The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-01
INSURANCE MEN
listen TO WARD
FARGO LIFE UNDERW ERs
LISTENED TO n. n. WARD,
NOTED LIFE INSURANCE PUB
LlCITY MAN, AT LUNCHEON AT
GARDNER HOTEL THIS NOON.

Inc life insurance underwriters of
Fargo listened to a splendid address
this noon by H. Fl. Ward Of Seattle
and Portland, a former president of
the National Association of Life I'm
derwriters and noted throughout the
country as an insurance publicist,
which followed an elaborate luncheon
spread at the Gardner hotel.
Mr.. Ward is the manager for the
Pacific northwest of the Pacific Mutual
Life insurance company. He is per-
maps one OF the most celebrated life
insurance men in the country and
ranks foremost as a life insurance au-
thorlty west of the Mississippi.
He Is a graduate of Chic State uni
Versity of the class Of 1890 and his
home was originally in Cleveland.
The address given by Mr.. Ward this
noon was one Of great value to the
life insurance men of the city. In re-
cent. years he has become the recog-
n1zed authority on life insurance ad-
vertising and this phase of the BUSH
ness he thoroughly discussed in a most
comprehensive tanner. His audi
ence, comprising the city's best known
life underwriters, was much impress
ed with his discourse and gave the
speaker the closest attention.
Effective Advertising.
Life insurance advertising to be
effective must never lose sight of the
one great end in view,' said Mr.. Ward
the securing Of a satisfactory inter-
view by the agent from the prospect.
10 my mind all life insurance adver-
Using which does not have as it's ulti-
mate object this end in view is money
thrown away. Successful advertising
Of life insurance must be creative-it
must create intelligence and ingenuity
on the part Of the interviewer and in
telligence n willingness on the part
of the interviewed. How may this be
brought about? Not by old methods,
not by a display of assets and direc-
torates-rather by an appeal to the
human side of life. by an instruction
of the public on the real merits which
attach to life insurance. Man, as such,
is subject to a .three-fo1d vision first,
what he himself thinks he is: second.
what others think he is and third,
what he really is.
Life insurance may be, and often
Is. viewed IN a like threshold manner
First, what the ignorant or selfish
agent thinks it is; second, what the
ignorant or selfish prospect thinks it
Is, and third, what it really is. The
agent too often looks upon life insur-
ance from the standpoint Of commits
sion; the prospect too often looks upon
1t from the standpoint of excessive
cost. 1t should be looked upon from
neither standpoint, both being In error.
Its real standpoint is the f%urnishing
of adequate protection, uno~btainable
by any other means, and at an ade-
quate price.
How may the agent be trained up
to an intelligent understanding of the
foundation of life insurance and to his
relation to it and how may the pros
pect be trained down from a distorted
view to a true view Of the benefits
which will accrue to him, and to his
needs for it? AS I see it these two
greatly to be desired results can best
be quickly reached through intelligent
Institutional advertising.
THE old system Of life insurance
advertising must go. The insuring
public have already sounded its death
knell; they pay no attention to it. Ad-
vertising in life insurance is the only
antiquated thing now attached to the
companies. Most of the money is
thrown away because the advertising
is u~nscientific.
"If the medical departments were
run in the same unscientific way the
mortality of the companies would be
excessive. If the actuarial depart
ments were as unscientific as is life
insurance advertising the companies
might D be bankrupt. III the invest
ment departments were as unscientifc
the companies might soon be in the
hands OF receivers.
Arithmetic is the first of the sci
lences and the mother of safety, Two
and two make four but never 1--WE.
Arithmetic in the actuarial depart
ment takes care of the last f~arthing-
arithmetic In the investment depart