First Financial Security, Inc. has had to adapt to many changes over the course of 2020, and we are proud of the fantastic turnout we had from our agents during our Virtual Conference, VC20, this past weekend on October 2nd – 3rd.
Our first large-scale virtual event consisted of video calls and panels on everything from how to improve prospecting to how to sell in today’s virtual environment. We were thrilled to hear from our top field leaders, as well as CEO Phil Gerlicher, who opened the event with a video from our new Home Office in Johns Creek, GA and set the tone for the weekend, saying, “Together we are one team, even when we are apart.”
VC20 began on Friday with carrier representatives presenting for National Life, American National, North American, and Columbus Life. Our carrier speakers offered essential tips for doing business in the industry’s current climate — we would like to thank all of them for being so swift and helpful in adapting to the challenges of COVID-19 throughout the year.
The day continued with a panel on how to sell in today’s virtual environment, from Executive Field Chairmen Victoria Le and Mark Biermann and Field Vice President Yetti Esatu. Our leaders gave advice on the importance of expertise, staying effective over Zoom, and why we should engage clients on every platform to ensure the widest possible reach. Friday closed with a presentation from Gary Oelschlaeger on the importance of annuities and the power of having fixed retirement income, especially during this time.
The second day of the conference focused on strategies for teambuilding, prospecting, training, and marketing. Director of Performance Dave Wild spoke on why we build teams in the first place: “Without a team, your income is limited to what you can do, and what you can do is limited by time and energy. With a team, your income becomes unlimited.” Later, Dave led a panel on the benefits of Success Tracks™ with Senior Vice President Paula Duncan, Senior Marketing Director Tony Jackson, and National Marketing Director Brandi Bridgett, all of whom have coached their teams to incredible results with the online learning curriculum.
Saturday continued with a panel on improving your prospecting with EFC Bob Brotherton and Area Marketing Directors Bee Lee and Grace Maina. In her presentation on marketing in these virtual times, Director of Marketing Camille Cohen outlined the four things every agent should be when posting online: trustworthy, helpful, knowledgeable, and uplifting. Then, our two-minute speakers took the virtual stage, touching on the FFS opportunity and the difference it makes to have administrative support and access to innovative products.
The conference ended with speeches from some of our EFCs: Javier Rodriguez, Thai Thao, Shirley Luu, Victoria Le, and Corey Vuu. They each spoke about the importance of the future — of adapting to changing times, following a system in the face of uncertainty, communicating as much as possible, and having the courage to dream and stay the course. As Phil Gerlicher said at the launch of VC20, the importance of gathering together, even virtually, is to shake off the feeling of being on autopilot. “Meeting and learning together sharpens our skills,” he said. “As we sharpen our skills, we sharpen each other’s through our interactions.”
We will be sharpening ours again very soon, as JumpStart 2021 is right around the corner at the Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa, CA from January 8th – 9th. Our theme is Impact, and as we approach 2021, we cannot wait to see how our agents continue to impact their communities by protecting families, providing financial security and ensuring peace of mind going forward.
