Resource Zone
What you need to apply
MDRT ID number
Returning members need to have their MDRT ID number on hand. New members will have an ID number assigned to them.
Certifying letters
Have all your certifying letters in electronic format and available to upload.
Find Certifying Officer
Requirements
Members must meet a certain level of premium, commission or income during the previous calendar year and adhere to strict ethical standards.
TECHNOLOGY. Just the word itself can conjure up feelings ranging from glee and
wonder for some, to sheer terror and
befuddlement for others.
Mastering technology can mean a success-
fully integrated business on the one hand or a
constant, sometimes unwanted, connection to
that business, on the other. Technology is just a
tool that, if properly and appropriately applied,
can make you look very good. One of the best
examples is how it can enhance the “soft side”
of your business processes.
Client relationship management (CRM) programs help you keep up with important dates like
birthdays and anniversaries. Clients love the personal touch of a phone call or a note to wish them
well. We use a Web-based application called
SendOutCards, which accepts data from our
CRM. Important dates are uploaded, along with
mailing addresses. My assistant sets up automatic
campaigns, which then sends cards automatically
to reach the client’s mailbox on their special day.
The system allows us to use our own photography and word phrases to create cards that
are truly unique. A special feature has digitized
my handwriting so the cards have that added
personal touch. We use other campaigns set up
to thank clients and prospects for appointments,
and we always send gifts of delicious brownies
for new business, and gift cards to our clients’
favorite stores for birthdays — all from the same
technology. I often make a follow-up call, and the
reception is always friendly and appreciative.

Involving clients and prospects in this process creates an atmosphere of teamwork.
There is nothing in the world more attractive than gratitude. Showing your graciousness
adds to your credibility and may lead to greater
success with relationship selling. The technology
simply makes it easier and more efficient to do so.
Another example of using technology to
enhance the soft side of business relationships
is the interactive nature of today’s financial
planning software. It can improve the client
experience and make you a more effective and
inclusive advisor. Today’s Web-based applica-
tions allow clients to see the plan through their
own Web browser with log-in security.
We also use an online data-gathering program
called PreciseFP, which emails the client or
prospect a secured link to a fact-finding tem-
plate. When the client completes the form and
closes the link, it sends a secure email to my as-
sistant, who uploads the data to our CRM. Since
our CRM is linked to our financial planning
software, this process makes it easier to update
proposals and reviews. Involving clients and
prospects in this process creates an atmosphere
of teamwork, adding to their experience and
bonding them more closely to us.
In the end, all of those gigabytes and terabytes
with their processor and link speed cousins can
really be a highway to closer client relation-
ships, positioning you as the advisor of choice in
your community.