Students listened and watched intently during a classroom exercise as Jon Dick (at screen) interviewed Don Appleby and Ed Hackett (from left, facing students in front of room)

The first NASBP Sales Workshop for surety bond professionals, held in late September in St. Louis, MO, received many rave reviews from the 37 bond producers who attended the one and a half-day program. As a result, NASBP is planning another Sales Workshop in 2011.

The students who attended the Workshop from around the country evaluated the program as a positive learning experience packed with useful information. Many relayed that the “real-life” scenarios along with the facilitators’ anecdotes helped them understand how to apply sales techniques to their prospective and current clients. One student said, It’s “nice to hear from people who have had true success and to have an opportunity to pick their brains.” Another commented, I “learned how high performance producers spend their time.”

The facilitators included Consultant Jonathan Dick and three NASBP Members, Lawrence F. McMahon of Alliant Insurance Services, Inc. in San Diego, CA; Donald E. Appleby of Willis of Colorado in Denver, CO; and Edward N. Hackett of Alliant in Newport Beach, CA. Their combined experience provided students a powerhouse of sales information and skill-building techniques tailored to the selling environment of the surety agency.

Instructor Larry McMahon (left) and NASBP Professional Development Committee Chair David Castillo (behind podium), presented Zach Bradley of Surety Support Services, Inc. in Overland Park, KS with his certificate of completion at the graduation luncheon.

Dick has extensive experience consulting for many Fortune 500 companies’ sales forces. All of the NASBP members who helped facilitate the Workshop are top sales executives with their companies. In addition, McMahon serves as the NASBP Third Vice President and Appleby serves as a NASBP Regional Director.

Students actively participated in the Workshop’s four modules that were titled, “Stories of Success as a Surety Producer,” “Approach and Methodology to Relationship Selling in the Surety Industry,” “Understanding Your Individual Approach and Methodology,” and “Systems of Top Producers from Activity to Close.”

Attendance for the 2011 Sales Workshop will be limited to 40 participants. Anyone interested in attending should e-mail Ann Latham at alatham@nasbp.org.

Many thanks to Jon, Larry, Don, and Ed for all of their efforts in making this NASBP Sales Workshop a great success!