Category: <span>2015</span>

Strategies for Success Newsletter December 2015 Issue 120

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this December 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the Road
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from Home
Stay Energized
Emily Live

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John’s Model PT 109 has launched!

John’s newest remote-control model boat is John F. Kennedy’s PT 109. Custom built and over five feet long, he made hundreds of parts and spent hundreds of hours creating it. We hope you enjoy watching our home video of the launch! PT 109 Pictures

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Thoughts from the Road

What kind of nut are you?

One Saturday this October we were hiking with friends in the magnificent Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina near Blowing Rock. Mountain fog kept the air cool and damp. The gold and red leaves were at peak color. On the trail the plumes of the wild grasses were swaying with the wind. A picture perfect autumn day!

We walked by a mature tree that was growing straight, strong, and tall. Our friend Rick stopped. “Look at that,” he said, “it’s growing out of a crack in this huge boulder. A random acorn falls, nature takes its course, and this tree grows sturdy and healthy. Me – I plant a tree my yard, water it, fertilize it, protect it from killer insects, and it dies.” He laughed.

Rick made a great point relevant to many aspects of life. Too much nurturing, caution, and over protecting can have the opposite effect from what we desire. That applies to us and our influence on others. Our intentions may be good, but instead the over protecting stifles the learning and effort needed to adapt, develop, and thrive.

Moral of the story: How do you approach life? Are you the nut that adjusts to obstacles and challenges to grow or one that seeks prodding and coddling? Are you one who encourages others or one that is protective. Unlike the acorn that fell in that crack, we choose how we approach life. Choose carefully.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Our friend Mary Beth always brings the best dishes for us to enjoy! Rye Bread Spread, a hot appetizer perfect for holiday parties, was the hit of our last gathering. The spread is made ahead of time, put on rye bread squares and baked. Your guests will love it!

Check out other Josmo’s Cafe recipes. The choice for the month appears at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Advance Management Skills Quickly!

Retirements, company restructuring, and growing businesses are launching new leaders and managers. Four self-study learning tools – audios and book – will quickly advance front-line manager proficiency in these key areas:

· Developing staff accountability
· Effective delegation
· Managing remote workers
· Leading results-producing meetings
· Handling employee performance problems

Susan Koshewa, ARM, CRIS, Workers Compensation Underwriting Manager, says this:

“Emily’s experience in developing managers and no-nonsense communication style is a perfect combination to learn dozens of pertinent ideas quickly. I listen to the audios twice. Once in the car and once at my desk to take notes. Emily’s management skill-building programs supply real-world valuable information.”

For a limited time, we’re offering newsletter readers four management development tools for a package price of $115.00, a 40% savings. This product package is only available through this newsletter link – Management Short Course.

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Thoughts from Home
Giving From the Heart

Our close friends, Pam and Bill, have a large family. A really large family. Five children, their spouses, and 13 grandchildren. Instead of giving material gifts to each other at Christmas, here’s what they do. On an annual rotating basis, each of the six families researches charities and chooses one charity that they donate to collectively. That family is responsible for educating the others about the organization and why it was chosen. One year, I remember, it even went beyond a financial donation. The families also volunteered their time together at a food pantry. What a great way to build family relationships, teach charitable giving to the children, and contribute to others!

Consider focusing part or all of your gift exchange program this season to a charitable cause. There is no better way to show gratitude for our blessings than by giving to others.

John and I wish you a happy holiday season!

Note: This piece was a recorded as an Energizer Minute in 2012.
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Planning your 2016 membership, agent, or employee events?

2016 Convention and Meeting Topics are available! Improve teamwork, advance management skills, increase producer sales, enhance customer service, and fast forward career success. My guarantee – participants will be energized, inspired, and learn strategies to improve performance and results.

For information about availability and fees, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

December Energizer Minute – Practice Makes Perfect – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

NEW in the 17 Terrific Tips Series! Avoid common hiring mistakes and read 17 Terrific Tips to Hire Right. Discover new ways to improve candidate screening, interviewing, and selection.

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· NAPSLO Mid-Year Leadership Conference – Scottsdale, AZ – Feb 29 – March 2, 2016
· NAMIC Commercial Lines Seminar, Chicago, IL – March 3, 2016
· NetVU Annual Conference – Service That Sells: Frontline to Bottomline – San Antonio, TX – March 5, 2016
· NAMIC Underwriting Webinars – Underwriters: Sell is Not a Four-Letter Word – April 18 and April 25, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Richmond, VA – June 1-3, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Anaheim, CA – June 8-10, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Fargo, ND – August 24-26, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Kansas City, MO – September 21-23, 2016

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter November 2015 Issue 119

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this November 2015 issue:

Thoughts from Home
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from the Road
Stay Energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from Home

A tried and true sales philosophy

The upstairs toilet needed to be fixed. John diagnosed it as a problem with the valve that he could easily repair. He purchased a replacement part and fixed it. Or so he thought. A few days later I was in the downstairs bathroom and a water stain on the ceiling caught my eye. Bummer.

John fixed the toilet again. This time successfully. Now we had to deal with the stain on the popcorn ceiling. When this has happened in the past, we’ve hired a contractor to cut out the damaged section, replace it, and spray on the popcorn stuff. It not only takes time for the process, it’s a costly repair.

We contacted Paul and Sherry, a husband and wife contracting team we’ve used for remodeling and been extremely pleased with their work. We hoped they might have time to take care of our nuisance repair.

Like a sales pro, Paul took quickly took charge of the conversation asking specific fact-finding questions. Are you sure the leak is fixed? How large an area is damaged? What color is the stain? All good questions for arriving at a cost estimate, we thought. Then Paul surprised us. “Here’s what I suggest,” he said. “Using a 50/50 solution of bleach and water in a new spray bottle, set the nozzle to the finest sprayer setting. Wear old clothes and eye goggles. Cover all areas around where you’re spraying so the bleach doesn’t discolor anything else. Spray the solution on the stain until it’s wet, but not saturated. Wait until it dries. If it’s not totally gone, continue the process one or two more times until the stain has faded.

It worked! Three days and three applications later, there is no noticeable stain. We are thrilled!

What’s the benefit to Paul and Sherry considering they gained no income from giving us this advice? Our opinion of them is even higher than it was before. We will go out of our way to use them, recommend them, and provide them an excellent reference.

Moral of the story. No matter what your product or service, superior sales people know that it always pays to have the customer’s best interest in mind.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Every autumn I make the fragrant and delicious Chicken Marbella dish from the Silver Palate cookbook. If it sounds familiar, I posted it in October 2012. If you’ve never made it or haven’t done so recently, I hope you will. It’s assembled the day before to marinate overnight. Easy and always a crowd pleaser!

Check out other Josmo’s Cafe recipes. The recipe of the month appears at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Thoughts from the Road
Spreading joy one knick-knack at a time.
It’s been four years since Mom and Matt moved to The Forum at Desert Harbor, a wonderful continuing care retirement community in Peoria, AZ. The residents, staff, grounds, and food are all great. John and I visit regularly. They have a two-bedroom apartment in independent living so we’re able to stay with them.
One morning several months ago, I opened Mom’s apartment door to pick up the Arizona Republic newspaper. Mom keeps a small table outside the door where the paper is placed so she doesn’t have to bend down to get it. Sitting beside the paper, I discovered two miniature trinkets. One was a yellow plastic child’s smiley-face ring. The other was a flower-painted china piano. I picked up the piano, flipped it over, and read “Made in France.”
When Mom got up I showed them to her and asked her if she knew where they came from. “Haven’t a clue,” she said with a big smile, “but aren’t they cute?”
As I passed other apartments on my way out for my morning walk, I saw more trinkets outside of doors. Tiny frogs, dogs, clocks, and musical instruments sat on tables and along baseboards. I passed delighted residents opening their doors as they spotted their surprise treasures . I thought perhaps The Forum had started a secret pal program.
That evening, I was carrying the recycles down the hall. A woman was walking down the hallway with a box. When she saw me her hand went up to her mouth as if she’d been caught in the act. I approached her and saw her carrying a box filled with trinkets. “Aha!” I said, “you’re the secret pal!”
Nancy explained she was moving to California to live near her sister. She had been collecting trinkets her whole life and knew her new home wouldn’t have room for them all. She wanted to secretly share them with others to enjoy. Based on what I’d been witnessing I let her know she was certainly accomplishing that! She handed me a teeny tiny glass frog. “This one is yours.”
I’ve visited Mom several times since Nancy gifted her collection. Many residents have left their miniatures just where Nancy placed them for others to enjoy. I smile every time I pass.
Moral of the story. My little frog sits on my kitchen window sill. It’s a constant reminder that giving the tiniest of gifts can bring enormous delight.
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Planning your 2016 membership, agent, or employee events?

2016 Convention and Meeting Topics are available! Improve teamwork, advance management skills, increase producer sales, enhance customer service, and fast forward career success. My guarantee – participants will be energized, inspired, and learn strategies to improve performance and results.

For information about availability and fees, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

November Energizer Minute – Don’t Get Mad, Get Better – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 2-5, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015
· NAPSLO Mid-Year Leadership Conference – Scottsdale, AZ – Feb 29 – March 2, 2016
· NAMIC Commercial Lines Seminar, Chicago, IL – March 3-4, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Richmond, VA – June 1-3, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Anaheim, CA – June 8-10, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Fargo, ND – August 24-26, 2016
· Agency Management CIC, Kansas City, MO – September 21-23, 2016

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter October 2015 Issue 118

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this October 2015 issue:

Thoughts from Home
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from the Road
Stay Energized
Emily Live

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A personal note:

My dear friend, Jack Burke, president of Sound Marketing, died September 25 of heart failure. For 20 years, Jack was my audio man, my business confidant, the person who challenged and encouraged me to continually improve my work and more important, my heart. The insurance industry has lost an articulate advocate and a good man.

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Thoughts from Home

This is why you need advisors you can trust

John gave me a perfect 15th anniversary present. It’s a simple gold wedding band I can wear when I’m active and don’t want to wear my fancy rings. After I opened the gift, John said, “Now I can tell you the story that goes with the ring!” So we poured more wine and I settled in for the tale.

John intended to take one of my rings with him to the jewelry store to get the proper size, but he forgot it. Frustrated with himself and in a hurry, he got a speeding ticket heading back to the store. It’s been a decade since either one of us has had a ticket, so what happened next was a real surprise.

Within days, he started receiving letters from attorneys who wanted to represent him about the ticket. Over the next few weeks, he had about 20 letters pitching what they could do for us to reduce the ticket cost and the license points. We didn’t know what to do, so I called our insurance agent.

After confirming this was our first household ticket in three years, our agent said “Don’t pay the ticket and you don’t need an attorney.” He told us that in North Carolina you can apply for a Prayer for Judgment. John would attend a driver’s education class for a fee, pay court costs (a lot of money), and the ticket wouldn’t affect the insurance rate. There is more to it, but essentially that’s how it works. Thank goodness, we called our agent before paying the ticket!

What happened next is what’s really interesting. John and I relayed the story to several of our friends.
They were all were shocked that we called our insurance agent for advice about a traffic ticket. They said they’d never tell their agent for fear their rates would go up.

Moral of the story: If you’re afraid to call your insurance agent or any of your professional advisors for advice on matters in their area of expertise, it’s time to get a new advisor.

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Josmo’s Cafe

As autumn begins, my taste buds start craving the comfort food of my Beaver Falls childhood. Many of those recipes are from the Three Rivers cookbooks. I love using my mother’s worn and stained copies! The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported in 1993, on its 40th anniversary, that 1000 copies a year are still sold. The cookbooks have raised more than $3 million for charity. One of our favorite recipes is the sinfully rich Cheese Pastry Hors D’Oeuvres.

For a few more popular recipes and more about the cookbook’s history read the December 2013 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.
Josmo’s Cafe recipes are listed by category. The recipe of the month appears at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Thoughts from the Road
I love this place!

At our friends’ rehearsal dinner in Columbus, Ohio, John and I were seated at a table with the groom’s family from New Jersey. After brief introductions, Vinnie, who sounds exactly like John Travolta’s character Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back Kotter, started the table conversation by announcing, “I love this place!” “Why’s that?” several of us asked at the same time.

Vinnie had forgotten his running shoes. His wife chimed in “Yeah, convenient, huh?” We all laughed. Vinnie went on. When he asked the front desk hotel clerk where he should go to buy running shoes, they not only told him, they offered to shuttle him to the mall. He was amazed. At the big box sporting goods store, Vinnie was waited on by a helpful and knowledgeable associate. He finds shoes to buy. The associate, who easily figured out Vinnie was not from Ohio, gave Vinnie a complimentary pair of socks. Vinnie is now twice amazed. Vinnie takes the shoes to the checkout register at the front of the store. While in line, the customer in front of him turns around and says, “If you don’t have a 20% off coupon, I have an extra one you can have.” By this time, Vinnie said he was in total shock with how friendly everyone is in Columbus, Ohio. He then calls the hotel shuttle to get back to the hotel. They arrive promptly and he was back at the hotel within an hour.

Moral of the story. Great customer service and random acts of kindness make a positive difference in how others experience our community. Each of us has the power to do our part.

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Has planning started on your 2016 membership or employee events?

Sales, service, and management programs guaranteed to engage, educate, and energize your audience!

“Did I see Emily Huling here? I didn’t know she was on the program! I was going to skip this and go to the mall, but I think I’ll stay!”

“When participants leave Emily’s sessions, they are high-fiving each other! Her energy and enthusiasm for her material is contagious!”

“Wow, Emily, what a great presentation! I’ve got to tell you that I’ve been coming to this state convention for 15 years and I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve learned anything.”

Check out Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions for ideas for your next event. My guarantee – participants will be energized, inspired, and learn strategies to improve performance and results.

For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

October Energizer Minute – I WIN – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – Agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 2-5, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter September 2015 Issue 117

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this September 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the Office
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from Home
Stay Energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from the Office

Check this out

The checkout line at Staples was exceptionally long, snaking around the strategically placed and well-stocked racks of candy, batteries, and unnecessary stuff to clutter your office. There were three registers, but only one checkout person working. As customers were looking around to see if anyone had noticed the line, Tommy appeared at register two. “Next in line,” he shouted. The line started moving. A few minutes later, I was at Tommy’s register. Yea!

I had a few office items and a shipping receipt that needed to be scanned and paid. Tommy had “Trainee” on his name badge. He had a puzzled look when I handed him the shipping receipt. He scanned the bar code. It was rejected. He scanned it again. He reset something and scanned it again and again. Every time, rejected. When he went for fifth try, I stopped him. “Don’t you think you should get some help?” “Oh, OK.” as if it hadn’t dawned on him at all. He left for a minute and came back with a manager. The manager showed him what to do and voila, it worked!

I looked around. I was the only one left in the checkout line. The other cashier handled half a dozen customers and I was still there because a trainee wasn’t using common sense.

Moral of the story: Remind new employees that while it’s important to figure out things on their own, it shouldn’t be at the expense of providing good customer service.

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Josmo’s Cafe

One of John’s favorite desserts is Banana Cream Pie. LINK He orders it at restaurants, but it never quite compares to his fond memory of home-baked. After years of ignoring his requests, knowing how much work is involved, I finally baked him one last month. I cheated a bit and used a Harris Teeter refrigerator pie crust. Other than that, it was made from scratch. I hadn’t scalded milk, made fresh meringue, or used my double boiler in years. It was great fun! The picture on the recipe page is the pie I baked. John loved it!

Josmo’s Cafe recipes are listed by category. The recipe of the month appears at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Service Selling Supercharge, a series of audio lessons to write, retain, and grow business continues to benefit insurance professionals. A recent comment from a long-time client…

Dear Emily,

Throughout the years, I have really enjoyed your Selling Strategies newsletters in addition to the Josmo’s recipes and most recently your Super Selling Supercharge. I’ve heard several comments from our employees telling me they not only apply your suggestions in their professional lives, but also in their personal lives. It’s one of the best investments our agency has made.

Anne Farley
Vice President, Agency Operations
Jack Rice Insurance

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

Here’s how the program works:

1. You receive 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSRs in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail on Tuesday mornings.
2. Listen on your own at any time. Provides pre-work for staff meeting discussion or listen together as a group.
3. Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
4. Join at any time and receive all past and future episodes.

Affordable for any agency! $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff. Sign up now

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

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Thoughts from the Home
Word Power

There are a dozen reasons I love my Kindle Paperwhite. It is small and fits in my purse. I have access to an entire library of reading so I can read several books at a time. My Executive Book Summaries automatically load. My digital library books download on command. It has a lighted screen with adjustable settings and adjustable font size. My very favorite feature is the immediate access to a dictionary with the touch of a finger. In fact. I am so spoiled by this, I get frustrated reading paper copy that forces me to pick up my phone to look up the meaning of a word. Hard life, I know.

What I’ve realized is my vocabulary can use some work. Here are some words I’ve recently had to look up to learn both meaning and pronunciation. Lugubrious. Capricious. Sycophant. Evanescent. Plenary. Recondite. Verisimilitude.

How many do you know? If you know them all without looking them up, I’ll send the first ten people who notify me a copy of my program Great Service Sells. I’ll save you some work. The definitions are at the end of newsletter.

If you’ve gotten them all correct, send me an e-mail with your contact information and the book and audio are yours!

Good luck!

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Association committees and meeting planners

Looking for a fun, engaging, and valuable program for an upcoming event? Some comments from recent presentations:

“Did I see Emily Huling here? I didn’t know she was on the program! I was going to skip this and go to the mall, but I think I’ll stay!”

“When participants leave Emily’s sessions they are high-fiving each other! Her energy and enthusiasm for her material is contagious!”

“Wow, Emily, what a great presentation! I’ve got to tell you that I’ve been coming to this state convention for 15 years and I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve learned anything.”

Check out Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions for ideas for your next event. My guarantee – participants will be energized, inspired, and learn strategies to improve performance and results.

For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

September Energizer Minute – Quit Complaining – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 9-12, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Word Power Definitions

If you get them all correct, send me an e-mail. First ten people will receive the program Great Service Sells.

Lugubrious – sad, gloomy

Capricious – impulsive, unpredictable

Sycophant – flatterer

Evanescent – fleeting, temporary

Recondite – obscure, complex

Plenary – attended by everyone

Verisimilitude – appearing real or true

Strategies for Success Newsletter July 2015 Issue 115

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this July 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from home
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Amazing Alaska

From Vancouver BC to Seward AK, our cruise aboard the Celebrity Millenium far exceeded our expectations! We took a helicopter to the Mendenhall glacier and hiked, witnessed ice calvings from Hubbard glacier, saw bears, humpback whales, bald eagles, sea otters, and sea lions. To top it off, John was the sole winner of the cruise Bingo jackpot! We’ve posted a few pictures for you to enjoy!

We hope your summer vacation is full of adventure, wonder, and good fortune as well!

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Thoughts from the office

Are you a judger or a learner?

Two employees have the same job, report to the same supervisor, and have the same years of experience in the position. A recent system upgrade requires extensive training to become proficient. Both employees are given the same opportunity to learn the new applications. That’s where the similarities end.

The “judger” employee says to himself, “I’ll never learn this. It’s entirely different than the old system that works just fine, thank you. I’m going to get behind in my work while I sit in these classes.” Stress builds. Anger and frustration set in. The employee proves himself right – he doesn’t learn the system.

The “learner” employee says to himself, “This new system is different. I mastered the old one and I will master this one.” Eager to learn, this employee has an open mind during the classes, asks questions when he doesn’t understand, and makes notes to refer back.

Back on the job, the judger’s resistance to change and new knowledge takes its toll. He worries about his job, what coworkers think, and what his boss will say. The learner takes his newfound knowledge and uses it to improve job performance, help others when they have difficulty, and enhances his value to the department. His job satisfaction increases.

Changes at growing companies are a fact of life. Are you a judger or learner?

Previously published in May 2007.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Have you been enjoying refreshing summer salads? We have! We served Jessica Seinfeld’s Watermelon Salad with Feta and Basil as a side dish to a yummy shrimp boil. John cooks the shrimp and red potato dish on the side burner of our grill keeping all the heat (and fishy smell) outside. This watermelon salad combines cold watermelon, tangy lime, mild feta, zippy red onion, and fragrant basil. Enjoy!

Josmo’s Cafe recipes are now in category order! We are placing the recipe of the month at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Service Selling Supercharge, a series of audio lessons to write, retain, and grow business continues to benefit insurance professionals. A recent comment from a long-time client…

Dear Emily,

Throughout the years, I have really enjoyed your Selling Strategies newsletters in addition to the Josmo’s recipes and most recently your Super Selling Supercharge. I’ve heard several comments from our employees telling me they not only apply your suggestions in their professional lives but also in their personal lives. It’s one of the best investments our agency has made.

Anne Farley
Vice President, Agency Operations
Jack Rice Insurance

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

Here’s how the program works:

1. You receive 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSRs in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail on Tuesday mornings.
2. Listen on your own at any time. Provides pre-work for staff meeting discussion or listen together as a group.
3. Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
4. Join at any time and receive all past and future episodes.

Affordable for any agency! $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff. Sign up now

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

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Thoughts from home
Speaking up makes a difference

Taylor Swift stated her opinion that it is wrong for Apple’s new music service to not pay royalties during a consumer’s three-month trial period. She would withhold her album “1989” from the service. Apple reversed its position and will pay royalties.

South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, in a shift of position, declared that it was time that the Confederate flag be removed from the State House grounds. The change will take the state’s House and Senate approval. If needed, she will call a special session forcing them to resolve it this summer.

Jordan Spieth stated his opinion about the United States Open Chambers Bay Golf Course 18th hole being a Par 4 hole. “I just didn’t know where I could hit that tee shot and be safe,” Spieth said. “So all in all, I thought it was a dumb hole.” Unexpectedly for the fourth round, officials changed the hole from a Par 4 to a Par 5. It was that hole that Spieth birdied to win the tournament.

Moral of the story: If you believe strongly in an issue, speak up! It’s not just celebrities, politicians, or professional athletes who have the ability to spearhead change. We all do.

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Meeting planners Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions provide program ideas to make your event a bigger success! These relevant, thought-provoking topics offer how-to strategies for participants to apply back at the office. Popular programs are:

Stop Selling! Essential Strategies to Help Buyers Buy
Modern-Day Management – Get Work Done and Develop People
Polishing the Message and the Messenger
Organic Growth – The Process and Practices of Sustained Success
Strengthening Agency-Company Relationships
How to Become the Agent of Choice
For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

July Energizer Minute – You Have the Right to Remain Silent – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Stay Educated! The Content Marketer’s Guide to Blogging is a new FREE e-book that teaches the core principles of content marketing (posts, blogs, tweets, newsletters) to help you avoid the common mistakes business owners and marketers make. The author, Ryan Hanley, Head of Marketing for TrustedChoice.com, is the authority on writing and distributing effective social media content. Download your FREE Guide now.

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Midwest/Western Regional Farm Bureau Underwriting Conference – Putting Customers First While Protecting Profitability – Jackson, WY – July 14, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 9-12, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter August 2015 Issue 116

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this August 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the road
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from the office
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Trip Pictures

We love the Rockies!

John and I combined business and pleasure in July. We were in Jackson Hole WY where I presented a program for a company underwriting manager conference. We then spent time in Colorado and visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Here are some favorite pictures from our trip.

Amazing Alaska

From Vancouver BC to Seward AK, our June cruise aboard the Celebrity Millenium far exceeded our expectations! We took a helicopter to the Mendenhall glacier and hiked, witnessed ice calvings from Hubbard glacier, saw bears, humpback whales, bald eagles, sea otters, and sea lions. To top it off, John was the sole winner of the cruise Bingo jackpot! We’ve posted a few pictures for you to enjoy!

We hope your summer vacation is full of adventure, wonder, and good fortune as well!

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Thoughts from the road

Great employees. Which comes first – the chicken or the egg?

I don’t mind long layovers in Detroit. It’s a hub for Delta and their main terminal is sunny with lots of shops and seating areas. I found a deserted gate overlooking a busy tarmac. I was watching workers, planes, catering and luggage trucks come and go. A brightly painted shuttle bus caught my attention.
It was a Delta employee van that was painted in their logo blue and red colors. It had these words boldly painted on the side. “World’s Best Employees on Board.”

“And they are!” I thought to myself. Of all the airlines I use, I find Delta employees the friendliest, most courteous, and overwhelmingly appreciative of their passengers’ business. Gate agents keep passengers informed. They give us frequent and honest updates of the flight and boarding process. Flight crews, including pilots, greet all passengers entering and exiting the aircraft and thank us for our business. Flight attendants work hard to find luggage space and move luggage around to accommodate everyone. Delta still serves passengers pretzels and those yummy Biscoff biscuits. On express flights too short to have cabin service, passengers can help themselves to complimentary bottled water and a snack before they get on the plane. I love to fly Delta!

Back to the employee bus which states “World’s Best Employees on Board.” Which comes first – the chicken or the egg? Does leadership tell employees they are the best and they become that? Or does Delta hire the best and let leadership attitude and actions continually confirm that? My guess is that it’s a combination of the two. The synergy of hiring the right people and providing an environment of friendliness, teamwork, and appreciation is what enables Delta employees to deliver those same standards of service and care to their customers.

Moral of the story. Employees treat customers the same way they perceive they are being treated by company leaders and managers. If customer service is below expectations in your organization, the first place to look is in the mirror.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Blueberry French Toast is the perfect brunch for a weekend crowd. Assemble the dish the night before. Pop it in the oven in the morning. The wonderful smell will get your guests hopping out of bed and at the table! Freshly-made blueberry sauce adds that extra homemade touch. Enjoy!

Josmo’s Cafe recipes are now in category order! We are placing the recipe of the month at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t seem to locate!

Please let us know how you like our recipes. We love hearing from you!

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Service Selling Supercharge, a series of audio lessons to write, retain, and grow business continues to benefit insurance professionals. A recent comment from a long-time client…

Dear Emily,

Throughout the years, I have really enjoyed your Selling Strategies newsletters in addition to the Josmo’s recipes and most recently your Super Selling Supercharge. I’ve heard several comments from our employees telling me they not only apply your suggestions in their professional lives but also in their personal lives. It’s one of the best investments our agency has made.

Anne Farley
Vice President, Agency Operations
Jack Rice Insurance

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

Here’s how the program works:

1. You receive 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSRs in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail on Tuesday mornings.
2. Listen on your own at any time. Provides pre-work for staff meeting discussion or listen together as a group.
3. Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
4. Join at any time and receive all past and future episodes.

Affordable for any agency! $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff. Sign up now

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

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Thoughts from the office
“91% of Millennials expect to stay in a job less than three years.”

If the frequent job changes of young professionals leaves you scratching your head, read this timely and interesting white paper Is Strategic Job Hopping the New Career Paradigm? authored by Margaret Milkint, Managing Partner, Jacobson, the leading global provider of insurance talent.

Ms. Milkint reveals surprising facts about lifetime earnings and career advancement. She outlines how employers can best evaluate candidates in order to gauge skills and organizational fit. I learned a lot. I know you will as well!

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Association committees and meeting planners

Looking for a fun, engaging, and valuable program for an upcoming event? Some comments from recent presentations:

“Did I see Emily Huling here? I didn’t know she was on the program! I was going to skip this and go to the mall, but I think I’ll stay!”

“When participants leave Emily’s sessions they are high-fiving each other! Her energy and enthusiasm for her material is contagious!”

“Wow, Emily, what a great presentation! I’ve got to tell you that I’ve been coming to this state convention for 15 years and I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve learned anything.”

Check out Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions for ideas for your next event. My guarantee – participants will be energized, inspired, and learn strategies to improve performance and results.

For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

August Energizer Minute – Check Your Blind Spots – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Stay Educated! The Content Marketer’s Guide to Blogging is a new FREE e-book that teaches the core principles of content marketing (posts, blogs, tweets, newsletters) to help you avoid the common mistakes business owners and marketers make. The author, Ryan Hanley, Head of Marketing for TrustedChoice.com, is the authority on writing and distributing effective social media content. Download your FREE Guide now.

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Private client – consulting – Phoenix, AZ – August 22-27, 2015, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 9-12, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter June 2015 Issue 114

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this June 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from home
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from the office

Don’t air your dirty linen

Since the sale of American Airlines to USAirways was finalized, the two airlines have been integrating their ticketing systems, operations, and frequent flyer programs. Having gone through several other airline mergers and buyouts experiencing frustration and inconvenience, I’ve been delighted with how smoothly this one is going. At least I thought so until a US Airways telephone ticketing agent told me otherwise.

This month, John and I are going on a cruise to Alaska. We are flying to Vancouver, BC from Charlotte and returning from Anchorage. We booked an American Airlines ticket that uses both American and USAirways flights. Currently each airlines’ ticketing agents can see the others’ systems, but can’t make changes or assign seats.

Since we booked the tickets in January, there have been flight changes to our tickets requiring me to call both airlines to adjust flights and reassign seats. As an experienced traveler, I’m used to this and know that it just takes time and patience to sort things out. This was not the case for the USAirways ticketing agent I spoke with. I pleasantly and calmly explained what was going on and what changes were needed. The agent got extremely agitated and said, “This is so screwed up!” He proceeded to rant with details that I neither needed to know nor cared about. I actually had to calm him down and tactfully cut him off!

Moral of the story. Our clients do not need to know the behind the scenes challenges we face. It’s unprofessional and unproductive. Apologize for the inconvenience. Advise how and when the situation will be resolved. Whatever you do, don’t air your dirty linen.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Can’t get to the beach this summer? Not to worry. You can bring a little bit of our beautiful eastern seaboard beaches to your home with Atlantic Beach Pie. It’s the PERFECT combination of cool and creamy citrus flavors in the filing with a crunchy and salty crust. It’s a great dessert to follow one of our favorite Josmo’s Cafe main dishes, Salmon Pesto Packets.

Visit our new and improved website recipe list. Josmo’s Cafe recipes are now in category order! We are placing the recipe of the month at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t see seem to locate!

John and I are continually delighted by the mail we receive when you try our recipes. Keep those messages coming!

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Could your staff benefit from a 4-minute weekly message that will increase new business and retention?

Service Selling Supercharge is a series of audio lessons to write, retain, and grow business.

It’s been a delight to hear from so many agents who have been listening to my weekly audio program Service Selling Supercharge.

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

“Every week Emily’s Service Selling Supercharge offers a gem of advice. Our agency is able to center an entire lunch and learn around one week’s audio lesson. Thank you, Emily, for offering yet another great resource to help us improve!”

Sarah Kueffer, CIC, CWCA
Owner
Integrity Midwest Insurance, LLC
Lawrence, KS

Here’s how the program works:

1. You receive 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSRs in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail on Tuesday mornings.
2. Listen on your own at any time. Provides pre-work for staff meeting discussion or listen together as a group.
3. Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
4. Join at any time and receive every past and future episode.

Affordable for any agency! $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff. Sign up now

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

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Thoughts from home
Details, details

The Facebook post appeared multiple times on my newsfeed. At every sighting, my mouth started to water. My nose could smell the sugar and cinnamon. I had to try it! I had to taste it! What triggered my culinary appetite so strongly? Pillsbury Grands™ Cinnamon Roll Waffles. I read the short recipe. Buy the cinnamon rolls. Place one roll on a hot, well-oiled waffle iron for 3-4 minutes. Serve with the icing in the package, powdered sugar glaze, or maple syrup. So easy!

Two immediate challenges. We no longer owned a waffle iron and we didn’t have any Pillsbury Grand Cinnamon Rolls. John was equally keen on trying these sooner rather than later. We had to some other shopping to do that morning so we headed out. My 20% off Bed Bath & Beyond coupon in hand, we bought a small Cuisinart waffle iron that looked like the one pictured in the recipe. We stopped at the grocery store where I ran in to pick up the Pillsbury Grands™ Cinnamon Rolls while John waited in the car. Mission accomplished! We couldn’t wait to indulge in this decadent dish.

While I was putting our other purchases away, John got out our new waffle iron, washed it, turned it on, and sprayed it with cooking spray. He hit the poppin’ fresh canister on the edge of the kitchen counter and we heard that familiar happy poppin’ sound. (Don’t you just love that?) John took out the rolls. “Doggone it,” he said, “there’s no icing in here.” “What? No way!” I said and raced into the kitchen. We fished out the paper wrapping from the garbage can. The package label read, “Pillsbury Grand BISCUITS.” Big disappointing bummer. We didn’t feeling like venturing out again, so we grilled up the biscuits and served them with maple syrup. We wouldn’t recommend them, although the buttery and flaky biscuits did look pretty. The best part of the meal was laughing our way through it and knowing that next time I will read the label more closely!

Update: John and I made the cinnamon roll waffles the next weekend. I thought they were great. John not so much. If you do make them, use a teflon-coated waffle iron and spray well before each waffle. They will stick and make a mess of your waffle iron.

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Meeting planners Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions provide program ideas to make your event a bigger success! These relevant, thought-provoking topics offer how-to strategies for participants to apply back at the office. Popular programs are:

Stop Selling! Essential Strategies to Help Buyers Buy
Modern-Day Management – Get Work Done and Develop People
Polishing the Message and the Messenger
Organic Growth – The Process and Practices of Sustained Success
Strengthening Agency-Company Relationships
How to Become the Agent of Choice
For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

June Energizer Minute – The High Cost of Not Paying Attention – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Independent Agents of Iowa – Young Agent Convention – Kick Your “But” 5 Proven Strategies to Earn More Money – Altoona, IA – June 17, 2015
· Midwest/Western Regional Farm Bureau Underwriting Conference – Putting Customers First While Protecting Profitability – Jackson, WY – July 14, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 9-12, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – November 16-20, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter May 2015 Issue 113

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this May 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the road
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from the office
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from the road

Cab Driver Words of Wisdom

Debbie, my airport transportation driver in Kansas City, let me know immediately that it was her third day on the job and she’d be taking really good care of me. Since I’m always interested in why people do what they do, I was happy to have a 30-minute ride to the airport to hear her story. Debbie had just completed two years as a banking call center employee. “What did you learn while you were there?” I asked. Debbie said she’d be glad to tell me but her answers might be surprise me. “That’s even better,” I said. Here’s what Debbie told me.

“I’m a better customer now. When I get really good service, I not only thank the person, I go out of my way to tell his or her boss. Nothing feels better than having your boss tell you, and sometimes your coworkers, that a customer appreciated your good service.

I worked with coworkers who weren’t suited for the job. I wish my employer would have gotten rid of them. Their negativity affected all of us. That’s ultimately why I left – the negative work environment.

My employer offered great training classes. I took advantage of all I could. I knew that whatever I ended up doing, the knowledge that I learned was mine to keep.”

Great reminders for all of us: Be an appreciative customer. A negative work environment drives good employees away. What you learn on the job is yours forever. I can apply all of them. How about you?

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Complimentary Marketing Webinar for Independent Agencies May 13

Interested in learning the ins and outs of creating an effective, well-planned marketing strategy to grow business, nurture clients, and establish your brand?

A respected colleague, Val Jordan, president of AgenciesOnline, is presenting a complimentary webinar that will provide how-to strategies to:

· Develop your agency marketing plan
· Create communication strategies for clients and prospects
· Implement a marketing calendar with clear-cut activities

Many of my clients rely on Val and her team to build a brand, an online presence, and a social media strategy that drives business to their agency. I hope you will take advantage of this learning session on May 13 from 2:00-3:00 EDT. Click to register

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Josmo’s Cafe

We love blueberries! Our friends Pam and Bill brought this dessert to Josmo’s Cafe last month. Bill is the baker in the family and had previously made it with his 10-year-old granddaughter. It’s unique (pour water over it before baking) and fun to make with the little bakers in your family. Blueberry Cobbler

Have your checked out our new and improved website recipe list? Josmo’s Cafe recipes are now in category order! We are placing the recipe of the month at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t see seem to locate!

John and I are continually delighted by the mail we receive when you try our recipes. Keep those messages coming!

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Service Selling Supercharge!!!

Would you like to learn proven strategies to earn referrals, how to effectively qualify new business, and approaches to overcome price objections?

This just in from a pleased participant…

As a new independent agent, Emily is accelerating my sales success. Service Selling Supercharge provides valuable weekly lessons to build confidence, differentiate myself, and provide outstanding service to my clients. Also, her self-study program Two Hours to a Winning Sales Plan helped me to develop a structured system that is shortening my selling time. I’m really benefiting from Emily’s learning materials.

Ben Jeffreys
Account Executive/Agent
Laiming Insurance Group

Service Selling Supercharge is series of audio lessons to write, retain, and grow business.

Here’s how the program works:
You receive 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSR’s in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail on Tuesday morings.
Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topices.
Listen on your own at any time. Provides pre-work for staff meeting discussion or listen together as a group.
Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
Join at any time and receive every past and future episode.

Affordable for any agency! $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff.

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

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Thoughts from the office
You’re better than this.

Julie, an agency owner, receives a phone call from a long-time client. It’s the call no owner wants to hear. “Your company has really screwed up.” Julie listens as the policyholder describes how the renewal of the account with the current carrier is in jeopardy because of errors on the part of Julie’s staff. Instantly Julie says she’ll d look into it and get back to him. Before they hang up, the client had some final words. He simply said, “You’re better than this.”

That statement really got Julie thinking, but her view may surprise you. Julie’s reaction was positive. Julie told me how fortunate she feels that her staff does such a fine job consistently exceeding client expectations that a client would take the time to call and let her know that something has gone wrong.

Julie decided to position it as a success story with an inspiring lesson to the staff. She sent out a message to hold a brief standup meeting. Julie relayed the story. She told the staff that because of the great job they all do, clients hold us to the highest standards. Our challenge is to consistently meet or exceed those standards. I know we all can do it!

Moral of the story. When clients take the time to respectfully tell you you’ve fallen short, you know you’re doing a lot of things right.

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Meeting planners – Young Agent Presentation and Workshop Topics are back by popular demand!
Proven Producer Strategies to Earn More Money;
Kick Your “But” Overcoming the Obstacles to Sales Success;
Polishing the Message and the Messenger.
Get in touch if interested in discussing programs for your event. A complete listing of timely and thought-provoking convention topics and descriptions are also on the page.

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Stay Energized!

May Energizer Minute – Truth or Consequences – Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – May 11-15, 2015
· Private Client – consulting – Phoenix, AZ – May 18-23, 2015
· Independent Agents of Iowa – Young Agent Convention – Kick Your “But” 5 Proven Strategies to Earn More Money – Altoona, IA – June 17, 2015
· Midwest/Western Regional Farm Bureau Underwriting Conference – Putting Customers First While Protecting Profitability – Jackson, WY – July 14, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – October 26-29, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – Madison, WI – November 9-12, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter April 2015 Issue 112

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this April 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the road
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from home
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from the road

Authentic Happiness

What a thrill to meet one of my thought-leader heroes last month! I had the privilege of hearing Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of the field of positive psychology, authority on the study of well-being, positivity, and happiness, and author of Learned Optimism, speak at the Million Dollar Consulting Convention in Atlanta. He packed a lot of insight and information into one hour. Highlights for you:

· The Theory of Well-Being, what makes individuals, corporations, and communities thrive, is broken down into five areas referred to as PERMA:
-Positive Emotions
-Engagement
-Relationships (positive ones!)
-Meaning
-Accomplishment
Improved well being comes from focusing on what’s good, as opposed to fixing what’s not.
This approach is used as resilience training for the US Army.
· Twitter and Facebook analysis are replacing surveys to measure stress levels and predict heart attacks. Dr. Seligman showed word clouds from men and woman and geographic areas (southern states vs. northeastern states). The contrast of attitude and focus was revealing! Male words spotlighted sex and sports. Female words concentrated on family and shopping. Southern states centered on faith and joy. Northeastern states expressed fierceness and competitiveness.
· A simple daily activity proven to increase personal happiness is to write down three positive things that happened that day before you go to bed. Drifting off with a feeling of well being enhances and promotes continued positive feelings.

Visit the Authentic Happiness website to get your personal PERMA well-being score. Complete various questionnaires to obtain personal insight.

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Josmo’s Cafe

NEW and improved! Nasty winter weather gave me some down time to put the Josmo’s Cafe recipes in category order! As you will see, we are placing the recipe of the month at the top of the page and also in its proper category. We hope this will help you easily find that recipe you read, liked, and can’t see seem to locate!

John and I are continually delighted by the mail we receive when you try our recipes. Keep those messages coming!
This month’s recipe is Dill Pickle Dip. When I read the recipe in the Charlotte Observer, I thought yuk! Two days later, our friends Mary Beth and Rick came to dinner and brought the dip. Mary Beth is a southern gal and thought it sounded great. It was!!

Josmo’s Cafe, named in honor of John’s delicious Josmo’s Cosmo, is the name we use for our in-house entertaining. Our recipes are posted on the Josmo’s Café webpage. Enjoy!

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Service Selling Supercharge!!!

A series of audio lessons every Tuesday morning to write, retain, and grow business!

Hundreds of agents have been listening to Service Selling Supercharge for the past four weeks.
A couple of comments:

“We overwhelmingly love it! We’re using the topic in our weekly meetings to discuss similar situations that have happened to each person.” Agency Owner

“She described me.” CSR sheepishly admitted to her boss after listening to episode 3 on Behavior.

Program overview:

1. 52 service-selling lessons for PL, CL, and Benefits CSRs in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail.
2. Perfect for independent learning, as pre-work for staff meetings, or listening together as a group.
3. Tracking form provided for easy note taking, reference, and follow up.
4. Join at any time and receive every past and future episode.

The cost: Only $2.00 a week, $104.00 for all 52 episodes. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff.

Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

Special April newsletter offer: The first twenty to sign up in April will receive a complimentary copy of the 2014 Energizer Minute Collection CD. This year’s bonus track is 27 Ways to Promote Positive Energy.

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Thoughts from home
“Emily, I really like working for you. You have low standards.”

These are the immortal words of Virginia, my cleaning lady.

“What?” I said feeling insulted. I asked Virginia to please explain. Virginia said that she knows sometimes she forgets to clean something or doesn’t do as good a job on some days as others. She said she appreciates my not making a big deal out of it. She explained that some people she works for drive her crazy with detailed instructions and constantly checking behind her.

In the scheme of things, does it really matter that the top of the refrigerator doesn’t get dusted one week? Or the Endust doesn’t get put away? What matters to me most is that Virginia is reliable, trustworthy, and careful with our belongings. She also does an excellent and consistent cleaning job.

Moral of the story: Before making a big deal out of something and causing unnecessary stress for you and the other person, decide what’s really important.

Originally published in September 2010 newsletter.

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Meeting planners – Young Agent Presentation and Workshop Topics are back by popular demand! Proven Producer Strategies to Earn More Money; Kick Your “But” Overcoming the Obstacles to Sales Success; Polishing the Message and the Messenger. Get in touch if interested in discussing programs for your event.

2015 Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions provide program ideas to make your event a bigger success! These relevant, thought-provoking topics offer how-to strategies for participants to apply back at the office. For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

April Energizer Minute – The Key to Making Decisions Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Emily Live
· Agency Management CIC – Little Rock, AR – April 8-10, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – April 13-16, 2015
· Private Client – Building the Business – workshops and consulting – Madison, WI – April 20-23, 2015
· Private Client – Raising the BAR – Building Agent Relationships – While Protecting Profitability – Fargo, ND – May 11-15, 2015
· Private Client – consulting – Phoenix, AZ – May 18-23, 2015
· Independent Agents of Iowa – Young Agent Convention – Kick Your “But” 5 Proven Strategies to Earn More Money – Altoona, IA – June 17, 2015
· Midwest/Western Regional Farm Bureau Underwriting Conference – Putting Customers First While Maintaining Profitability – Jackson, WY – July 14, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Milwaukee, WI – September 23-24, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

Strategies for Success Newsletter March 2015 Issue 111

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Published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies
www.sellingstrategies.com
Copyright 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.

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In this March 2015 issue:

Thoughts from the office
Josmo’s Cafe
Thoughts from home
Stay energized
Emily Live

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Thoughts from the office

E-mail embarrassment

The e-mail subject line read “RE: Service Selling Supercharge Q&A.” The sender’s name was an agency owner whose name I recognized. I expected a message asking additional questions about the e-mail I originated. But it wasn’t.

The message did not contain a salutation. I read halfway through and realized I was not the intended recipient. Whoops! It had a list of questions asking internal staff whether they thought this program would be worthwhile. The message ended with a remark specifically about me and my programs. I was happy it was a favorable comment!

I hit reply and wrote, “I don’t think this was intended for me.” I proceeded to answer his concerns and thanked him for the thumbs up testimonial. Totally embarrassed, the agency owner e-mailed back immediately apologizing for the error and noted that he was glad he had given me a positive review.

With a tone of levity, I replied one last time. I said that I had found a new selling strategy – embarrass the prospect into buying!

Ironically, episode 32 of Service Selling Supercharge is Effective E-mail and covers 10 e-mail tips. Tip #9 is “Always double check who you’re sending it to. Programs prefill addresses. I’ve received many that are intended for another Emily.”

If you are interested in dozens of fresh ideas and reminders to improve professional practices and service selling, please sign up for Service Selling Supercharge! Register by March 3 and receive a free gift – the new 2014 Energizer Minute Collection CD! This year’s bonus track is 27 Tips to Promote Positive Energy.

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Josmo’s Cafe

Even though I love biscotti, I rarely make it. In November, I came upon Cranberry Swirl Biscotti in Taste of Home magazine. Not only did it sound yummy, a friend sent us a gift package from Door County, Wisconsin, that included a jar of cherry preserves so I had all the ingredients on hand. The rich flavors of cherry and cranberry with a hint of almond in the glaze makes this the best. I’ve already made a second batch with the other half of the cherry preserves! Enjoy!

Josmo’s Cafe, named in honor of John’s delicious Josmo’s Cosmo, is the name we use for our in-house entertaining. Many of our favorite recipes are posted on the Josmo’s Café webpage. We hope you’ll find one or two to try!

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17 Terrific Tips to be Polished and Professional is the latest addition to the 17 Terrific Tips series. All published 17 Terrific Tips are found on the Free Stuff page of the website. I hope you find all the material useful in your organizations!

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Service Selling Supercharge!!!

For only $2.00 a week, $104.00 for the annual subscription, receive a series of three-to-six minute audio lessons every Tuesday morning to write, retain, and grow business!

NEW! Many agents requested a program Tracking Form for participants to make notes, generate discussion, and aid accountability. I hope you’ll find it useful!

1. Designed for CSRs and Account Managers from Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, and Benefits.
2. 52 service-selling lessons in three-to-six minute mp3 audio episodes delivered by e-mail.
3. Perfect for independent learning, as pre-work for staff meetings, or listening together as a group.
4. Join at any time and receive every past and future episode.
5. Only one subscription needed per office location. Forward e-mail to all staff.
6. Quantity discounts are available for multi-location agencies, company sponsorships, agency networks, clusters, and alliances. Please get in touch with me to discuss quantity pricing for your organization.

Listen to excerpts from three episodes. Information page lists all 52 episode topics.

Sign up by March 3 to receive a gift – the new 2014 Energizer Minute Collection CD! This year’s bonus track is 27 Tips to Promote Positive Energy. CD will be mailed March 6.

I hope you’ll join me for a year’s worth of service selling strategies that are doable, time saving, and can be incorporated into your work routine.

Only $2.00 a week, $104.00 for 52 service-selling lessons! Can you afford not to sign up ?

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Thoughts from home
What was I waiting for?

The wallpaper never was right. It started peeling in the corners soon after it was hung during a remodeling project eight years ago. The seams continued to split with every humid year. A small annoyance that has lasted eight years. I rationalized. No one else noticed since it was in our bedroom. John was not bothered. It was going to be too much of a hassle to fix. Last month, I finally took action. I made a phone call to the professional painter we use. Jack visited the next day to give an estimate to remove the wallpaper and paint the wall. We chose a color. We agreed on a date only two weeks later. In six hours on that date, the job was completed and my annoyance vanished. Just like that.

Moral of the story. Don’t postpone something that is a continual irritation. You’ll probably find, like I did, that the fix will be easier and quicker than you think!

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Meeting planners – 2015 Convention and Meeting Topics and Descriptions provide program ideas to make your event a bigger success! These relevant, thought-provoking topics offer how-to strategies for participants to apply back at the office. Newly written programs are:

Stop Selling! Essential Strategies to Help Buyers Buy
Modern-Day Management – Get Work Done and Develop People
Create Career Success: A Short Course to Advance Professionally
Organic Growth – The Process and Practices of Sustained Success
Strengthening Agency-Company Relationships
How to Become the Agent of Choice
For Young Agent conferences – Polishing the Message and the Messenger; Proven Strategies to Earn More Money; Kick Your “But” – Program Descriptions.

For more information, please get in touch.

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Stay Energized!

March Energizer Minute – Shepherding a Conversation. Get supercharged with Energizer Minutes – one-to-two minute audio stories told by yours truly to energize, invigorate, and inspire!

Follow me on Twitter @EmilyHuling to read my weekday Energizer Moments.

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Since 1994, Selling Strategies’ purpose is to build top-performing sales, service, and leadership organizations. We offer insurance industry expertise to companies, agents, MGAs, industry partners, and service providers.

Our Commitment to Our Clients

We will improve your clients’ experience; grow your top-line revenue, and your bottom-line profit. Together we accomplish this through:

· Strategic planning and implementation
· Leadership and management development
· Business development – marketing, sales, service strategies
· Organization and process improvements
· Individual skill and team development
· Personal coaching

To discuss how to fast forward achieving your goals, please contact me for a complimentary 30-minute conversation. Call 888-309-8802 or emily@sellingstrategies.com.

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Emily Live
· NAMIC Commercial Lines Underwriting Conference – Putting Customers First While Maintaining Profitability – Chicago, IL – March 4-5, 2015
· Private Client – consulting – Atlanta, GA – March 10-12, 2015
· Private Client – consulting – Phoenix, AZ – March 18-24, 2015
· NetVU Annual Conference – Modern-Day Management – Get Work Done and Develop People – Indianapolis, IN – March 26-28, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Little Rock, AR – April 8-10, 2015
· Private Client – agency consulting and workshops – South Bend, IN – April 13-16, 2015
· Private Client – workshops and consulting – Madison, WI – April 20-23, 2015
· IIA Iowa – Young Agent Conference – Polishing the Message and Messenger, Proven Strategies to Earn More Money, Kick Your “But” – Des Moines, IA – June 16-17, 2015
· NAPSLO Annual Convention – San Diego, CA – September 9-12, 2015
· Agency Management CIC – Roanoke, VA – October 21-22, 2015

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Share any of my free stuff, articles, or newsletter content as long as proper credit is included.

Selling Strategies: Strategies for Success Newsletter is published by Emily Huling Selling Strategies. For further information contact emily@sellingstrategies.com.

© 2015 Emily Huling. All rights reserved.