicated feelings and physical challenges involved in communicating with clients as some offices reopen.
You’ll hear from:
Catherine Chee Keng Lian, MBA, FChFP
John P. Enright
Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII
Episode breakdown:
0:32 – How to quickly identify where the other person is on the spectrum of concern
1:07 – Balancing an individual’s choice with the safety of others and yourself
4:51 – Continuing Zoom meetings even though the office is open
6:02 – Navigating difficult social experiences pertaining to safety
7:18 – Dealing with a wide spectrum of behavior regarding the threat of the virus
9:26 – Staying humble and adapting your client service to each person
Establishing a weekly flex day after seeing work-from-home effectiveness
John P. Enright explains why the recent events impacted his perception about remote work policies.
How communicating the miracle of insurance led to my early success
One of the few things you can control in your profession is your activity level. Find out more from an MDRT member who succeeded early in his career.
Beyond a bathrobe and slippers: Survival skills for working from home
To get the most out of telecommuting, try out some of these best practices.
Boost your income by removing pain points
Find out what two things Adrian George, of Calgary, Canada, does -- or doesn't do -- every year that allowed him to qualify first for MDRT, then Court of the Table and now Top of Table.
Whole Person
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Nominee acceptance speech
Gagne discusses the beginning of financial services career, his MDRT family and his involvement within the organization as he joins the Executive Committee.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Incoming President's speech
MDRT First Vice President Ian Green talks about what MDRT has meant for him personally, through the Whole Person concept, and for his career, through access to the ideas of his peers.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
Presidential address
When life takes you on an unexpected and difficult journey, there are those who step up and infuse the world with MDRT’s message of excellence, service and significance, said MDRT President Regina Bedoya, in her Presidential address at the 2020 MDRT Annual Meeting and Global Conference Virtual Event.
Don’t miss out! Register here for exclusive Virtual Event access through August 28.
How the MDRT Foundation has impacted me
Maybe it’s seeing the opportunities and memories created for people around the world. Maybe it’s recognizing your perspective on the world has changed. In this episode, two MDRT members who currently serve on the MDRT Foundation Board of Trustees share how they have seen a difference in their lives through volunteering with the MDRT Foundation.
You’ll hear from:
Adrian P. Baker, DipPFS
Priti Ajit Kucheria, CFP, LUTCF
Episode breakdown:
0:26 – My biggest memory from more than a decade with the Foundation
1:22 – The first moment when I realized the power of the Foundation
4:07 – How I noticed the impact of the Foundation on my life
5:07 – Recognizing the ability to change lives around the world
5:58 – When the people in my life take notice of my involvement
6:51 – Expanding my awareness on a global level
Set goals and break them down into smaller steps
All of your goals can be achieved in just 40 days with this simple, but effective, system from Alphonso Franco, of Canada.
Forecasting client needs as the crisis goes on longer
What are you doing to plan for what clients will be thinking and worrying about as these difficult times continue? In this episode, MDRT members share what they anticipate from clients moving forward and how they will help meet those needs.
You’ll hear from:
Anant Jain, AFP, CFP
Miliana, CFP
Sherry Lee Ong
Episode breakdown:
0:30 – Being prepared for a rise in depression
1:18 – Recognizing differences in spending and where clients derive their happiness
3:32 – Reframing services and communication to meet clients in their new state of mind
5:07 – Enhancing online prospecting to find more people who need help
Recovery and empowerment
Top MDRT Foundation Quality of Life grant awarded to support survivors of human trafficking.
Diary of an MDRT member: 5 things to do daily while at home
While we can’t go to the office to work, we can use our time at home well as our imagination and abilities allow. Read how an MDRT member is productive daily with these positive activities.
Discovering a balanced approach to staying at home
Rather than seeing this virus outbreak as a great disaster, why don’t we try to see it as a great corrector that gives us the opportunity to re-evaluate our lives?
Stick to your goals to thrive in uncertain times
Now is the time for MDRT members to activate their greatest attributes, self-discipline. We need it to succeed, says Tony Gordon.
How I’m approaching my biggest challenge during quarantine
How do you help yourself right now if you are a social person used to having a lot of in-person appointments? Or you want to help friends and family but can’t? In this episode (recorded before stay-at-home orders went into effect), MDRT members explained what they have struggled with during the current global crisis and what they have done to overcome these challenges.
You’ll hear from:
David Eric Appel, ChFC, CLU
H. Richard Dobson Jr.
Julianne Hertel, CLTC
Episode breakdown:
0:29 – Finding new ways to interact when you’re a social person
1:45 – Overcoming the feeling of being powerless with friends and family
3:12 – Utilizing new opportunities to get out and do something
3:48 – Establishing new perspective on a calendar without in-person appointments
7:09 – Counteracting your own concerns by making comfort calls to clients