Old school, tried and true trade secretsaren't cutting it anymore as a new generation of HR managers andtheir employees enter the workforce. The fact is millennials won'trespond to yesterday's life insurance sales techniques. A savvygeneration—always online with technology at theirfingertips—demands a savvy broker.

The upside: This generational shift provides you brokers with anopportunity to easily upgrade your pitch and hopefully drive moresales. Here are three ways to leverage relationship building andhigh-tech selling skills to offer useful solutions to clients.

Don't lose out

Technology is your friend. It makes the enrollment processeasier for you and your clients and has the potential to increaseenrollment, contribute to customer retention and free up time tofocus on selling.

It's an HR manager's friend, too. Automated tools can offerpotential plan participants a better understanding of lifeinsurance in a simplified way (helping them avoid countlessemployee questions). Online calculators can motivate employees toapply for coverage and protect long-term finances, contributing tohigher plan participation.

New technology—such as online enrollment forms—allows employeesto enter their personal data electronically. The comfort ofconfidentiality and the speed of a real-time response removebarriers, which can lead to higher enrollments, too.

On the housekeeping side, automated systems offer a bettercustomer experience, as well. They can help keep member records upto date and streamline updates if an employee is terminated orwould like to change beneficiaries. They also increase billingaccuracy. Stronger is better

As easy as it is to let technology do the talking, you're notgoing to uncover the insight you need to provide your clients valuewithout building a strong customer relationship.

The best way to use technology is to find opportunities to keepdigging for knowledge about your clients' day-to-day challenges andwhat they are passionate about in their jobs. Check out yourclients' social media activity, annual reports, philanthropy andmore online to create a more accurate picture of who your clientsare and what's important to them. The insight it provides whenrecommending a solution or looking to close a sale will bepriceless.

Show them the money

By building a trusted relationship with your HR clients, you canhelp them implement plans to increase enrollment. For example,potential plan participants likely understand the purpose of lifeinsurance but may not be aware of how valuable (and potentiallyfleeting) their opportunity to participate in a group plan is.Supporting your clients in highlighting life insurance as part of arobust benefits package and emphasizing the potential cost savingsemployees receive by participating will help maximizeenrollment.

Showcasing the additional benefits offered by manyplans—automatically or by request—beyond a simple claim payout alsowill help underscore the value of participation. Optionsinclude:

• Travel assistance, which helps employees with medical care andother emergencies when traveling domestically andinternationally
• Accelerated benefits that assist with end-of-life planning
• Beneficiary financial counseling to provide clients withfinancial goal setting and assessment of their current financialsituation

Remember these three tips and you're on your way to maximizingnew school sales. All in all, embracing the marriage of technologyand relationship building can help you build your value as a brokerand increase client satisfaction and plan enrollment.