By Lucretia DiSanto Jones

Glenford “Glen” Malcolm, CLU, ChFC, RHU, has been a moving force for the Miami and Florida AIFAs for quite some time. In fact, he was recognized at the 2003 NAIFA Convention and Career Conference for his superstar member recruiting last year. He shared his thoughts on his successful efforts with AdvisorToday.com.

Malcolm became a NAIFA member 26 years ago because his manager told him the way to be a true professional in this business was to join NAIFA. He didn’t hesitate.

“He flashed a card at me and told me I needed to join,” says Malcolm. “I didn’t ask the name of the organization. It didn’t matter to me. I just said, ‘yes, I want to be a professional.’

“When I got to my first meeting, I was able to see a broader picture of the profession. I saw other agents who dressed more professionally, spoke more professionally. I saw success immediately. And I said to myself, ‘there’s got to be a value to this.’”

“All the tools I used to become successful at Monumental I learned from being a member of NAIFA.” —Glenford Malcolm

A can-do attitude
Malcolm, as Florida’s 2002-2003 state membership chair, had a hand in recruiting more than 200 new members and more than 100 renewals last year. When explaining how he did it, Malcolm says he certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel.

He started out by attending a national membership meeting. The meeting sparked his enthusiasm. “I came back to Florida with a passion that I would be the best I could be. I decided we wouldn’t use the word decline,” he said. “Or the excuse that we are not growing membership because the agency system isn’t there.” He then asked every local in Florida to adopt an agency or a company, and he made an example of himself. “My philosophy is that you have to be an example to your followers; then they’ll follow,” he said. “I figured if I went about and did my job of recruiting members, then everyone would feel accountable and would want to get the job done. I adopted Monumental, my personal company.

“ A producer from Monumental wanted to know how I got the job done as a No. 1 producer. So, I told Henry Hagan [Monumental’s president and CEO] that I would travel the state to motivate them, share sales ideas and encourage them to invest in their profession by telling them ‘it’s smart to belong to NAIFA.’ He immediately approved it.”

Hagan even bolstered Malcolm’s efforts. He sent a letter to 3,000 Monumental agents nationwide, encouraging them to join NAIFA.

Hitting the road
Malcolm followed up with every district manager, letting them know he was on the way, and he developed a bang-up presentation. “I started by sharing prospecting and recruiting techniques. And I would say, ‘By the way, all the tools I used to become successful at Monumental I learned from being a member of NAIFA.’

“They were waiting for me to share ideas on how to affect their bottom line,” he said. “I also shared with them the value of NAIFA’s advocacy on the state and national levels.”

Malcolm is always prepared to rattle off to prospects a list that demonstrates the value of NAIFA membership: “CE. When you come to the meetings, most locals are giving CE credits to members free of charge. As a result, we keep you in compliance. We provide motivation when you’re in a slump. We give you great sales ideas. We give you a free lunch. And a portion of your dues is tax deductible.”

He also encouraged younger members who might be more technologically savvy than older members to fire up their laptops and go to www.naifa.org. “I told them to go in and look at what they’re getting such as emails and the NAIFA Frontline. I showed them what technology would give them through NAIFA.”

Product driven
Using terms his prospects will truly understand, he likens NAIFA membership to an investment product. As he pointed out, “I explained that they were investing in their career.

“I told them that we, FAIFA and NAIFA, would show them how to stay in business. I told them to get in the boat with us, and if we can’t get them to the side of the bank and across the river, then they don’t have to renew the next year.”

What Malcom did worked. Every agency he visited enrolled 100 percent of their agents as NAIFA members.

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