Oregon Agent Summer 2019

“THE NEXT 

GENERATION” 

August 25 - 27, 2019 

Eagle Crest Resort 

Redmond, OR 

91st Annual 

Convention of 

The Independent 

Insurance Agents 

& Brokers of 

Oregon

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Summer 2019 

OREGON 

Agent 

CONTENTS 

Page 20 

Page 26 

IIABO Office 

6 Centerpointe Drive, #430 

Lake Oswego, OR 97035 

Phone: 503-274-4000 

Fax: 503-274-0062 

Toll Free: 866-774-4226 

IIABO Staff Directory 

Executive Vice President 

Jim Perucca 

jimp@insureoregon.org 

Sr. Vice President 

Marketing & Communications 

Barb Demings 

barbd@insureoregon.org 

Vice President 

Education & Finance 

Tyra Dressel 

tyra@insureoregon.org 

IIABO Lobbyist 

Roger Beyer 

roger@rwbeyer.com 

Cover Photo: 

ID 123008712 © Davidgn 

Dreamstime.com 

The Oregon Agent is a publication of the 

Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers 

of Oregon and is published quarterly by Blue 

Water Publishers, LLC. IIABO reserves the right 

in its sole discretion to reject advertising that 

does not meet IIABO qualifications or which 

may detract from its business, professional 

or ethical standards. IIABO and Blue Water 

Publishers, LLC do not necessarily endorse any 

of the companies advertising in the publication 

or the views of its writers. The publisher cannot 

assume responsibility for claims made by 

advertisers, content provided by the editor, or for 

the opinions expressed by contributing authors. 

For more information 

on advertising, contact : 

Eric Johnson 

Blue Water Publishers, LLC 

phone: 414.708.2059 

fax: 414.354.5317 

eric@bluewaterpublishers.com 

4 The Oregon Agent • Summer 2019 

6 A Letter from the IIABO President Steve Smelley 

8 IIABO Leadership – 2019-2020 

10 IIABA Annual Legislative Conference 

12 How to Build Relationships in Your Organization and with Vendors 

16 Preview: 91st Annual Convention of the Independent Insurance 

Agents & Brokers of Oregon 

20 A Day in the Life of a Successful Agent 

21 In-House Continuing Education 

23 2019 Law & Ethics Classes 

25 Live CE Webinars 

26 Are Your Salespeople Happy Just Getting By? 

29 Building A Successful (Sales) Culture 

ADVERTISER INDEX 

Page 12 

Applied Underwriters 32 

auw.com/ 

Bershire Hathaway Guard 24 

guard.com 

EMC 5 

emcins.com 

Griffing Underwriting Services 2 

griffin.com 

Imperial PFS 31 

imperial.com 

Mutual of Enumclaw 3 

mutualofenumclalw.com 

Preferred Property Program 15 

ppp-quotes.com 

RT Specialty 31 

rtspecialty.com 

Western National Insurance 7 

wnins.com

For light manufacturing, 

you’ve got it made 

with EMC. 

EMC offers comprehensive coverage tailored to the needs of 98 different types of light 

manufacturers producing everything from buttons to bread to electronic components. 

This line offers optional coverage for manufacturers and delivery errors or omissions, plus 

employment practices liability. Certain coverages are even bundled automatically — meaning 

whatever your clients make, EMC makes insuring their businesses easier. 

Count on EMC ® to make light work of light manufacturing coverage. 

www.emcins.com 

©Copyright Employers Mutual Casualty Company 2018. All rights reserved.

FROM THE IIABO PRESIDENT 

Steve Smelley 

COO, PayneWest Insurance, President IIABO 

IIf you are anything like me, you are in a time crunch! 

The demands on agents today include keeping up-todate 

on automation, learning about company products, 

maintaining and developing staff, and, oh yes, trying to 

sell insurance. 

This edition of the Oregon Agents kicks off promotion 

of the 91st annual IIABO Convention and Trade Show, 

August 25-27, 2019, at the Eagle Crest Resort located 

in the high desert outside 

Redmond, Oregon. 

There were times when 

conventions meant simply 

hospitality rooms (with lots 

of booze), golfing, annual 

meetings (where companies 

were condemned for a 

variety of transgressions) 

and a chance to get away 

from the office. 

Now successful conventions 

must bring value. Members 

want to get something at the convention that can help 

them become better agents and agency managers. 

NOW SUCCESSFUL 

CONVENTIONS 

MUST BRING VALUE. 

MEMBERS WANT TO 

GET SOMETHING AT 

THE CONVENTION 

THAT CAN HELP THEM 

BECOME BETTER 

AGENTS AND AGENCY 

MANAGERS. 

Last year’s convention brought nationally acclaimed 

agency management coach David Connolly. To receive 

David’s message in your office would cost thousands 

of dollars. Four hours with David for the price of a 

convention registration was a bargain! 

This year’s convention focuses on marketing in 

today’s ever-changing world, how to make great first 

impressions and develop solid business relationships. 

Award-winning sales speaker, author, trainer and coach, 

John Chapin will conduct a sales training workshop that 

will provide practical ideas on how to become a better 

producer. John’s message will teach agents how to get 

customers to their agency! 

Our Young Agents have 

developed into a vibrant, 

growing community of new 

producers. They will host 

a putting contest on Eagle 

Crest’s 18 hole putting course. 

The event is free to registered 

Young Agents and only $20 for 

companies. Lots of fun! 

Make plans right now to attend 

the Annual Convention. Golf on 

the 25th, plenty of time with the 

exhibitors in a sold-out exhibit 

hall. Registration includes all meals, receptions and 

entertainment. But, perhaps most important, real value 

to you and your agency! 

Steve Smelley 

COO PayneWest Insurance 

President IIABO 

Your association staff: 

Executive VP Jim Perucca 503-274-0583 jimp@insureoregon.org 

Sr. Vice President Barb Demings 503-274-4000 ext. 126 barbd@insureoregon.org 

Vice President Tyra Dressel 503-274-4000 ext. 131 tyra@insureoregon.org 

Toll Free Numbers: 1-866-77-IIABO or 1-866-774-4226 

6 The Oregon Agent • Summer 2019

CL_Alarm.pdf 1 5/8/2018 9:14:57 AM 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K

2019 - 2020 

IIABO LEADERSHIP 

The IIABO Board of Directors is a diverse group of insurance professionals representing the 

varied interests of agents throughout the State of Oregon. We would like you to learn more 

about these volunteer leaders and the years of experience they bring to the association. 

Steve Smelley 

President, IIABO 

Chief Operations Officer, 

PayneWest Insurance 

Beaverton, Oregon - 30 years 

Debbie Flores 

President - Elect 

KPD Insurance, Inc. 

Springfield, OR - 29 years 

Mark Atkinson 

Vice President 

President, Atkinson Insurance Group 

Portland, Oregon - 25 years 

Brett Slater 

Past President, IIABO 

President, Slater & Assoc. Insurance, Inc. 

Tualatin, Oregon - 26 years 

TJ Sullivan 

Legislative Chair, IIABO 

Huggins Insurance Services 

Salem, Oregon - 18 years 

Ed Davis 

National Director, IIABO 

Maps Insurance Services 

Salem, Oregon - 49 years 

Dallas Ross 

Young Agents Chair, IIABO 

PayneWest Insurance 

Beaverton, Oregon 

Kent Bergstedt 

Board Member 

President, Bisnett Insurance 

Lake Oswego, Oregon – 21 years 

Kriston Correll 

Board Member, IIABO 

JUUL Insurance Agency, 

North Bend, Oregon – 22 years 


Trish Fulwiler 


President, J.D. Fulwiler & Co. 


Gary Githens 

Board Member 

Data Breach Specialist 

Brown & Brown NW 

Bend/Portland, Oregon - 35 years 

Greg Horner 

Board Member 

Commercial Lines Producer, 

Insurance Partners, LLC 


Marty Kantola 

Board Member 

Owner, Chet Hill Insurance 


Lyndsay Kooistra 

Board Member 

LaPorte Insurance 


Steve LaCesa 

Board Member 

Owner, Oak Tree Insurance 

Lake Oswego, Oregon - 36 years 

Matthew Pidcock 

Board Member 

Co-Owner, Valley Insurance 

LaGrande, Oregon - 17 years 

John Powell 

Board Member 

Owner / Agent, Hopp Insurance 

Newberg, Oregon - 9 years 

Bob Rosson 


President, Timmco Insurance 

Salem, Oregon – 25 years 

Russ Schweikert, 


Ashland Insurance, Inc., 

Ashland, Oregon – 25 years 

Insurance carriers and service providers do not serve on 

the IIABO board of directors, but support the association 

as Associate Members, Sponsors and Exhibitors. If you 

want to learn more about the IIABO, or if you would like 

to get involved, please contact any of these individuals. If 

you are not a member, please email Jim Perucca, jimp@ 

insureoregon.org for information on membership. 

Summer 2019 • The Oregon Agent 9

IIABA ANNUAL 

LEGISLATIVE 

CONFERENCE 

The IIABO sent its largest contingency ever to 

the IIABA Annual Legislative Conference May 

9, 2019. The leadership of the Oregon Young 

Agents, including chair Dallas Ross were able 

to join us. Other Young Agents attending were 

Tyler Ross, Michelle Gallardo and Carlye Irwin. 

Other Oregon leadership included president 

Steve Smelley (PayneWest Insurance), 

president-elect Debbie Flores (KPD), 

vice president Mark Atkinson 

(Atkinson Insurance), past president 

Brett Slater (Slater Insurance) and 

director Ed Davis (Maps Insurance). 

Our discussions included the 

insurance issues surrounding 

Flood, Terrorism, Crop and 

Cybersecurity. We joined over 

900 independent agents from 

across the country. 

Representative Schrader & IIABO Team Brett & Beth Slater Kick off Breakfast 


Representative Suzanne Bonamici 

Representative Peter DeFazio 

The IIABO team at Fig & Olive restaurant 

Senator Jeff Merkley 


How to 

Build 

Relationships 

in Your Organization 

and with Vendors 

By John Chapin 

We all know relationships are important with 

clients. If you own the relationship with a client 

account, you most likely own the business. Just 

as important as client relationships are the 

relationships within your organization and with 

vendors who help your business run smoothly. 

Problems in these relationships usually lead to 

problems in client accounts, which could result 

in lost business. You also spend a good amount 

of time with vendors and co-workers, so the 

better your relationships with them, the more 

pleasant your work life will be. All of that said, 

how do you ensure good, solid relationships 

within your organization and with vendors? 

Continued on page 14 


3 Steps to building strong relationships 

STEP 1: FOLLOW STEVEN COVEY’S HABIT #5: SEEK FIRST 

TO UNDERSTAND 

In order to build a relationship with someone you have to 

get into their world. Here are some ways to do that with 

vendors and people you work with. 

a) Ask them: What can I do to make your job easier? 

During my first week at Diebold Banking Equipment, I 

approached each individual in installation and service and 

asked this question. When they realized I was willing to 

work with and help them, they in turn were willing to work 

with me and help me. 

Ask vendors this question too. You want to make their lives 

as easy as possible. An example of this is with insurance 

agencies I work with. They ask their carriers what a perfect 

submission looks like and then do their best to achieve 

that. Also keep in mind that your objective is to be a great 

customer for your vendors. Be easy to work with, make 

sure your interactions with them are good ones, and 

thank them when possible. 

b) Talk about their favorite subject. In other words, talk 

about them, their family, kids, pets, and related subjects. 

Try to keep the conversation positive and upbeat. While 

you may have to talk about someone’s cancer treatment or 

illness, you want 

to keep most 

conversations 

focused on good 

things going on 

in the person’s 

life. Also, be 

careful not to 

one-up people. 

If someone is 

talking about 

their daughter 

playing soccer, you can mention that you daughter plays 

soccer too, letting them know you have something in 

common with them. Just don’t talk about your daughter 

being a superstar or shift the conversation from their 

daughter to yours. Ask about activities they’re involved 

in such as bowling leagues, softball, golf, etc. Make sure 

to listen more than you talk. You have two ears and one 

mouth. Use them at least in that proportion. Drop in some 

of your own personal information so they have something 

they can connect with you on but again, make sure they 

are talking most of the time and be careful not to out-shine 

them. Remember everyone’s favorite radio station: WIIFM: 

what’s in it for me. Focus on that when you talk to people. 

What do they want and what are they interested in? 

c) Let others be right, let them go first, and make them 

feel important. Everyone’s number one need, provided 

they have food, shelter and the basics, is to be recognized 

and to feel important. Most people are mirrors. When you 

let other people be right and let them be first, they’ll do 

the same for you. They’ll also be much more willing to 

work with you. 

d) Use Dr. Tony Alessandra’s Platinum Rule. The 

Golden Rule is of course: Treat other’s the way you want 

to be treated. It’s effective more than 90% of the time. To 

get closer to 100%, use the Platinum Rule: Treat others 

the way they want to be treated. Ask for preferences 

regarding communication and other business protocols. 

Don’t assume that your preference is everyone else’s 

preference. 

STEP 2: WHAT GETS REWARDED, GETS REPEATED 

When I worked for Diebold, I used to give $5 and $10 gift 

cards to people in the installation and service departments. 

I also gave them baseball tickets and other gifts. On 

special occasions, during the holidays, or when they really 

went above and 

beyond, I used 

to give more 

Everyone’s number one need, provided 

they have food, shelter and the basics, is 

to be recognized and to 

feel important. 

expensive gifts 

such as jewelry 

or their favorite 

alcohol. Based 

upon rules and 

regulations you may or may not be able to do some of 

these. Either way, you must acknowledge and thank them 

for helping you and doing a good job. Stop by their office, 

thank them for what they just did for you, give them 

a small token of your appreciation, and ask about their 

favorite subject. 

Here are some other ideas for rewarding people that 

don’t cost anything: 

• Send an email telling the boss what an asset they are to 

the company. Make sure you copy them in. 


• Send a handwritten thank-you note. 

• Call them on the phone and thank them or stop by inperson. 

• Build them up with sincere compliments. 

• Praise them in front of their peers or higher-ups. 

STEP 3: TREAT CO-WORKERS AND VENDORS LIKE ONE 

OF YOUR TOP ACCOUNTS 

A great way to build relationships internally and with 

vendors is to give them the same extra-special treatment 

that you give your top accounts. Here are some ideas: 

• Send them birthday cards and holiday cards. 

• Give them holiday and birthday gifts. 

• Study their areas of interest so you can have intelligent 

conversations with them. 

• Give them books, articles, and other items related to 

their areas of interest. 

• Pass on articles and other information about their high 

school, college, and hometown. 

• Pass on good articles and information you come across 

about their kids, spouse, relatives, or their related 

interests. 

• Find articles and other stories written about your 

vendors’ companies and industries, and occasionally 

discuss some of this information with them. 

• Pass on items of religious and political interest. 

• Give gift certificates to restaurants and stores. 

• Give tickets to sporting events, shows, dinner events. 

• Contribute to one of their favorite charities. 

• Make a small investment in their business or something 

else they are involved in. 

• Give vacations or trips to trade shows and other 

industry events. 

• Get creative and come up with other great ideas to turn 

co-workers and vendors into loyal partners and great 

friends. 

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker and trainer. For 

his free newsletter, or to have him speak at your next event, 

go to: www.completeselling.com. John has over 29 years of 

sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author 

of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. Email: 

johnchapin@completeselling.com. 

Preferred Property Program can help you procure Umbrella 

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Developer Sponsored Boards 

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High-rise Associations & Apartments to 35 stories are eligible and more 

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Coverage can include excess D&O ● General Liability ● Auto ● Employee Benefits 

Employers Liability, Including Employment Practices Liability* 

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Follow Form EPLI is available only up to $25 Million limit 

AURA 

In 2016 we partnered with American Union Risk Underwriters (AURA) located in Florida. 

With our new partner we can now also offer our comprehensive Umbrella, with 

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Hotels ● Motels ● Timeshares ● Lessor’s Risk Enclosed Malls Shopping Centers 

Retail ● Office Buildings ● Warehouses ● Light Industrial Apartments 

Limit options ranging from $5 million to $100 million 

For information on our AURA program, contact our experienced underwriter Tom Clementi at 877-506-1430 

or visit our website, www.aurains.com 

A subsidiary of 

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For more information 

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888-548-2465 

www.ppp-quotes.com 


“THE NEXT 

GENERATION” 



Redmond, OR 

91st Annual 

Convention of 



& Brokers of 

Oregon 

IIABO • 6 Centerpointe Dr, #430 • Lake Oswego, OR 97035 

503.274.4000 •Toll Free 866.774.4226 • Fax 503.274.0062 • www.IIABO.org 

16 The Oregon Agent • Summer 2019 

1 The Oregon Agent • Winter 2017

“THE NEXT 

GENERATION” 



Redmond, OR 

91st Annual 

Convention of 



& Brokers of 

Oregon 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24 

1:30p - 4:00p Board Meeting - River Run 

5:30p - 6:30p Board Reception - River Run 

6:30p - 9:00p Board & Past Presidents Dinner (by invitation only) – River Run 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25 

12:30p Golf Tournament - Resort Golf Course, Shotgun Scramble 

4:00p Registration Open - Convention Center / Foyer 

5:30p Reception - Convention Center Foyer & Outdoor Patio 

6:00p “Fiesta” – Convention Center / Golden Eagle 

Ballroom / Buffet Dinner / Golf Awards 

MONDAY, AUGUST 26 

7:30a – 9:15a Registration Open / Breakfast with Exhibitors / Raffle 

– Convention Center / Foyer & Golden Eagle Ballroom 

9:30a – Noon Workshop with John Chapin - Next Generation Ins Services, Securing & 

Sustaining Your Future - Convention Center / Golden Eagle Ballroom 

Noon – 1:30p Lunch with Exhibitors / Raffle - Convention Center / Foyer & Juniper Hall 

1:30p – 3:30p Young Agent Event - Eagle Crest Putting Course 

1:45p – 4:45p Ethics - Convention Center / Golden Eagle Ballroom 

4:30p – 6:30p Cocktail Reception with Exhibitors / Raffle 

- Convention Center / Juniper Hall 

6:15p Raffle Drawings 

6:45p Banquet - Convention Center / Golden Eagle Ballroom 

- Exhibitor Drawings / Grand Prize Drawing / Entertainment 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27 

7:30a – 9:00a Champagne Breakfast 

Convention Center / Golden Eagle Ballroom 

Kevin Jeffries, Oregon Insurance Department 

9:15a – 12:15p Law - Convention Center / Golden Eagle 

Ballroom 

Adjourned! Have a safe trip home! 


Title Sponsors: Liberty Mutual Insurance / Safeco Insurance 

Members of the Liberty Mutual Group 

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brok 

oker 

ers s of Oregon 

91st h Annual Convention & Trade Show 

August 25 - August 27, 2019, Eagle Crest Resort, Redmond, Oregon 

“THE NEXT GENERATION ” 

Full Registration/Agent/ Company Personnel 

Name: Agency/Co: $299.00 

Phone: Fax: Email: 

Golf / Preferred Foursome: $ 84.00 

Spouse / Guest $169.00 

Golf / Preferred Foursome: $ 84.00 

Additional Full Agent Registration(s) And Young Agents 

Name: Agency/Co: $49.00 

Phone: Fax: Email: 

Golf / Preferred Foursome: 

FREE 

Spouse / Guest: $49.00 

Golf / Preferred Foursome: 

FREE 

For additional attendees please photo copy this registration form. 

Limited Registration Packages 

Sunday “FIESTA” (per person) 

Monday Banquet “ONLY” (per person) 

Ethics - Monday, August 26th - Includes Lunch with Exhibitors, 

Raffle & Door Prizes 

Law - Tuesday, August 27th - Includes Champagne Breakfast 

Young Agent Event - Monday, August 27th - Company/Vendors 

Young Agent Event - Monday, August 27th - Putting Golf (With a paid Young 

Agent registration) 

Monday Workshop with John Chapin Includes Lunch with Exhibitors, Raffle & 

Door Prizes 

Champagne Breakfast “ONLY”, Tuesday, August 27th 

Kids Registration 

Kids 6 - 18 years ---------------------------------# 

Includes all meals and social functions. Kids 5 and under are FREE. 

Name(s) & Age(s) of Children: 

$60.00 

$75.00 

$60.00 

$60.00 

$20.00 

FREE 

$89.00 

$40.00 

X $75.00 each TOTAL 

TOTAL AMOUNT 

If paying by Credit Card, please complete the following information. A 5% service charge will apply on all credit card 

payments. Checks should be made payable to the IIABO and mailed to IIABO, 6 Centerpointe Dr #430, Lake Oswego, OR 

97035 

Credit Card #: Exp Date: / Vcode: 

Card Billing Address: 

Name on Card: 

Signature: 

Members of the Liberty Mutual Group 

Title Sponsors: Liberty Mutual Insurance / Safeco Insurance 

REFUNDS IN FULL WILL BE MADE ON ANY WRITTEN CANCELLATION RECEIVED IN THE IIABO OFFICE BY 

JULY 1ST. REFUNDS BETWEEN JULY 1ST AND AUGUST 1ST WILL INCURE A FEE OF $150 AND CAN BE TRANS- 

FERRED TO ANOTHER EVENT OR INDIVIDUAL. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN AFTER AUGUST 1ST. 

HOTEL RESERVATIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN REGISTRATION FEES, CONTACT EAGLE CREST RESORT 855.200.3551. 

3 The Oregon Agent • Winter 2017 


CONVENTION WORKSHOP >> 

John Chapin is an award-winning sales speaker, author, trainer and coach. John 

has over 30 years of extensive sales, customer service and sales management 

experience. In addition to being a number one sales trainer for most of his 

30 years, John is also the author of the 2010 sales book of the year, Sales 

Encyclopedia the Axiom Book Awards. 

Next Generation Insurance Success 

Securing and Sustaining Your Future Today 

Mr. Chapin has worked with a dozen or more 

state Independent Agent Associations across 

the country. Much of his material is directed 

at young agents and new producers, but he 

will focus on cutting edge techniques that will 

be of benefit to all attendees. 

His primary subjects are how to get agents 

motivated and doing more business now! His 

specialty is helping agencies significantly 

increase sales revenue. 

John currently manages commercial agents 

on a part time basis for several independent 

insurance agencies, trains at other agencies 

and speaks for insurance associations 

nationwide. He also writes a monthly sales 

article for over 200 publications. 

Securing Your Future 

John will conduct a two and a half hour 

workshop that will provide insight as to what 

it takes to be successful in the insurance 

industry and how to launch, rapidly grow and 

maintain growth. Materials will cover how 

to adapt in an ever changing world and how 

to make great first impressions and develop 

solid relationships. John will provide the 

latest ideas for operating at the highest level 

and how to be heard above the noise and set 

yourself apart. 

The workshop will provide coaching on 

identifying ideal prospects. 

Voted the best public speaker in 

Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and, a 

member of the National Speakers Association, 

John has delivered hundreds of presentations 

on sales, business building and motivation. 


DAY 

N THE 

IFE 

F A SUCCESSFUL 

GENTBy John Chapin 

Over the years people have asked me if I have daily rituals, 

habits, or a schedule I follow. While it’s varied a bit over the 

years, and I’ve tweaked it here and there, here’s my current 

daily schedule, and pretty much what I recommend for 

agents, salespeople, entrepreneurs, and business owners 

… By the way, this tends to be my schedule every day as 

almost every day is a work day for me. 

Continued on page 22

In-House Continuing Education 

Quality Education & Training Conducted 

at YOUR location! 

Team Building 

Your staff will draw closer together through 

personalized training classes. 

Convenience/Efficiency 

You set the day and time for 

your office staff. 

Confidentiality 

Your staff can discuss problems 

and procedures openly - away 

from the competition. 

No Minimum 

Numbers 

However, with more students 

your per student cost goes down. 

Customized Instruction 

The presentation will be tailored to 

meet your individual agency/company 

needs. 

Time/Money Savings 

You save on time out of the 

office and travel costs. Staff will 

be able to check messages and 

handle issues that come up 

during their breaks. 

“Having In-house training was an eye opener for our agency. We were able to focus the 

training on specific issues our office needed to address. We were able to get the entire office 

updated on CE in one day. Productivity was maintained on breaks. No travel or lodging 

expenses. The best thing was the collaboration and immediate implementation of the 

material. In house training gave us an immediate ROI that we did not expect to receive.” 

Ryan Miller, CIC, CWCA, Miller Insurance 

For more information on this exciting program please contact: 

Tyra Dressel, VP Education 

Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Oregon 

tyra@insureoregon.org / Direct: 971-371-1491 / Toll Free: 866-774-4226 x131

SCHEDULE OF A 

SUCCESSFUL AGENT, 

SALESPERSON, 

BUSINESS OWNER, 

OR ENTREPRENEUR 

6 a.m. – Wake up, take half a caffeine 

pill (100 mgs) with an 8-ounce glass of 

water. Next, think of three things I’m 

grateful for to get my head on straight 

and focus on positive thoughts. Get 

up, get on the floor and do 150 to 

200 ab crunches. Grab my phone, 

run down stairs, get a sheet of paper 

out of my copy machine and write my 

biggest personal or professional issue 

at the top. 150 to 200 more crunches 

and drink another glass of water. 

Sit with my sheet of paper and work 

for 15 minutes coming up with 20 or 

more solutions to my biggest problem 

or issue. 150 to 200 more crunches. 

rehearse and picture a positive 

outcome to all upcoming calls and 

meetings. Shower and get dressed. 

I also use positive affirmations while 

showering and dressing to further 

increase enthusiasm to tackle the 

upcoming day. 

8 a.m. – Check email, voicemail, and 

prepare for the first calls of the day. 

8:10 a.m. – The selling day begins. It 

is time to be in front of the customer 

or prospect, or on the phone with 

them. If there are any “unpleasant” 

tasks to be handled, such as 

breaking bad news to a client, handle 

these first and get them out of the way. 

From 8:10 until about 11:45, spend 

time on time-critical, client-related 

tasks, such as prospecting, presenting, 

and closing. 

11:45 a.m. – Check for messages, 

return any calls, emails, or other 

communications that need to be 

taken care of. 

Noon – A light lunch usually consisting 

of chicken and rice, a salad, and water. 

Protein is good here and don’t go too 

heavy on the carbs. Overall this should 

be an average meal. You don’t want 

to go to an all-you-can-eat buffet, as 

you’ll be dozing off at 2 p.m. or sooner. 

Continued on page 24 

Read, listen to, or watch either 

something positive, something about 

business, or something sales related 

for at least 30 minutes. Often it will be 

a combination. Review and write out 

my major goals and go over the major 

items (usually about six) that I need to 

get accomplished during the day. 150 

to 200 more crunches. 

Run or bike for 25 minutes. 

Some people also meditate for 10 to 

20 minutes every morning, which is 

a good idea for most. I just haven’t 

found it all that helpful. 

Note: It is a good idea to get up at 

the same time every day, even on the 

weekends. 

7:15 a.m. – Eat breakfast. For me this is 

usually oatmeal, a protein shake, and a 

couple chicken cutlets. Next, mentally 


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12:30 p.m. – Back to prospect/client 

time-critical tasks. 

4:45 p.m. – Check for messages, return 

calls, emails, or other communications 

that need to be taken care of. General 

wrap-up of the client-related, timesensitive 

tasks of the day and a 

positive and objective review of the 

day’s events. 

5:30 p.m. into evening – Exercise, 

a good dinner, relaxation with the 

family. 

An hour or so before bed, work 

on non-time-critical tasks such as 

paperwork and follow up on emails, 

communications, proposals, etc. 

Read motivational or sales-related 

material, do some mental exercises 

such as positive affirmations, plan the 

following day, and check messages 

one more time. 

Note: If you are just starting out in sales 

or business, your day may start earlier 

and end later. When I was starting out 

at 21 years old, it was not uncommon 

for me to be in the office at 7 a.m. and 

leave after 9 p.m. Monday through 

Thursday. Friday was usually 7 to 5. I 

was also working for four hours or so 

on Saturday and a couple of hours on 

Sunday. The bottom line: you know 

what kind of effort you need to put 

in and what needs to be done. Work 

the hours to get it done. 

The keys to designing your day are: 

Planning: Have a plan and stick to it. 

Organizing: Knowing what you’re 

doing and when while ensuring you 

have everything at your disposal to 

get it done. 

Time management: Getting your 

most important tasks done and not 

giving in to distractions. Your most 

important items are: prospecting, 

presenting, and closing along with 

perhaps three or four other important 

tasks that need to get done. 

Finally, stay positive, work hard and 

smart, and concentrate on results, not 

on being busy. Your goal is to develop 

habits and rituals that lead to success. 

You do this with a set, daily schedule 

in which you run your business like a 

finely tuned military organization. 

John Chapin is a motivational sales 

speaker and trainer. For his free 

newsletter, or to have him speak at your 

next event, go to: www.completeselling. 

com John has over 29 years of sales 

experience as a number one sales rep 

and is the author of the 2010 sales book 

of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. Email: 


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ARE YOUR SALESPEOPLE HAPPy 

JUST 

GETTING 

BY? 


Here’s the scenario: You’ve just hired a new sales 

rep. He seemed perfect. He did great on the sales 

personality test, he had all the right answers, and 

everyone liked him. He told you he’d be the hardest 

worker in the office. Two weeks in you notice he’s 

a few minutes late half the time, leaves promptly at 5, is 

sitting in the office instead of out making calls, and he works 

no nights or weekends. What happened to your future #1 

sales rep? 

Another example: You run an insurance agency and you 

have an agent who builds a book of business to the point 

where they’re making a decent living. Next thing you know, 

they’re spending most of their time in the office servicing 

their accounts and their new business dwindles to pretty 

much zero. 

Of course the first remedy to either of the above is to 

directly address the issue. Let the person know what 

you’ve observed and have a conversation about it. What 

are your concerns, what would you like to see instead, 

and how can you two collaborate to make it happen? If 

they don’t change, what are the potential ramifications or 

consequences? While you want to try to encourage people 

and do everything you can to positively get them on track, 

if those don’t work, you’re going to have to resort to less 


pleasant alternatives. Among those are: let them go, change 

their role (expectations) along with their income, or come 

up with another exit plan. All of that said, below are six steps 

to help you avoid the two scenarios above. 

6 STEPS TO KEEPING PEOPLE ON TRACK 

Step 1: Know the “why” 

In the above situations, you most likely have a comfort 

zone/motivation issue. The key is to know up front what will 

motivate your people to sell and make a lot of money. For 

new hires it might be a new house or car, paying off student 

debt, traveling, or getting married. Later in their career it 

may be paying for college educations, weddings, leaving a 

legacy, retiring on time, or as one person said to me, paying 

$110,000 for the experimental cancer treatment to save his 

wife. As we get older the “why” changes. Stay on top of it 

throughout a salesperson’s career. Know what the why is 

so you can push that motivation button when people start 

to get comfortable. If in the interview process you find out 

the kid still lives at home and only needs beer money, they 

may not be motivated. If the insurance agent’s kids are out 

of school and married, and he has some decent savings, the 

money motivator may be gone. Facilitated Introspection 

and other similar questioning methods, can be extremely 

effective for helping people find their why and get back on 

track. 

Step 2: Set the expectations 

Let people know what’s expected of them. Salespeople, 

producers, agents, or whatever you call them in your 

organization, are getting paid to sell and bring in new 

business. This goes for new-hires as well as veterans. In 

addition to having sales goals, new hires should also have 

activity goals. For example: make 50 in-person cold calls per 

week, go to four networking events per month, and learn 

all sales scripts in the first 30 days. In addition, they should 

have a set of rules to follow. Example: be at the office by 

7:30 a.m. Monday to Friday, be out of the office making calls 

from at least 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and work at least three nights 

a week, most Saturdays, and perhaps even some Sundays, 

your first three years in the business. 

Once you’ve set the expectations, watch people. Do they 

show up early and stay late? Are they working nights and 

weekends? Do they have a good attitude and get along well 

with others? Do they have a good work ethic? Can you take 

them at their word? 

Veterans may not need rules and activities, but if you notice 

their production starting to drop off as with the insurance 

agent, you might want to consider some. 

Step 3: Hold people accountable 

Now that you’ve set the expectations, you have to hold 

people to them. The biggest issue I see in the workplace by 

far is a lack of accountability. People who aren’t doing their 

job will get away with what you let them get away with. Also, 

what you put up with you tacitly condone and get more of. 

The fastest way to drop production and morale is to have 

people in the workplace who aren’t pulling their weight and 

no one calls them out on it. It’s okay for someone to have a 

bad day, week, or even month, but if it’s not addressed it will 

get worse and hurt everyone all the way around. 

Step 4: Provide the right environment 

Related to the above, people are products of their 

environment. If you bring the right person (positive attitude, 

hard worker, and more than capable of doing the job) into 

an environment in which people are negative and aren’t 

held accountable, guess what happens? That person will 

either become just like the other negative slackers, or leave. 

Culture begins with leadership. You must set the tone of a 

professional, positive workplace in which everyone is held 

to the highest professional and ethical standards. This 

means respect for all, honesty, integrity, showing up on 

time, and working until the job is done. A great culture also 

includes no negativity, gossiping, or anything similar. Any of 

the above must be called out and addressed immediately. 

Step 5: Refuse to settle for less or drop your standards 

Stop trying to justify why you should keep someone around 

who isn’t doing their job. While you think you’re saving your 

part of the world by keeping this underperformer around, 

you’re actually hurting them, you, everyone else in the 

company, and ultimately your customers. You’re only as 

strong as your weakest link. No one is “entitled” to get paid 

for a job they’re not doing thus setting a bad example for 

everyone else. 

Step 6: Change things up 

If you find yourself in the second paragraph of this article, 

in other words, you have a salesperson who was doing 

well and now that they’re comfortable, they’ve stopped 

producing, after addressing the issue directly, the next step 

is to change the rules of the game. This is usually done 

by restructuring their payment plan along with instilling 

penalties or changing incentives. 

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker and trainer. For 

his free newsletter, or to have him speak at your next event, 

go to: www.completeselling.com John has over 29 years of 

sales experience as a number one sales rep and is the author 

of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales Encyclopedia. Email: 



BUILDING A 

SUCCESSFUL 

(SALES) 

CULTURE 


You just hired the perfect person: great work 

ethic, positive and upbeat, they show up early, 

leave late, take ten minutes of a fifteen-minute 

break, and do more than expected and 

more than you ask for. Now let’s take that 

person and put them into an environment 

where people are negative, aren’t held 

accountable, take three days off for 

a hangnail, show up at 8:05 then 

spend 45 minutes “getting ready” 

for their day, start preparing to 

leave at 3:30 and leave at 5:00 

like there’s a fire drill. What 

happens to that perfect 

hire? One of two things: 

they either become 

just like everyone 

else after about a 

month, or they 

leave. 

Continued on 

page 30

Whatever your culture is, it has a substantial 

impact on performance. There is 

significant peer pressure to conform to 

the culture, be it good or bad. This peer 

pressure is one of the four main motivators for people 

who belong to any group. Positive peer pressure is what 

took my grades from Cs in the public high school to As 

and Bs in the private high school. It’s also what ensured 

that I made over 200 phone calls per day in my first job 

as a stock broker. If you’re a great team or organization 

with a great culture, fantastic. Unfortunately, most 

organizations have negative cultures, or at least 

elements of them. 

FEATURES OF GREAT 

CULTURES 

1: Great leadership 

Culture is top down; it begins at the top 

and flows down through the entire 

organization. Whatever the leadership 

team eats, breathes, walks and talks 

related to culture, will become the 

culture. As a leader, you don’t 

get what you want, you get 

what you tolerate and allow. 

And what you tolerate and 

allow you tacitly condone 

and get more of. If you 

allow people to miss 

their numbers year 

after year, when 

Culture is 

top down; 

it begins 

at the top 

and flows 

down through 

the entire 

organization. 

Whatever the 

leadership team eats, 

breathes, walks and 

talks related to culture, 

will become the culture. 

it’s evident they 

aren’t making 

the calls and 

doing the 

necessary work, you’ll get more of that. If you allow 

negativity in the workplace and don’t hold people 

accountable, you’ll get more negativity and more people 

not doing their job. On the flip side, if you lead by 

example, walk your talk, believe in people more than 

they believe in themselves, empower them, listen to 

them, give them all necessary tools and resources, and 

hold them to a higher standard, you’ll get more of that. 

2: Rules and decrees 

The culture in an organization is how people treat 

other people, how they treat work, and how they treat 

the work environment. Great cultures have rules and 

decrees regarding these three items. Written rules and 

decrees. Here are a few examples: 

• Everyone is expected to show up on time, work until 

the end of the day, finish what they start, be honest, 

have integrity, and put in a full day’s work for a full 

day’s pay. 

• Everyone will be held to the highest professional and 

ethical standards. There is no place in the workplace 

for negativity or unprofessionalism. You will be 

respectful to all employees and clients. Gossip, talking, 

and otherwise communicating, behind someone’s 

back won’t be tolerated. 

• We are a great organization with a great product. We 

take better care of our clients than the competition 

because we care more. 

Your rules and decrees, totaling about eight to 15 

number, should be framed and prominently posted 

in several highly-visible areas in the workplace on a 

document titled: “Rules and Decrees of the Workplace.” 

Prospective employees should also receive a copy of 

these during the interview process and you should have 

a conversation with them about how they feel about 

these. By the way, full acceptance of the rules and 

decrees is a non-negotiable prerequisite to being hired. 

3: Everyone-on board, all-in commitment 

When Malcolm Butler was limited to a few special 

teams plays in Super Bowl 52, many people said that 

move cost the Patriots the Super Bowl. Maybe, and my 

contention is that, had they let him play and won Super 

Bowl 52, the Patriots would not have been back to 

play in Super Bowl 53. No one who breaks the rules 

gets a pass. If this is allowed even once, people 

inside the organization start to question the 

integrity of the culture, and the culture starts 

to crumble. When you’re more interested in 

winning, or making a sale, than living by 


your values, it’s the beginning of the end. Again, no one 

gets a pass on the rules, not even your top agent. This 

doesn’t mean people don’t get a mulligan. You can allow 

a mistake or two, but address it immediately, and keep 

the leash short. No chronic offenders who are making 

blatant and/or repetitive mistakes. While an occasional 

mistake may be inevitable, carelessness, ignorance, and 

apathy aren’t. 

4: Culture is a living, breathing organism 

A great culture can’t simply be written out, placed on 

the wall, and left to die. It needs to be kept alive and 

well by visiting it often, talking about it, and reviewing it. 

Repetition is important, because like any new habit, it will 

take time to imbed the culture into the consciousness 

and subconsciousness of everyone in the organization. 

Once it’s locked in and habitually followed, discussing 

the culture keeps it on everyone’s radar screens and 

ensures it is remembered and adhered to. Also, it may 

be necessary to tweak some rules or decrees from 

time to time. Though many rules and decrees, like the 

examples I gave, aren’t likely to change, there may be 

times when changes in people, technology, and other 

unforeseen future events, make an edit necessary. 

Finally, you build a great sales culture by building 

a great overall company culture. As part of the 

organization, the sales department is included in all 

rules and decrees. Everyone, from leadership to the 

mailroom, must be on the same page when it comes to 

culture. So, while the sales department may have some 

additional rules and decrees related to activity, quotas, 

and other items, building an all-in, solid organizational 

culture is what will ensure the success of the sales 

culture. 

John Chapin is a motivational sales speaker and trainer. 

For his free newsletter, or to have him speak at your next 

event, go to: www.completeselling.com John has over 31 

years of sales experience as a number one sales rep and 

is the author of the 2010 sales book of the year: Sales 

Encyclopedia. Email: johnchapin@completeselling.com. 

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