Being a broker today is a challenge. Health care insurance laws are changing from one day to the next, employers are balking at rising costs, and employees are disgruntled and ready to jump ship.
The silver lining is that all of these challenges create an opportunity for brokers to step in and provide solutions. 2018 is poised to be a year of major changes, and the best brokers will find themselves coming out on top.
Here are 10 tips to help start the conversation with your clients >>> 
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1. "Being a broker is like being someone's best friend. To get someone to give you a chance, you have to convince them to break up with one of their best friends." —Amanda Osburn, SullivanCurtisMonroe 
2. "Identify who you are looking to rub shoulders with that can help build your business, find the activities and events they participate in, and focus on those for yourself." —Nathaniel Garfield, American Portfolios Team APFS 
3. "I tell my clients if they're thinking about buying a new pair of shoes, call me first. They feel comfortable calling or texting me at any time." —Matthew Cate, Cobbs Allen 
4. "Listen to the cues members are giving you about their expectations and needs and use those cues to fuel every member interaction with personalized content on every channel. This will make them feel special and want to become your brand advocates." —Sudeshna Sen, Merkle 
5. "Studies have shown that people will spend more money on a better experience versus a better product…It's about connecting on a human level. In that moment, care for them more than yourself." —Brandi Tamor, Allstate Worksite Division 
6. "Offer a $1.00 instant scratch-off lottery ticket to your clients for every referral or introduction they give you. You'll be surprised how fun this makes it for them to help you and how many referrals and introductions you'll end up with." —Eric Silverman, Silverman Benefits Group 
7. "All it takes is a conversation. Start each client conversation with some questions about how they're feeling about their life, business, or future. A lot can be learned that helps tailor solutions to their needs." —Bruce Hentschel, Principal Financial Group
8. "Building a relationship with a client in one area can lead to selling insurance in the other. When we do a great job for the client on the commercial side, and we help them lower the severity and frequency of claims on their workers' comp, we can then talk to them about severity and frequency of claims on the benefits side." —Dan Thompson, Gulfshore Insurance
9. "Your role as a broker should not end after you earn the business. If you're not working monthly to earn your commission check from your client, you're not delivering the real role of a broker." —Heather Bowers, Lone Star Benefits, Inc.
10. "I particularly like provocative questions that really get people thinking. Maybe that's just how my brain works, but I've also seen the effectiveness of a sobering provocative question when it's asked. But it isn't enough just to get your prospect thinking. The provocation should inspire the prospect to "DO SOMETHING." —Josh Butler, Butler Benefits & Consulting
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