"CHANGING TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF
VESTNIK
FRATERNALISTS -
"Joining Hands To Touch Lives-Fraternalism for the Family and Our Nation"
SPJST Herald
Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order of the State of Texas, Founded 1897 HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 VOLUME 82 NUMBER 36 ISSN-07458800 September 21, 1994
Master Sales Class delivers the message:
Sales and service: one and the same On Monday, September 12, thirty-one sales representatives from lodges around the state participated in the Insurance Department's "Master Sales Class" held at the SPJST Home Office in Temple. Two elements in particular made this sales seminar unique. First, there was an emphasis on how all segments of a fraternal benefit society must operate in harmony in order for the members to achieve maximum satisfaction from their membership in the SPJST. "As a fraternal society, we have a very real obligation to provide our members with quality insurance and 'a lot more,'" says Supreme Lodge Vice President Leonard Mikeska. "A clearly defined and stimulating fraternal program can help a lodge—and indeed our Society—achieve its full potential." The second element which received considerable focus was that of training. "Training is an ongoing process. To be effective as a sales representative, it is important to be thoroughly familiar with the products and their benefits. "Once that is in place, it's essential to convey that information to the member or prospective member," he says. "It all ties into 'needs selling."' Needs selling, Brother Mikeska says, is something all SPJST members can expect to hear more about in the coming weeks and months.
Essentially, needs selling involves the sales representative making a more deliberate effort to match an existing member's or a prospect's insurance program with the actual financial needs that would be incurred in the event of sudden loss. "It isn't really a new concept," he explains. "It is, however, an area that we are emphasizing. The insurance and financial products available to members through the SPJST are very flexible in terms of coverage and pricing." Participants attending the Master Sales Class received instruction in the following areas: • Fraternal Activities • Life Insurance Basics • Annuities • Application Procedures • Sales Techniques "It's important to note that all of the sales representatives who participated in this special seminar did so on a voluntary basis," says Brother Mikeska. "It demonstrates something wonderful about their willingness to commit time out of their busy schedules in order to better serve their local lodges and Society. "Indeed, the same can be said for the many local lodge sales representatives who participate in the various sales training workshops which are held at various times throughout the year around the state," he said.
Pictured in the above two piiht();4 1.1phs are the graduates the first "Master Sales Class," hosted by the SPJST Insurance Department on Monday, September 12 at the SPJST Home Office in Temple. Participation was on a voluntary basis and at the expense of participants. LEFT PHOTO: Front Row, from left: Monta Foster (31), Emil Petr (84), Martha Durham (92), Lorenda Baldwin (139), Emily Mikeska Stuteville (47); Second Row: Mildred Holeman (88), Ray Hubenak (92), Inez Greenlees (183), Joyce Russell (180), Marie Hampton (180); Third Row: Louis Hanus (88),
Tops in Fraternal Insurance Sales Martha Broz, sales representative for Lodge 160, San Angelo, receives hearty congratulations and a "Coach's Club" incentive award from SPJST State Field Manager Gene McBride and Supreme Lodge Vice President Leonard Mikeska. Sister Broz achieved more than $2 million in sales through the first eight months of 1994. The presentation took place at the end of the Master Sales Class.
Several Insurance Department employees helped plan the day-long program. They were State Field Manager Gene McBride, Assistant to the Vice President Kathy Fritz, State Field Representatives Keith Gatewood, Jim Wiest and Helen Hegwood and Underwriter Ruth Hanusch. Other participants were State Fraternal Activities
Coordinator Frank Klinkovsky, Debbie Dohnalik, assistant to the Financial Secretary and Daryl Entrop, assistant to the Secretary-Treasurer. The Insurance Department thanks all sales representatives who participated in the seminar and those Home Office employees who served as facilitators. —SPJST-
Raymond Hlavaty (183), Melvin Skrabanek, 17; Joe Ben Macalik (25), and Zephyr Marek (174). RIGHT PHOTO: Front Row, from left: Dolores Skrabanek (47), Lola Vavra (17), Martha Broz (160), Adolf Motal (32); Second Row: Gladys Yates (66), Edna Wehring (88), Charles Garrett (97), Albin Machu (29); Third Row: Darlene Engelke (88), Jerome Hlavaty (153), Robert Heese (47), Chester Shmoldas (74); and standing in back, Billy Rollwitz (49). Not pictured are class participants Johnny Krizan (6) and John Anderson (191).