1. Never underestimate how important it is to have someone like you and vice versa.
2. Use limited medical benefits to maximize the number of covered lives within each group.
3. Great prospecting can take place in your existing customer base because brokers leave hourly workers uncovered all the time.
4. Contractors working on infrastructure projects can reduce their bid costs to better compete and/or improve profitability if they implement a prevailing wage benefit plan.
5. Market to your existing clients and other prospects who have already shown interest in what you do.
6. Who have you met in the last three to six months? That can be 50 percent of your new business.
7. Don't sugarcoat. Tell clients and prospects what's really going on in the economy and markets.
8. Schedule annual client reviews.
9. Utilize search engine optimization.
10. Use different marketing channels (direct mail, networking, seminars, organizations, radio, etc) and use them frequently
11. Find out what a client really wants and needs, match your service to give them what they want, and convince them to say "yes."
12. Look to the bigger agencies in a tough economy. They're better enabled to market insurance products and offer value-added services.
13. Stay current with what new products are available that can help your clients. Also know how legislative changes may impact them.
14. If the employer has decided to cut or drop employee benefits all together, don't be pushy. It'll make them feel worse.
15. Remember, clients rarely provide a referral without being asked.
16. Go to a networking event and meet 10 people.
17. Stay abreast of industry and government changes that affect employers.
18. Throw a LinkedIn party. Charge only a small fee for the appetizers and to cover part of the space.
19. Remind clients that great benefits mean less turn-over and a sense of loyalty.
20. Women invest more than $50 billion a year in employee benefits. Take the time to be more consultative rather than "one-size-fits-all."
21. Underpromise and over-deliver.
22. Become not just an expert, but a mentor in the industry.
23. First build a relationship with the customer, either directly or through a third-party introduction.
24. Use Twitter for information and to keep up-to-date on the industry.
25. Employers are worried about layoffs, salary freezes and benefits cuts. Help find solutions to boost morale and productivity.
26. Voluntary benefit programs have become a solution for employees who are willing to purchase additional coverage with a small payroll deduction, so concentrate on this niche.
27. Honesty is crucial.
28. Gear marketing pieces from the emotional point of view, not a focus on products.
29. Find your cultural niche.
30. Forget about the best rate, and concentrate on your client's business as a whole.
31. Take it to a more personal level. Take your best clients out to dinner with their spouses and your own spouse.
32. Don't underestimate the power of business cards.
33. Follow up with clients every three to six months just to touch base and see if they know anyone else who may benefit from the type of relationship that you have with them.
34. Realize that in a soft market, every agent is probably going to get the same benefits quote for the same plans from the same carriers.
35. Ask for introductions, not referrals.
36. Social network online. And when you're talking to other people on those sites, use key word phrases.
37. Don't assume that people already know what you do. Talk to as many people as you can.
38. Ask questions so that you can match the right products to the right customers.
39. Look for businesses with a non-traditional workforce, government retirees, pre-65 retirees, and non-profit organizations.
40. Don't do the bulk of your prospecting during prime business hours. Night voice messages will be the ones your prospects hear first thing in the morning.
41. With your first commissions, buy direct mail leads for health, life and LTC. Have a continued lead purchase program in your first two to five years.
42. Have a referral kit for your best clients to give to their friends, family and colleagues.
43. Develop a franchise with the customer and they will reward you for your persistence.
44. Consider something different that's going to lead to positive change and progress.
45. Your experience and being in the same line of work for a number of years will create a track record that can help build client confidence.
46. When calling someone, greet them pleasantly and develop a good icebreaker to start the conversation.
47. Refine your online marketing strategies and increase your online presence.
48. Don't assume you know what your customers want. Ask them.
49. Work with companies to help define the employee health insurance options and identify the best choices to help grow their business.
50. Have confidence in what you sell.
51. Diversify your business and look to possibly working with larger clients as a goal. It might be the only way to survive the economy.
52. Clients appreciate when their broker fights for them and gets a renewal lowered.
53. Recommend pharmacy and medical audits to both existing and potential customers.
54. Market yourself first. Know how to make yourself visible.
55. Be down-to-earth. Speak in words your clients will understand and tell good example stories.
56. Take the time, do the research. Bring recommendations specifically tailored to your client for their specific needs.
57. Use pictures in your business cards. Everyone wants to connect a face with a name.
58. The pre-65 individual marketplace is a good place to offer products and solutions.
59. Measure sales performance. Sales metrics can put your organization ahead of the competition.
60. Have a good sense of timing when following up. Being very aggressive might turn someone off.
61. Become a source of referrals for selected centers of influence. Once you've met them, send a handwritten personalized note.
62. The client-advisor relationship can only be a success if it's treated as a true partnership. Constant communication is key.
63. To choose the type of follow-up, gauge your client's preferences.
64. Build your services around answering unanswered market needs. Like combining voluntary product enrollment with call center technology.
65. Even e-mail is another way of getting personal. People can spot junk mail within seconds when it comes off as very impersonal.
66. Consider offering your employers Web-based services your organization can tailor to the employer with little incremental cost to you.
67. To give full service, you might want to make it a point to check e-mails in the evening as well as during business hours, and give out your cell phone number.
68. Send a letter to your top 100 prospects.
69. Do your homework on the prospect and understand their profile and business.
70. First impression is the basis of future measurement.
71. Your client is always looking for added value services and what sets you apart.
72. Clients don't want your account manager to end up being their broker. They want you.
73. Show prospects you can provide an immediate value. It's hard to get past people's preconceived ideas.
74. Utilize a proactive referral system, with goals, skills and metrics. People will do business with you because they know, like and trust you. It doesn't matter if you're new.
75. Pay special attention to areas in which a customer's money is involved. Governing your customer's pocketbook is a direct response to your customer.
76. Keep in mind the number of number of employers looking for an exit strategy. Only one-third of large employers are still offering retiree medical coverage.
77. Show your commitment and remain involved in major decisions involving your client.
78. The passion and excitement you exhibit for your company and your product can turn skeptics.
79. Tell clients to listen to their intuition instead of throwing ideas at them.
80. Consider assisting employers in setting up blogs where employees can post questions or comments about their benefits.
81. Get involved. You can do so by stepping in when employees have claim and service issues with the carrier.
82. Stay informative to your customer about issues pertaining to the specific needs of their company.
83. Look for and build on a relationship with a carrier that's committed to the enrollment process.
84. The first enrollment with a company is over - but it's never too early to plan for next year.
85. Listen more, talk less.
86. Take the time to learn and specialize in specific industries in order to meet the unique needs of various employers.
87. Put aside your own feelings about what makes a good health or dental plan. What is a good plan to the client?
88. Show the value of enrollment meetings. It adds value to your service because employers don't want to waste money on a product employees aren't interested in.
89. Always treat everyone at a company with the same value and respect.
90. Sounds clich?, but really do focus on the client's best interest.
91. A "no" is not the ultimate rejection. Follow-up anyway, but take some time before you do it.
92. Outline what clients want to achieve with their benefits. This will make it easier to figure out how new offerings can help them accomplish goals.
93. Help the client realize you're not available 24/7, but you will respond within a reasonable time.
94. Pay attention to hot topics among HR professionals and employers. It'll be easier to talk about.
95. Target and tailor your workshop or seminar. Free Webinars are great tools to talk about what's currently going on.
96. Believe in yourself and allow yourself the possibility of presenting a comprehensive portfolio of solutions. Diversification is important.
97. Write a newsletter.
98. Create a successful drip marketing campaign by enticing your customers with consistent and engaging messages through postcards, e-mails or even blogs.
99. Do you deliver yourself like your competitors do? Find out.
100. Realize you are not going to always be successful.
