Please join me in recognizing Neil Jensen from our Rigby office and congratulating him for a great June 2020. Neil and I met with one of his longtime Farm & Ranch clients in Q1 to explore some upcoming financial decisions and opportunities. We met again in Q2 which ultimately led to placing $20k+ LPC annuity business in June. Neil maximized his Q2 bonus and his clients were extremely appreciative about the thoughtful and personalized solution we put together for them.

 

There were a few details in particular that stood out and impressed me about Neil and this case:

 

1. Neil had been setting the table and planting seeds (about FBL’s financial services) with this family over the last 10+ years. Even with the long history with this family, Neil was quick to bring me in. Neil made it clear that he thought partnering with a specialist would ensure the highest quality experience and best solution. He specifically mentioned to me that he never feels any hesitation with splitting business and that his clients’ needs were and always will be his #1 focus.

2. Due to various constraints, we ended up utilizing Zoom for our third and final appointment to answer final questions and submit the applications. Although Neil had not used this option for a client meeting before, and this was a large and important case, he did not hesitate to embrace the technology. Yet again, with a focus on providing his clients with a top notch experience, Neil opted to pick up a couple new devices to ensure a smooth sound/video experience for our meeting.

 

After this case closed, Neil mentioned that he wasn’t confident it would have closed or ended as favorably had he gone it alone. While I think he is generous in saying so, I am extremely thankful for Neil and his unwavering commitment  to protect Farm Bureau families and their futures. Neil and I share the sentiment that doing the right thing for others is never the wrong choice and will always yield the best outcomes.

 

Thank you, Neil, for all that you do and for who you are. It is always a pleasure to work with you and I am proud of the impact we have made and will continue to make in your community. Your clients and Farm Bureau are both very fortunate to have you representing them.

 

MORE ABOUT ZOOM

With the recent COVID pandemic and stay-at-home orders, Zoom utilization worldwide has been booming.

 

When distance is an issue (or even preferred), this interface is a great alternative. Please work with your RFC to determine if scheduling a Zoom or face-to-face meeting is best for a given client need but, most importantly, let us not let ongoing challenges stop these critical planning conversations from happening. Face-to-face will always be an important part of our business, but having an option when it's not possible or practical is invaluable.

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Keep reading to learn how more and more Idaho Farm Bureau Insurance agents are holding RFC/agent/client meetings via Zoom to grow their business.

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MAKING ROOM FOR ZOOM 

 

By Mike Myers

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Chubbuck agent Lena Permann typically meets in person with clients to discuss their life insurance questions and financial goals.

 

But not this time.

 

“I used my laptop for a Zoom meeting with the clients and Sarah Phillips,” Lena says. “The client was very cautious because his wife has an autoimmune condition. A Zoom meeting allowed us to relay information to him without putting his wife at risk of contracting COVID-19. I’m not sure we could have closed this sale without Zoom. I always prefer a face-to-face meeting, but this worked really well given the circumstances.”

 

Practically overnight, because of COVID-19, Farm Bureau insurance agents including Lena and Sarah have had to figure out a way to carry out business remotely. For most of them, Zoom was the answer.

 

“Give Zoom meetings a shot,” says Lewiston agent Tim Kasper. “It works very well, and I think with all the changes we’re facing, it’s a great tool to help us better serve our clients.” Sarah recently helped Tim conduct his first Zoom meeting. “To be honest,” Tim recalls, “I was a little apprehensive about it.” As the meeting progressed though, Tim realized Zoom’s value. “My client responded well to it. He thought that it was very convenient and was comfortable discussing his situation.” The conversation, Tim adds, “flowed as if it was a face-to-face meeting. All the tools that would have been used in person were utilized in the Zoom meeting. Sarah was able to use her iPad to draw diagrams for the client and illustrate the difference between fixed, variable, and hybrid accounts, all while we were having an audio/video conversation.”

 

During this first Zoom meeting, Sarah helped Tim with broad fact finding. This led to a second Zoom meeting where they discussed an indexed annuity. “During this second meeting,” Tim says, “we utilized the iPipeline to complete the application.”

 

Besides serving as a COVID-19-friendly meeting solution, Tim also recommends using Zoom for any situation where an in-person meeting is not possible. “Zoom is convenient for anyone who can’t make it into the office because of where they live, or because travel just isn’t possible at the time. Sarah, for example, is not always available at the drop of a hat to travel to appointments. Zoom allows her to be more available to all of us, no matter where she is in the state.”

 

Agent Donna D’Ambra used Zoom to include Sarah in a client fact-finding meeting from her office in Jerome. “I thought it was great that Sarah didn’t have to drive all the way from Boise,” Donna says. “My clients seemed okay with a Zoom meeting given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19.”

 

No special equipment was necessary for Donna to use Zoom, just the standard-issue technology she already had. “The clarity was great. We did lose audio a couple of times and we couldn’t hear, but Sarah made up for it and all turned out well.” Despite the glitch, Donna “absolutely” recommends using Zoom.

 

“Using Zoom allowed Sarah to make the meeting she couldn’t attend in person,” which ultimately lead to closing several life cases as well as an annuity contract for these clients. “I appreciate all of Sarah’s efforts in making the meeting(s) happen.”

 

Post Falls agent Steven Zamora recently used a Zoom meeting with Sarah to close on two life applications. “The client asked me about infinite banking,” Steven says. “He was looking for an investment tool with tax advantages, something that was way over my head.” To explain the options that we have to offer, Steven set up a Zoom meeting with Sarah and his client. “The meeting went well. Sarah answered all of the client’s questions, and we submitted the applications the next day.” Steven says that he and the client both felt like Sarah was in the room because the meeting went so smoothly. “With everything going on in the world,” he adds in conclusion, “I would highly recommend doing meetings over Zoom.”

 

In Rigby, Zoom made it possible for agent Neil Jensen to include Sarah in a meeting where two annuity applications were completed. “The sale was closed prior to the Zoom meeting,” Neil says. “I could have gone ahead and finished the applications without Sarah. However, I felt that having Sarah involved would be advantageous and a better situation, which it turned out to be.” Neil spoke with his clients the next day on the phone and says they were “completely happy with the process.”

 

Neil encourages other agents to “give Zoom a try!” He realizes that people tend to shy away from things outside their comfort zones, but sometimes “we just need to expand our vision.”

 

This expanded vision has helped Neil grow his business. “If an agent is considering bringing on additional help, or is struggling with their life production, Sarah Phillips is the least expensive resource you will find. Just remember that some of the pie is better than none of the pie. Sarah has helped me close cases I wouldn’t have been able to close myself.”

 

And thanks to Zoom, enlisting Sarah’s help to close cases and grow your business is easier than ever.

 

To find out more about integrating Sarah into your business, please contact her at: 208-484-8259 (cell), or sarah.phillips@fbfs.com.

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