Insurance Consultant's Newsletter
Scott Simmonds, CPCU, ARM
January, 2006

Helping Insurance Experts Build Great Consulting Practices
www.icmentor.com

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to colleagues. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. Email: Scott@InsuranceFixer.com or call 207-284-0085.

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My Contract With My Client

When I started my consulting practice I spent time with an attorney designing a legal contract to limit my liability, satisfy the state insurance law, and put my client on the hook.

He came up with a beautiful, three-page contract that held me harmless, advised the client of my legal standing, set out the fee, and the fact I was subject to Maine insurance law. It was long, legal, and contained nothing valuable to my client.

I'm embarrassed to say that my contract was the one place in my practice where client value was not the main focus. It also was a document that hurt my business. My proposals, conversations, projects, and demeanor all focused on the client. My contract did not. It tainted the sales process and set me back a few steps with prospects.

I soon woke up to the fact that my contract was out of alignment with the rest of my practice. So, I fixed it.

I built a proposal form that includes the entirety of my agreement with the client. It outlines my client's situation, the objectives of our work together, the measures we will use to judge the project and the ultimate value my client will receive. It has comments about confidentiality, expectations, joint accountabilities, and the stuff the insurance department wanted in there.

My proposal has a place for my client to sign. Now, there is no legal mumbo-jumbo. My clients are not hit with the feeling that an attorney should review the document. My proposal confirms my agreement with the client and matches the emphasis of my practice - VALUE.

What are you putting in front of your clients in the sales process? Are you coming together with the mutual goal of achieving objectives or are you throwing out legal documents that sets you apart from the client? Are you building trust?

By the way, a copy of the proposal form I use is included in my Insurance Consultant's Handbook available at http://www.icmentor.com/handbook.htm.

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Free Teleseminar - Marketing Your Consulting Practice To Double Your Income

Join me on February 23 at 4:00 Eastern for a 45 minute session dedicated to marketing your consulting practice. Ideas, tips, thoughts, and help on getting the word out that your consulting practice can solve insurance problems.

Email me at Scott@InsuranceFixer.com or call 207-284-0085 to register.

Topics Will Include:

• Website Marketing
• Building Marketing Gravity
• Newsletters
• A Referral System That Actually Works
• How To Write Articles That Get Published
• How To Get Speaking Engagements

I'm also glad to take suggestions for the discussion or submit specific questions. Email me at Scott@InsuranceFixer.com or call 207-284-0085.

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Teleseminar #2 - My last teleseminar has received great reviews. We covered:

• Building A Value Mindset
• The Planning Process
• Goals and Budgeting
• Getting In The Door
• Introduction To Fee Setting
• Ethical Issues
• Marketing Ideas
• What Not To Do
• Separating Yourself From The Pack

If you missed it, go to http://www.icmentor.com/IntroCD2.htm.

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Visit My Insurance Blog – My general thoughts about the world of insurance - http://insurancebuzzer.blogspot.com/.

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Insurance Consultant's Handbook - My mother yelled at me recently. She thought that my handbook for insurance consultants was too expensive. In deference to her I have lowered the price. The value is the same though!

Go To http://www.icmentor.com/handbook.htm.

Advice Not Available Anywhere Else - Startup help, marketing tools, how to build referral sources, proposals, working with agents, fee setting, checklists...

It's Guaranteed - Buy the handbook. If you're not convinced of its value, email me within 5 days for a full refund.

Apply The Price To My Mentor Program - The price you pay for the handbook can be applied to a future fee for my mentor program.

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Insurance Consultant Mentor Program - Designed to help you build your business faster, with less hassle, and fewer false starts. Grow your current practice or gain the edge in your startup. The object is for you to make your business the best it can be - faster and more profitably. Go to http://www.icmentor.com/mentor.htm.

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Scott Simmonds, CPCU, ARM
Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc.
Phone 207-284-0085
Scott@InsuranceFixer.com
http://www.InsuranceFixer.com

Insurance Consultant Services Website: http://www.icmentor.com

© 2006 Insurance Consultants of Maine, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We encourage sharing this newsletter in whole or in part if copyright and attribution (including my web address) are always included.

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