The independent industry doesn't do a really good job of surveying it's field force regarding what they look for in an Independent Marketing Organization (IMO). Having been around the business for more than 20 years, and having talked with thousands of insurance agents regarding their wishes and wants, I thought I'd put together a listing of the top field requests I've heard over the past few years.

Do you consider yourself to be a serious professional? Are you serious about the way you conduct business with your prospects and clients? When, where, and how you conduct your business speaks volumes to your ideal prospects. 

There are several important things to remember when meeting with prospects. We could probably go on and on about what is important, but there are certain things we feel are most crucial to remember when meeting with prospects. We coach financial professionals on these processes on a daily basis which allows them to have more successful appointments and ultimately, more successful practices.

You have decided that you're serious about your business, and your career in the financial services industry is not one you take lightly. You're going to stop making house calls and start meeting people in a professional office environment. You are choosing to control their experience and to make it memorable. Where do you start?

Over the course of the past 10 to 15 years many designations have come and gone. Many were merely alphabet soup behind the person’s name and had little to no value or legitimacy. Several financial advisors have tried to recreate themselves with self-appointed designations that would somehow differentiate them from the rest of the industry or their local competition. Unfortunately, that tactic doesn’t work.

Colors have different meanings around the world. Take yellow for example: It can mean energy, happiness, cowardice or even hopefulness. It depends where you are and what the attitudes are. Everyone has different associations and experiences with color.

Before we dive into this topic, let me ask you, how do you currently build trust with your prospects and clients? Financial advisors have many different answers and methods to create trust. Is any one way better than another?

How many indexed annuities do you own? Your answer should be at least “one” if you are recommending them to others. My belief is if you are selling them, you should own them. If you don’t, you are not credible.

If you are not currently using videos to promote your financial services business, you could be missing the greatest opportunities to build your practice, branding and visibility. Did you know that one third of all online activity involves watching videos and 90% of viewers say a video is helpful in the decision making process? If you have a website or social media account, those stats alone should prompt you to use video marketing for your firm. So how do you get started?

Whether traveling by train, plane, or cruise ship, you usually have a choice: Pay the fare for a coach ticket and receive the coach experience or spring for the first class ticket. There’s most likely an enhanced experience that comes with paying the premium price for a first class ticket. What is it worth to the purchaser of the ticket, and what does it really cost the carrier?