I think that we all agree that we have three major assets.  They are… time, money and manpower.  Unfortunately, time is limited.  Time: we have a lease on life, and don’t know when our check out dates have been planned.  Money?  Well, you might just be a person that has so much cash that you never worry.  But, if you are like most in the financial services industry, it is not a bottomless pit.  You need to be a great steward of these two assets. Finally, the big elephant in the room is manpower.  And if you are a small organization, you have to look at your budget, consider manpower an investment and then plan from there.  So, as you make next years plans, you have to take these things into consideration.  Is there a simple way to do this?  Let’s look…

First off, a problem can often be a great opportunity.  Let’s say your big problem is getting in front of enough pre-qualified prospects, under favorable circumstances and on a regular basis.  Also, you might be dismayed at the lack of referrals that you are obtaining.  That might be because of an unsuccessful communication program with clients and top prospects.  

So, here are questions I like to ask of myself when thinking of how to deploy… time, money and manpower...

1. What is my problem or the challenge that I need to overcome?
2. How did this problem develop?  In other words, when and why?  Did I do something different?  Or, did I quit doing the things I used to do that made me more successful?
3. Why does this problem still exist?  Why have I not done something to solve it?  Or, did I try some things and back off too early?  Or just a plan that didn’t work?
4. Finally, do I need additional staff to get me to the promise land?  What would I want new staff to accomplish?  Do I have a plan with check points and actual job descriptions?

Here is my suggestion.  Our staff is ready and willing to help.  Of course, the more successful you are… the more successful we are.  With The Ohlson Group and The Safe Money Places Agent Network, we believe you can embark on a journey that will reap true dividends for you and your company.  

​Give us a call and speak with one of marketing consultants.  Find out how we can supply you with a predictable stream of prospects to help you fulfill your dreams.  

I have recently been involved in a situation where death occurred and there was no life insurance available in the deceased’s estate.  You know, life insurance proceeds go directly to the named beneficiary, avoids probate, is tax free and is not subject to claims from others. 

Plus, it is usually a very quick payout.  There is already a lot of emotion and mental anguish at the death of a loved one.  There are the funeral arrangements and they are expensive.  Plus, in most cases, deferred billing is not an option, and the funeral home needs to be paid in full. 

So, why doesn’t everyone have some life insurance or a PRE-PAID FUNERAL?  Because they will do it later, timing isn’t right, they say they can’t afford it or just don’t want to talk about it. Our job is to make the client look in the mirror, address the issue and get them covered.

The vast majority of people can get some kind of coverage.  It could be a modified death benefit, graded benefit or immediate coverage.  And, there are so many simplified issue products that are quick to issue.  Need something to go back and speak to your clients about?  Life insurance… don’t leave this earth without it.

You have a legacy plan.  If you say, “I haven’t set up a legacy plan,” I say, yes you have.  Without proper planning, you allow the government, nursing home facilities or others to do it for you.  Of course, you need a good will and possibly thoughtful trusts to get you headed in the right direction.  You also need health directives to make sure your wishes are followed through.  And, you need an executor to make sure things are handled properly.  These things, and more, can be accomplished with the help of a qualified attorney… which I am not.  But, as an insurance professional, I can help take care of some basic legacy ideas.  Maybe even make them “double duty” dollars.  Please allow me to explain…

Today I am going to focus on life insurance with accelerated benefits for long term care needs, and products that have accelerated benefits.  In short, accelerated benefits would mean that the death benefit would be paid out to you while living if you can’t perform 2 of the 6 activities of daily living.  Let’s look at a real life scenario. You may have some dollars set aside that won’t be needed for retirement income.  You purchase a life insurance policy with the benefits described.  Let’s assume that a problem develops, you can’t perform 2 of the 6 activities of daily living.  This could be a single premium or a periodic payment plan.  Let’s say that you opted for a single premium of $100,000. That would get a 65 year old female anywhere between $180,000 and $300,000 of death benefit (the more underwriting… the greater the death benefit).  So, let’s assume a $200,000 death benefit.  Health problem occurs, you can’t perform 2 of the 6 activities of daily living and the $200,000 is paid to you to cover costs.  Most payments are made over 3 to 6 years.  And, because it is an accelerated death benefit, proceeds should be tax free.

Okay, what happens if I don’t need those accelerated benefits and I pass away?  The, proceeds are paid tax free to a named beneficiary.  This is legacy planning.  What happens if you have an emergency and need the money?  These products accumulate cash value and you have access to them.  Some, after a period of time, also feature a “return of premium.”  So, with these dollars, you will determine what happens with this portion of your estate.  Bottom line, your financial professional can provide you with information on this type of product. What do you have to lose?  This is a tax friendly approach to an important part of your retirement plan. Let me know if you would like more information about this type of legacy planning.

Yep, that is right.  Summer is coming to a close, back to school sales, school buses in the neighborhood and football games on the weekend.  Then, before you know it, it is Christmas and we are off to the start of a new year.  The question is… will you be prepared?  Have you committed your plan to writing?  What are you trying to accomplish in 2020 that you haven’t accomplished in 2019?  These are but a few of the questions you should be asking yourself.  Time for a little soul searching.  And, it is so difficult when you are doing this on your own.  We have a solution.

We are really digging into our planning for 2020 the week of August 12th.  My son and partner Nick Ohlson CLU, ChFC, will be coming in from our Chicago office to work the week in Carmel, Indiana with his brother, and partner, Joe Ohlson LUTCF and me.  We will be covering a lot of ground.  We need to start looking at “where are we going to place our bets?”  What can we do for our advisors and agents in the field to make their 2020 tremendous?  Because, remember, we only do well when you do well.  How do we continue to be… “a different experience” for you in the field?  So, what does his have to do with your planning? Please read on.

You need to be working with an IMO that is truly sympathetic and empathetic with your dreams, goals and desires.  You need the services of an IMO that can assist you in getting in front of pre-qualified prospects, under favorable circumstances and on a regular basis.  What about a robust digital marketing strategy and branding to set you apart from the competition?  I suggest that you call one of our marketing consultants and request a phone meeting to get the conversation and planning going. Time flies. Let’s talk soon.  

Life has been very good to me.  Sure, like most of us, there have been some real significant challenges.  Like the death of my wife after 45 years of marriage.  But, I was blessed to have found a wonderful widow (wasn’t looking) and we married.  I am very lucky.  Sure, even though I have three great grown children with wonderful spouses, I worried about them.  Now, my two sons, Nick and Joe, are partners in The Ohlson Group. 

So, how did I get so lucky? 

Well, hard work was probably one of the biggest factors.  I had two great parents who instilled a work ethic.  I just knew that I should start mowing yards at 10 years of age, and earned an allowance by sharing chores with my siblings.  I learned how to darn socks, clean a toilet, shine shoes and become an amateur landscaper under the tutelage of my parents.  Bottom line, even though I played sports all year long, I managed to find time for part time jobs.  So, maybe the lessons I learned early in life prepared me for paying for my last three years of college.  Look, I am not asking for praise because nothing that I did was unusual.  It was what had to be done.  Many of you know of by business successes, so I will not bore you by repeating them. You can “Google” me.  So what is the point of this commentary?  Read on.

You see, I have tried to pass down what I have learned to my kids.  Especially, for the point of this article, to my “partner sons” Nick and Joe.  They know that, in our world, the most important people are the agents and advisors that do business with us.  We also realize that each Ohlson Group associate is as important as the associate working next to them.  I also think that passing down what I have learned to the agent in the field could reap rewards for our agents. Why?  Because I have truly walked a mile in your shoes.  Yes, what you “earn” is a nice way of keeping score. 

But, passing down what you “have learned” will be far more important to the current and future generations.  Not learning just about the successes, but also of the failed attempts at things.  Teaching others that failure is the greatest recipe for success.  We, in our business, need to pass down what we have learned to our clients and prospects… and to their kids.  What about volunteering to teach a personal finance class at a high school?  Maybe coaching a little league team?  Or, sitting down with younger people urging them to reach deep and become someone special? Advise them that time is the one thing you can’t get back.  Each time you do that you have an opportunity to change and enhance someone’s future.

Bottom line, we all have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.  All of us, parents, grandparents, teachers, police, military and financial services professionals and more.  So, if you are looking for another reason to do what we do, pass along what you have learned and enrich people’s lives… one person at a time.

​And, in closing, maybe The Ohlson Group has learned a few things that can help you.  And, I am confident that there are things you have learned that can help us.  Because, at the end of the day when your last press release is the obituary, people will continue to speak about you for passing down what you learned as opposed to just what you have earned.

In the financial services business, we can all agree that the client is one of our most valuable assets.  Now, I said “client” and not customer.  Let me explain the difference in these two groups as I see them. 

We make transactional sales to people looking for just one thing.  It could be the lowest cost term insurance or the highest paying MYGAs.  But, we all know when we get that feeling that this is going to be it.  So, we treat that “customer” with the dignity and respect that they are deserving of, providing top notch service.  We continue to drip on the them with helpful information, and contact them at least once per year for a phone review. And, we cross our fingers for the time when that person wants another product.  But, the client is different. Let’s explore…

The client is one that had enough faith in you to do a proper fact find and then agreed that a solution was necessary for the challenges they identified and was open to looking at your solution.  We now have a “consultative” relationship as opposed to a “transactional” relationship when they purchase from us.  These are also the best source for referred leads. As you know, there is no better lead than the referred lead.  But, that comes with mutual trust. 

Let me get back to the client appreciation event, and how this can transform your business and give you the best and most economical leads.

Okay, let’s make this simple.

1. Invite your clients to an annual client appreciation event at a restaurant
2. Keep it at 45 minutes
3. Give them an update on the financial world, interest rates, new products etc.
4. Have this at a restaurant and make the time 5:30
5. Have wine, cheese, soft drinks and chips
6. Encourage them to bring their family members
7. Tell them the requested entry fee is that the bring a couple, or single, that might have an interest in the services that you are providing them
8. Work a deal with the restaurant and get a buy one entrée and get one free  The restaurant is always happy to do this as the people will all be seated at 6:15.

This is  great chance for your guests to socialize. And, your cost is the wine and cheese and other snacks.  Then… you should leave the building. You will have provided the attendees with handouts and an offer for a complimentary no obligation meeting with the new guests. A card requesting that will be provided in the folder you give them

Guys and ladies, I have done these and they work. First off, it is the right thing to do for your clients and you will meet your clients next generation and new prospects.

May through October is “turtle season“ in the South Carolina low country.  This is when the turtles are nesting, the eggs are being protected and soon the baby turtles will hatch.  I have my home and office on the beach and I am able to watch the “turtle people” scour the beach for nests, fill in the beach holes that were dug by children enjoying their day on the beach and placing red flags and tape around the nests they have found.  All on the beach have to make sure that outdoor lights are off by 10 pm in this season.  Many wonder why. Allow me to explain:

When the turtles hatch they need to get into the ocean and they follow the light of the moon.  If they see bright lights on the beach houses or business, they go the wrong way (away from the beach) and they usually perish. That is why the “turtle people” fill in the holes in the sand so the turtles can follow the light of the silvery moon and get safely to the ocean. Then, life goes on and the system will continue.  Well, what has this have to do with our business… you might be asking?  

In our business, in life or in any profession, we are sometimes blinded by the “bright lights” and think that the new direction is the answer to success.  Don’t get me wrong, we need to all experiment with new ideas and concepts as the world is continually changing. Digital marketing, social media,  and technology are good examples.  But, some things are tried and true and should not be forgotten.  

We need to keep our eyes on the moon (or any other guiding principle) and make sure that we don’t abandon the things that got us to where we are. You know, SCIP… Service, Credibility, Integrity, and Profitability.  So, The Ohlson Group would like to be your moon, the light to keep you head- on to your goals.  Maybe we might be considered your navigator.  

​So, if you need some help re-aligning your path with your goals, give us a call and find out why gents from coast to coast continue to refer to us as… a different experience.

These words are so important for the country in which we live.  And, no better time to reflect then on 4th of July.  But, it also says a lot about we do for a living. 

We “preserve, protect and defend“ our client’s retirement nest eggs.  We do more than help Americans plan for a stable, dependable and timely retirement income payment.  We can also, through our products, protect them from catastrophic losses.

Our annuity products are amazing.  But again, we do more.  We can provide tax free death benefits to handle final expanses and more.  The life policies also allow people left behind an opportunity to stay in the world we have become accustomed to.  Yes, it is truly “the miracle of paper and ink.”  Some of our products also have enhanced, or accelerated, death benefits in case our clients can’t perform two of the activities of daily living.  I don’t know about you, but I am very proud of the services we provide.

So, in hope of keeping this short, how about explaining what we do for  prospects in clients using some of these talking points? And, let’s listen and find out “where it hurts.”  You know, a great intake/fact finder where the client can tell us what is keeping them up at night.  

We at The Ohlson Group are proud to have the tools to help you help your clients.  So, if you need some help… get in touch with us.  As we go into this holiday celebration… God Bless America. Thanks to all of you for helping Americans preserve, protect and defend. 

I recently read this line in a publication.  Unfortunately, I can’t remember who wrote this or where I saw it.  But, it really hit home as time does go by so quickly.  It made me think of our most valuable assets at The Ohlson Group, Inc.  That would be you… the independent advisor and insurance specialist that does business with our firm.  Our business, and life in general, is changing every day. 

Sometimes, it might just feel tough to hang in there while trying to implement new tools and strategies.  I had an agent tell me… “I am just too old to change my way of doing business.”  I wish I would have read the title of this commentary prior to speaking with him.  Had I read the line, I would have told him that, “You will never be younger than you are today.”  

Look, like you, I can get challenged by technology. I need the kids to help me with my TV when I start screwing up the channels etc.  But seriously, I, along with the staff, have been knee deep in what technology can do for you.  It is not a case where we throw out what you are already doing.  On the contrary, we embrace what you are doing and add another arrow into your quiver.

So, why not take a look at the tools we are providing to our associates in the field?  Together, we make this, sometimes daunting, leap into technology less stressful and highly profitable.  No time to wait as you “will never be younger than you are today.” Ask us about the digital lead program what we are now using with a select group of advisors.  Now, I have done it.  I have let the cat out of thee bag.  But, only those reading this today will know that we are ready to unleash across the country and territories can be protected.  So, even though my hair is turning gray and my hairline continues to recede, I know that I will never be younger than I am today.  So, this is the time for all of us.

Never before, and possibly never again, will the concept of "Independence with Affiliation" be as important as it is today to the successful insurance based professional.  The industry is going through tremendous change.  Some companies that you may have written through in the past are no longer around.  Many IMO's have sold, and mergers and consolidations are changing the financial landscape.  Which companies and IMO's will be the players for the foreseeable future?  Who will have the products and services that are cutting edge?  How do you maximize your compensation (your net compensation) and where will you receive your best marketing and administrative support?

These are probably only a few of the question that you may be asking yourself.  Plus, what does the regulatory landscape hold for all of us?  Where can you turn to find the answers and retain profitable independence?  The Ohlson Group is the answer.  "Independence with Affiliation."  The Ohlson Group has mastered  the unique combination of Service, Credibility, Integrity and Profitability (SCIP).

The Ohlson Group has one of the best annuity and life portfolios available to the successful professional.  Our digital marketing, point of sales pieces, seminar assistance and compensation are among the finest in the industry.  And, our administrative and marketing support staff is second to none.

These are but a few of the reasons that The Ohlson Group and the Safe Money places Agent Network has been experiencing tremendous annual growth.  But, the most important reason is you... our most valuable asset, the successful independent professional.  Please accept our sincere thanks for your past and present support.  My partners, Nick Ohlson CLU,ChFC and Joe Ohlson, LUTCF and I are positioning the company for even greater growth and even greater marketing assistance to get you in front of pre-qualified prospects, under favorable circumstances and on a regular basis.  Plus, help in making your current client base an endless source of new referred leads.  

So, if it has been a while since you did business with our firm or, if you haven't tried us before, give us a call.  What do you have to lose?  We are confident that we can bring positive change to your business.  We look forward to speaking with you.