It's that time of year again. And, no, I'm not talking about taxes ... or overhyped sporting events.
It's almost show time - and not in an LA Lakers kind of way, either. It's that time when the trade shows start dotting broker calendars across the country. That is, for those who are hitting the road this year.As we all know, when times get lean (or downright anorexic) like they are now, travel is often one of the first expenses to get whacked.
Our own show is less than two months away now, and we couldn't be more excited. And from the numbers I've seen lately, a lot of you share that enthusiasm. While it certainly makes sense to cut costs whenever you can, it always pays to invest in yourself. Now more than ever. Jobs are disappearing at an historic clip, which always cheers up Wall Street. But those laid off workers aren't enrolling in any voluntary benefits. And those Circuit City execs certainly aren't forking over any cash for your group package either.
So while your pool of prospects isn't exactly growing, your competition needs that next case just as badly as you do. Doesn't it make sense, then, to take some time and invest in yourself? We could all use a tune-up, whether it's learning about a new product altogether, picking up a new enrollment technique or just brushing up on the basics.
Our cover story this month is a great example. He reached out to me several weeks back and I saw that he worked with Wells Fargo. Immediately I thought, "yeah, I bet he's a real success story. A banker selling benefits in this economy." But this wasn't some Lehman Brothers horror story. This cat was not only excited about last year, he was even more pumped up for 2009. I hadn't heard his level of enthusiasm in months. And it was contagious. I didn't need another coffee for the rest of the day.
But seriously, it's up to you. The way I see it, this is going to be a make-or-break year for a lot of us. And I've no doubt that the ones standing still will be left behind.
Denis Storey
Editor
dstorey@benefitssellingmag.com
