9 tips for increase sales

The fastest way to grow your business is to leverage your current client base. By leverage, I mean that with some strategic planning your clients will introduce you to new opportunities to increase sales.

1. Secure Internal Referrals

Internal referrals are referrals that happen within one business. For example, your current buyer, who is a client, could refer you to another executive, employee or department at his business who could also become a client.

You gain internal referrals by holding cross department meetings such as business reviews, or lunch and learn gatherings, and by asking for direct referrals from your original buyers. Start to develop an organizational chart now for any existing client. Map out the people, department or divisions you want to be introduced to and start asking to meet them.

2. Ask for External Referrals 

External referrals are referrals that are obtained outside of your current client’s organization. One of the most effective ways to secure an external referral is to call your client and ask “I will be speaking to (name) at Company X. Can I tell them we do business together?”  

You can also ask your client base directly for introductions to expand your network of potential clients. The key is to always know who you want to be introduced to. Try: “I would like to meet Bob Smith. Can you help me with an introduction?” You will receive a more favorable response to this specific request for introduction rather than a general request such as “Who do you know?”

3. Ask for Testimonials 

The third way to leverage your client base is to ask for testimonials. Produce video, audio or text testimonials that will influence sales leads and encourage them to become clients.

Sharing testimonials will showcase your brand as successful at helping others achieve great results. To do this effectively, all testimonials need to be current (with companies that are still operating successfully), credible (with buyers that have a good reputation in the marketplace), and compelling (showcasing objective performance improvements).

4. Publish Case Studies

Case studies are a powerful way to illustrate what you can do for a potential client. A high-quality case study will show people what kind of results you can help them achieve and what you are capable of accomplishing. As an added bonus case studies, unlike testimonials can be effective anonymously. If you have a highly successful client who wishes to keep their success a secret, a case study can be a great compromise. 

The key to publishing effective case studies is to highlight the results your products create. They need to outline a problem, solution and the result of your work with the client.

5. Hold Client Conferences

Client conferences, or events where you bring together key prospects, current clients, partners and vendors, are the perfect environment for solidifying relationships and opening new opportunities. When buyers and prospects talk to each other, network (and more on networking here) and get together, they create tight networks that help you grow your client base. Bringing clients together for a live event also increases loyalty because they create a sense of community.

6. Have a Power Lunch 

A power lunch is a lunch you orchestrate for two clients to meet, and where you facilitate client-to-client business. To do this, pick two clients who should meet each other, invite them out for lunch and facilitate the interest and introduction. Pay for this lunch, and let your clients talk about their businesses and expand their networks.

The goal of a power lunch isn’t for you to reap immediate sales; it is to increase the intangible value your clients receive from you. When you do this, your clients will be more likely to invest more in your business and become bigger clients.

7. Host an Advisory Panel

Hosting an advisory panel, where you invite multiple people from your company as well as some of your clients to discuss a specific topic, gives you the chance to hear what the client and industry wants and needs. Besides creating a future opportunity to sell your products to people who already know they need them, advisory panels improve loyalty(click here for more loyalty building tips) because your clients feel that you are listening to them

8. Put Together an Educational Event 

Educational events can be internal or external and they can be live or virtual. Invite some current clients and some prospective clients and make sure they have a chance to interact with each other. The idea behind an educational event is to help keep you engaged with your clients, let your clients hear what other clients are doing and bolster your standing with new prospects.

Even better? Host an educational event that includes a case study!

9. Nominate Clients for Local Business Awards

When you nominate your clients for local business awards, like “fastest growing business,” “top managed business,” “top CEO,” or any of the dozens of other local business awards many cities have, you strengthen relationships between you and buyers.

Any buyer you nominate will invite you to the award event and introduce you to their friends and promote you to their connections, which are all prospective clients. They will invite you to their table and promote as “the person” who “made this happen.” Everyone loves to feel appreciated and when you promote your client’s success publicly and in a genuine manner you are rewarded with reciprocal genuine support. This is what creates leverage.

When you have achieved leverage, your client has been transformed into an advocate. They provide testimonials, references and case studies powerful enough to attract other prospects to you without you asking them to do it. In this way, they become your secret sales force. The leverage state can yield an incredible amount of power so be sure to harness it!

Written by

Colleen Francis

Hall of Fame Keynote Speaker, Award-winning Sales Acceleration Strategist, Best Selling Author

LIC Jeevan Lakshya Policy Benefit Illustration with example.

LIC  Jeevan Lakshya Policy Benefit Illustration with example.

Mr. Raju has taken LIC Jeevan Lakshyapolicy with following details:

Rajus’ age: 30 yearsPolicy Term: 20 yearsBasic Sum Assured: 10 lakhsPremium Paying term: ( Policy term – 3 years)= 20 years- 3 years = 17 years

Death Benefit: If Raju dies after 5 years from the date of receipt of policy.  The death benefit payable will be:

From the 6th year of policy period, nominee will receive Rs. 1,00,000/- (10% of Basic sum assured) on every policy anniversary till end of the policy term(20th Year).At end of policy term/ maturity date, Nominee will be paid Rs. 11,00,000/- (110% of sum assured) + Vested simple Revisionary Bonuses + Final Additional Bonus (If Any).

Maturity Benefit: If Mr. Raju is surviving till the end of the policy, the maturity benefit received

Maturity Amount = Sum Assured + vested Simple Revisionary bonuses + Final Additional bonus (if any)

Maturity Amount =  10,00,000 + vested Simple Revisionary bonuses + Final Additional bonus (if any)

This Is a Combination of Mutual fund and and LIC combination so client will get more returns from mutual fund and more security from LIC policy.

Kindly feel free to call if you have any queries. 

Best regards

DHAMODHARAN K
Financial Counsellor
9940857995

Nominee Vs Legal Heirs. Who will win?

Nominee Vs Legal Heirs. Who will win?

Picture a scenario where a considerable sum of money has been invested in a fixed deposit. A nomination has also been made. Sometime later, the depositor passes away and the money in the fixed deposit is given to the nominee. Everything seems to be going well, when suddenly, someone comes forward claiming they are the deceased person’s legal heir and that they are entitled to the money given to the nominee. The matter goes up in front of a judge and the judge rules that the money, assuming the claimant was indeed the depositor’s legal heir, goes to the legal heir. How did this happen?

It may come as a surprise to you but a nominee, in fact, is not the same thing as a legal heir and the claim of a legal heir supersedes that of the nominee. Confused? Don’t worry, there is an explanation to support this.

What is a nominee?

Technically speaking, a nominee is just a custodian. They are people on whom falls the responsibility of ensuring that the legal heir of the depositor gets the money from a fixed deposit. While there may be times when the nominee is the same as the legal heir, their status as nominee means that they don’t really ‘own’ the money.

What is a legal heir?

A legal heir, simply put, is a person defined by a will and testament as the person who should receive the benefits of the deceased’s estates and, in this case, the money from the fixed deposit.

But what happens if no will has been created?

In such cases, legal heirs may be decided based on prevailing laws of inheritance in India. This means that the decision will be made based on the Hindu Law or the Muslim law, etc.

Defining who gets the maturity proceeds

The answer to this question is painfully simple. Make a will!

Some people assume that making a will is an archaic practice and that a nomination is enough to ensure that the money goes where you want it to, but they are wrong. The contents of a will always supplant any claims made by anyone else. If you want to ensure that the nominee gets the benefits, mention it clearly in the will.

What happens in case there are no instructions left behind?

Wills and nominations are all fine but what happens if the deceased left no instructions about what was to be done with the fixed deposit in the event of their death?

There are two things that may happen in such a case. First, the bank will try and get in touch with someone related to the deceased deposit-holder. Second, and more likely, is that, in case no one can be reached, the bank will reinvest the fixed deposit or park the money till such time as someone claims it. If someone does come forward to claim the amount, they will be asked to prove their relationship with the depositor before getting access to the FD funds.

Will you still be insurance industry 5 years from now?

In the past 30 years we’ve seen a dramatic reduction in the sales force for the insurance industry. Agents are leaving in droves and there are very few companies that are bringing in new agents. This, at first, would seem to be good news for many of us… less competition.

However, the reduction in the sales force isn’t over yet. Our companies are still having trouble competing with the banks, investment houses, internet sales, television personalities and other distribution channels. Profit Margins are shrinking and our companies are still being forced to cut expenses. One of the easiest ways for them to cut expenses is to get rid of the low producing agents and only work with the most profitable agencies and producers.

So, the big question is whether you will still be here 5 years from now?

If you want to be a survivor and enjoy long term success in this industry, you’re going to have to make some major changes. You can no longer afford to be just an insurance agent selling insurance, or a financial advisor selling investments, you must become a true sales professional.

Being a sales professional means knowing you’re a salesperson, and making the customer’s needs primary. You cannot help people if you can’t get in front of them, and then get them to take action.

Most of the insurance agents and financial advisors entering this business did so because of the opportunity for exceptional financial rewards. However, the most successful agents and advisors soon discovered if they wanted to succeed it wasn’t about the money, but the service they were providing… Making A Difference In People Lives!

Industry super-achievers, such as Ben Feldman and Mehdi Fakharzadeh have had a real passion for this business. They all have had a sincere belief in the industry and how it helps people.

What can we learn from them?

Ben Feldman pointed out that… “Most people buy not because they believe, but because the salesman believes.”

Mehdi Says: “Your Success Depends On How Other People Respond To You. Others Hasten Your Rewards. They Can Also Block Your Progress. Cultivate Sensitivity Towards People. Place Yourself In Their Shoes.” Remember The Golden Rule: “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.”

Here are five ingredients that all the industry legends have, that enabled them to build a successful lifetime career in sales.

View each of these ingredients as a stepping-stone to your sales success. If you build your sales career with each of these ingredients, your success will last a lifetime.

1.Belief In What You Are Selling

To sell, you must believe in your product or service – and believe in yourself. Sounds simple, but does it apply to you? Are you enthusiastic, dedicated and willing to put forth the effort to learn how to be truly helping people? Being truly interested in your career means you are excited to be an insurance salesperson. You have made the decision to develop, practice and apply all the information available to bring you the utmost success. You are a professional.

2. Positive Attitude

A common denominator of the many great legends, both past and present, is the right attitude. Every motivational speaker I’ve every listen to, will tell you that you can change your life by changing your attitudes. Perhaps this is one reason why Mehdi Fakharzadeh, Van Mueller (and the late Ben Feldman), personally sell more insurance each year than hundreds of insurance companies. These are men who truly understand that they are in the business of selling insurance and they embrace their occupations.

Superior insurance agents have the attitude that expects and creates success. They opt for choices that produce positive results. How is your attitude? Do you look for ways to improve negative situations rather than running from them? Remember that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who think they can and those who think they can’t. They’re both right.

3. Extra Effort

Putting forth the Extra Effort, means increasing your ability to succeed by improving a little everyday! Without it, you are like a s

hip without a rudder, and you’ll end up going in circles, getting nowhere.

If you view selling insurance as “just a job,” to you, then failure is right behind it. Why? Because selling insurance is not easy! This business brings a tremendous amount of rejection, so anyone who sells insurance must truly believe in his or her product and service. Consider, if it were easy, it would not pay as well! And if it did not pay as well, people would not do it. That is why it is so important to work at improving your marketing and sales skills a little bit each day.

4. Step-By-Step System

Salespeople are not born, they are taught. You must have a precise, step-by-step procedure that covers all the points in the selling process, leaving nothing to chance.

Over the years, the great Mehdi Fakharzadeh has shared his secrets to success with the thousands of agents, advisers and planners we work with. Mehdi is a famous and beloved MetLife Insurance Company super-achiever and MDRT role model. Mehdi, a life and qualifying member of Million Dollar Round Table, has qualified for Chair ouncil 34 times, President’s Conference 41 times and Leader’s Conference 44 times. He is a recipient of many national golden awards and trophies.

What Mehdi and many others have observed is most agents, advisers and planners struggle year after year because they don’t have a good, reliable system. They have too many random efforts. They’ll talk to anyone who will meet with them. They don’t have a way to attract people to them and so on.

Mehdi stated; “Most financial advisers use a system that actually works against them. Why would you actually support a system that works against you? Failure is certain if you use no system at all. Limited sales results are assured by using a sales system that is wrong for you. Using the wrong sales system, (a sales system that does not work well for you), makes your life and your sales far more difficult.”

Having abundant interest, a positive attitude and energy is great, but without the right system you will not find success. It is much like a million-dollar computer without the right software.

The top performers know that school is never out for die hard professional.

5. Success Mindset

Believing that you cannot fail! There is marvelous self satisfaction in accomplishing something that is important to you. Forming the habit of doing what is necessary, although you might not like it, separates winners from the unsuccessful.

Selling insurance is the greatest and noblest profession in the world! Insurance is the greatest product in the world to sell.

Sales pros know that the old hard-sell has been replaced by sales professionalism. To become a superstar producer you must focus on building relationships and trust, providing superior service, setting goals and developing methods to reach them.

There is no question that the world would be better off with more insurance agents, especially those who proudly call themselves sales professionals.

This story was first recounted in the July 1991 issue of Success magazine entitled, “The Superachiever’s Secret”:

“One day, Mehdi Fakharzadeh, Metropolitan Life’s top agent, went to see a policyholder who suffered from heart disease and was filing a claim. There was no prospect of selling him more insurance. Most agents (striving for their goals) would have just handed the man a form and left. Not Mehdi, who had “surrendered to the process” of helping people. Mehdi filled out the form for him. When he found out the man also had policies with other insurers, he got forms from them, filled them out, and made sure the refunds came through.

The man pressed payment on Mehdi, which Mehdi politely declined. But a few days later, Mehdi received in the mail a list of 21 of the man’s friends and relatives: names, dates of birth, number of children – with a personal introduction to each. Mehdi sold millions of dollars of insurance to them.”

Yours In Success,

Thanks to
BYJU M S CREATIVE(KERALA,PKD):

Legal Heir Certificate Vs Succession Certificate

Difference between Legal Heir Certificate and Succession Certificate

Legal heir certificate and succession certificate are entirely different.

If the head or a family member passes away, the next direct legal heir of the deceased such as wife/ husband/son/daughter/mother can apply for the Succession Certificate. This certificate can be used for the purpose of transferring Electricity connection, Telephone connection/Patta transfer, House Tax,  Bank Account, Filing of IT Returns etc.

If the deceased person is a Government servant then the legal heir certificate is issued for approval of family pension, or to get appointments on concerned grounds. Legal Heir certificate is also provided for various other reasons as-well.

A Succession Certificate is required when someone inherits any immovable property or movable property under the various  Property Laws in the country. Most of these issues come under the Hindu Succession Act.  While some of them come under the community acts or the Indian Succession Act. Issues need to be known in the right perspective for both categories.

Who issues? : Legal Heir certificates are is issued by Tahsildar of the district to identify a particular deceased person living heirs and succession certificates are issued by the court to the legal heirs of a deceased person.

Who can apply? : Only legal heir can apply for succession certificate but in the case of legal heir certificate, son/daughter/husband/wife/parents of the dead person can apply.

Documents required: Required Documents to obtain succession certificates are death certificate of a dead person, time and place of death, the name of all legal heirs and relation with the dead person. Required Documents to obtain Legal Heir Certificate are Death certificate original, Identity Card, Ration Card, the name of Family members and relationship, an affidavit worth Rs. 20 on a stamp paper.

Fee: For succession certificate, three percentage or more or less % of total value of the property will be charged. To issue legal heir certificate Rs.2 for a stamp and 20r.s for stamp paper for affidavit will be there. Sometimes officials may ask for extra fee or additional fee for lawyers also will be there.

Time period:  In the case of succession certificate a newspaper notice for 45 days is issued by the court. Any person having a problem with it can file oppositions. If the court doesn’t receive any objection, it will issue succession certificate. This process may take 5-7 months. 15 to 30 days are needed to issue legal heir certificate.

Importance: The succession certificate is used for transfer or possession of property or for paying debts or security on behalf of a deceased person or for collecting debts or security on behalf of deceased. The legal certificate is used for gratuity, pension, insurance, PF, retirement claims etc.

முன்முடிவுகளே காரணம் !

நம்ம சாய்ராம் தன் வீட்டில்  மாட்டுவதற்காக ஒரு  சுவர் கடிகாரம் வாங்கினார்.
சுவரில் மாட்ட ஆணி அடிக்க சுத்தியலைத் தேடினாக்க கிடைக்கல!

பக்கத்து வீட்டு சுரேஷ்பாபு கிட்ட இரவல் வாங்கலாம் என நம்ம சாய் நினைத்தார். ஆனால் இரவாகிவிட்டதே ,  காலையில் வாங்கிக் கொள்ளலாம்* என்று விட்டுட்டார்..!

காலையில் பக்கத்து வீட்டுக்கு கிளம்பும் போது  'காலங்கார்த்தால இரவல் கேக்க வந்துட்டானே' ன்னு சுரேஷ் நெனச்சுட்டா என்ன செய்வது. அப்புறம் கேட்கலாம்னு நம்ம சாய் விட்டுட்டார்..!

இப்படியே ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் 'விளக்கு வைக்குற நேரத்துல சுத்தியல் கேட்டு வந்துட்டான் பார்' 'வெள்ளிக் கிழமையும் அதுவுமா இரவல் கேக்கறானே' பக்கத்து வீட்டு சுரேஷ் இப்படி எதையாவது சொல்லி விட்டால் அவமானமாகி விடுமே  என்ற தயக்கத்திலேயே பல நாட்கள சுத்தியலைக் கேக்காமல் விட்டு விட்டார் சாய் !

மாட்டப்படாத கடிகாரம் சாய் கண்ணில் பட்டுக்கொண்டே  சாய்ராமை டென்ஷன் ஆக்கிக் கொண்டிருந்த்து !

ஒரு நாள் விருட்டுனு சுரேஷ்பாபு வீட்டுக்கு போய் “டேய் போடா உன் சுத்தியும் வேணாம் ஒண்ணும் வேணாம் நீயே வெச்சுக்கோ”னு சத்தம் போட ஆரம்பித்து விட்டார சாய்ராம்.

பக்கத்து வீட்டு சுரேஷ்க்கோ ஒண்ணுமே புரியல..

இது மாதிரிதான் !

அடுத்தவரிடம் தங்கள் மனதில் என்ன இருக்கிறது என்று பேசாமல் நாமாகவே அவர் இப்படி சொல்லுவாரோ அப்படி சொல்லுவாரோ என்று மாட்டப்படாத கடிகாரத்தை போல் நாமும் நன்கு பழகியவர்களிடம் ஏற்படும் சிறு சிறு பிரச்சனைகளுக்கு தீர்வு காணாமல் பகைமையை வளர்த்துக் கொண்டு அந்நியமாகிக் கொள்கிறோம்.

நெருக்கமானவர்களுக்குள்  பிரச்சனைகள் வருவதற்கு இது போன்ற முன்முடிவுகளே காரணம் !

உண்மையான காரணம் என்ன என்று  உட்கார்ந்து பேசினால்தான் தீர்வு கிடைக்கும்.
பிறர் மீதான முன்முடிவுகள்,   முன்மதிப்பீடுகள் மற்றும் அபிப்பிராயங்கள் தவிர்ப்போம் !

எல்லோரும் நல்லவரே !

மடையர்கள்

மடையன்.. என்றால் என்ன அர்த்தம் தெரியுமா?

இனி யாரையாவது மடையா என்று திட்டும் முன் யோசிக்க வேண்டியது தான்…..

யார் மடையர்கள்?

ஏரியை வடிவைமைத்த பிறகு அதிலிருந்து தண்ணீர் வெளியேறத் தமிழன் கண்டுபிடித்த தொழில்நுட்பம்தான் “மடை”

மடைகளை அமைக்க முதலில் பனைமரங்கள் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டன. . வைரம் பாய்ந்த கட்டை என்று சொல்லப்படும் மரங்களையே தேர்வுசெய்து அதன் உள்தண்டை நீக்கிவிட்டால் உறுதியான நீண்ட குழாய் தயாராகிவிடும். அதனை ஏரியின் அடியாழத்தில் பதித்து, அதன் உள் ஓட்டையில் கோரை, நாணல், களிமண் கலந்து அடைத்துவிடுவார்கள். இதுதான் ஆரம்பகால மடை. பிற்காலங்களில் பாறைகள், மரச்சட்டங்களில் மடைகள் அமைக்கப்பட்டது.

வெள்ளக்காலங்களில் மடைகளைத் திறப்பதற்கு என்றே ஆட்கள் இருப்பார்கள். மடையைத் திறப்பது சாதாரண விஷயமில்லை. உயிரைப் பணயம் வைத்து நீருக்குள் மூழ்கிச் செய்யும் பெரிய சாகசப்பணியாகும்.

மழையால் ஏரியில் தண்ணீர் நிரம்பி, கரையை உடைத்துக்கொண்டு செல்வதற்குமுன், ஒரே ஒருவர் மட்டும் ஏரிக்கரைக்குச்சென்று கடல்போல் கொந்தளிக்கும் ஏரிக்குள் குதிப்பார். மூச்சடக்கி நீரில் மூழ்கி அடியாழத்தில் இருக்கும் மடையின் அடைப்பை திறந்துவிடுவார். மடை திறந்ததும் புயல்வேகத்தில் வெளியேறும் வெள்ளம் மடைத்திறந்தவரையும் இழுத்துச்செல்லும். அந்த வேகத்திலிருந்து தப்பி பிழைப்பது மிகவும் கடினம்.

மடை திறக்க செல்பவர்கள் உயிர்பிழைப்பது அரிது. அவர்கள் தம் மனைவி, பிள்ளைகள் மற்றும் அனைவரிடம் பிரியா விடை பெற்றுச்செல்வார்கள். மடை திறக்கச்சென்று மாண்டவர்கள் அதிகம், மீண்டவர்கள் குறைவு. இவர்கள்தான் “மடையர்கள்” என அழைக்கப்பட்டார்கள். வரலாற்றின் பக்கங்களில் இந்த தியாகிகளைப் பற்றிய குறிப்புகள், கல்வெட்டுக்கள், பதிவுகள் எதுவும் இல்லை. வரலாறு எழுதுபவர்கள் இதைக் கருத்தில் கொள்ளலாம் அல்லவா? எம் குழந்தைகளுக்கு இவ்வீரத் தமிழ்த்தியாகிகளின் வாழ்வு ஒரு ஊக்கத்தையும் தியாகத்தையும் ஊட்டும் அல்லவா?
இனி யாரையாவது மடையா என்று திட்டும் முன் யோசிக்க வேண்டியது தான்…..!