--- title: How to Stay Productive in Changing Times description: Massive change is upon us. Speculation about how governments and business will handle the COVID-19 crisis has given way to a new quarantine reality. image: https://hello.fsednet.com/hubfs/1p.png --- [![FSEDNet](https://info.hoopis.com/hubfs/FSEDNet_June2018_v2/Images/logo-sized1.png) ](https://hello.fsednet.com) - Who We Are - [![Schedule Demo](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4570472/162dd7e4-98c0-4297-85d6-465bc5e71a26.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4570472/162dd7e4-98c0-4297-85d6-465bc5e71a26) - [Sign Us Up](https://hello.fsednet.com/sign-us-up) CLOSE X # How to Stay Productive in Changing Times # How to Stay Productive in Changing Times Posted by [Richard "Dick" Cleary](https://info.hoopis.com/blog/author/richard-dick-cleary) on Jul 1, 2020 8:15:44 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![1p](https://hello.fsednet.com/hubfs/1p.png) Massive change is upon us. Speculation about how governments and business will handle the COVID-19 crisis has given way to a new quarantine reality. The good old-fashioned handshake is out. Social distancing is in. As those of us in sales and customer-facing roles try to navigate the new work-from-home reality, we thought it would be a good time to offer some strategies for how to stay productive and keep momentum (and morale) as high as possible. Certain industries and professions are particularly impacted by the COVID-19 social distance paradigm. Hospitality, food and beverage, personal care services, airlines and sales professionals from virtually every industry are facing forced restrictions on how they can conduct business — or whether they can conduct business at all. **Embracing Change** The idea of a remote workforce isn’t new, but massive, mandatory, quarantine certainly is. Fortunately, newer technologies offer many solutions for keeping business relationships on track. But just like a successful sales plan, you need a COVID-19 plan to make the most of these trying times. If we knew this crisis would be a short-term bump in the road for a week or two, it might be a good time to think about some unplanned R&R. Unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball to see when the crisis will end or when business as usual will return. What we do know, is that many corporate offices, as well as local agencies and independent firms are closing their doors today due to the outbreak. ![AdobeStock_260666366](https://hello.fsednet.com/hubfs/AdobeStock_260666366.jpeg)Will we return to unfettered air travel, free- flowing mass transit, big conferences and conventions, and friendly handshakes? Or will there be a permanent shift to a more distanced way of doing business? The reality is, the on-site workforce began shrinking long before anyone ever heard of the Coronavirus, COVID-19. At the same time, telecommuting and virtual meetings have been on a steady rise. Even health- care sectors have begun to introduce virtual exams, diagnostics and mail-order prescription fulfillment. Global Workforce Analytics reported last week that the work-from-home trend has grown by 173 percent since 2005, with approximately five million people working from home before the COVID-19 outbreak. ![3p](https://hello.fsednet.com/hubfs/3p.png) Image source: Global Workplace Analytics, 2016 Considering the clear trend toward more e-business in general, doesn’t it seem logical to embrace the concept of e-sales? **Creating a COVID-19 Response Plan** Of course, many sales professionals have worked from their homes for many years, though they’ve done it with the freedom to conduct face-to-face meetings with customers and leads. They’ve worked the trade-room floors and hosted seminars and dinners to build their reputations and their pipelines. Well, those days are over, or at least on hold. It’s time to create a plan that uses technology to reach customers, connect with leads and maintain a healthy pipeline. Here are some steps you can take to take advantage of the virtual business trend: **-** **Create a professional home office environment.** The same emphasis your workplace gives to your chair, desk and office ergonomics should be given to your at-home work space. If your voice echoes on a call, or if irritating background noise makes it hard to hear what you’re saying, your customers aren’t going to want to talk with you remotely. If your chair gives you back pain, or the glare from a window makes it impossible to see your computer screen, you’re not going to be very productive. **-** **Get wired in.** Make sure your computer is free from viruses and anything else that could slow it down. Test your internet speed, and take any recommended steps to optimize the speed. Invest in a high-quality headset and camera so you can conduct professional calls and web meetings without noisy at-home distractions like children playing, dogs barking or Amazon Prime ringing the doorbell. **Tip:** Find out what resources your home office has available to optimize your at-home work space. Make sure you have the current version of any software you need to maintain top performance. **-** **Be proactive.** Reach out by email and phone to your contacts and customers to let them know how you’re doing business in the new quarantine reality. Chances are, you’ve received emails from your bank, utility companies and other vendors explaining what they’re doing to monitor news from the Centers for Disease Control, keep business on track and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Write something similar, with a personal touch that shows your contacts that you remain available to them and are very much “in business.” Use your phone to make personal contact, and stay top of mind even when you can’t remain in sight. **Tip:** While you’re taking the time to explain what you’re doing to maintain business close to usual at this time, it’s a good idea to ask your contacts how you can help them do the same thing. ![4p](https://hello.fsednet.com/hubfs/4p.png)**- Plan ahead.** Plan regular calls with your team and/or clients, schedule online training and education courses, and organize virtual events such as web presentations or lunch- break Q&A sessions. Don’t let anyone wonder where you are these days or if you’re still being productive. Make sure they know. **Tip:** We all wish we had the time to catch up on our CE or required compliance requirements. Likewise, this could be the perfect time to engage in analyzing your sales and marketing strategies. You may finally have the time to take steps to eliminate those skill gaps or put forth a new strategy to move into a new market or expand your services with cross selling opportunities. **-** **Establish a routine.** You already know that successful sales professionals are disciplined in their daily routines. It’s just as important now to maintain a routine. Think of ways to replace commute time with self-care or ongoing education, and face-to-face meetings with teleconferences. Put your new routine on your calendar, and execute it faithfully. **- Value your health.** Working from home does not mean chaining yourself to your desk. In these times more than ever, getting some fresh air, exercise and proper nutrition can help you stay healthy. **Tip:** If you do catch a cold or the flu, resist any temptation to tell the world about it on your online social channels. Conveying a healthy state of mind and body reminds the world that you are just as productive from home as you are at the office. And of course, if you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, call your doctor immediately. 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Learn More CLOSE X # What People Are Saying “FSEdNet is a game-changing strategy to help with the education of new advisors in the business.  The key to any training is to focus on being brilliant on the basics.  Dick Cleary and his team have created a turnkey educational program that helps leadership teams implement an easy to deliver training system for the fundamentals of success.”      **J. Christopher Noonan, CLU, ChFC Regional President & Divisional Executive VP, Equitable-Advisors LLC** "FSEdNet's delivery process and information will help your advisors become more confident in front of clients." ###### Garry Kinder, CLU, ChFC, CSA, Kinder Brothers International “NAIFA is excited to partner with FSEdNet to create the NAIFA Learning Center. We value the breadth and depth of educational content relevant for all practice specialties and the ease of access on multiple devices to the online video content. Core to NAIFA’s mission is delivery of critical training and professional support to our members—this program is a key component in meeting that objective.” ###### Kevin M. Mayeux, CAE, CEO, NAIFA "The best I have ever seen. Clear, concise and relevant - a platform that really makes a difference." ###### Paul E. Vignone, JD, LLM, CLU, ChFC, VP of Advanced Markets, Empire Wealth Strategies, Penn Mutual Life "FSEdNet is a comprehensive online resource that is filled with practical and actionable content. It provides its user with the fundamentals, as well as advanced learnings, for a successful financial services career." ###### C. Richard Weylman, CEO & CDO, The Weylman Center for Excellence in Practice Management "FSEdNet will engage your new advisors and staff in a new innovative way. Associates will absorb the basics and master the fundamentals through this connected learning platform." ###### Bonnie L. Godsman - CEO, GAMA International" "LIMRA research has found that young advisors integrate technology into all aspects of their practice. FSEdNet provides basic "blocking and tackle" training in an innovative and contemporary way, which resonates with today's financial professionals. Not just for agents and advisors, it's an invaluable part of my onboarding of new LIMRA research professionals - FSEdNet really delivers." ###### – Patrick Leary, LIMRA Corporate Vice President - Research #### "It's Time To Turn Potential Into Reality" "The Financial Services Educational Network, from the genius of Dick Cleary, is something this industry has needed for a long time. It is for many advisors, the missing piece. FSEdNet provides the educational background needed, in a myriad of topics, to give advisors the confidence to engage in meaningful financial discussions." **Harry P. Hoopis, CEO, Hoopis Performance Network, Hall of Fame** “FSEdNet is a game-changing strategy to help with the education of new advisors in the business.  The key to any training is to focus on being brilliant on the basics.  Dick Cleary and his team have created a turnkey educational program that helps leadership teams implement an easy to deliver training system for the fundamentals of success.”      **Mark Rooney, CFP, ChFC, CLU Equitable-Advisors, LLC, Hall of Fame Recipient** “FSEdNet has allowed us to focus on what we do best: find, recruit, select and train the future of our industry.  It provides excellent education, so our leadership team can do what they do best and that is joint work with our newest advisors.  I would strongly encourage any firm to embrace this as it will impact productivity.” **Ed Deutschlander, CLU, CLF, CEO, North Star Resource Group** "Bring back the basic training our agents need is the passion and commitment that Dick has made to the industry. As a long-standing professional in our business, he is well positioned to deliver the right product at the right time. FSEdNet is a perfect solution to the training needs of today." ###### **– Jim Kerley, Chief Membership Officer, LIMRA and LOMA** "I have been in the industry many years. FSEdNet is one of the most comprehensive educational tools to help new reps get off to a successful start and for developing reps to build and grow their business in years 2, 3, 4 and after. The ability to have this information at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere, on any device, 24/7 is truly a must-have for today's financial professional.” **Fred Walker, VP of Professional Development, Transamerica Agency Network** “At the Great Basin Agency of American National, we use FSEdNet faithfully. We find the product they have, and the support of Dick Cleary and his team is amazing, this is one of the best training tools we have or have ever had. The sales training and education are for agents and staff at all levels of their careers." **Ken Gallacher, CLU, ChFC, FSS, LUTCF, LACP and Thresa (Terry) Cochran, CLU, ChFC, CLF, FSS, LACP - General Agent, American National** "A revolutionary strategy to help train and develop your producers, regardless of experience. To make an impact, it must be simple to understand and use, and that is exactly what FSEdNet does. This turn-key educational platform will add true value to your value proposition, and will separate you from the competition." **Dan LaBert, CEO, NAILBA - National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies.** "Opening Up the library of videos offered on FSEdNet for our agents provides an immediate resource that supports the new agent experience after initial training and adds to that knowledge base in all areas. Not only do the new agents benefit, but veteran agents can add to or be reminded of information that helps them focus on improving results." **Mike Catania, Ph.D., Director of Learning Management Field Development, Bankers Life and Casualty Company** “Having been in the industry over 30 years, I can honestly say that FSEdNet is a game changer for improving retention, growing rep productivity and developing a highly trained sales force.  I was exposed to Dick Cleary and FSEdNet in another life prior to being with AAA Life and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to introduce an entirely new field force to this awesome tool!  We have used it as the foundation to build our training program.  I would highly recommend FSEdNet to anyone!” - **Allen Jackson LUTCF, FSCP, Vice president of Agent Distribution, AAA Life Insurance Company** “FSEdNet has been the game changer we needed for our General Agents. It is the perfect tool they needed to make their training programs A+.” **Todd Scott, Manager Practice Management & Development, AMERITAS** “We needed to completely update our agent and management development and training platforms. FSEdNet was a perfect fit that did not take additional resources to write, develop and implement the changes we needed. We now incorporate the management training program of FSLEdNet into our weekly development calls with all our entire field leadership team and incorporated FSEdNet into our new agent training program” - **Damian Salvi, Senior Vice President ****and Chief Distribution Officer, The Baltimore Life Companies** "Just a quick comment of appreciation for your FSEdNet. We have been so pleased and impressed with your training program. It has helped our advisors at all different levels in many different areas of your curriculum. It is concise, effective, and easy to use. And you and your team have been incredibly responsive whenever we have a question or a thought."  **James Meehan, Managing Partner at 1847Financial, Penn Mutual** "FSEdNet has provided us with the foundation we needed to strengthen our Field Force training programs.  The courses have provided us with the basics that would have taken us a very long time to develop on our own. The structure of the videos and worksheets helps to improve retention and develop a skilled workforce. I would highly recommend FSEdNet!" ***Beth Jones, Director of Field Force Training Development, First Command Financial Services.*** ![FSEdNet](https://info.hoopis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/FSEDNet_June2018_v2/Images/cleary-pic.png?width=500&name=cleary-pic.png "FSEdNet") - Download Our App - [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4570472/1454e9fc-640c-4dd3-9678-a66d16a7b477.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4570472/1454e9fc-640c-4dd3-9678-a66d16a7b477) - [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/4570472/3006a79f-73fd-497e-867a-f7e34856bca5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4570472/3006a79f-73fd-497e-867a-f7e34856bca5) Copyright © 2021 All Rights Reserved FINANCIAL SERVICES EDUCATIONAL NETWORK, LLC.