Today, exchanges offer solutions far beyond traditional benefits—from telehealth to health advocacy and voluntary programs. But here's the secret sauce: Exchanges must provide purchasers with unique solutions without bombarding them with too many choices. Consumers want to feel empowered; not overwhelmed.

If you want to serve up a successful exchange, the key is to provide product flexibility. It's not about creating a max-product offering. Rather, it's about hitting all the hot buttons for each distinctive group by offering a strategic, customized and thoughtful mix of programs. In other words, consumers want a balance between quality vs. quantity.

Avoid cookie-cutter solutions

Every exchange enrollee is different, which means cookie-cutter solutions simply won't work. Take a closer look at your clients' demographic. Who is going to visit this exchange? What product mix will be most relevant to this group?

Here are a few more factors to consider when deciding what to offer in an exchange:

• Income levels: Low wage earners vs. white collar

• Traditional Benefits offered: PPO/copay offerings vs. HDHP

• Traditional Benefits NOT offered: Non-traditional benefits can play a meaningful role by complementing and filling gaps.

• Geography: Unlike metro areas, rural areas do not have easy access to medical professionals. This presents a greater opportunity for benefits like telehealth.

You have to delve deeper into these questions before you can determine which products to offer. Present your clients with a complete solution by providing a thoughtful mix of traditional and non-traditional products that meet their employees' needs.

Yet even if you carefully follow these steps, it will only get you to first or second base with your exchange strategy. The next step in creating an exchange is finding a simple yet intuitive technology platform. Unfortunately, many of the technology solutions out there today are at best glorified benefits administration platforms, which engage the consumer in a one-way conversation. These platforms leave brokers stuck on second base, still searching for the elusive exchange strategy that will set them apart from the competition.

So how can you hit an exchange home run? You've got to start a two-way conversation.

Stop monologuing

The enrollment process for the consumer has always been a one-way conversation, a monologue: "Here are your benefits, Mr. Employee. Good luck." When it comes to exchanges, this approach is ineffective. You've got to engage Mr. Employee by asking questions. His answers will allow you to pinpoint and make available the solutions that best fit his unique needs.

When you stop monologuing and start asking questions, you might be surprised by what you hear. For example, according to an Aon Hewitt survey, 54 percent of consumers ranked having access to cost and quality data across multiple insurance companies as being valuable. Does your exchange include the right solutions to meet those needs?

New Benefits offers a powerful transparency solution called Health Cost Estimator+. This product drives smarter decisions and reduces medical costs by giving employees the cost, quality and other key information they need to choose the best care at the best price. Removing the mystery and helping employees understand the full costs of their care will change the way employees access the health care system.

In the same Aon survey, nearly 60 percent of consumers said they think employers should offer free tools to raise awareness of personal health status and risks and provide programs to help their employees achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. How can you meet this need? Consider Health Wealth Connection, a wellness program designed to help employees manage their physical health and personal finances, including guided assessments and weekly tips on health, money and stress management.

You'll never know what employees want if you don't ask them. Once you've started the dialogue and understand their desires, it's time to find the right mix of solutions to meet those needs. And that is how you hit an exchange homerun.