Begin asking for referrals with these questions

Asking for referrals can be awkward. It doesn’t have to be, though. Discover a coach for financial advisors’ three-step process, including not surprising clients at the end of a meeting by asking them for referrals.

A shocking statistic that motivates clients to take action

Try this method for discovering coverage gaps.

Are your clients’ most valuable possessions protected?

Find out how an MDRT member guides clients to discover they’re leaving their most valuable asset — themselves and their health — unprotected.

Q&A: Sukanta Singha Roy

The pandemic brings opportunities and challenges in advising clients.

Leading the leaders

As business owners struggle to survive, Lim goes live with advice and solutions.

Sell the plan, not the product

Your guide to becoming a strategic, not a transactional, advisor.

Open for delivery

A restaurant owner needed to reconfigure his business during the lockdown.

Insurance allows young woman to die with dignity

When a 26-year-old woman gets a terminal diagnosis, Stuart Shee Yew Kuen is thankful he has sold her an insurance policy.

How to get referrals and 8 other great ideas

From creating positive podcasts to scheduling goals in 12-week blocks, MDRT members share strategies for success.

What I do to ensure clients are the right fit

How can you connect your own needs and preferences with the clientele you work with? In this episode, MDRT members explain how they prioritize honesty and match what they give with what they get back.

You’ll hear from:
Terri E. Krueger
Mark D. Olson, MSFS, CFP
Alain Poirier

Episode breakdown:
0:31 – Choosing to work with honest people that you like
1:56 – When you learn that taking on a client was a mistake
3:09 – Being honest when a client is occupying too much of your time
3:49 – Adding questions to identify potential red flags in a client
5:18 – Adjusting your approach when clients are reluctant to provide the information you need

Build better relationships through better questions and a different mindset

You will change how you relate to clients when you realize that although we don't have much control over what happens, we can choose how we relate to what happens.

Is your mindset about older clients outdated and offensive?

You may want to retire the terms “senior citizen,” “elderly” and “retirement” from your vocabulary, especially when talking to people in their 60s and beyond. Just because you know someone’s age doesn’t mean you know their goals and plans. Find out how you can connect better with clients as you listen to members of an MDRT book club discussing in-depth the “third age” with the authors of "What Retirees Want." MDRT members can see the full version of the discussion. Find out more about book clubs at mdrt.org/bookclub.

3 ideas to turn challenges into successes

Overcome a challenge in your financial services practice with one of these MDRT sales ideas.

Easily overlooked improvements that have happened during tough times

Have you recently started making your own YouTube videos or sending out cookies to clients? In this episode, MDRT members share potentially underrated adjustments they have made that have made a difference during a challenging period.

You’ll hear from:
Lam Pui Ka
Brad J. Myers
Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII

Episode breakdown:
0:34 – Helping a new group of people through YouTube videos
2:33 – Developing connections through a new review program
6:33 – Fostering client touchpoints like virtual lunch-and-learns and cookie shipments
11:21 – Enhancing dialogue with clients who are parents of young children
13:22 – Offering to help older clients order food or use Zoom if they need assistance

How to be politely persistent and close more

Learn how you can stay in touch with prospects so they want to call you when they’re ready to buy insurance.

Managing 1 basket

Priyadarshi services clients all in the same company.

Become the go-to-advisor with webinars

The magic questions to ask clients about how they're doing, plus questions to ask about insurance.

Five innovative ideas for connecting with clients

Seeing things from the prospect’s point of view leads to business

Here is how when a client raises an objection, you can view the situation from their perspective.

My client's surprise wealth

Do you judge people by their appearance or get to know them more deeply than that? Do you meet with clients whose financial circumstances might change for the better? In this episode, MDRT members share how they connected with clients who turned out to have far more assets than initially thought.

You’ll hear from:
Terri E. Krueger
Alain Poirier

Episode breakdown:
0:28 – When clothes don’t match up with savings
1:59 – Looking beyond the surface for information that other advisors miss
2:53 – Less-than-ideal location becomes home to big winners

6 fixes for friends who hesitate to refer

Sometimes clients you consider friends don’t send you referrals, and you don’t know why. It could be for one of these six reasons.

My hidden talent and why it helps my business

If you’re a great salsa dancer or experienced singer, can that benefit your practice? In this episode, MDRT members share how their personal, potentially unrelated skills have crossed over to become professional assets.

You’ll hear from:
Xiao Chen
Chad Demarre
Maria Josefa Garcia
Stacy L. Kahan, CLU, RFC

Episode breakdown:
0:35 – Connecting with clients through dancing and food
2:15 – Singing for clients after appearing on the Chinese version of “American Idol”
5:18 – Utilizing a knack for being very persistent
9:03 – The talent of being able to read people well

How to prospect online

Conveying empathy and care is still possible virtually.

Working with centers of influence

How to get introductions to their clients and maintain long-term relationships.

14 qualities that make you a trusted advisor

Here’s what makes you the financial advisor that people want to go to.

How to have your best year

A panel of four MDRT members share how they set and achieve goals, including tracking productivity and staying accountable for progress.

Clients feel validated when you amp up your active listening skills

You will connect better with clients with these tips to improve your active listening skills.

Success stories from reopening my office – or keeping it closed

As the pandemic continues and local governments update their guidance for social distancing, advisors are deciding whether to meet in person with clients or by leveraging technology. In this episode, MDRT members share how they have thrived whether through ongoing virtual work or through establishing in-office options. Featuring MDRT members Lam Pui Ka, Brad J. Myers, Leena Parwani, MBA, Cert CII.

Creating camaraderie from afar through relationship building for remote teams

When working remotely, productivity can drop sharply as you lose touch with your team. With some planning, however, you can create a sense of camaraderie from afar.

Eyes on the horizon

Advisors in Canada are focused on challenges still to come.

Business breakup brings benefits

Kueider restructures her business following a separation from her longtime partner.

Process and people

Balaneski's adjustments free up time for better client service.

Built to last

Lister leads Top of the Table with a perspective on dedication and growth.

When the family tree falls

Generational business fails and what to do about them.

Get ready for your close-up

How to host video calls that look professional and inviting.

Why do I have to praise someone just for doing their job?

And 4 other questions leaders have about appreciation.

Expanding your perspective

Is there a different way to look at working with clients or marketing ideas? After reading “Eyes Wide Open” by Isaac Lidsky and talking with the author in their book club, four MDRT members shared their life and career-enhancing ideas. Watch Terri Krueger, Alison Murdock, Ted Rusinoff and Brendan Walsh to see more. MDRT members can see the full version of the discussion with Lidsky. Find out more about book clubs at mdrt.org/bookclub.

Combatting decision fatigue

Try these strategies to fight depleting energy caused by a constant barrage of decisions.

How female advisors succeed — and help others do the same

A panel of three MDRT members discuss what it's like to be a female advisor and share their own success stories and how they’ve gained confidence over the years, as well as how to recruit and retain more female advisors into the profession.

5 steps to deal with leadership uncertainty

Leaders are human, and to be uncertain is human. Find out how you can embrace vulnerability and find opportunities.

Accountability and generosity

MDRT members share personal connections to MDRT EDGE charity partner.

The accountability call

Feeling unproductive? Try this simple strategy to get back on track.

One good thing

MDRT members find hope and joy amidst today's challenges.

Fighting as a team

Dailey secures MDRT Foundation grant for organization supporting people with ALS.

Mindset matters

Simple steps to move past unproductive thoughts in yourself and your team.

Success strategies from a legend

Past MDRT President and 42-time Top of the Table member Tony Gordon is one of MDRT’s favorite speakers. Join Past MDRT President, and 32-year member, Jennifer A. Borislow, CLU, as she taps into an MDRT legend to learn how he has achieved and maintained his level of success. Following the presentation you will have the opportunity to get your questions answered. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear Gordon share his decades of experience to help you make the best of your career.

Maximize your MDRT membership

In this session, Brain talks about how you can make the most of your MDRT experience. Don't just be a bystander, get involved and watch the magic happen! He discusses the personal and professional benefits of MDRT involvement, highlights the many MDRT resources that you can take advantage of (such as the Resource Zone, mentoring, networking and study groups), and inspires you to make the most of your MDRT membership to unlock your full potential.

Books that have played an impactful role during challenging times

Have you found a book that can make a difference in a client’s life and taken the initiative to share it with them? In this episode, MDRT members explain each of the books they have chosen and the difference that it made.

You’ll hear from:
Catherine Chee Keng Lian, MBA, FChFP
John P. Enright
Sarah Helen Hogan, ACII

Episode breakdown:
0:31 – A surprising coincidence about “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and the Horse”
2:36 – Recognizing the elevated value of “Raising Financially Aware Kids” during the pandemic
3:12 – Why clients can learn from “Walking out of the Financial Maze”
There are many reasons why advisors might have wanted to share reading