Academy of Advance Funeral Planning Announces 2007 Training Dates

Franklin, OH (PRWEB) August 30, 2006 -- The Academy of Advance Funeral Planning at The Outlook Group, Inc., Franklin, Ohio has announced its training dates for 2007.

Advance Funeral Planning Fundamentals 101 - Training dates are January 23-26, April 17-20, July 10-13 and October 16-19. This interactive, one-on-one, four and a half day course is specially designed for entry level into the pre-need field. This course is appropriate for funeral professionals who are making the transition from at-need to pre-need as well as those with no previous funeral experience. Participants learn how to effectively use their pre-need product and present their casket, burial vault and cremation scripts. Effective appointment setting techniques and how to ask for and close the sale processes are also taught. Our extensive pre-training program, including an easy to follow pre-training checklist, ensures the participant is fully prepared for a successful class. When the graduate returns home they will have the skills and tools necessary to be a successful part of the funeral home’s pre-need program and have a solid pre-need sales foundation on which to build and grow. Outlook affiliate funeral homes additionally receive the benefit and additional support of our exclusive 90 Day Fast Start Support Program. The Fast Start Support Program provides positive support, coaching and motivation. The program can be implemented by either the funeral home or with Outlook Group assistance.

Advanced Lead Generation Strategies – Training date is May 15-16. This is an advanced course for those with a minimum of three months pre-need sales experience. This interactive, one and a half day course will provide students with winning lead generation strategies and tools for reaching out to consumers with the message of advance funeral planning. Students will learn: how to establish an ongoing Family Service Follow-Up and Speakers Bureau program; networking with other community professionals; use of surveys to obtain sales leads; obtaining recommendations and seeking referrals and how to turn “old sales leads” into fresh sales. This course will equip you to reach more prospects and make more sales than you ever dreamed possible.

Financial Aspects of Advance Funeral Planning – Training dates are February 20-21 and September 18-19. This is an advanced course for those with a minimum of three months pre-need sales experience. The one and a half day course is designed to help pre-need associates effectively utilize financial product features and benefits. Course content includes: how to objectively review all client assets, including instruction on how to properly evaluate a prospect’s financial portfolio; life insurance benefits; retirement plans; strategies for overcoming investment and insurance objections; how to use the features and benefits of a pre-need insurance and/or trust product to the consumers benefit; how to fully uncover available monies to fund a prearranged funeral contract; when and how to use and explain the value of “time payment” options and how to work the “endangered list” more effectively. This course will equip you to be able to confidently and successfully handle any financial obstacle.

Pre-Need Enhancement Course – Training dates are March 6-7, June 5-6 and September 5-6. This course is a unique one and/or two day training program conducted in a “roundtable setting” with the curriculum custom designed by those attending. Lively and free-flowing, student participation is a significant element to the success of this course. Participants benefit in many different ways depending on their level of experience, personal needs, position in the company, firm goals and objectives or whether they work with families pre-need or at-need. Here are just a few comments from past participants: “flexibility of agenda”, “listening to others”, “I think it was a great free flowing conversation”, “confirmed some things I’m doing and answered MANY questions”, “I can’t believe how much I information I received”, “sharing”, “excellent worth every minute”.

To date the Academy of Advance Funeral Planning at The Outlook Group, Inc. has graduated hundreds of certified Advance Funeral Planning Professionals from across the United States and Canada. All classes are available for a reasonable fee and are open to anyone who has a need for beginner or advanced funeral prearrangement sales training. For more information and/or to register for an upcoming class call Ms. Temeika Love, Registrar at (800) 331-6270 or visit the Academy online at http://www.theoutlookgroup.com.

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