Attendees of the 2014 Advisor Network Summit in Las Vegas were presented with a deluge of sales tips, sound bites and statistics. From inspirational quotes to regulatory predictions to nuts-and-bolts discussions about the products themselves, there was something for everyone. On the following pages, you'll find a sampling of what was shared during the three info-packed days. We're sure you'll find ideas that you can immediately incorporate into your daily practice — and plenty of reasons to celebrate the work you do every day, too.
You have the ability to control your own practice and schedule.
On quality of life: "I didn't want to be working 90 hours a week for 52 weeks. It's not about the money for me. I enjoy the quality of life. No matter how rich you are, you can't buy time. – Philip Rousseaux
On specialization: "If one of my partners is out I can walk into that meeting, take a look at the scenario and be able to have an intelligent conversation with that client — no problem. It's a very niche practice, what we're doing. I used to know a little bit about a lot of things; now I know a tremendous amount about a narrow very area." – Jay LaMalfa
You have the opportunity to engage and help prospects every single day.
On today's buyer: "The rules of engagement have changed between buyer and seller. Today's buyer has much more information and is more educated." – Patrick Leary
On empowering your clients: "This is about showing people they can take control of their lives." – Van Mueller
On timing: "You've spent a lot of money to find and meet prospects though the year, but you've gotten no business from them because the timing wasn't right." – Steve DeJohn
You sell products that are truly needed.
On product pride: "We sell amazing products and the only people who don't know it are you guys!" – Van Mueller
On retirement planning: "I try to get the client to identify and understand all the potential risks they could have in retirement — the health care issue, LTC issue, investment risk, interest rate, inflation, tax risk, etc. — and how it applies in their plans so we can build the plan to address those obstacles." – Bill Danner
On what selling really means: "The role of the sales professional is no longer just about providing information, but about helping consumers weed through information, to help identify needs and provide solutions." – Patrick Leary
On risk management: "I would encourage all advisors to really concentrate on how much are you willing to lose? Often in our industry, we talk about returns on the securities side. But how often are you able to connect what your client should be doing and what they're going to do? Our job is to guard the client against themselves, and it's the emotions that cause the problems." – Jason Jenkins
On addressing fear: "Tell your prospects, 'What if every time something bad happens, I could put you in the position to do something about it?'" – Van Mueller
On turning lemons into lemonade: "Most things we view as negatives in the sale process can be turned into positives if we openly communicate with clients." – Jim Brogran
On guiding the sale: "There are two ways people make buying decisions: External decisions: When people sell them or convince them. Consumers are afraid to be sold. They don't like feeling pressured. Internal decisions: When people convince themselves. People love to come to their own conclusions." – Brandon Stuerke
Practice leads to peak performance.
On the importance of choice: "It's important that you understand the word 'choice,' because we all have choices about how we think and interpret a situation." – Dr. Jack Singer
On failure: "90 percent of agents fail. I don't think they have the right plan. When I started, I was the same way. I failed, but I never quit. I failed until I got it right." – James Veal
On self-doubt: "An Olympic athlete is competing against seven other athletes, where the difference between first and last place is 1/110th of a second. If that athlete says to himself, 'what if I slip?' or 'what if I jump before the gun goes off?' or 'what if the guy next to me has his best day?' he immediately sabotages his performance." – Dr. Jack Singer
On handling rejection: "You need to be rejected every day in order to be successful. If you're not rejected every day, you're not doing enough business." – James Veal
On the performance equation: "Your performance at any time always equals your talent plus your experience minus your distractions." – Dr. Jack Singer
There's more power than ever in the proper branding.
On strategic messaging: "Advisors have so much knowledge to offer, but if you can't get your message out to people who need to hear it, it does them no good and it does you no good." – Brandon Stuerke
On integrity: "My goal with prospects is that they have mentally already hired me before we've met because of the way I present myself in the community. You can't market truth, but you can display it." – Jim Brogran
On community buzz: "People are going to talk about you either way. What are they going to say?" – Mark Pruitt
On honesty: "Brand yourself by getting info out. Don't hold back. People resent half-truths. If you hear a presentation and people are holding back to get you to come by their booth, don't you resent it? I resent the mess out of it. Don't do it to your prospects and customers." – Jim Brogan
Integrity pays off.
On building trust: "If you're proactive in disclosure, it creates trust. If I'm truly an advisor and not a salesman, I'm going to tell them everything they need to know about the product and the fact that I'm being compensated. – Jim Brogran
On meeting people where they're at: "Stop telling people you know everything — and start showing them you're interested in their opinions." – Van Mueller
On competition: "Money's a tool, not an object. Don't let another advisor's success become your goal." – Jim Brogran
