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Saybrus Partners Agrees to Transfer Agreement with Prudential Financial to Expand Firm’s Industry-Leading Life Distribution

Agreement strengthens Saybrus’ market position and grows institutional life distribution team by 75 talented professionals

HARTFORD, Conn. and CLEARWATER, Fla. – June 6, 2023 Saybrus Partners (“Saybrus”), a market leader in life and annuity distribution and an affiliate of AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), announced today that it has reached an agreement with Prudential Financial, Inc. (“Prudential”) to move the latter’s wholesale life insurance brokerage general agency known as Prudential Life Distributors to Saybrus, cementing the firm as a premier provider of life insurance point of sale consultation in the industry. Per the agreement, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We’re thrilled to welcome our newest colleagues to Saybrus and are excited for the opportunities ahead,” said Edward W. Cassidy, managing principal of Saybrus Partners. “Today’s announcement represents a significant milestone for our company and highlights the strength of our best-in-class life insurance distribution model. We look forward to continuing to grow our business and accelerating the success of our partners’ advisors and their clients.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Saybrus, who shares our deep commitment towards clients and the people who support them,” added Kevin Brayton, head of Individual Life Insurance Distribution and Sales for Prudential Financial. “I am confident that under Ed’s leadership, Saybrus will only continue to drive a much greater impact on key relationships and strengthen the value of those relationships over time.”

Based in Hartford, Conn., Saybrus Partners was formed in 2009 to bring its boutique distribution model to financial institutions, delivering customized support, proactive consultation and transparent, centralized management for advisors and insurance agents. The company was acquired by AmeriLife in 2021 and operates as a standalone company. Since its inception, Saybrus, which has nearly 200 employees nationwide, has insured nearly half a million lives with more than $130 billion death benefit in force.

“As AmeriLife Wealth sets out to redefine the agent and advisor experience, today’s announcement is a testament to the incredible impact that our distribution partners are making,” said Mike Vietri, Chief Distribution Officer of Wealth for AmeriLife. “We’re excited for this injection of talent into an already performative business, and look forward to continued expansion of our services and support for the institutional market.”

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 About Saybrus Partners
Saybrus Partners, LLC helps institutions and financial professionals address clients’ needs with insurance and annuity solutions for basic protection as well as retirement, estate and business planning. Its partner firms include institutional financial advisories, insurance retailers, banks and broker/dealers. Customizing its services to best fit its partners’ businesses, the company offers a complete set of distribution capabilities including assisted sales, traditional wholesaling, new business operations and custom product design. For more information, visit www.saybruspartners.com and follow Saybrus on LinkedIn.

 About AmeriLife

AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide insurance and retirement solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a distribution network of over 300,000 insurance agents and advisors and 120 marketing organizations and insurance agency locations nationwide. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Contacts:

Media

Jeff Maldonado
+1-321-297-1112
jmaldonado@amerilife.com

Partnership Inquiries

Aziz Ali
+1-860-490-9853
aali@saybruspartners.com

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Saybrus MarketingSaybrus Partners Agrees to Transfer Agreement with Prudential Financial to Expand Firm’s Industry-Leading Life Distribution
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AmeriLife To Acquire Saybrus Partners from Nassau Financial Group

Acquisition broadens existing strategic relationship between Nassau and AmeriLife, and significantly expands AmeriLife’s distribution capabilities

Clearwater, Fla. and Hartford, Conn. – July 27, 2021 – AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life, and health insurance solutions, has entered into an agreement to acquire Saybrus Partners, LLC (“Saybrus”), a life insurance and annuity distribution company, from Nassau Financial Group (“Nassau”).

“As longtime partners with Nassau Financial Group, we’ve witnessed firsthand Saybrus Partners’ track record of success as a leading distributor of life and annuity products,” said Scott R. Perry, chairman and CEO of AmeriLife. “Today’s announcement is a significant milestone in our relationship, and we’re thrilled to welcome the Saybrus team to the AmeriLife family. We look forward to extending and strengthening our industry-leading life and annuities offerings together.”

Based in Hartford, Conn., Saybrus Partners was formed in 2009 to bring its boutique model to institutions, delivering customized support, proactive consultation and transparent, centralized management for advisors and insurance agents. Saybrus has been a subsidiary of Nassau Financial Group since 2016 and has exclusively distributed Nassau’s annuities and Medicare supplement insurance through independent marketing organizations (IMOs) and independent agents. Further, Nassau and AmeriLife have a longstanding relationship, with the latter as the leading distribution partner for Nassau annuities. Saybrus will continue to distribute Nassau’s products after this transaction.

“This strategic transaction marks an exciting milestone for Nassau, further aligning us with AmeriLife, our leading distribution partner, while simplifying our business in support of our insurance sales and asset management growth plans,” said Phil Gass, chairman and chief executive officer of Nassau. “Under Ed Cassidy’s terrific leadership, Saybrus has grown from a start-up insurance wholesaler to a scaled insurance distribution company with a national footprint. We are confident that Saybrus has a bright future ahead with AmeriLife.”

“There was an obvious synergy to this transaction, starting with the long-standing relationship among Nassau, Saybrus and AmeriLife around the distribution of Nassau products,” said Edward Cassidy, managing principal of Saybrus Partners. “In addition, Saybrus and AmeriLife share a strategic focus on the development, marketing and distribution of annuities, life and health insurance solutions, and Saybrus’ industry footprint nicely complements AmeriLife’s growing portfolio of independent affiliates.”

Similar to other AmeriLife subsidiaries, Saybrus will continue to operate as a stand-alone organization and brand. Edward Cassidy, along with Aziz Ali, Moira Lowe, and the rest of the Saybrus management team will continue to lead Saybrus from its Hartford headquarters.

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick acted as legal advisor to AmeriLife, while Debevoise & Plimpton, LLP and Piper Sandler & Co. acted as legal advisor and financial advisor, respectively, to Nassau in connection with the transaction, which is expected to close later this quarter, subject to customary closing conditions.

About AmeriLife

AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to offer insurance and retirement solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. By putting its mission into practice, AmeriLife has become recognized as a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees. For 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with the nation’s leading insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a national distribution network of over 200,000 insurance agents and advisors, 35 marketing organizations, and nearly 60 insurance agency locations. Visit www.AmeriLife.com and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn for more information.

About Saybrus Partners

Saybrus Partners, LLC helps institutions and financial professionals address clients’ needs with life insurance and annuity solutions for basic protection as well as retirement, estate, and business planning. Its partner firms include institutional financial advisories, insurance retailers, banks and broker/dealers. Customizing its services to best fit its partners’ businesses, the company offers a complete set of distribution capabilities including assisted sales, traditional wholesaling, new business operations and custom product design. For more information, visit www.saybruspartners.com.

About Nassau Financial Group

Nassau Financial Group, based in Hartford, Conn., has combined assets of $27 billion, capital of $1.3 billion and annual sales of approximately $750 million. Its business covers insurance, asset management and reinsurance. For more information, visit www.nfg.com.

 

Contacts

AmeriLife, Jeff Maldonado, 321-297-1112

Nassau Financial Group, Alice Ericson, 860-403-5946

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Saybrus MarketingAmeriLife To Acquire Saybrus Partners from Nassau Financial Group
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4 Tips For Better Retirement Planning Conversations

Uncover critical gaps and define a truly personalized retirement plan

  1. It’s All About Solutions – Make it your priority to talk about your client’s needs and concerns rather than products, especially when you are helping your clients plan for retirement and potentially explore annuities as a part of their portfolio. It’s a common pitfall to lead with a specific product in client conversations. Because they must stay abreast of the latest product features and pricing, financial professionals may naturally start with an annuity they like and then back into how its features might help meet their clients’ needs. The problem is, this approach can fail to address critical needs simply because they haven’t been identified. Reverse this process, and you’ll see meaningful results. Start with uncovering your clients’ concerns and the protection they already have, and then use this information to select the most suitable product.
  2. 4 Critical Questions to Ask Your Clients- Conversations with your clients should start with the four basic planning needs in retirement – accumulation strategies, income level needed and sources, healthcare expenses and leaving a legacy for loved ones. Choosing the right approach means asking the right questions that will uncover your client’s most pressing needs: Are they worried about outliving their savings? Are they concerned about possible future illness? What are their existing sources of retirement income? How much of their existing retirement income is guaranteed? Your client’s answers will help you identify the gaps that cause them the most worry, and your final step is to match your client with the product that will best fill those gaps.
  3. Go Beyond Accumulation & Income – Many clients have pre-set ideas about specific products like annuities or long term care insurance, although they may still ask about insurance protection or income protection. This is where the educational process comes in. Products have changed so much in the past several years, and many now cover a much broader spectrum of needs than in the past. For example, discussing annuities used to be just about getting the potential for upside gains with downside protection. These products now offer much more multifaceted protection. Use this opportunity to educate your clients on the new features and options available on the market today.
  4. Necessary vs. Nice-to-Have – It is fundamental to help your clients figure out their income versus expenses in retirement. Where is the income coming from: a pension, a 401(k) or IRA, Social Security, or other sources like investment income? What parts of that income are guaranteed and which are not guaranteed? The advisor must align those income figures with the client’s expenses and identify which are discretionary and non-discretionary – and it is the client who must decide which are “necessary expenses.” Aside from the usual categories of housing, food, utilities, taxes, transportation and health care, some people consider travel or funding a grandchild’s education necessary. After establishing what expenses are necessary to cover, the financial professional can then look at strategies to enhance income or generate guaranteed funds and identify specific products that will best meet these objectives.

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Legacy Planning: There’s No Time Like The Present

One of the many impacts COVID-19 has had on us is a sharp awakening to the need to create a plan for what will happen in the event of one’s death. We’ve heard from many advisors with clients who are working on their wills and are reaching out to discuss securing life insurance protection, and their legacies. For the right client, life insurance can be an efficient way to pass money from one generation to the next.

It all starts with the client conversation. The process should be built around making sure for the client that the right people get the right things in the right way. The conversation may include, in addition to Saybrus and the client’s financial advisor, select family members, attorneys and tax professionals.

For a lot of clients — and these are clients generally between the ages of 65 and 80 who are already retired — a big part of that discussion is understanding what their goals are and their overall financial picture. The discussion should also seek to identify assets that aren’t needed specifically for retirement and could be legacy assets. There are four common places advisors can find assets that might not be needed and can be earmarked for an inheritance.

Legacy assets may be found as annuities that were originally bought for retirement purposes but once the client is in retirement, are not needed for income. IRAs are another common place where we can find legacy money that won’t be used for retirement. Other typical sources include general non-qualified investment accounts and Roth IRAs.

There are advantages and disadvantages to using those assets both in retirement planning and for wealth transfer purposes. For example, when an annuity is passed to a beneficiary, the gains inside the annuity can be taxed as ordinary income.

An IRA has, just like an annuity, tax-deferred growth throughout earning years and retirement years until you begin taking distributions from the IRA. But, upon inheritance, that IRA is going to be taxable to the heirs, who in many cases may be in their peak earning years and subject to a higher tax bracket.

With non-qualified accounts like a brokerage account, taxes are paid as gains are realized. Ultimately, when the asset is inherited there is a step-up in basis.

A Roth IRA is an excellent place for a client to have money when they pass away. That said, a Roth IRA is still a relatively new financial instrument, so many clients haven’t had the length of time in the work force with a Roth IRA available to build up a large balance, or they may be hesitant to do a Roth conversion with existing assets because of the potential tax hit.

While no one vehicle is the answer for legacy planning, life insurance can be an additional piece of the puzzle to help make wealth transfer more efficient.

The number one benefit to using life insurance as a wealth transfer vehicle is that it can provide a predictable death benefit for the beneficiary, even in a market downturn.

If a client has a $500,000 life insurance death benefit and we come to a dramatic sustained drop in the market, the client’s other assets may be impacted, but if structured in the right way, a life insurance death benefit will remain fixed at $500,000.

Tax benefits associated with life insurance are another win for beneficiaries. As a general rule, a life insurance death benefit will pass to heirs 100% income tax free. That could become even more appealing if tax rates rise in the future.

A third benefit is that the rate of return compared to premiums paid can be very competitive. The rate of return on the death benefit will depend upon when the client ultimately passes away, but as an example, at life expectancy a rate of return for the life insurance can be somewhere in the neighborhood of 6% to 8%.

Clients also have complete control over beneficiaries listed for life insurance and it’s easy for them to change beneficiaries, if necessary.

Lastly, the death benefit itself is 100% liquid. If a client has assets like a vacation home or a business, they may need to be sold to properly distribute the value of the assets among heirs. Life insurance, because it’s 100% liquid, can be an effective way to facilitate a buyout.

When considering life insurance for wealth transfer, there are three things that have to be present for it to be appropriate for a certain client.

First, of course, is the client’s desire to leave legacy assets to an heir. “The client has to want to leave more, to proactively plan their legacy for their family or a church or charity. Most clients do have that desire as long as it won’t affect their retirement lifestyle.

Obviously if a client doesn’t have legacy assets that aren’t needed for retirement, they can’t pass them on to their heirs, so an advisor has to take a close look at their client’s full financial picture. Clients should have a stable retirement picture in terms of income and a plan for funding for long term care needs. The clients must also be healthy enough to qualify for the life insurance. Most insurers will underwrite a client up to age 90, but it’s better to start when the client is between 65 and 80.

Establishing a legacy plan may be easy for clients to put off, but time is of the essence. With markets at all-time highs, now is a great time to reposition some of the market gains over the last couple of years into a legacy plan.

 

 

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Expert Q&A: Trends and Considerations for Wealth Transfer

It has been estimated that up to $68 trillion will move between generations in the next 25 years. This presents an opportunity for advisors to assist their older clients in ensuring a smooth transition of assets to the people and causes for which they care most. We sat down with Saybrus Partners National Sales Director Palmer Williams to talk further about the trends and considerations for wealth transfer today.

What economic, demographic and market trends are shaping wealth transfer policies today?

There is an unprecedented time now for wealth transfer planning due to a variety of factors. First and foremost, we are arguably in the friendliest federal estate tax environment ever. Under current law in 2020, individuals can pass on up to $11.58 million estate tax free to their heirs. Married couples can leave double that amount – $23.16 million. As a result, clients who have previously been hesitant to use life insurance for wealth transfer because it involved creating trusts and relinquishing access to their money now can enjoy all the benefits of life insurance and maintain control of the policy.

Another trend that is creating new wealth transfer opportunities today is favorable market returns. With the stock market achieving unprecedented growth over the last 10 years, many clients are now well positioned to leave a legacy to their family or favorite cause. At the same time, they are also understandably concerned that their gains could be erased by the next inevitable market correction, and leave a diminished estate for their heirs. Life insurance is an appealing solution for this problem. A client can reposition earnings and gain leverage with a non-correlated asset that is earmarked for their heirs. This way, the increased life insurance benefit can serve as a hedge against market volatility and secure the legacy the client wants to pass on.

Looking at wealth transfer from a demographic standpoint, with the Baby Boomers aging, more clients than ever are in their retirement years. We see most often that a primary goal of these clients after providing a secure and comfortable retirement lifestyle is wealth transfer. They recognize that many of the financial opportunities available to them, such as affordable education, employer-provided pensions and social security, may not be available for younger generations. These clients often want to provide enough assistance for their loved ones to live full and comfortable lives. At the same time, many families’ inheritance disappears once it is transferred to the second and to the third generation. The good news is that life insurance in concert with a properly designed trust can be powerful wealth transfer tools to help clients’ ensure their legacy while controlling the amount and timeframe in which beneficiaries receive their inheritance.

How are wealth transfer policies being used by consumers in light of these trends?

 First and foremost, appropriate candidates for wealth transfer policies are 65 to 80-years old, and are comfortably secure in their retirement. These consumers want to leave a legacy and we often recommend using life insurance, because it offers a liquid, predictable and defined death benefit. Additionally, the internal rate of return on the death benefit at life expectancy is generally between 6 and 7.5 percent, and the proceeds from life insurance generally pass to heirs income tax-free. Especially for Baby Boomers and older retirees whose risk tolerance is lower, life insurance offers a competitive rate of return on their premiums.

Clients are also utilizing the many features of life insurance that are useful during one’s lifetime. Life insurance cash values grow on a tax-deferred basis, and can be accessed through loans and withdrawals, allowing clients to put wealth transfer plans in place while maintaining financial flexibility for the future. If the client’s needs change, the cash value can be a source of funds to reduce premiums,  adjust coverage or simply help pay for college tuition, a wedding or emergencies. Living benefit riders are also frequently included or purchased with policies to help prepare for potential long term care needs.

What key things should consumers consider when they are thinking of using life insurance for wealth transfer?

 Clients must first have a desire to leave a legacy to loved ones, a charitable organization, or educational institution.  They should have liquid assets that are not earmarked or needed for their retirement income or potential risks such as a major health crisis. To put it into numbers, a good guideline for this strategy is to consider it for clients with $500K+ in investable assets.

The other key consideration is that clients need to be healthy enough to qualify for the life insurance at premium rates that make sense. If they are reasonably healthy with no serious chronic health conditions or risk factors, the policy should offer affordable premiums and the leverage that help make life insurance an attractive wealth transfer strategy.

Lastly, it is crucial to plan 10 to 15-years down the road and design a flexible plan, as a client’s financial situation and goals will surely change. Advisors should ensure that clients have options should they need to modify or exit a policy.

How should a financial advisor recommend wealth transfer as part of the retirement planning process to his prospects and clients?

Advisors should first take the time to learn about a client’s life, family and interests. A client’s legacy is a very personal thing, and the Advisor should ensure the proposed strategy reflects the client’s values and goals.

Second, Advisors should consider specific policy options their client will need for their individual situation. For example, if a married couple does not need the life insurance individually, but purely as a vehicle to transfer wealth to heirs, a survivorship policy that pays the benefit upon the second death of the couple would be an appropriate choice. Purchasing a survivorship policy rather than two individual policies will further increase leverage versus premium paid. Other policy features to consider are important riders such as chronic illness or long term care, which is often critical as clients advance in age.

Finally, when selecting a policy, advisors should make sure it offers the flexibility of a cash value design, so the policyholder can access the premiums accrued should a financial or health crisis arise later in life. With this type of policy, clients may have the flexibility to 1) unwind premiums they have already paid into the policy, 2) use the cash value to pay premium rather than pay out of pocket or 3) reduce the death benefit so they have lower premiums to pay.

What are biggest wealth transfer trends you are seeing in 2020?

With the upcoming election, we’re keeping an eye out for what could happen to estate tax laws, as this will directly affect wealth transfer. Estate tax laws seem to ebb and flow in terms of thresholds and rates, and they will likely continue to change in the future. This will be especially important to pay attention to for clients with assets totaling $1 million and above.

On the product front, we expect to see continued innovations with more survivorship policy options and more cash value products. Living benefits are becoming much more prevalent, increasing competition among carriers. Here we expect to see an expansion in the qualifying events that will trigger the claims process as well as entirely new features associated with these LTC and chronic illness riders.  In the past, life insurance policies have been a great value proposition for the beneficiaries, and these enhancements bring significant value for the insured as well.

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Pivot to Digital 6: Restarting Leads in a Remote Environment

Digital Bootcamp: Week Six: Restarting Leads in a Remote Selling Environment

After you have fully reengaged with your existing clients and engaged prospects, you will most likely need to start to generate new business. At the time we’re writing this, states have announced dates for progressively reopening businesses. While we all hope to return as quickly as possible to “business as usual,” we offer a plan today that can serve as your contingency for a prolonged quarantine or a post-pandemic business environment that looks very different from the one we left in February.

Annuities and Life Insurance

Demand for fixed and fixed indexed annuities have grown substantially in 2020. Any client who purchased an FIA before February 2020 from you should give strong recommendations to their friends. That said, lower long-term interest rates will put pressure on carriers to maintain caps and guaranteed income benefits. To capitalize on the market’s current opportunities, we recommend the following:

  • Plan to put the vast majority of your business with carriers that can easily support remote sales.
  • Consider the strategies on which you will focus. A change may require you to reassess the carriers with whom you work.
  • Be prepared for rapidly changing pricing environments. Explain the market environment to your clients to avoid surprises if clients delay completing their applications.

Online Leads

We typically see our top individual agents pursue one of five business models for generating new leads: referrals, online leads, seminars, radio/television shows, or event sponsorship. In this section, we focus on online lead generation. We recognize that you may either continue to or start to purchase leads from vendors or from your Independent Marketing Organization.  For those who want to take personal control of their lead generation, we’ll cover some basics of online lead acquisition that you can run yourself. In any case, your lead strategy should be based on the clients you want to target, the marketing concepts that will work in this environment, and the products you want to sell in today’s market.

Location, location, location

Spending time researching where your prospects engage on social media will help you focus on a plan and be more effective in your lead acquisition. Be sure to consider not just audience size, but the extent of their engagement. For instance: you may find that your target audience is a sizeable one on Twitter, however their engagement is low – a telltale sign they will not be willing to accept your call to action. Conversely, you may find a highly engaged group of prospects on Facebook, sharing articles and willingly making trusted connections. This group may be an opportunity to pursue new leads.

TIP: Research regional groups on Facebook and even in your own neighborhood via platforms such as NextDoor or Patch.

TIP: Additionally, there are free social media listening tools that can help you better understand your target audience and better prepare your call to action.

Be Social, Helpful, and a Trusted Source

You wouldn’t stand in the corner and ignore the active chatter of a busy cocktail party, would you? If you’re not actively participating in the conversation via your preferred social media channel, you’re missing out on the opportunity to make new connections. Set a goal of joining the conversation and the best way to do is to offer help or advice. Saying, “How can I help?” is one of the most effective ways to encourage interaction and to listen to what your potential customer needs.

Being consistent on any social media platform with topical and accurate information will position you as the go-to resource when a prospect finds themselves in the market.

TIP: Salesforce: How to Generate Leads: Ten Strategies to Help You Generate New Leads

Partner Up

Speaking of being helpful, finding a partner who has equal or more influence via a social media platform may help introduce you to a new audience. While you wouldn’t want to partner with a direct competitor in your area, there might be other local influencers in, for instance, Real Estate or the local Chamber of Commerce who can partner with you on various topics, articles, and virtual events that could result in an increase in prospects.

TIP: Always consider being generous to your partner, they’re going to remember how you helped them and remember a good experience when the opportunity arises again.

Keep Them Warm

Bakers often use a warm oven drawer to nurture their breads, allowing them to grow. Consider the same sentiment when working with a lead list you already own. After welcoming them shortly after acquisition and offering to answer their questions or consider an appointment, take great care to consistently – and gently – keep in touch. Perhaps there’s a new article or rate information that’s interesting to share. Even once per month is enough to remind your audience that you’re here to help.

“Ad”ding to Your Strategy

Social media advertising can be very effective when you match engaging messaging with the right audience. By now, you’ve already researched your audience using social media listening tools or by engaging with them online. Take that information and create ads that inspire, inform, or entertain. Here’s a quick guide to getting started with Facebook ads, which are a great resource for generating quality leads at a low cost.

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Pivot to Digital 5: Raising Brand Awareness in Your Community While People Are Home

Digital Bootcamp: Week Five: Raising Brand Awareness in Your Community While People Are Home

What generally worked for building your insurance agency brand awareness in your community prior to COVID-19 probably still works today. However, the details and tactics most likely require a refresh and more focus on social media and digital marketing. Also, remember that any massive change will present opportunities for your agency to grow in unexpected ways.

Raising brand awareness in your community while people are at home offers fresh opportunities to demonstrate your authenticity, empathy and agility.

Stay active in your community: Associate your brand with doing good

People will remember brands for their acts of kindness in a time of crisis, especially if done with authenticity, generosity and compassion. Donating food, providing free products for medical personnel or continuing to pay employees while a company’s doors are closed are a few examples of doing good. Consumers will likely remember how Ford, GE, and 3M partnered to repurpose manufacturing capacity and put people back to work making respirators and ventilators to fight coronavirus. However, you need to show that your contributions are not solely for commercial benefit but for the good of your community.

Sponsor new events: Support some of the new normal celebrations

Who would ever have ever imagined drive-by birthdays or celebrations of other important milestones? Can you sponsor one of these gatherings and give away branded gifts from the side of the road with a lawn sign promoting your agency?

Remember signage: Show your community colors

Crises can unite communities. Frequently, each locale will show their support for a cause with physical, visible signs, such as yellow ribbons and flags. If you have an office in town, don’t let it look vacant with letters piling at the door. Follow marketing common sense. If everyone supports your local hospital, buy a sign that shows you contributed at the office, even if you really aren’t there.

Support your clients’ businesses: Demonstrate loyalty & empathy

Show your clients in the community you care by using their curbside food deliveries. Purchase gift cards from their businesses to help them keep their heads above water and make it through this difficult time.

Give something away for free: Your advice could help a lot of people in need

Businesses are showing empathy in many ways such as banks waiving overdraft fees, and SAP making its Qualtrics Remote Work Pulse platform free to companies who might be rapidly transitioning to new ways of working. Can you help people figure out their financial quandaries and avoid making simple mistakes? A favor today will build massive goodwill for future business.

Keep building your network: Even face-to-face forums have gone virtual

Don’t ignore your business networking organizations. If you haven’t joined any of their virtual events, make sure to try. You may be very surprised who you meet the next time they hold an online event.

Tell your new story: Amplify all your good acts on social media

Remember to document your time in quarantine. Take pictures of your team in masks. Show videos when you helped out at the foodbanks. Using social media channels to share information on nearly all topics from government safety guidelines to how to help our fellow neighbors and local charities is our new normal. Demonstrate your true personality and show you have adapted to the times.

Don’t stop advertising: Stay in front of the community in a tasteful manner

The need for advertising may be greater than ever in times like these. However, you will probably need to reevaluate the appropriateness of the images and messages. You may want to pull the stock pictures of seniors on cruises!

Will raising brand awareness in your community translate into long-term loyalty or sales? 

There’s no guarantee that raising brand awareness in your community will lead to long-term loyalty or sales. However, doing well by doing good can only strengthen your brand.

In summary, be mindful of 5 things:

  • Be empathetic to the impact of business interruption and adapt to the unexpected.
  • Adopt as many digital ways of working as possible.
  • Connect with your community and customers, understand this will likely have residual effects.
  • Minimize risks to customers. Reach out and ask how you can help them.
  • Embrace the digital transformation that customers and communities are currently adopting. This will ultimately improve how we do business and raise brand awareness today and tomorrow.
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Pivot to Digital 4: Turn Your Existing Clients into Fans Who Refer Their Friends

Digital Bootcamp: Week Four: Turn Your Existing Clients into Fans Who Refer Their Friends

Satisfied, existing clients who introduce you to their friends may prove to be the least expensive leads with the highest conversion rates. How do you generate these types of referrals during a pandemic? The same rule that applied before the crisis applies today: You have to ask.

Traditional ways still work…with some virtual twists

  • First, and foremost, become comfortable asking for referrals while communicating with clients in the day-to-day, such as when exchanging text messages, phone calls, or during digital or in-person meetings. If you haven’t done this, write it down and/or practice it with a friend or loved one. You must feel comfortable asking for referrals and believe in the value you can provide. Be able to easily describe your target customer and the problems you can solve. For instance, ask, “Do you know someone between 60 and 65 who may be retiring in the next year or two and wants to lock in some guaranteed income now?”
  • Turn every email you send into an opportunity for a referral. Change your email signature to include a message that asks that people forward your email to friends who may need similar help. Better yet, include a link to a short, personal video message that introduces people to you and talks about the services you provide.
  • Thank clients who have provided referrals in the past.
  • Schedule virtual check-ins with your clients. No one may be calling them during this time. Imagine how much peace of mind you could provide if you proactively reminded them about the great decision that they made to protect either their retirement or their families before the pandemic hit. Do they understand the value of any riders they may have purchased? Can you help any of their friends during the crazy time?
  • Get your clients to like your page on Facebook. The average user on Facebook in 2020 has 155 friends.* For those of you targeting the senior market, 62% of seniors who use the web have a Facebook profile*. Imagine what could happen to your business if each positive statement by a satisfied client reached 155 of their close contacts.

*Source: Facebook by the Numbers: Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts. Omnicore (April 22, 2020).

Client appreciation events may be your secret sauce

Successful agencies have historically relied on strong client appreciation events for lead generation activities. You can simply wait until the crisis passes before you return to the format that works for you. Or, you can use a little imagination and create events that cost less than traditional formats but achieve results not possible in a physical venue.

How can virtual events really top physical events?

  • You’re not facing much competition. Everyone, for now, is basically stuck at home. Even a mediocre experience may attract more attendees than you expect, at least for now.
  • Geographic limits don’t exist. As long as you have licenses in the resident states of your guests, you can pull people from across the country to attend.
  • You may capture better speakers, musicians, or celebrities to attend at a much lower cost.
  • Breakout rooms available in Zoom (and some other platforms) allow you to create more intimate and controlled experiences to maximize engagement with a larger group of attendees.
  • Use of polls and chat features allow you to create more engagement with more people than ever before possible.

What will remain the same when you host a virtual rather than a physical client appreciation event?

  • These event ideas are all about deepening client connections.
  • Customize your approach to your client’s interests.
  • Keep the selling to a minimum.
  • If possible, enlist the involvement of your spouse or partner for couple events.
  • Whenever possible encourage clients to “invite a friend”. However, include any prospects you know as well.

We have listed some of the common (and uncommon) events available for you today in our strange world. Beneath each we offer suggestions on how to modify to make the event even more potent in a virtual environment.

Cooking classes

Chefs and local restaurants actively encourage take outs. Find a really good restaurant that will prepare preps for meals. Hire the chef to join your event virtually and help people make the meal in their homes.

Tastings (wine, beer, tequila, etc.)

See if there’s a retailer in the area who can ship a nice bottle or bottles well in advance of the event for all to share. Depending on the type and packaging of alcohol you serve, you may need to hold the event as a series. Use the virtual nature of the event to find an expert from a vineyard or brewery not easily accessed by your guests. See if the expert could include a virtual tour of the facilities as part of the event. Really take your guests to another part of the world from their living room.

Golf clinics

Some courses remain closed. However, the pros have often taken their coaching to virtual programs. Find a top pro somewhere in the country who will host a chipping or putting clinic via webinar. Send your participants tripods for their phones and a six-pack of golf balls in advance of the event.

Milestone celebrations (retirement, birthdays, graduations).

For those clients with whom you have many mutual contacts, consider hosting an event to celebrate an important moment. Yes, you could do this through Zoom. You could also organize a drive by parade. Offer branded cowbells or other paraphernalia at a pick-up point to connect your firm with the event.

Game nights

Many classic board games are now available online for you to play virtually with others. “The Game of Life” – which could make for some fun marketing tag lines, Scrabble, Clue, Monopoly, Boggle and more. These old-fashioned board games have become a welcome way to connect with other’s and create a few laughs. Imagine if your guests could play with a celebrity or well-known person.

Sporting events

At least until this fall, all major sporting events have been canceled. Use the opportunity to get a pro player to join your event virtually, talk about their career, last season and what lies ahead. You will get terrific engagement from your clients who love sports.

Fundraisers

Collaborate with your clients to raise money for their cause. Working together to raise charitable funds shows you care about matters outside of business.

Encourage your friends to participate to tell their story via Facebook or Instagram. Follow up personally with each attendee afterwards. And always ask them to introduce you to their friends who could benefit from your services.

5 Helpful Things to Talk to Clients About During COVID-19

Revisit The “Am I On Track?” Conversation

No one enjoys seeing their hard-earned savings drop. But as painful as it may be to see declining balances, the bigger pain point is that plans and goals may need to be put on hold or shift completely.

One of the most impactful things that agents can do right now is to reevaluate clients’ plans to be able to give them the answer to the all-important question, “Am I on track?”

Help Clients Adjust Their Budget (Effectively) As Necessary

For those clients whose plans are impacted by the current economic crisis and market downturns, perhaps one of the most valuable services an agent can provide is to help the client to review their monthly/annual spending to make adjustments, as necessary, to make the plan work again.

Agents can serve as a sounding board to help clients talk through and make potentially difficult decisions. Whether a client is 85 or 35, making cuts to spending can be difficult. In some cases, the expense(s) to go may be obvious, but other times, it may be more challenging, particularly in situations where spouses disagree on what should be cut. Agents can help clients to remain focused on the things which are most important to them and to serve as impartial arbiters when/if desired.

Talk through Making 2020 Roth Conversions While The Markets Are Low

While your gains may not be as large, the decision to make a Roth conversion is influenced in part by tax considerations.

With the new Secure Act legislation, there are now no income limits imposed by the IRS upon Roth IRA conversions. Anyone with a Traditional IRA, 401k, 403b or other similar retirement plan can convert it into a Roth IRA no matter how much they earn in a year. In past years, individuals making more than a defined income limit could not fully convert a Traditional IRA or other account into a Roth IRA. This limit has not applied since the 2010 tax year.

Create A Game Plan for What Happens If The Emergency Reserve Runs Dry

Several analysts have projected the unemployment rate to rise to 30% or higher in the near future*. If that happens, there’s no telling how long it will take, particularly in hard-hit areas, for some people to get back to work and avoid living off of their savings. For those approaching retirement age, this could drastically change their retirement vision.

Given this dynamic, agents should consider helping clients to establish the next-in-line source of cash to use after their emergency reserve runs dry. Notably, although clients may still be months away from running low on emergency funds, it’s important to identify the next source predictable income or cash flow, as it can provide peace of mind. Logistically, some options such as selling assets or looking at immediate income options can take time to secure.

*Source: Steve Matthews, U.S. Jobless Rate May Soar to 30%, Fed’s Bullard Says. Bloomberg (Mar 22, 2020)

Consider Reducing And/Or Temporarily Eliminating Payments That Don’t Have to Be Made

Many individuals’ cashflows are impacted by the current COVID-19 crisis. Agents can help clients understand the types of payments that can (or should) currently be considered for reduction. These may include:

  • Federal Student Loan Payments.  The Department of Education announced that the interest rate on all Federally-provided student loans will automatically drop*. This is worth looking into. Borrowers can call 1-800-4-FED-AID, or visit their loan servicers website to make the change.
  • Mortgage Payments. In some states a mortgage ‘holiday’ may be available to clients who have seen disruptions to their income due to the COVID-19 crisis. The general idea of such a provision is to automatically allow impacted borrowers to defer payments without incurring additional costs and/or impacting their credit scores. Mortgages often represent the largest monthly expense. Any relief could help ease the impact of decreased cashflows.
  • Credit Card Payments. Many credit card companies are offering relief during the COVID-19 crisis. This may include reduced or delayed monthly payments, reduced interest rates, and abated late and other fees. Reaching out to credit card companies could provide some temporary help.

*Source: Delivering on President Trump’s Promise, Secretary DeVos Suspends Federal Student Loan Payments, Waives Interest During National Emergency. U.S. Department of Education (Mar. 20, 2020).

In short… help your clients control what they can today and reassure them you are here to continue the conversation tomorrow.

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Saybrus MarketingPivot to Digital 4: Turn Your Existing Clients into Fans Who Refer Their Friends
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Pivot to Digital 3: Making A Trusted, Emotional Connection Through a Webcam

Your digital advertising has paid off. A potential client has emailed you requesting an introductory meeting to explore their retirement or life insurance options—or to see if you’re the right person to help them meet their needs. Although nothing beats an in-person meeting, COVID-19 has taught us that sometimes this just isn’t possible.

To make this meeting effective, you have to master three skills. First, you need to learn to be technically competent not only to run your connection smoothly but also be able to easily troubleshoot problems for your potential client. Second, and most important, you need to manage the process in such a way that you create an emotional connection strong enough for someone to trust you with their financial future. Finally, third, you need to manage the meeting in a way that meets all compliance requirements for the carriers you may represent.

Mastering the Technical Process: Devote at Least Three Hours to Learn

When you can’t meet in person, a virtual meeting is a great opportunity to develop a strong first impression. If you’re new to virtual meetings, online meeting platforms—like Skype or Zoom—can seem intimidating. With some practice, virtual meetings can be a reliable and powerful way to get some facetime with potential clients from the safety and comfort of both your own desks.

Five years ago, connecting your laptop to a webcam and finding a client willing to do the same probably proved daunting. Today, just about everyone has learned to communicate through a camera on their phone or computer. That said, you still need to establish a solid set up in your home office that will reliably allow good video and audio connections.

Get the Right Equipment

Good virtual meetings only require standard equipment today. If you have an average internet connection and a laptop purchased in the last two years, you will likely have what you need to host a client meeting. Great virtual meetings may require a high-internet connection, a 4K or better webcam, a high-quality microphone like one used for a podcast, and dedicated lighting behind the webcam.

Resources*
The Best Webcams

Open A Big Pipe

Hosting virtual meetings requires a reliable internet connection. Use a free online resource like speedtest.net to see if your internet can handle virtual meetings. As a general rule of thumb, your download speed should be at least 8mbps, whereas your upload speed should be at least 1.5mbps. For a great experience, make sure you have at least 8mps upload speed and download speeds in excess of 30 mbps.

If you need to increase your speed, limit the number of devices currently using your Wi-Fi, or connect your computer directly to your internet router using an ethernet chord. If your internet speed still proves slower than needed, you may need to upgrade your plan with your internet service provider.

Pick Your Preferred Virtual Meeting Platform

Whether you’re using Zoom, Skype, or another platform, thoroughly test that it works correctly on the device you’ll be using for the meeting. Spend a few hours exploring the platform’s features, reading the user guide, and watching videos online.  Once you feel confident, schedule a 30-minute meeting to test the following questions with a friend/colleague:

  • How do you schedule a meeting? How do your guests join?
  • How do you start the meeting?
  • Test your audio and microphone. Can you hear and be heard?
  • Test your camera. Can you see and be seen?
  • How do you mute/unmute yourself? How do you toggle your video on and off?
  • Can you start and end a screenshare?
  • Can you record the event?

Learn the Other Popular Platforms

Just because you like one conference platform does not mean that your client will. If your clients tend to be over the age of 55, their service of choice may be determined by their grandchildren. Make sure you understand how to use all the other platforms. Today, the most popular ones include Zoom, Skype, Facetime, Google Hangouts, and Messenger. You should be able to meet your client on their terms. Make certain you have an account on all of these services in case a client insists on a platform you don’t regularly use.

Resources*
How to Use Zoom
How to Use Skype
How to Make Video Calls with Skype for Business

Creating an Emotional Connection with Your Client

Chances are you’ve been in hundreds, if not thousands of meetings throughout your career. Virtual meetings, however, function somewhere in between an in-person meeting and a phone call. Follow this outline and tips below for leading a successful, rewarding virtual meeting.

BEFORE


The All-Important Pre-Call

A quick call with your client could make all the difference in hosting an effective and productive virtual meeting.

After introductions, define the client’s goal—the heart of why they reached out to you initially. Then, begin ironing out the logistics of your next connection. In addition to the standard date and time, ask if they’d be open to a virtual meeting. If they are, ask if they have a preferred online meeting platform. This may require a bit of prep on your end to learn the platform if you haven’t already. Fortunately, the core skills you develop with one are fairly transferable to another. Regardless, operating in a system your potential client is familiar with will greatly reduce the likelihood any technical obstacles occur during the meeting itself.

If they don’t have a preferred platform, or are new to virtual meetings, suggest your preferred platform and explain its features and ease of use. Close the call in appreciation of your client’s time and your eagerness to work with them in the future. Small touchpoints like this are key to building likability and trust.

Schedule the Meeting, Set Expectations

A day or so after your initial call, schedule the meeting using your online calendar of choice. Send an itemized agenda including the objective of the meeting, topics you’ll discuss, as well as clear, step-by-step instructions about how your guest can join the virtual meeting. Include a backup phone number—just in case. 

Prepare Your Visuals: Screensharing

Insurance products can be complicated. Screensharing illustrations or visuals to help your guest better understand product features can make or break your meeting. Make sure you have them ready in a designated folder for your meeting, or your go-to place on your device.

Get Camera Ready

You don’t need an in-house studio to look professional on a webcam. Follow this seven-bullet checklist to present yourself well virtually and to keep your guest’s attention focused on you.

  • Wear neutral colors (blues, grays)
  • Remove noisy jewelry
  • Place camera at eye level
  • Take a step away from the camera and center your face in its frame. Being too close to the camera may create an uneasy, unnatural feeling to your guest that potentially diminishes their willingness to connect with you.
  • Remove distracting items and background light from the frame
  • Light yourself from the front with natural (window) lighting

Plan a Technology Pre-Check

Depending on your level of comfort, plan 15-30 minutes to test your audio and video before the meeting. Try restarting your device if something that was previously working isn’t anymore. Be prepared to jump in and troubleshoot if your guest needs a hand in joining the meeting. This is where all the time you spent learning the platform will shine.

Be Early

Don’t make a client wait for the meeting to start. Open the meeting at least 5 minutes in advance to reduce the possibility of creating anxiety over the technology for your client.

DURING


Build Trust and Comfort

At the opening of your meeting, create an atmosphere of privacy by shutting the door and putting headphones in. This will show your guest that what they’re saying is confidential. Additionally, if your platform allows it, consider asking your guest if they’d benefit from a recording of the conversation that you could share with them afterwards. Bear in mind: any recording could become public information, so lead the conversation accordingly.

Allocate enough time to break the ice. Try to find common ground to build relatability and likability. If you’ve practiced the skill of mirroring, or the adoption of the physical and verbal behaviors of another as a way to build rapport and agreement during the sales process, a virtual meeting is a great opportunity to utilize it.

Make certain that your camera frames at least the top half of your torso. This will make it easier for your client to respond to your body language and cues. Studies show that webcam calls focused just on heads reduce the chance of establishing empathy and trust.

Eye Contact: Look Into the Camera

While it’s tempting to watch yourself or your client on screen, look into the camera. Just like maintaining eye contact, focusing on the lens will increase empathy and deepen their connection to you.

Be Mindful of Background Noises

Your dog hasn’t barked in years, but they will when you’re in a virtual meeting. To minimize interruptions, it’s best practice to mute yourself unless you’re speaking. Make sure to take yourself off of mute when it’s your turn to communicate.

Keep Them Engaged

When it’s time to present, speak slowly and confidently when describing your points. Remember—because you spent time framing your camera appropriately, you can further emphasize your key messages with hand motions, pointed expressions, etc. Although it’s always tempting to include beautiful landscapes or animal pictures for easy wow-factor in your presentation, pair what you’re saying with visuals that reinforce your many concepts, not distract from them.

Perhaps most importantly, make sure to pause and prompt for questions throughout your presentation and to provide your client plenty of chances to chime in. These openings are not your chance to check that text message you just received or your email. Devote your attention to the conversation, nodding in recognition of the points your guests make, answering questions, and asking targeted follow ups. Dialogues connect people more deeply than lectures ever could.

Close the Meeting in Style

Wrap up the conversation by reemphasizing the meeting’s critical points. Be clear about timeframes and what exactly your guest can expect from you. As the old maxim goes, say what you’ll do, and do what you say. End on a note of positivity to encourage your client to associate you with that mindset when they think about the meeting later.

Resources*

More than Face-to-Face: Empathy Effects of Video Framing
Mirroring in Sales
Yes, There Is Video Chat Etiquette. Here are 10 rules.
How to Use the Six Persuasion Principles in Your Video Marketing Campaigns
10 Smart Tips for Running a Productive Teleconference
How to Forge Trust with Video Conferencing

AFTER


Be Proactive Post-Meeting

The same day, or the day after the meeting ends, follow up with your client, including a meeting summary or recording of the conversation. Reemphasize the timeframe of any deliverables or expectations you discussed and stick to them. Nothing ends a new client relationship faster than a broken promise.

Remaining Fully Compliant in the Process

Make certain you know the exact compliance requirements of the carriers you represent before you start the conversation and those of the states in which you work and your client resides. Some carriers still have insurance and annuity applications filed with states that require you to attest to meeting the client in person and that you have physically verified the authenticity of their identification. Some states still have laws in place that require specific regulatory approval to take applications over the phone or internet. In the last few months, many of these carriers and states have modified the rules to enable virtual sales meetings. However, for your own protection, find out the exact rules before you start the call so you avoid problems down the road.

In a quickly shifting regulatory and compliance landscape, we suggest you adopt the following habits:

  • Record meetings in which you actually take an application. Most platforms allow you to easily do this. However, always remember to ask permission to record the conversation and explain to your clients why it’s helpful for you to do this.
  • On the call, establish the physical location of both you and your client. Given the unusual circumstances of these times, this will demonstrate your diligence in determining the eligibility of the sale and prevent an application from being rejected later.
  • Ask the client to physically show their identification on camera. Most carriers will only need a photo or the ID number as part of the applications. However, at least one carrier requires the ID to be shown on screen.
  • Get a transcription of the call and keep with your client files. Some platforms offer automated transcriptions. If yours does not, consider using an inexpensive service to transcribe it for you.

While it may be more difficult for some to secure new sales in these challenging times, it’s imperative that you continue to comprehensively evaluate each client’s individual financial situation, needs and objectives before recommending a product to ensure it is appropriate for them.

In Conclusion

Create a long lasting, powerful first impression with your potential clients with digital meetings. With the right tools, internet speed, meeting preparation, and just a little bit of practice, you’ll be a pro in no time!

 

*Any references to the products, information or websites of any third party are for informational purposes only. Saybrus Partners does not endorse any third party products, information or websites and makes no representations as to the suitability or accuracy of such products, information or websites. Your access to and use of any third party products, information or websites is at your sole risk.

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Saybrus MarketingPivot to Digital 3: Making A Trusted, Emotional Connection Through a Webcam
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