Posts by Matt Tarkenton

We talk a lot about learning and continuous improvement. I have an advantage. I get to work with over 250 premier retirement planners, many of whom share their tips for success. Thanks to Rene in California for introducing me to Coach Joe Lukacs.  Among other things, I get a daily dose of BrainFood from Coach…

Study after study talks about the importance of continual learning. If you haven’t already, I’d encourage you to set up a Google alert to send you articles daily on topics you want to learn about. In business, I get a daily feed on retirement planning, entrepreneurship, annuities and other topics.  I skim them quickly and…

My grandfather was a preacher and my multi-talented father has never shied away from offering “sermons” on relationships, business and life. One lesson that has been particularly true in my life and in working with over 250 retirement income planners is “you have to get your hands in the soil.” “Do you know how a…

Our most successful agents are growing, asking questions, trying new things…the agents who struggle seem to elicit more of a fixed mindset (“i.e. seminars don’t work,” “I don’t understand annuities,” “I don’t have any money to market”). Recently, I read a fascinating Khan Academy article titled “Why I’ll Never Tell My Son He’s Smart” that…

The phrase drip marketing comes from the concept of “drip irrigation” in gardening and agriculture. This method waters plants using small amounts of water over long periods of time. In your business, “drip marketing” describes the value of repetition in your marketing – a slow build – to achieve the desired results. A “marketing blitz,”…

As we all focus on our individual businesses, I always find it helpful to track broader sales trends in the fixed index annuity business.  Linked Here Are 2nd Quarter 2014 FIA Sales Results.  Some key takeaways include: Q2 2014 sales were $12.6 billion, up 36.5% when compared to Q2 2013.  Take away:  FIAs are gaining…