Working Poor Unready to Revolt

Once upon a time when governments no longer served most of their citizens it was the most economically disadvantaged that could be counted on to rebel against tyranny and injustice. Times have changed, for the worse, despite the spread of democracy.

Here we are with a two-party plutocracy that preferentially serves corporate and wealthy interests and lets the middle class suffer and sink. Plausibly, the middle class is unready to revolt because it still maintains a relatively good standard of living despite rising economic insecurity. But what about the lowest 40 percent of Americans that are the working poor?

A recent survey of this group by the Washington Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University conducted this past June looked at the beliefs of adults ages 18 to 64 working 30 or more hours a week, not self-employed and who earned no more than $27,000 in 2007. The results show a fascinating dichotomy. Though there is widespread pain and discontent there is also a stubborn faith in the American dream despite little help from government.

Ninety percent of this group sees the current economy negatively, either not so good or poor, with 52 percent feeling financially insecure and 50 percent feeling less secure than a few years ago. The fractions saying they have difficulty affording basic things are severe, including: 88 percent that cannot save money for college or other education for their children, 82 percent paying for gasoline or other transportation costs, 81 percent saving money for retirement, 65 percent paying for health care and health insurance, 65 percent handling child care, close to 60 percent paying credit card bills, monthly utility bills and rent or mortgage costs, and 47 percent buying food. Three quarters say it has gotten harder to find good jobs and nearly that fraction for finding affordable health care, and 68 percent finding decent, affordable housing.

In the past year this group has had to take many actions to make ends meet, including 70 percent that cut electricity use and home heating; 62 percent that took an extra job or worked extra hours, 51 percent that postponed medical or dental care and 50 percent that took money out of savings or retirement funds.

All this sounds pretty bleak. But are these people mad and pessimistic? Not exactly.

An amazing 69 percent are hopeful about their personal financial situation, 59 percent believe they are more likely over the next few years to move up in terms of their social class, 59 percent believe that their children will have a standard of living much or somewhat better than theirs, and 56 percent think they will achieve the American dream in their lifetime.

Do these lower economic class, hardest hit Americans that account for 25 percent of the adult population believe that government helps them? No. Only 22 percent believe that government programs are making things better for them. But apparently they have bought hook, line and sinker into Barack Obama's change rhetoric, with a 2 to 1 margin favoring him over John McCain. And when it comes to beliefs about which candidate will do better for them the margins favoring Obama go up to 3 or more to 1 for improving their own financial situation, the national economy and the national health care system. Similarly, Obama is seen as much more concerned with their needs and better represent their values. All very good news for Obama, except that only 70 are registered to vote and about a third saw no difference in whether Obama or McCain was in office.

Faith in Obama, however, pales in comparison to the other source of comfort for dealing with hard economic times. A striking 78 percent find religion or faith in God helps them get through tough economic times.

The unmistakable conclusion from all these data is that no rebellion against the power elites running the two-party plutocracy seems likely. If the bottom 40 percent of Americans in terms of income still believe in the American dream and change-spouting politicians like Obama, it is hard to believe that the more affluent middle 40 percent of the population are ready to support more radical change through political rebellion.

Interesting how gasoline prices are dropping as we approach the Republican and Democratic conventions and Election Day. Apparently, America's ruling class knows what it is doing. It can keep channeling more and more of the nation's wealth to the rich, Upper Class producing more economic inequality without fearing the kind of political revolution that Thomas Jefferson thought the nation needs periodically. Consider this: In the three decades after World War II household inflation-adjusted income of the bottom 90 percent increased 83 percent compared to 20 percent increase for the top 10 percent. In contrast, in the past three decades, the bottom 90 percent saw only a 10 percent increase while the top 10 percent received an increase of 232 percent! The two-party stranglehold on our political system has produced rising economic inequality.

Forget all that nonsense about the proletariat. Most Americans use their faith in God or religion or conventional politicians to cope, even in some of the most insecure economic times in American history. They remain overly confident in voting as the path to change. The ruling class has successfully used propaganda to dumb down and manipulate most of the public because delusion has become the opiate of the masses.

In God and Barack Obama We Trust could be placed on all our currency if the views of millions of Americans are taken seriously. Don't you feel better?

Joel S. Hirschhorn can be reached through http://www.delusionaldemocracy.com

6 Tips to Survive Working As a Freelancer in the Film, Television and Video Business

1. Get the Word Out

Once you decide or the industry decides for you, that you are going to work as a freelancer, you have to become visible. Calling every TV station or production company in town and asking if there is work available will get you absolutely no where, except to annoy the person answering the phone. And resumes in the mail? They end up in the trash.

The simplest and easiest thing to do is social networking. Creating a profile on sites like LinkedIn.com, Mandy.com, Media-Match.com (Media-Match is a pay site, the others have free basic listings) not only helps to give you a place to show your stuff, it also validates you. Your profile on these sites holds more weight than a paper resume, it gives you more stars, so to speak. And it gets your name out on the internet in a searchable format-when someone hops on Google and types in your name, your Linked In profile comes up.

2. Being Paid-What Method?

I know this seems weird to be number two, but before you take your first freelance gig you must decide how you are going to be paid.

You have to be flexible, if you get freelance work at a TV station, then they are going to put you on the payroll as a W-2 employee. But what if you get a gig writing a script for a non-profit? How will they pay you? If have nothing setup prior, then you will have to fill out a W-9 tax form and give that non-profit your social security number. And guess what? They are going to report this income to the IRS on a 1099 form and they are not going to take out any taxes out for you, it will be considered Miscellaneous Income. So that means that YOU will be responsible for paying all of your Social Security Tax, Medicare Tax, (all that falls under FICA on a W-2) and your federal and state income tax. This is a very REAL problem in the freelance world and I have personally been on the wrong side of this, owing thousands of dollars to the IRS all at once.

The best thing to do is to sit down with an accountant and discuss your options. You may find a sole proprietorship that receives 1099's works for you. Or you may want to Incorporate, form an LLC or something else. And an accountant will help you figure out what purchases you can use as write-offs for your freelance work. I can not stress enough, that speaking with an accountant and having your payment strategy set up a ahead of time, will save you from grief and potentially owing thousands of dollars to the IRS all at once.

3. Being Paid-How Much? And what about Cash Flow?

This is the hot button topic around my office. And it is tricky to understand what goes for what. So you think, well I used to be paid X amount when I was editing for this TV station, so that is how much I am going to ask for as a freelancer. I wish it were that easy. Rates fluctuate dramatically but there are thresholds that line producers use. The best thing to do is to talk with others and ask, "What do you charge?" And be honest, if you are in the process of getting your first freelance gig and the producer asks, "What is your day rate?" say, "I don't have an established rate, I am flexible and I would like to work within your budget."

And what about looking up day rates on the Internet? The info never is accurate. Rates are subjective to what type of gig, location, distribution platform, Production Company, and on and on. You just have to get into freelancing and see what others are being paid in your field of expertise and your location. Ultimately it is what is comfortable for you.

Cash flow is also a huge issue with freelance only gigs or when you run a small business. Don't only accept gigs from large corporations. Why? They are slow to pay. And this is not because they are trying to stiff you or play the stock market with your money-large corporations have a system of check and balances for payment to outside vendors. It might take 90 days in some cases to be paid. So you have to pepper your gigs on smaller projects where you know you can get paid in 30 days or less.

4. Craigslist.com

Oh boy........ Online job boards like Craigslist, Production Hub, TV JOBS, and the many more out there are a great way to find gigs. And they are also teeming with seekers of free labor. I cannot count how many ads I have seen like the following: "Seeking crew with their own equipment for a TV pilot, web series or Music Video that will be the next greatest thing. It has been written by the most amazing A-List Hollywood people and has Hollywood stars/Director attached. Don't miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Please send your resume, a link to an on-line reel and a total list of all of your equipment. No pay but we promise, meals, a copy of the DVD, exposure and ONCE IT GETS PICKED UP, we will definitely bring back all of the crew to work on the project."

Unless you feel like volunteering your time, don't fall for that. Because it will be nothing more than a volunteer gig and 9 times out of 10, it will turn out to be a nightmare.

BUT-student projects or people just getting together to have fun making a video or for a worthy cause-do not post promises of future paid work. They state it is a student or volunteer project. They will be upfront! And hey if you feel like throwing your hat in for the cause, by all means do it, it is a way to meet more people in the biz.

There are valid gigs on Craiglist. You just have to filter through all of the noise and respond to the ones you think are valid. Use your gut, if red flags are waving, then click off.

Look on Craigslist in the following sections: Under Jobs-TV/Film/Video, Under Gigs-Creative and Crew.

5. Managing Clients

Yeah you have your first gig! But oh no, you got a call for another gig and they are both on the same day!

Here is where the art of the "hold" or "penciled in" comes into play. So many times larger production companies, ad agencies, etc, will put a whole shoot together without having the 100% green light from their client. This happens more at the large corporate level than anywhere else. Or the producers for a reality show may pull back on a shoot at the last minute and only want two PAs instead of four. And national TV new outfits have a whole system of "hold" and "release" terms with payment ramifications and cut off times from a "hold" to a "go."

So what do you do?

Well first off, if you are booked and it is going to happen, then you are booked. You really have to weigh your options if you are booked on a gig and you get a call for another gig on the same day that is going to pay you a little more money or has better networking opportunities. You really have think hard about canceling on someone. How will it affect your relationship with that company or that person? This industry is very small, and word spreads fast if you don't honor commitments.

But let's say you are helping out your buddies on a short film and Martin Scorsese calls. Well, be honest and explain your situation to your friends and help them find someone else to replace you.

On the other hand if you are on a "hold" and another gig comes along, call the first gig and ask if it is really going to happen. If they can't give you answer or need more time, then tell them that you can take another gig so you won't be available anymore. Don't worry!! Producers deal with this all the time, you won't be black balled or talked bad about. The producer will respect your honesty. No producer or coordinator wants surprises; they want to know everything up front. And always say, "Keep me in mind for your next project."

And if you are working for a small gig, like writing a script, just manage your time wisely.

6. Insurance

Do you need to get a production liability insurance policy? Not unless you are going to be creating the entire production, hiring the crew, renting gear, etc. Then you are responsible for the production and you need it. You can't pull permit or even get on some locations without it. But if you are just being hired to be on the production team, then the production company will be responsible. And the production company should carry sufficient Workmen's Comp insurance in case something happens to you on the shoot. It is a gray area, but even volunteers on shoots can be covered under Workmen's Comp. Even if you are only on set for one day, you still will be covered. If you ever feel weird about a project, ask the producer if they have insurance. If they get mad at you for asking, then that is a red flag!!!

Medical Insurance on the other hand is the big issue. I still struggle with this. When I was at NBC as a freelancer, my union, NABET, worked with NBC so we could be part of the Entertainment Industry Flex Plan. I paid for the insurance, it was cheap because we were part of a large group and NBC managed the payments. And it was really great insurance. The catch was that you had to work so many days per year at a participating TV station to be part of the plan. When I left NBC, and after my Cobra ran out, I was faced with a huge dilemma.

There really is no one-way to go about this. And in some states, like Illinois, it is illegal for non profit member groups to come together and offer a group medical insurance plan. And if you have a pre-existing condition, until 2014, you can't get individual insurance; you have to be part of an employer group. The state of Illinois has an ICHIP program to help people like this, but prices vary.

Michelle De Long is the Executive Producer/President of Mimi Productions, a television and video production company in Chicago. Michelle spent 15 years as a freelancer at NBC News, has freelanced for ABC, CBS, FOX, Hallmark Channel, the City of Chicago and many other media outlets. Michelle has never had a "full time" job in her entire working career and has used that savvy to build her business, Mimi Productions, from the ground up. http://www.mimiproductions.com

Working Your Leads Smarter in 2008

There are various sales techniques out there and there are tons of books to prove it. Visit any book store and there are entire sections on sales. Closing the sale, cold calling, selling specific products and the list goes on. The rules have changed somewhat with the various types of leads available to sell. One rule is always consistent with selling, we have to focus on who we are selling to, and keep at it.

Most insurance agents buy online leads and approach them the same way as they would any other client. That is where we are going wrong. Insurance Agencies have worked with referrals, call in's, and networking. With all those methods, the prospect is actively at your attention at the moment of contact. Online leads change the game. The average online lead is sold four times. Some are sold to national carriers, some are sold only to individual agents, but agents must ask the questions first off to know who they are in competition with.

First, create a varied process for contact and stick to it. When prospects walked in your door, or called you on the phone, you knew their preferred method of communication. In today's day and age, that is not necessarily the case. Some people will prefer to do business by email, some by phone, so multiple exposures in both venue's are essential. Most agents make three phone calls maximum over the course of the first five days. After that time, the lead dies on their desktop or in some file folder.

Multiple emails over the course of thirty to sixty days are essential. Some prospects start hunting far in advance of their renewal. Some are looking because they are "thinking" of buying a product. Staying in contact both by phone and email allows the agency's and the producer's name to be repeatedly brought to the attention of the prospect. This will increase changes of the sale further down the road. Most agents think of email and phone calls as an opportunity for a sale, but it is marketing as well. Until a prospect tells you they have bought elsewhere, email them and call them to insure good customer follow up.

Second, assume the sale. Use words about how you look forward to talking with them soon and how your companies deliver A rated service by AM Best or about the services your agency offers. Your email or phone message can be the entire reason someone calls you back. If you are associated with a larger company to have name recognition, make sure to supply that information as well. Deliver a great message in your voicemail or email with positive expectations and positive words can be the key to someone returning your call!

Third, return phone calls and provide information on time. This seems like common sense, but a lot of agents just drop the ball. Good follow through is essential. Prospects need to know that their agent takes the responsibility of protecting their assets seriously. Insurance is seen as a requirement by banks and law enforcement officials, not as protection for a lifestyle.

By taking the perspective that insurance is to protect the lifestyle that the prospect is working for, agents are showing their prospects that they are valuable as well. People are unfortunately accustomed to being treated with less than superior service, by doing what you say you will do, agents can exceed expectations easily and secure the business.

Finally, create multiple marketing exposures. Agents are paying anywhere from eight to fifteen dollars per lead. These prospects have provided a lot of information and 92% of all agents never make a secondary attempt at selling after the initial renewal date has expired. If we look at the raw numbers, most leads are approximately ten dollars per lead. At 10 leads, close ratios are around 20%. Eight leads are then going dormant and never contacted again. If producers can call at renewals down the road, send post cards or market to these prospects again, the close ratios will increase dramatically. Agents fully utilizing the AgencyIQ System generally see a 35% close ratio when utilizing multiple auto responders, consistent phone calls, and secondary marketing opportunities.

Selling insurance is hard work, but stick by these five principals and watch your success grow tremendously. No business can survive without prospects and online leads are just one way of developing your business, but they are a venue that is here to stay. Mix up your marketing and your approaches, and make 2008 your best year yet!

Teresa Kitchens
VP Operations of Net-Lead, LLC, the creators of the AgencyIQ System
Teresa is one of the co-founders of the AgencyIQ System and a proud owner of her own successful insurance agency.

Insurance Leads - Getting More by Working Smarter!

The insurance business is highly saturated as you may know. Acquiring insurance leads consistently by the day not only becomes more costly, it is more challenging in every business aspect of the industry. However, the insurance business as you already may know is one of the most profitable industries in the entire world. With insurance, everyone is covered. At least that's the motto for many!

Getting more leads, acquiring more customers, and keeping loyalty among your range of clients from your portfolio is one of the three fundamental keys to achieving success in the business. Not only are they principles followed by many successful corporations in numerous industries, such keys are what fuel national success in businesses for years.

Let us take a leading insurance company that is favored among millions of adults nationwide in the United States, Geico. For years now, Geico has recognized the power in using a smart, yet simple lead generation funnel. You most likely have seen the TV commercials.

Geico provides you a distinctive TV commercial among the hundreds of competitors they currently have in the industry. They have a wild pet that already identifies the company; they mix the commercial with informative situations and steps you should consider. Ultimately, you pick up the phone and call Geico and an insurance agent or telemarketer, as defined in the industry, builds rapport with you, a person who needs insurance.

They have a successful and proven lead generation system. Now for two years in a row they ranked #1 for the well known "Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index". The Government Employees Insurance Company known as Geico is the fourth- largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. With more than 8 million policyholders and over 13 million vehicles, they surely know how to retain customers.

The financial keys and the teachings that such a brilliant company like Geico provides any person starting in the insurance business rely on keeping their customer's loyalty. Successful insurance companies as in every other business invest thousands of dollars, and those at the very top invest millions of dollars a month acquiring new customers. One single customer over a span of 12 months could easily mean four figures in growth income.

That is one of the main reasons shareholders in many companies should be proud of such distinctive commercials. They entertain, tell a realistic viewpoint of the real world, and most importantly, they sell.

Now according to Berkshire Hathaway, Geico is surely rated A++ for financial stability. Surely, a great working company if you want to learn the ropes.

But what happens if you are already planning to own your own insurance agency? What needs to happen if you need a lead generation system in place to acquire smart and intelligent business that produces results? The key will be to search for the best Internet marketing lead generation system on the Internet, a system that teaches you a step by step process on how to build your own profitable list. Finally, make sure the insurance leads you acquire are fresh and workable according to your needs.

Would you like to learn lead generating techniques and how to handle those leads? Learn how using software programs, joining groups or associations, and how the Internet can be effective at generating leads. Go to http://www.LeadsAndListBuilding.com

Life Agents Building Life Insurance Agencies Working From Home in Bad Economy

Life Insurance agents/ agencies are utilizing technology not only to produce new business but also to grow multi-state insurance agencies. In view of the current changes in the economy as a whole there is a myriad of displaced workers who are looking for new career opportunities as employers downsize in an effort to wait out the greatest job loss recession since the 1974-75 and the 1981-82 recessions hit. Small business owners are struggling to stay afloat as consumers tighten their spending habits. In view of all the businesses and retailers that have been forced to close there doors what better opportunity to consider a creative business concepts. Clearly you have several options when any sales oriented business slows, you can simply wait it out and complain about the lack of business or the loss of employment or you can investigate new ideas and put them into action. Those who think ahead of the curve will certainly be ready when the tide turns.  

Insurance Selling Not for Everyone

Selling insurance is not easy and it has not been unscathed by the downward spiraling economy, overall insurance purchases are down by 23% for 2009. On a positive note the term life sales segment dropped only about 3% fairing much better than other forms of life insurance. LIMRA is forecasting a double-digit decline in sales this year followed by a double-digit recovery in 2010. Certainly selling insurance is not for the faint hearted, people scurry off when you tell them you sell insurance but for a few smart marketers the opportunity can still be very ripe. If you already sell insurance then you should definitely be incorporating technology in your current business plan, those who do will gain a viable advantage over those who fail to notice this opportunity. Statistics show that consumers are using the Internet for researching insurance product options and rates. Agents who learn how to harness the power of the internet too grab the interest of those prospects and develop simple systems to establish relationships for cross selling multi-line products across multiple states will have the potential for the most growth.

Building a National Life Insurance Agency with Technology

Sounds complicated and or expensive, but is it? All businesses usually have some cost involved for both start up and ongoing. Traditional agencies would need overhead expenses to cover a lease, equipment, advertising and a support staff. Obviously this can get expensive and may not be the best option in today's market. The Virtual Agency is a business model built using technology combined with people to reduce investment overhead expense. The agency can still be developed utilizing traditional marketing methods like word of mouth, networking and for the tech savvy, Internet marketing. Unlike captive agents, just about every independent insurance agent is in some sort of hierarchy based on their position within the Agency or Marketing Organization. So do you see where this is going, an opportunity to sell a broad range of products direct to consumers as an independent agent and recruit other agents into your down-line across multiple states using technology and people. This can all be accomplished using a intelligent web-based platform that includes: customer relationship management, multi carrier quoting engine, underwriting guidelines for all carriers, transparent policy case management and electronic policy delivery to the carriers. Add to that the agent recruiting tools, Agent recruit management, web based sales training, automated licensing and appointments for agents, and hierarchy support system that assist you in managing your down line and commission reports you have a fully automated business system.

What does it take to be a Virtual Insurance Agent/ Agency?

Starting a virtual insurance agency will take some work, if it was easy everyone would already be doing it right? You need to have some basic computer skills be wiling to learn and be persistent. Every consumer won't buy insurance from you on the first call and may require a lot of follow up, as well the recruiting can also be difficult since some licensed agents are eager to get on board but then never put forth the required effort to both sell and recruit however, for diligent agents this can be the most rewarding opportunity for both financial success and the ability to have more control over your career goals and time. Regardless of your aspirations the virtual agent opportunity can provide great income either for the part time agent or for those who want to build a multi-state agency. Building a virtual agency can support the independent agents effort to sell hundreds of policies per month. Top recruiters are currently selling hundreds of polices a month and accumulating over $20,000 in total commissions with a team of agents. Creating a website and utilizing a quote engine is also a important element of the virtual agency and can be essential in generating your own lead program for both your personal sales and agency leads for your down-line agents.

In summary look for a virtual agency program that supports your future growth including the opportunity for recruiting and growing your agency, provide good web based training, top carriers that consumers know and trust, no hidden cost or large deposits to get started, lead programs and lead discounts, affordable agent/agency websites and compensation tiers so that you have the opportunity to earn more as your production increases. The partnership between carriers and marketing organizations and agents is key to a successful virtual agency.  

Christopher Beard is the president of Trinity 1 Financial Group and his company is seeking Territory agents to participate in a new virtual agent insurance marketing program that allows insurance agents to work from home selling innovative insurance products by utilizing technology to improve the way they operate their business.
Florida Virtual Insurance Agent
Life Insurance work at home