Strategy season is here: Time think ahead for open enrollment

Benefit advisors know that their heaviest technical season is the fourth quarter of the year. That’s because most employers have at least some, if not most, of their benefits tied to a calendar year. As a result, there’s very little time for strategic thinking until the dust clears from the enrollment and implementation campaigns.

Since every year begins a new cycle of planning, now is the perfect time for advisors to revisit their strategy. The formula for greatest success is to plan strategically so it’s easier to execute flawlessly when the busy season hits. Here are tips for building the right strategy, specifically focusing on voluntary benefits, which has been the greatest growth opportunity for the past several years.

1. Develop a clear and focused strategy. Analyze what went right and what could’ve been done better in the preceding enrollment. I recommend a dialogue with your customers; don’t just rely on your internal team, because it’s easy to miss what’s most important to customers without their input. Strategic planning is a place to leave titles and functions behind and gather as much input as possible. Once you have areas to focus on, your team can develop strategies to address issues.