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Building Effective Relationships in Business

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Aug 23, 2022 @ 10:44 AM

 

Tags: Building Client Relationships, Sales Strategies

How to Be Professionally Persistent

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Wed, Nov 15, 2017 @ 01:41 PM

How to Effectively Communicate with Your ClientsHow to Be Professionally Persistent

If you are going to win your dream clients, you are going to have to pursue them over time. This means that you are also going to have to communicate with them at a cadence that keeps you top of mind, and it means you are going to need to do so without being a nuisance or a time-waster. Here are a few values-based ideas to help you persist while maintaining your professionalism.

Relationships Are More Important Than Transactions: You have a choice to make as you persist. If you decide to push hard for what you want, being overly-aggressive and pushy to gain the commitment you want, you will be proving that what you want is more important to you than the relationship. The “whatever it takes” mentality is useful, but it should not include the lack of integrity and caring that underpin all great relationships. If you must choose between having what you want now and having the relationship, choose the relationship. This is how you play the long game, and it is what allows you to persist.

Always Trade in Every Interaction: In every communication, you have the ability to create value for the other person. You can share some idea that may help them—even if they don’t do business with you right now. You have a chance to learn something about your prospective client that will allow you to better serve them in the future. You are not only shaping their view of what they are doing and how they might do better, you are also shaping their preference to work with you by shaping the relationship. If every call and every email is a straight ask and nothing else, you are not trading value.

Persistency Requires Consistency: One of the major differences between people who professionally persist and those who don’t is that they don’t think of it as developing a relationship. You’ll want to pay attention here if this is something you need to do. If you call your dream client every January, you really aren’t being persistent. If you call every quarter with nothing to say, you are checking the box, and that means there is no real interest. Professional persistence requires consistency of communication over time. If there are long stretches of time where you disappear and go dark, the lack of consistency makes it easy to reduce your request for time, or some other commitment.

Being professionally persistent isn’t tactical; it’s strategic. It is an operating principle when it comes to producing the results you want, and especially as it relates to winning your dream clients. And it’s how you play the long game.

Source: https://thesalesblog.com/2017/11/12/how-to-be-professionally-persistent/

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Tags: Sales Tips, Building Client Relationships, Sales Strategies

Hispanic Market of Growing Interest to Insurance Agents

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Tue, Jul 18, 2017 @ 02:27 PM

Hispanic Market of Growing Interest to Insurance AgentsHispanic Market of Growing Interest to Insurance Agents

Not only are Hispanics the fastest-growing young demographic in the U.S., but they have the longest life expectancy at birth, facts that might interest insurance agents looking to build their books of business.

Underwriters of life insurance policies might also want to take note as the nation becomes more ethnically and racially diverse and as Hispanics continued to be underrepresented in life insurance coverage.

The data are the latest findings published by the National Center for Health Statistics in “Health, United States 2016.”

“By 2015, just over one-half of the child and adolescent population was non-Hispanic white and one-quarter was Hispanic,” study authors wrote in the 488-page report.

The NCHS is the principal data collection agency of the Centers for Disease Control within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

There were about 321 million people in the U.S. in 2015, compared with 216 million in 1975.

Fastest-Growing Segment

In 2015, nearly a quarter (24.6 percent) of the population ages 0 to 17 years old was Hispanic, an increase from 17.1 percent in 2000, as that age segment grew fastest.

Hispanics ages 18 to 64 years old made up 17.3 percent of the population, an increase from 12.2 percent in 2000, the report found.

Hispanics 65 years and older made up 7.9 percent of the population in 2015, an increase from 5 percent in 2000, the health data found.

By comparison, in 2015 whites made up 51.5 percent of the population age 0 to 17 years old compared with 61.3 percent in 2000.

In 2015 whites 18 to 64 years old made up 61.5 percent of the population, compared with 70 percent in 2000. Whites 65 years and older made up 77.8 percent compared with 83.8 percent in 2000, the data show.

Life Expectancy Highest Among Hispanics

That the nation’s population is moving toward racial and ethnic diversity isn’t exactly new, but the latest mortality data about Hispanics might be.

During 1975-2015, average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. rose from 68.8 years to 76.3 years for men and from 76.6 years to 81.2 years for women.

In 2015, Hispanic men had a life expectancy at birth, on average, of 79.3 years and Hispanic women had an expectancy of 84.3 years.

Non-Hispanic black men, with a life expectancy at birth of 71.8 years and non-Hispanic black women, with a life expectancy of 78.1 years, had the shortest, according to the data.

Life expectancy at birth was 7.5 years longer for Hispanic men than for non-Hispanic black men and 6.2 years longer for Hispanic women than for non-Hispanic black women.

The leading cause of death in 2015 was heart disease, which claimed 23.4 percent of all deaths, the data show.

Heart disease was followed by cancer (22 percent), CLRD, or chronic lower respiratory disease, (5.7 percent), unintentional injuries (5.4 percent), stroke (5.2 percent), Alzheimer’s (4.1 percent), diabetes (2.9 percent), influenza and pneumonia (2.1 percent), nephritis and nephrosis, or kidney disease (1.8 percent), and suicide (1.6 percent).

From 2011 to 2014, diabetes, a condition in which the body is deprived of insulin, affected 12 percent of adults age 20 and older.

From 1988 to 1994, diabetes affected 8.8 percent of adults 20 and older, the data show.

Between 2011 to 2014, the prevalence of diabetes among blacks and Hispanics of Mexican origin was almost twice as high than for non-Hispanic whites, the data found.

Source: http://advisornews.com/innarticle/hispanic-market-growing-interest-advisors

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Tags: Building Client Relationships, Baby Boomers, Boomer Retirement, Insurance Marketing, Lead Generation, prospecting

Effective Ways to Grow Insurance Business (infographic)

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Apr 16, 2015 @ 04:54 PM

 

 


http://media.lifehealthpro.com/lifehealthpro/article/2015/04/13/grow-your...

 

Source: lifehealthpro.com

Additional Updates:

Tags: Building Client Relationships, insurance companies, Sales Leads

Do you want a happy client?

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Feb 19, 2015 @ 03:01 PM

blog pic Years ago, when I had just launched my speaking career, a friend shared the concept of the sold (and thereafter abused) customer with me. Now, the word abused may be a bit strong, but his point was well taken. For many customers, the pre-purchase experience is vastly superior to the post-purchase experience.

My belief is that customer service starts the moment the customer even thinks about doing business with you. Customer service isn’t just what happens after the sale, it’s also what happens leading up to the sale. And once it starts, it should continue through the entire life of your relationship with the customer.

Recently I had the pleasure of experiencing sales expert Joey Coleman present a speech on the “first 100 days.” This refers to the first 100 days after a customer pays for whatever you sell. The period of time between when the customer decides to buy from you and when he receives your product or service is when he is most likely to question his purchase. During this period, the customer may come to feel abused or neglected.

For example, you may have bought something on a website which took take several days or longer to arrive. Or you may have signed a contract to build a home but been forced to wait months before construction began. Coleman posits that your best opportunity for customer loyalty comes during these first 100 days. Of course, you need to manage the long-term experience, but this initial period is crucial.

The idea of the first 100 days is to create as many touch points as possible, which will enhance the experience for your customer. This is known as proactive customer service and it is the best recipe for customer loyalty.

So take your already-great customer service up a level by adding intentional customer interactions which will confirm in your customer’s mind that she has made the right decision to do business with you.


http://www.lifehealthpro.com/2015/02/16/do-you-want-a-happy-client

 

Source: lifehealthpro.com

Additional Updates:

Tags: Customer Retention, Customer Service, Building Client Relationships

Turn Your All-Star Clients Into Brand Advocates in 5 Simple Steps

Posted by www.psmbrokerage.com Admin on Thu, Jan 15, 2015 @ 11:07 AM

blog pic A single voice can be a powerful tool, and in sales, the strongest voices belong to your customers.

According to MarketShare’s “Quantifying the Role of Social Voice in Marketing Effectiveness” whitepaper, offline word of mouth has a direct impact on financial outcomes, even more so than social media or traditional marketing. That means that vocal advocates for brands influence sales — period.

As a great salesperson, you need to build a foundation of brand advocates who will provide you with referrals. The result: more loyal customers and more sales. But you can’t pay for advocacy — it will only devalue your brand, and it’s unethical. Instead, you have to build strong relationships organically with your leads and clients through personal, healthy relationships.

Connect With Leads on a Deeper Level

The process of building brand advocates starts with establishing meaningful connections with your leads. Keep in mind that every salesperson is vying for potential customers’ attention, so you must make a memorable impression to stand out.

That being said, rather than viewing leads as potential sales, view them as real people, and act accordingly. Be friendly and personable; ask questions to learn more about them on a personal level, and share things about yourself that they’ll remember. Knowing your leads — their habits and preferred ways of doing business — will eventually turn them into your best clients because they’ll know that you view them as more than just another source of revenue.

Once those leads become your customers, go through your client list and identify your all-stars. These clients are passionate about what they do and have strong business ethics. It’s also important to pay attention to clients who contact you with great feedback and questions. After all, they care about your business enough to help you improve your business practices.

Turn All-Stars Into Advocates

Once you’ve identified your all-star clients, encourage referrals by letting them know how much you appreciate them. Here are a five ways to inspire your clients to advocate for you:

  1. Ask for their opinions. Let your best clients know that their opinions matter by asking for constructive feedback. Whether you’re testing a new product or service or trying to improve current processes, gather input from your clients. This will not only help your business, but it will also forge stronger relationships because they’ll recognize that you respect their input.

  2. Acknowledge them. Publicly acknowledge and honor your advocates in email newsletters or on social media. You can even feature them on your website. These clients will know they’re valued and will be more willing to refer you to their network.

  3. Spend time with them. As you work to build deeper relationships with your best clients, it’s important to spend face-to-face time with them. Take them to lunch, host exclusive events, or invite them to spend time with your company’s leadership. Face time with your best clients will build your relationship and increase loyalty (and their willingness to refer you).

  4. Provide them with early access and sneak peeks. Keep your advocates in the loop by letting them in on company news in advance. Sneak peeks and early access to new services and products can go a long way in making clients feel valued and important.

  5. Give them exclusive discounts. Honor your top customers’ loyalty by giving them price breaks and exclusive discounts. This will encourage them to continue doing business with you and motivate others to become top-valued customers because of the associated perks.

Turn your clients into advocates by making sure they feel a sense of ownership when they interact with your products. Building solid relationships with your top clients by spending time with them, providing exclusive information and discounts, and asking for their input will increase brand loyalty and encourage them to become your biggest word-of-mouth salespeople.

 



http://www.eyesonsales.com/content/article/turn_your_all-star_clients...

 

Source: eyesonsales.com

Additional Updates:

Tags: Building Client Relationships, sales advice

New Nationwide Medicare Card Scam

Posted by Lauren Hidalgo on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 @ 09:34 AM

Medicare Supplements Nationwide, Medicare beneficiaries have been reporting scam phone calls that inform them a new Medicare card is in the mail. If your senior clients ask you about this, please advise them to hang up on these suspicious callers and do not fall for this attempt at gaining access to their personal information.

How the scam works:
A senior answers the phone and an unknown caller, usually with an accent, claims to be with Medicare or another government office. He will inform them that their new Medicare card is in the mail and they will receive it in a few days. However, in the meantime they need to set up their direct deposit so their Medicare funds can be deposited into their bank account. All they need to do is tell the caller their banking information and he will take care of the rest.

An alternative method has the caller asking the senior to verify their identity in order to receive their new card. They will ask for their Medicare card number (social security number) as well as other personal information they can then use to steal their identity.

Here’s how your clients can avoid Medicare Card Identity Theft:

  1. Don’t carry their Medicare card in their wallet. If the card is lost or stolen the scammer can use the information to commit identity theft.

  2. Don’t give their information over the Internet, over the phone, or to anyone to goes into their home uninvited. Only give personal information to doctors and providers approved by Medicare.

  3. If they suspect identity theft, or feel like they’ve given their personal information to someone they shouldn’t have, they need to call the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338.

Hopefully your senior clients won’t be targeted by this scam; however, it’s always best to be prepared in case. See Medicare.gov for more information about Medicare fraud, ID theft and other issues.


Please give us your feedback!
Have any of your clients contacted you asking about this scam? Do you warn your clients about scamming and give them tips on what not to do?

 

Source: The Banner

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Tags: Success Tips, senior market news, Quality Management, Equitable Life Medicare Supplement, Customer Service, Building Client Relationships, Stonebridge Medicare Supplement, Cigna Medicare Supplement

Prospecting: Turning Lemons into Lemonade

Posted by Lauren Hidalgo on Fri, Sep 21, 2012 @ 11:08 AM

Medicare SupplementsEven the best sales people have calls that go sour. Sometimes a lead that was warm goes cold and other times a client who looks promising walks away. However, knowing when to change up your talking points, delivering your talking points in multiple ways, preparing alternative educational techniques, and asking open-ended questions can not only turn those sour calls around, they can even save some of them. Otherwise, in some cases, it’s best to know when it’s time to give up and move on to the next prospect.

  • Get Away from Your Script – Rather than reading directly from a script, trying listing only a few talking points and asking open-ended questions. Scripts can often depersonalize you call and make your prospects feel like just another number on your list. By asking open-ended questions and only using talking points to help you remember to mention key features, you are free to allow the conversation to progress organically.

  • Provide Alternative Information Methods – If you found you’ve caught someone on a bad day or seems to be in a rush to end the call, offer to send them more information. It’s a good idea to have supplemental materials available in version that can be either mailed or emailed depending on the preference of the prospect. Schedule a follow up call to see if you can discuss the materials at a time that is more convenient to them.

  • It is All About the Customer – If you can, it’s important not to blindly call a prospect. Gather your notes from previous conversations to remind yourself what you’ve discussed previously and what points you should make on this call. Knowing as much as possible about the prospect as you can before you pick up the phone reduces a significant amount of risk. Also, though it can be easy to get caught up when talking up your product, remember to focus on the prospect and determining their needs. Apply the information to their specific circumstances.

  • Use Open-Ended Questions – Even after preparing for a call you can find that your research and the client on the line don’t match up. In these cases, don’t panic. Instead, fall back on open-ended questions to discover more about the prospect you are speaking with. Be genuine and concise, asking what you need to know in order to learn about the needs of your prospect.

  • Know When to Give Up – If the call becomes unsalvageable, don’t fight it or let it drag on, instead end the call before you reach a dead end. That way the sale might not be lost, even if the call did not go as well as you hoped. You can choose to schedule another call or follow up with an email. A bad sales call doesn’t necessarily mean the loss of sale. It’s an opportunity to learn from and try again.

The most important tip for calling is to not give up if they go sour. When you approach calls positively, with a good amount of persistence, your sales will be rewarded. Every call is another chance to hone-in and improve your sales strategy. The more calls you make, the more experience you will have, and the easier it will become.


Please give us your feedback!
What do you do when a call goes sour? How do you prepare for calls in order to prevent it from happening?

 

Source: InsuranceNewsNet

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Tags: Sales Tips, Senior Market Advice, Assured Life Medicare Supplement, Woodmen of the World Medicare Supplement, Customer Service, Building Client Relationships, Gerber Life Medicare Supplement

Insurance Agents Flocking to New Sales Platform

Posted by Lauren Hidalgo on Fri, Sep 14, 2012 @ 10:46 AM

Medicare SupplementsWith just a month left to prepare for the Annual Election Period (AEP), Precision Senior Marketing wants to make sure you are ready to make it your most successful one yet. For the first time we are offering an “In-Store” Pharmacy Program for our agents during AEP. This program is an in-store insurance selling platform with access to 22,000 pharmacies to choose from nationwide. Including Walgreens, as well as independent stores, this program will allow you to meet with customers as they visit their pharmacist with questions regarding Medicare’s Part D benefit.

The is an excellent way to connect with the seniors in your community and grow your business through referrals. Once you establish a relationship with the pharmacist at your location, you can become their resource for those customers looking for the best coverage to suit their needs. You can keep a flexible schedule and coordinate what time is busiest for the pharmacy you are assigned to. You might also think about leaving a time sheet at the pharmacy for consumers to request a time to meet with you.

This is one of the largest “in-store” agent programs ever created. The Pharmacy Program is affiliated with an affordable Part D plan that gives agents full support, free personal training and certification, as well as kiosk and supplies. Ask your marketer for more information on this exciting new product entering the market. The complete unveiling happens October 1, 2012.

We’re excited by the response so far to this program and are starting to assign pharmacists to their locations and certify agents to sell. For the best selection of pharmacies, be sure to contact us! Partner with PSM to make the best use of this AEP selling season.

Get Started with Retail Pharmacy Program
Request Details

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Tags: Sales Tips, Senior Market Advice, Assured Life Medicare Supplement, Referrals, Customer Service, Building Client Relationships, Gerber Life Medicare Supplement

In-Store Pharmacy Program – PSM Agent Opportunity

Posted by Lauren Hidalgo on Fri, Aug 24, 2012 @ 10:13 AM

Medicare SupplementsPrecision Senior Marketing is looking for New Agents that want to get in on the ground floor of our Prescription Drug Plan being launched in Partnership with Community Pharmacies across the Country. We will be partnering with a preferred network of over 22,000 trusted community pharmacies including select large national pharmacy chain locations, the largest national pharmacy chain with over 8,000 stores.  The pharmacy program is currently planned to be offered to qualified seniors in all 50 States, plus Puerto Rico.

This new pharmacy program expects to have the largest "in-store" agent program in the country for 2013 Medicare open enrollment. Upon completing a free certification course and qualification process, agents will receive $0 access to a product-branded agent kiosk located inside select pharmacies within our network of preferred pharmacies.

By teaming up with select large pharmacy chain locations and a national network of trusted independent and regional neighborhood pharmacies across the country, this opportunity will be uniquely positioned to play a significant role in shaping prescription solutions for seniors. This program has been designed with community pharmacists to address the shifting Part D landscape and to meet the ever-changing needs of the current Medicare population, in addition to the 10,000 people who are turning 65 every day across America.

If you are a self-motivated and competitive individual who is looking for a unique and rewarding new opportunity, join the PSM team and take advantage of this ONCE IN A LIFETIME PROGRAM!

Build a better life for your family while making a positive difference for others!

Get Started with Retail Pharmacy Program

Request Information online or give us a call at 1-800-998-7715 to be assured you get your choice of pharmacy. Locations are limited and filling up fast! We hope that you take this opportunity and look forward to continuing to offer you ways to grow and strengthen your business in the future.


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Tags: United Healthcare Medicare Supplement, Annual Enrollment Period, Senior Market Advice, Assured Life Medicare Supplement, Leads, Building Client Relationships, Gerber Life Medicare Supplement, Annual Election Period

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