Mary Anne D.

About Mary Anne D.

I lost much of my hearing while growing up. Early on I recognized almost every (good) conversation has some form of listening, questioning and persuasion. Because it was harder for me, I became laser focused on the best communication skills. That’s how I landed in the sales world - the arena for the psychology that drives good conversation.The best advice I ever received was to specialize. So here I am!I specialize in helping sales pros do four things-Get financial advisors to engage and pay attention- Use data and personalization to gain access and develop relationships quickly-Equip wholesalers with simple but powerful ways to identify conversation mistakes and easy fixes -Put in place measurements that drive good sales behaviors and conversations. You are what you measureWith 25 years of experience working with the most powerful sales teams in the industry I know what works and what doesn\'t. I help good managers design sales strategies that attract and retain top advisors.In 1994 I built a sales consulting / training firm exclusively dedicated to Asset Management wholesalers. Today, Interactive Communications is a well-regarded partner to some of the top names in the asset management and insurance industries. An example: Interactive Communications helped Fidelity put in place their advisor-sold internal sales process over 20 years ago. That process endures today and Fidelity’s sales desk (virtually) closes a big portion of the overall business. I’ve personally knocked on doors, sold over the phone and managed corporate sales businesses so I understand the art and science of selling. If you want direct feedback with a good dose of humor, I\'ll deliver. I\'ll help you decide what to start, stop and continue to avoid problems, measure impact and prepare for the future. Before starting Interactive Communications, I ran sales organizations including Director of Citibank’s Retail Sales for the NY metro area and the Citi-Sales Call Center – the first of its kind for banking by phone. I began my career working with the University of Vermont’s Psychology Department on motivators of behavioral change. That\'s where all this trouble started.I enjoy speaking at conferences and National Sales Meetings and am a frequent contributor to the press.Specialties: Distribution strategy, sales management and training, coaching, speaking, facilitation, mentoring, skiing and free cell.

Experience

1. CEO

   Interactive Communications, Ny Llc

   Jun 1994 — Present · New York, NY, US

   Interactive Communications helps top financial services firms improve the effectiveness of their sales organizations.What makes us different is our expertise with simple but powerful communication skills, backed by research, that get advisors to pay attention and stay engaged. You may be surprised to know you should use the word \'problem\' with some advisors and \'opportunity\' with others.We work with leading asset managers and insurance companies to execute best practices in wholesaling distribution. Our signature RESULTS™ programs are built to ensure skills last.We focus exclusively on wholesalers, their managers and heads of distribution to deliver customized sales consulting, coaching and training. We specialize with sales desks and sales desk managers.Our years of work with well-known asset managers give us a unique view of both trends and best practices. Some of our clients include Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, Pimco, Fidelity, Natixis, JPMorganChase, T.RowePrice, AB, Wells Fargo, John Hancock, New York Life and Blackrock.Right now Interactive Communications is helping clients answer three questions- Is my sales organization structured in the right way to address how the industry is changing- What new skills does my sales team need to adapt to changing advisor preferences, buying requirements and use of technology- How does my team stack up with my competitors and how do I get them to the next level?To learn more, get a snapshot of our RESULTS ™ programs at

Education

• NYU Stern School of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

• University of Vermont

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, Psychology

Skills

• Sales Consulting
• Investments
• Insurance
• Retirement Planning
• Finra
• Strategic Planning
• Sales Process
• Sales
• Program Management
• Financial Planning
• Financial Services
• Alternative Investments
• Relationship Management
• Securities Regulation
• Public Speaking
• Salesforce Training
• Training
• Asset Managment
• New Business Development
• Mutual Funds
• Sales Management
• Asset Management
• Business Development
• Wealth Management
• Strategy
• Series 63
• Marketing
• 401k
• Etfs
• Retirement
• Direct Sales
• Strategic Financial Planning
• Management
• Account Management
• Mentoring
• Variable Annuities
• Coaching
• Executive Management