Since 2006, Benchmark Business Group has worked extensively with insurance agents, financial advisors, field leaders and professionals in the financial services industry. Our newsletter Optimal Outcome Insights provides additional value to financial services professionals in short and thought-provoking articles with practical insights. Delivered to your inbox on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, these insights will challenge you to design your Agency to achieve optimal results. You can sign up here or read published Optimal Outcome Insights below.
Since this is Life Insurance Awareness Month we want to spotlight a well-known, but often skipped, technique to improve your sales skills. We are referring to the dreaded "Call Audit" using recorded calls. It’s a technique that many dislike. And while we understand that it can be uncomfortable to listen...
Welcome to Life Insurance Awareness month! When the general public hears “life insurance” they immediately think about the benefits that occur once they’ve passed away, or Death Benefits. What most people, not immersed in the industry, often don't know about - or discuss - are Living Benefits. Both need to...
Is your team reaching its fullest potential? Often when we ask this question, we’re met with some reluctance to answer; and even defensive answers. We hear clarifications such as my team really cares about our clients, or even, they work hard. We understand. The financial services industry can be very...
Most financial services professionals don’t want to come across as pushy or even aggressive. This leads to very laid back and sometimes even passive sales techniques. The problem with a passive sales technique isn’t just that sales are left on the table. The problem is that prospects and clients have...
According to the National Ethics Association, one of the top five reasons E&O is paid is because of inadequate business practices. Errors were found because of the lack of knowledge, action that wasn’t taken, poor communication, and inconsistent business practices. When you look at how fast an agency moves and...
Every agency has its own language. Words and phrases that only you and your team use with each other; never outside the office or around a client. This language develops and evolves over time. Your language might be shaped by professional experience, for instance you might choose to have your...
In business, the general rule of thumb is to be slow to hire, because hiring the wrong people can be a costly mistake. In the financial services industry, this is especially true. For most positions, you have to find team members that can do the work, pass the right background...
In the Financial Services industry, the conversation between sales teams and managers is often informal and even casual. We often hear, “We’re a small business, we know what’s happening.” Yet, we find that many financial services professionals are not having the right conversations with their sales team. Yes, they talk...
Dealing with difficult or even upset clients is something that can’t always be avoided. Clients will not always like decisions that are made or rules that must be followed. Yet, your agency still has to find a way to engage with these clients in a way that leaves them feeling...
It Starts with Your Client’s Expectations. When a client agrees to be your client they have a reasonable expectation that you will help them take care of their needs. They expect your team to be the experts. Which includes identifying risks and opportunities the client may not even know exists....
