Teaches advisors industry-proven methods for successfully identifying, selecting and approaching prospects for financial products and services. The course covers procedures for creating prospect awareness, target marketing concepts and prospect qualification and prioritization techniques. Students learn how to overcome the psychological barriers to prospecting and innovative approaches to setting income and activity goals. Strategic, tactical and operational business planning processes are presented in detail, along with effective contact management systems. In addition, practice management concepts, professionalism and ethics are explored.

Provides an in-depth look at penetrating the personal markets using the life-cycle marketing strategy and selling/planning process. Learn to segment your market into four adult life-cycle segments and recognize the common insurance and financial needs members of these market segments have. Apply this approach to new prospects and existing clients. Create a basic marketing plan to apply the life-cycle marketing strategy to your practice. Other topics covered include disability income, life, long-term care and Medicare supplement insurance; overview of investment products; special markets; and retirement and estate planning.

Offers an introduction to the life insurance sales career and the sales/planning process in the personal market. Addresses total-needs selling, the consultative selling process and the needs for personal life insurance. Presents the skills used throughout the sales/planning process, from the initial client meeting, through fact finding and sales presentations, to servicing and continuing a mutually profitable relationship. Presents a review of insurance products, policy provisions, underwriting and service.

Explore the marketing opportunity and demand for insurance and financial products that exist among the largest single economic force in the world — American women. This course is designed to increase the financial professional’s readiness and effectiveness in marketing to, working with and serving female clients. It incorporates the latest research on women and money, best practices in marketing, relationship building, consultative selling and the six content areas of financial planning (insurance and risk management, cash management, investments, income taxation, retirement and estate planning). Since trust is essential for success in the “Women’s Market” and is often absent in how women view financial professionals, the barriers and builders of trust are explored as foundational elements. Both the planning process (i.e. six steps) and scope (i.e. six areas) are examined in detail. This course will officially roll-out on 2/10/2010 with a webinar to kick off the introduction of the revised course.

Examines individual disability income insurance and the related products of business buyout coverage and business overhead expense insurance. Presents the real reasons behind commonly used objections and what they tell the skilled financial advisor, and reviews proven sales approaches and ways to overcome these objections and close the sale. Also covers the use of fact finding and field underwriting in making the disability income insurance sale, how to customize the policy to meet the prospect’s objectives, and how to deliver the policy and service the plan.

Covers how life and disability income insurance can guarantee the control and value of a business following the owner’s or key person’s death, disability, or retirement through buy-sell agreements and key person insurance. Explores the basics of estate planning for the business owner. Examines what to say, how to say it and when to say it to capture the attention of the business owner.

Provides an overview of why there is a need for long-term care (LTC) and explains what LTC is and who will need it. Describes how to select, approach and meet the prospect. Covers the use of fact finding and field underwriting in making the LTC insurance sale; how to customize the policy to meet the prospect’s objectives; how to deliver the policy and service the plan; the relationship of the LTC need to comprehensive financial needs; the role of the advisor as a financial services professional; and how to build an LTC insurance practice.

Explores the uses of various annuity products both prior and subsequent to an individual’s retirement. Describes how to select, approach and meet the prospect. Covers fact finding, sales applications and implementation of the proper annuity product within the context of a client’s overall planning objectives. Presents the characteristics of fixed, indexed and variable deferred annuities as they apply to planning for the accumulation of wealth on a tax-favored basis during one’s working years. Discusses immediate annuities’ variations in the context of the income security they provide for retirees.

Begins with an overview of the two basic types of life insurance policies—term and whole life—and then builds on that knowledge with an overview of the many product variations sold in today’s markets. The course also explores personal, family and business uses of life insurance products, as well as policy illustrations and ethical issues facing the financial advisor.

Guides professionals in examining the retirement planning process, fact finding, methods of analyzing facts, retirement planning software and sales tracking. Discusses the role of Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and tax policies in retirement planning and the suitability of various accumulation vehicles, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, life insurance and annuities for retirement planning. Explains how retirement planning creates estate planning needs and addresses payout options, spousal benefits and investment strategies.

Provides an overview of the major components that make up a comprehensive financial plan, including the six-step planning process, insurance planning, risk management, employee benefits planning, investment planning, income tax planning, retirement planning and estate planning. The course also covers Social Security and Medicare and their importance as the foundation of a client’s financial plan.

Guides the financial planning advisor through the eight steps of the selling/planning process, including identifying markets and prospects, communications skills needed to approach clients, information gathering through fact finding, analyzing the information, developing and presenting the financial plan and implementing and servicing the plan. Time-value-of money, financial risk tolerance, asset allocation and financial planning applications are also covered.

Provides an overview of investment planning and the investment planning process. Examines the securities markets and their regulation, the tax treatment of investors, how to measure investment returns and investment risk. All types of investments are investigated, including mutual funds and other types of pooled investments. Each step in the investment planning process is analyzed, followed by a discussion of the role of ethics.

Offers an introduction to estate planning and the role life insurance plays in the planning process. Discusses how different types of property are transferred during life and at death, and the tax implications of not planning. Also presents the steps required to settle an estate and discusses the importance of having a will, the gift and estate transfer tax system, state death and estate taxes, trusts and planning estates of business owners.

Provides a practical framework for making ethical business decisions in the financial services industry. This course examines legal, compliance and practice standards that apply to the financial services professional. The course also investigates ethical approaches to placing financial products, determining suitability and assessing risk. Concludes with a final exam, which also must be taken if state continuing education credits are sought. Course format is textbook self-study, with online exam (requires a proctor). (Students licensed in New York take paper exams.) Exam is required for state CE credit.