Boost your business by presenting informative and entertaining speeches.

“I am very proud to lead the Board of this exceptional company,” Huffman notes. “Ohio National is an acknowledged leader in the industry, both in terms of its financial strength and performance and its highly competitive, high consumer value product portfolio.”

NAIFA member John Deremo joins American General from Protective Life Corporation, where he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer.

Client appreciation and referral events need not be expensive. The key is handling all the details to the extent that your guests really notice them. Read on for a down-to-earth guide on prospecting through referrals.

The honor is bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated meritorious service to the insurance and financial-services industry, and the community in ways that enhance the image of the agent/advisor.

John Connell emailed me after the meeting to thank me for stopping by and specifically mentioned wanting us to contact Shaughnessy with any issues NAIFA wished to discuss. Another result from my conversations was learning John R. Hammond, IV (Deputy Chief of Staff for Marlin Stutzman), is very interested in learning more about the estate planning industry…

May is Disability Insurance Awareness Month. It’s the perfect time to boost your sales of disability insurance by taking advantage of these tools:

Since he won the Four Under Forty Award three years ago, Adam Solano has been a busy man. He has spoken at industry gatherings, acquired a couple of agencies, and improved the operational efficiency of his firm to enhance his clients’ experiences. Here are his thoughts on what it takes to move ahead.

Tips for making passion a mandatory part of company culture.

“Kudos to NAIFA for developing such a course! LILI ranks at the top in helping prioritize what is important in life, and achieving one’s self-determined definition of success.”

NAIFA’s opportunities cover so much of what we do, that even though I’ve been a member a long time I still find benefits that are new and useful.

The life insurance industry’s highest honor will be presented at the NAIFA Career Conference and Annual Meeting in September as a tribute to his more than 40 years of service and contributions to the industry.

Exciting things have happened to Craig Lytle since he won Advisor Today’s Four Under Forty Award in 2010. He has opened a new agency and has almost earned his CLU designation. Here are some of his thoughts on what it takes to succeed in this business.

New York Life has announced the appointment of Vice President Joanne Rodgers as Chief Diversity Officer, responsible for overseeing all aspects of New York Life’s diversity program.

To help you prepare for Disability Insurance Awareness Month next month, LIFE is sponsoring the free, hour-long webinar, “Take Your DI Sales to the Next Level.”

It was an honor for me to participate in the recent APIC Influence Training in Washington DC. I thought the entire program was extremely valuable and helped me to understand things so much better.

In announcing this year’s award, 2011 Legacy Award Recipient Randy Scritchfield, CFP noted that Ron approached his career and entire life with a strong sense of duty, honor and service.

“We take great pride in our mutual organization and financial strength because they give us the ability to put our policyholders first.”

L. Karsten Lundring, CLU, ChFC, CFP, was inducted into the GAMA International Management Hall of Fame during the association’s annual conference in Orlando, Florida.

NAIFA is the voice in Washington that protects our business, products and clients. I have a lot of different responsibilities in my office, but that’s one part of my business I can’t do without NAIFA.

The vast majority of wealth managers plan to add more products through third-party offerings in the near future, according to a new report from Ernst & Young LLP.

Emotion produces the motivation to take action on your sales recommendations. Read on to find out how you can create emotion in your interviews and how powerful it can be in motivating your client to take action on your recommendations.

For generations, the NAIFA Quality Award has been a symbol of dedication to client service, ethics and excellence.

NAIFA’s campaign, “It Pays to Be a Member,” launched at the beginning of March and is already attracting attention.

Catching up with Jennifer Alford, one of the 2006 winners of Advisor Today’s Four Under Forty Awards, was not easy, but it was well worth the effort. In a few short years, Alford’s practice has expanded and she is giving more of her time to NAIFA and its Young Advisors Team.

Representing the longtime commitment to volunteerism that enables GAMA International to help develop tomorrow’s financial industry leaders, Herman L. Dixon, will receive GAMA’s prestigious Cy Pick Award at a GAMA reception and dinner in Orlando on Saturday, March 17, 2012, before the kickoff of GAMA’s annual LAMP conference.

The LIFE Foundation is now accepting submissions for its LIFE Lessons Scholarship Program, which recognizes the character and perseverance that young people have shown following the loss of a parent or guardian.

NAIFA-New Jersey has been recognized by the New Jersey Senate and Assembly with a resolution in recognition of its outstanding efforts in the development of legislation that requires insurance producers to notify the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance of any disciplinary actions take by non-governmental regulatory authorities.

Thanks to the past presidents for their letter of March 1. I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to their recommendations concerning the future of NAIFA.

We would all be out of business without the daily advocacy efforts of NAIFA and its members. No other insurance industry organization has that type of strength in grassroots political influence.

NAIFA President Robert Miller was interviewed by National Underwriter. The article, about NAIFA’s “It Pays to Be a Member” campaign, appears on LifeHealthPro.com.

Thirty percent of U.S. employers with 10 employees or more say they are considering the idea of adding a new voluntary option within the next two years, according to a LIMRA report titled, Voluntary Worksite Benefits: Penetration and Market Potential (2011).

The case for the modernization of NAIFA is not founded on emotion nor the pride we take in looking back at a century of significant achievement. It is based on the reality of the present. Let’s acknowledge the facts and have an honest debate.

“The bill would allow consumers to have access to that very much needed advice and counsel that they receive from health insurance agents,’ Ms. Boyle told Employee Benefit Adviser.

Financial planner Michael Lynch has not been resting on his laurels since he won the Four Under Forty Award in 2007. He was MetLife’s number one planner from 2008 to 2010, and wants to continue that winning streak. Here is what he had to say when we caught up with him recently.

In a recent study of life insurance policy owners, LIMRA found that one in two consumers have visited their life insurer’s website. Read on to find out what they look for once they get there.

Congrats go out to NAIFA State Exec Kristine Nobilio and her son Wade.

Someone you know is a leader. He or she is successful and committed to their community, family and team. Nominate them for Advisor Today’s Four Under Forty Awards. It’s the recognition they deserve and the next step in their amazing career.

Nearly all advisors surveyed in early February said they expect a positive return of the S&P 500 for 2012.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of NAIFA Past President Jeffrey J. Taggart, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF.

A new report shows that personal savings continue to hit highs. Top destinations for investor savings are treasury securities, mutual fund shares and bank deposits.

Great things are happening to past winners of Advisor Today’s Four under Forty Award winners. One of them, Ed Deutschlander, CLU, CLF, is now CEO-elect of a major financial-services firm. Here is what he had to say when we caught up with him recently.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and keeping with the theme is the LIFE Foundation’s national awareness campaign: Insure Your Love.

LTCI products are more important than ever for your clients. A new survey provides additional information regarding various types of LTC in the U.S. and a detailed breakdown of costs by region.

Ever wondered whatever happened to the past winners of Advisor Today’s Four Under Forty Award? Well, here is your chance to find out.

2012 won’t be boring. Be ready to take advantage of opportunities and avoid the downdrafts. And consider whether this combination of events might cause a “tip” in the market that has had virtually no upward movement since 1999.

In all the years that I’ve worked helping families protect themselves financially, never has the significance of what we do been more clear than in the past few years.

Use small bets to achieve growth and avoid big failures.

Taken together, our aggressive efforts on three fronts – governance, membership, and messaging – form a coordinated strategy to ensure NAIFA’s indispensable role in protecting our industry and helping members like you grow their business and protect the financial security of the American public.

The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education has appointed new officers and members to its Board of Directors.

The main reason for leaving financial planning out of resolutions was the respondents’ belief that they “don’t make enough to worry about it” (35 percent), according to a survey by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America.

Workers can expect modest pay raises averaging 2.8 percent next year, compared to 2.7 percent in 2011 and 2.9 percent in 2010, according to a survey by Buck Consultants.

Employees increasingly view the workplace as an important source for personal insurance and savings products.

By recognizing these elements and trying to practice the principles of giving and taking in equal measure, you can revolutionize your own workspace, no matter what position you may have.

“NAIFA continues to support the growth of our industry and will unwaveringly protect the future of our profession and the clients we represent.”

Successful advisors know that New Year’s resolutions are merely the first step in the process. It is actually the implementation of goal-related activities that lead you along the journey to your desired destination. Here’s how to get there.

A new federal health insurance rule in President Barack Obama’s health care law was supposed to crack down on wasteful administrative expenses, but insurance agents and brokers say they’re about to become unintended casualties.

New York Life Insurance Company has named Robert H. Petrocelli, Jr., as Council Vice President, an honor bestowed annually on the New York Life agent with the second-highest performance achievements in the company. As Council Vice President, Petrocelli is a leader of the company’s elite national field force composed of 11,900 licensed New York Life [...]

By Ayo Mseka A Life Insurance and Market Research Association (LIMRA) study finds that more than a quarter of producers consider the financial strength of an insurer one of the two most important factors in 2011. The study, What Producers Value: From Companies and Independent Intermediaries in 2011, examined the types of service and support [...]

Because of NAIFA, I have helped my clients in ways they never thought possible. Because of NAIFA, I have helped other people survive the perils inherent in this great business.

With the launch of the AT blog, I’m looking forward to creating a lively and engaging forum about all things NAIFA.

From the best minds in the industry, the Advisor Today Blog brings you the tools, ideas and techniques you need to build and enhance your financial practice.

Copy goes here. 37 citizen activists visited with Congress yesterday to tell their representatives about the important role they play in protecting middle-income Americans. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here. Copy goes here.

I’ve been a NAIFA member since 1977. As a new agent, NAIFA provided me with strong mentors, fellow NAIFA members who were willing to provide guidance in the profession not only to assure my own personal growth in knowledge, but my ethical standards as well.

As agents and advisors, our creed is to help society help itself. We support the American public in the most personal and meaningful ways. When everyone else is at the door with their hands out, we are there to give and aid those who need it the most.

By Ayo Mseka Facing an uncertain economic future and critical of government, Americans plan to remain focused on their personal well-being in 2012, according to TD Ameritrade’s annual New Year’s Resolution survey. Most respondents plan to make at least one personal resolution in 2012, the two most common being “have more fun” and “relax and [...]

Most recently a partner in Goldwasser-Appel Insurance Advisors, Appel aims to continue to grow his reach and specialty in serving emerging wealth couples, established families and successful companies.

Be sure you’re doing all you can to attract clients through referrals—the way they prefer to meet you. These seven proven methods will help you stay on the right track.

The marketing materials developed by the LIFE Foundation can be a great help in our business. I myself didn’t have a full understanding, until recently, of the breadth and depth of LIFE’s marketing tools, such as the online calculators and the all the resources available for Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM). As a third-party trusted advisor, LIFE provides resources for use in educating and marketing insurance to prospects and clients, so check them out.

Many advisors are using LinkedIn to identify prospects on from their clients’ profiles. Have you found the right words to have a comfortable conversation with these folks without sounding sales-y? Using LinkedIn is a viable strategy, but you need to proceed with caution.

When it comes to long-term-care insurance, thinking outside the box and adopting a less conventional selling system will result in increased sales. The saying “telling is not selling” is particularly true in our business, and producers will often learn this lesson the hard way when emailing a quote, sending out a product brochure or supply a premium price over the phone. LTCI needs an explanation of all its moving parts—therefore, it needs to be agent-delivered.

Closing a sale requires that you focus not on your prospect’s needs, problems or pain, but on what he wants. Whether it’s prospecting or closing the sale, sales trainers tell us that we must be prepared to overcome objections.

Find out why they create problems—and how to fix them. Have you gone to one of those big bookstores and looked at all the books promising a solution to your challenges as a salesperson? If you have, then you know that they all provide essentially the same strategies.