‘DEFINING THE DIFFERENCE’

Northwestern Mutual’s annual meeting spotlights field, home office bond

WHEN MORE THAN 9,000 Northwestern Mutual financial representatives, field staff and their families travel to Milwaukee for this summer’s annual meeting July 24-28, they will be participating in an event that is unique in the financial services industry.

As individuals, every one of the financial representatives will be sharing the distinct qualities that make them so successful in helping their clients achieve financial security. Collectively, annual meeting attendees will be reminded again of the features that set Northwestern Mutual apart from other companies in the financial services arena.

“The annual meeting gives us the ultimate opportunity to showcase the advantages of both the company and field, and how we work together to make us the company we are,” said Edward J. Zore, Northwestern Mutual’s president and chief executive officer.

“There’s nothing like it in the industry,” said Zore, describing the meeting. “Each summer, financial representatives and their families flock to Milwaukee – usually in record numbers. It’s unique because they pay their own way – we don’t have to entice them with a pre-paid trip to some exotic place.

“To me, it demonstrates a total commitment, a shared belief in what the company stands for, and the strong relationship between our field and home office.

“I’ve been watching this happen every July for about 35 years,” added Zore, “and even I’m sometimes amazed at our culture.”

The theme of this year’s meeting is “Defining the Difference.” One area of difference for Northwestern Mutual is found in the category of risk-based products such as life, disability and long-term care insurance. Currently, the company leads the nation in individual life insurance in force and total life insurance dividends paid to policyowners.

“ We truly believe the long-term value of insurance products serves as the foundation of a well-balanced plan for financial security,” Zore said. “Consequently, we’re always evaluating and developing insurance products, as well as looking for ways to promote the products we have. Strong product values have formed the basis of our past success and will continue to support our growth as we move forward.”

Northwestern Mutual’s products are presented to clients using a needs-based, holistic planning process that begins with insurance protection: life, disability income and long-term care. As people advance through life, their needs change and they have a greater need to accumulate and manage their assets, or wealth, and plan for retirement. While risk management covers the risks of dying too soon, becoming disabled or outliving one’s financial resources, wealth accumulation supports the financial goals of saving for the future and funding retirement and the family’s educational needs. Then, wealth preservation and distribution puts the finishing touches on a client’s plan – providing lifelong income and solutions for leaving a legacy behind.

“Ultimately, our most successful clients will need advice and assistance in transferring their wealth to the next generation,” said Zore.

Of course, Northwestern Mutual’s uniqueness comes from the enduring, trusted relationships between the financial representative and client.

“We believe quality financial representatives and employees lead to quality clients,” Zore said.

“At the end of the day, this is what allows us to offer quality products.”

Zore noted that Northwestern Mutual’s edge is having already what others in the industry are only now trying to create. “Ours is a business of relationships, not transactions. We have face-to-face relationships with 3 million policyowners. Many of these relationships have evolved over a lifetime – often generations – and are based on planning for our clients’ needs. We provide personalized, value-added products and services that meet these needs.”

This long-term approach has earned Northwestern Mutual an enviable reputation for customer satisfaction—and a perennial spot as the Most Admired Company in its category in Fortune magazine’s annual survey of corporate reputations.

'Our reputation precedes us,” Zore said.

“How many other companies can say that?”

“Quiet Conversations” ad campaign promotes products, guidance

At the beginning of this year, Northwestern Mutual, long recognized by consumers as “The Quiet Company,” began turning up the volume in a national television, radio, print and on-line advertising campaign.

The theme of the campaign, “It’s time for a quiet conversation,” is intended to get people talking to a financial expert. All of the ads emphasize the expert guidance provided by the company’s Network of more than 7,900 financial representatives across the United States - many of them who are coming to Milwaukee for this summer’s annual meeting July 24-28.

A “quiet conversation” is featured in every ad within a story line that portrays a meeting between a financial representative and his or her client. The objective is to create a call to action for people to take control of their financial futures by working with an experience professional.

“We see the “Quiet Conversations” message as a way to address both what’s important to our consumers and what’s different about how our representatives do business,” said Ed Zore, Northwestern Mutual’s president and chief executive officer.

“Defining the Difference” is the theme of this year’s Northwestern Mutual annual meeting.