MDRT for 29 years.......

On Monday, our company inserted a two full pages of advertisement in all our local newspapers recognising our agents who had qualified for the international prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT). Founded in 1927, MDRT is the US-based premier association for the world's leading financial professionals in the life insurance business. 

Many of my friends, clients and even a special blog's reader saw this advertisement. They called and sent me their congratulatory messages. One message I like to share...  "Hi young man at heart, congrats for your achievement as the 29 years MDRT qualifying. May you continuously break records after record. It's a amazing feat for a human like u to maintain and sustain effortlessly. I became envious of your success & wish to emulate you! May Allah Bless You! Have a beautiful and a wonderful day".

One called to ask, "Robert! Please tell us how you could qualify MDRT for the last 29 years consequently?" 

For the year 2010, we had 244 agents qualified for this club. Last year 2011, though we had recruited even more agents to join the company, we had only 198 qualifiers for a total agents of more than 13000 in number. In terms of percentage, 198 represents 1.5% over the entire agency force of our company. The majority of those qualifying are in the first or second years. The closest to my 29 years qualification, is one lady agent who had done for 17 years. The reason for me to show these figures is... What happen to the others?

I had been in this business for 30 years, and I had seen those who had performed extremely well but so sad to see later they are no longer in this business now. The one who could be doing  well today, are usually the beginners or the rookies or the young agents. But to be a stayer I  could see only some. Reasons could be many.

Young blood is aggressive but when they have gathered fame and success, they could turn arrogance and boastful. When they were not rich and wealthy, they could be humble and simple but when they become rich and famous, their character changes. Not forgetting selling life insurance is to serve and to assist but when you are too successful, serving and helping others could be a difficult task then.

A young agent is prepared to learn but an older agent might find learning is boring. A young agent has a lot of youthful energy and enthusiasm, but when he aged the youthfulness and drive disappear. So by the call of nature, for one agent to sell effortlessly for 30 years and more could be difficult.

In my simple term on how I could sell successfully is... have a sincere heart, be forever humble all the time, be focus on the career and never be carried away by other opportunities, be prepared to serve and don't expect to be served, don't forget to stay young even you might have crossed the retirement age, be naughty and playful to cheer others, be a giver rather than to be a taker, be rich but not filthy rich (cause richness can blind a person), be noble and be a charitable person, and be willing to walk the extra miles for others. I hope these little suggestions are useful to those who are selling as well.

Add this too - "Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion" - Hebbel Quotes.