'Coaching culture' helps Nationwide Financial develop effective sales force and enhance service to advisors

Sales leaders earn Worldwide Association of Business Coaches certification

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2011

Contact:
Jeff Whetzel (614) 249-6354
whetzej@nationwide.com

Chad Green (614) 677-1679
greenc28@nationwide.com

COLUMBUS, OH— Today’s financial advisors are looking for sales support that makes it easier for them to deliver the right financial solutions to their clients and demonstrate their true value. As one way to ensure that advisors get the level of support they need, Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. offers its sales leaders the opportunity to receive training in coaching and mentoring from the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC).

The training has enabled Nationwide’s sales leaders build more effective teams and create a highly-engaged, world-class sales force that is driving positive business results.

Nationwide Financial credits its coaching culture, in part, to strong 2010 sales results which included a 32 percent increase in variable annuity sales and a 70 percent increase in sales of first-year fixed life insurance.

“At Nationwide, we invest both time and resources into developing our sales force to ensure they’re equipped to meet the diverse needs of today’s advisors,” said John Carter, president of Nationwide Financial Distributors, Inc. “The rigorous training we offer top sales leaders through the WABC program helps us maintain a strong ‘coaching culture’ that enhances the overall effectiveness of our sales force and their ability to help advisors help their clients prepare for and live in retirement.”

To become Certified Business Coaches, Nationwide’s sales leaders participate in an 18-month program involving 120 hours of in-class training, 500 hours of hands-on coaching practice, and 120 oversight hours in which they receive feedback from coaches who have already earned their certification. A total of 21 sales leaders throughout both the field and internal sales and service organizations have become Certified Business Coaches through the WABC program to date. The program has proven to be so successful that it has recently been expanded to our public-sector retirement plans sales leadership.

Wendy Johnson, WABC president and chief executive officer, comments, “The WABC Certified Business Coach designation is a robust and relevant credential for committed business coaches. Candidates are assessed against a set of real-world coaching competencies. Those who make the grade have the skills, training and experience that it takes to work as independent practitioners.”

“The development of a ‘coaching culture’ is just one of the ways that Nationwide is building its financial solutions around the needs of advisors,” said Carter. “We also make it easier for advisors to provide holistic support to their clients through our team-based sales approach that gives advisors access to specialists in the areas of life insurance, annuities, retirement plans and mutual funds.”

About WABC
The Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) is the first international professional association dedicated exclusively to business coaching and the only association of its kind to require advanced qualifications for membership¹. WABC’s mandate is to develop, advance and promote the emerging profession of business coaching worldwide.

Since it was founded in 1997, WABC has seen its membership grow steadily. The hundreds of internal and external coaches who belong to WABC work with entrepreneurs, managers, CEOs, presidents and business professionals from all industries in the public, private and non-profit sectors. WABC members come from over 30 countries, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom and United States.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by A.M. Best². The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

_{Neither Nationwide Financial, nor any of its affiliates, are affiliated with WABC or any of its affiliates.}

_{John Carter is a registered representative of Nationwide Investment Services Corporation, member FINRA. In MI only: Nationwide Investment Svcs. Corporation.}

_{Nationwide Investment Services Corporation, member FINRA. In MI only: Nationwide Investment Svcs. Corporation.}

_{Nationwide, Nationwide Financial, the Nationwide Framemark, RetireSense and On Your Side are registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.}

_{1 According to www.wabccoaches.com
2 A.M. Best, affirmed 3/25/10}