James Anderson will never forget the way it made him feel.

It was 2017 and he had been called to the house of an elderly disabled man to provide a second opinion on some HVAC work.

Within just a few minutes of inspecting the man’s heating system, he realized that the first company was trying to con the man out of $7,511.

James was disappointed and disgusted. 

So the HVAC professional and member of the community decided to start a brand new company.

He called it Depher (Disabled and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Response).

His mission: To help disabled and elderly homeowners “whatever the cost.”

When the pandemic hit last year, James expanded on plumbing and HVAC services to provide food and PPE. 

He even helped some of his community members cover bills they were unable to pay.

The father of six children has spent somewhere around $77,000 helping people during the pandemic alone.

But he wouldn’t trade that money for anything. 

“If you’ve got disabilities, issues, sometimes these things can become too difficult to overcome and we want to make sure they’re taken care of,” James recently said.

“We’ve all got a social responsibility to each other – we need to be there for each other.”

We talk a lot about being a Force for Good here at Advisorsit, and I’m constantly reminded of the fact that we all have different gifts to give.

For some of us, it’s giving money to help someone who needs it more…

For others, it’s offering our time to comfort a neighbor…

Sometimes it’s about using a specific skill to meet a need that others are ignoring…

But isn’t that what makes a community?

We all have something to offer.

Let’s use those talents and resources to build up those around us this week!

A Note of Encouragement

Over the past 10 months, I’ve been amazed by the creativity, resolve, and determination that insurance and financial advisors have shown in the face of adversity.

It’s an encouragement to see so many of YOU step up and lead the way in your communities. 

I can think of insurance advisors who have spearheaded food drives…

Financial planners who have started foundations in honor of loved ones…

And even financial advisors who have put on Zoom dance parties for clients’ kids – just to bring some joyful distraction in a season of uncertainty.

But none of that has surprised me…

I’ve gotten to know many of you on a personal level over the past couple of years, and you’re the best of the best.

Our humble tribe of world-class advisors is leading the way in more ways than one. 

And what’s been especially neat to watch is how quick you’ve been to adapt to a brand new way of doing things.

According to a new study of more than 1,000 small business owners around the country, it’s this willingness to adapt that’s kept so many of you in a strong place.

The study shows that 31% of SBOs believe embracing new technology has helped their businesses thrive during lockdown.

1-in-4 SBOs say the pandemic has accelerated their adoption of digital tools. 

Other interesting takeaways:

• 19% of SBOs increased their online marketing and advertising efforts during the pandemic.
• 17% have revamped their professional websites.
• 21% have enhanced their digital presence through social media.
• 22% have invested in virtual sales.

As you can see from those stats, you truly are LEADING the way.

I know for a fact that more than 19% of the advisors in SHIFT Nation have increased their online marketing efforts. 

There’s no doubt that more than 1-in-5 of the advisors in our tribe are taking virtual sales seriously.

You truly are exceptional, and I commend you for that.

Keep leading the way, FNAME!

1 Caffeinated Neurohack

Walking is good for you.

Okay, okay…I know…that’s not a very groundbreaking statement. 🤓

But the release of a brand new research study reiterates just how important it is to get up and move in a time of lockdown.

The study, which tracked 5,000 participants’ movements with pedometers over the course of three years, found that people who take 8,000 steps per day have a 51% lower risk of death than those who only take 4,000.

Those who walk 12,000 steps a day have an impressive 65% lower risk of dying prematurely. 

Another interesting tidbit from the study: There’s no correlation between consecutive steps/intensity and lower mortality rates. 

In other words, you don’t have to go on a long 3-mile walk. 

Getting your steps in by doing errands around the house, playing with your kids, or climbing the stars is enough to improve your health.

(It’s that easy.)

With so many insurance and financial advisors working from home over the past year, it’s important that we don’t get so stuck in our sedentary routines that we forget to take care of our bodies and minds.

The moral of this story is simple: Just move.

You’ll feel better and you’ll perform better – both personally and professionally.

Want a quick lesson in copywriting?

1. Start using more numbers in your emails, blog posts, LinkedIn messages, etc.

And don’t just write the number out…use the digit. 

So instead of using the word five, write it as 5.

When the human brain sees a digit, it stops scanning and becomes laser-focused on that sentence of copy….

2. Another trick is to use odd numbers, rather than “round” numbers.

So instead of writing a blog post about the “20 Reasons You Absolutely, Positively Need an Annuity”….make it 19 Reasons or 21 Reasons. 

When the brain sees a round number like 10 or 20, it seems too clean and predictable. (It’s easy to skip over.) 

But if it’s 19 or 21, the reader thinks, “That’s pretty specific! They must be on to something.”

3. And your final number hack is to use the calendar to ensure relevancy.

If you have a blog post from last year that’s titled “The Top Financial Planning Tips of 2020,” you can easily bring this piece of content back to life by swapping in the current year (2021) and making minor changes.

If you study other insurance and financial advisors who are winning with content, you’ll notice that they do this year after year after year. #Winning

Hopefully these quick copywriting hacks help you improve your ability to craft compelling content this year!

Do This First Thing Monday AM

…ANNOUNCEMENT INCOMING….3…2…1…

In case you haven’t heard yet…

The second-annual Virtual Financial Advisor Summit is happening!

Last year’s event brought in over 6,100 insurance and financial advisors representing more than $194.88 BILLION in AUM.

(The event is pending with Guinness World Records. 🤯)

This year…well, we’re going to SMASH those numbers.

If you haven’t already, go ahead and register for your FREE pass to the Virtual Financial Advisor Summit 2021: NEXT.

It’ll take you 30 seconds of your Monday morning, but it might be the most important decision you make all year.

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Join THOUSANDS of Fellow Insurance and Financial Advisors

For the Largest Industry Event of the Year!!

You’ll be getting more juicy details from us over the next couple of weeks, but here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect:

• LIVE sessions throughout the day from some of the BIGGEST names in the industry…including best-selling authors and big-wigs from Facebook, J.D. Power, Money.com, etc.
• Hours of additional SELF-PACED on-demand content  
• Prizes, giveaways, entertainment, and MORE…

Be one of the first to register to ensure you SECURE your spot with a FREE all-day pass.

 What’s New With Advisorist

[✏️] Learn how to revamp your LinkedIn profile and win MASSIVE trust points…

Take care, friend,

Jeremiah