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As you get your marketing plan for 2013 together, one of the things you might want to consider implementing into your business is e-mail marketing. This can be a very cost effective way to reach prospects and connect with them early on. Whether you’ve been e-blasting for years or you are just getting started, here are a few things to use as an outline when putting your campaigns together..

• Use your prospect’s first name: Most e-blast software has a personalization feature that allows you to use your prospect’s first name. When you use the first name in the subject of the e-mail studies show that a person is more likely to open it. Your message cannot be read if the recipient doesn’t open it first.
  
  
• Be urgent: Use a time sensitive subject like “Webinar Starts in One Hour” or “Be Sure to get this Great Product Now” in order to entice your prospect to open the e-mail and read it.
  
  
• Make it mysterious: Create curiosity by using questions in the subject and body of the e-mail. For example, instead of saying “Twitter is the #1 Social Media Platform” ask “What is the #1 Social Media Platform?”
  
  
• Deliver exclusivity: Give your subscribers preferential treatment. If you just posted a YouTube video, for example, be sure your subscribers are the first to know.
  
  
• Be consistent: Send your e-mails at roughly the same time each day and keep the form consistent. This will train your audience to expect your messages, and make it easier for them to read regularly.
  
  
• Split testing: Curious which campaign will bring the best response? Try doing an A/B test and send one version to half your audience and the other version to the other half. Keep track of the analytics to see which gave you the best response and cater to that going forward.
  
  
• Less (copy) is more: Stay away from writing a long drawn out e-blast. Aim to keep them short, sweet and punchy.
  
  
• Include a P.S.: This could be a call to action, a quote, a statistic, or anything else you could use to grab your audience’s attention.
  
  
• Use a strong call to action: How do you want your prospects to reach you once they are interested? Whether it’s by filling out a form on your website or giving you a call, make sure it is obvious to your audience and easy to execute.
  
  
• Use a picture in your signature: People crave human connection. Consider putting a personal photograph next to your signature to remind your clients the e-mail came from you personally, and not a robot.

Staying in front of your clients is important in this competitive environment. If you have any questions about e-mail marketing, what platforms to use, and where to find templates for your e-blast, feel free to call your marketer at 1-800-998-7715.

Source: Senior Market Advisor, LifeHealthPro

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A Personal Message: Please join us in welcoming a new addition to the Vandenberg Family

Lucas Vandenberg and his wife gave birth to their first child, a beautiful and healthy little boy, on October 14, 2012. "Life changing events, such as the birth of a child, really helps put things in perspective and is a good reminder of the things that are truly important in life" says PSM President Lucas Vandenberg.

Running a successful organization has many similarities to cultivating a healthy family unit. All relationships, both personal as well as professional, are based on trust and communication and we hope these are qualities you’ve experienced working with our organization.

They have thoroughly enjoyed their first month with Grant and all of the changes that come along with welcoming a baby to the family. If you have any tips or suggestions for Lucas and his parental journey, your feedback is welcomed and appreciated.

Precision Senior Marketing wishes all of our agents and their families a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Our offices will be closed Thursday, November 22nd and Friday, November 23rd. We will reopen Monday, November 26th with our normal working hours.

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Websites can be overwhelming to business owners. Everything from choosing layouts, to creating content and keeping it updated takes time and considerable resources. However, even if you’re unable to commit the time or money to creating a comprehensive website at this point in your business, a landing page is a good option. Your landing page serves as your online business card and can be as simple as one page with your contact information, a short introduction to your business, and a contact request form. This is a quick and effective way to establish your web presence and legitimize your business.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are creating your landing page:

1. Have a Strong Call-to-Action: What do you want your prospects to do when they reach your website? Do you want them to call you for more information? Submit their information via an online form? Join your educational mailing list? Whatever it is you want from your visitor, make sure it is obvious.
   
   
2. Include Credibility Indicators: Request a few testimonials from your happy clients to post on your landing page. Seeing that other people are happy with your service will help those on the fence about working with you make the decision to move forward.
   
   
3. Keep it clean and simple: You don’t want your landing page to become too busy, crowded or hard to read. Eliminate all of the unnecessary information; break down content to small, easy-to-read paragraphs, and use bullets to highlight the most important points.
   
   
4. Use video: Use your landing page to introduce yourself to your prospects and talk about your products. You can also use video for an educational opportunity to help prospects make a more informed decision on which product would work best for them.
   
   
5. Measure effectiveness: Once your page is live be sure to check your analytics and click rates. You may see cause to change your layout or verbiage. Experiment until you see the results you are looking for.

With a landing page you still choose a domain name, but the size of the website is much smaller. It can be created easily via several template site options, and is easy to maintain yourself periodically. For more information on setting up your landing page and advice on the best information to include, contact your PSM marketer at 1-800-998-7715.

Source: Senior Market Advisor

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Great news! Combined Insurance has released a Medicare Supplement with some of the most competitive rates in the market today. This opportunity offers an ideal blend of competitive premiums as well as terrific agent compensation, all while being backed by one of the industry’s most customer-centric, "A" Rated carriers.

Combined Insurance founder W. Clement Stone had the desire to "make the world a better place for this and future generations," a philosophy that is still very evident in how Combined Insurance conducts business today.

• "A" Rated A.M. Best Carrier
• Competitive Premiums
• Industry-Leading Commissions

• New Co-Op Lead Program
• Advancing Available

Tier 1 States:
Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas

Tier 2 States: (coming soon)
Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

*Limited Time Offer* - 50 Free Senior Market Prospects available once your appointment is complete!

Give your clients the peace of mind they deserve, instantly download free sales materials and rates here.

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Precision 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!

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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Medicare Select is one of the best kept secrets of today’s top producing agents. Medicare Select offers all of the great benefits of a traditional Medicare Supplement but costs approximately 15% - 20% less. Your clients are able to visit their doctor of choice, without the need for approval or pre-certification. If hospital care is needed, your clients may visit any of the hospitals that are affiliated with their Medicare Select Insurance policy, anywhere in the country*.

Medicare Select is an ideal option for seniors living on a budget, as the yearly savings could go a long way toward cost of living expenses. For example, a 75 year old woman in Florida would spend $2,152.35 on her Medicare Select plan instead of $2,457.22 with a Plan F Medicare Supplement, a $304.87 a year savings. Many of your clients already use a hospital affiliated with the Medicare Select network, this is the perfect opportunity to help reduce their healthcare premiums!

For more information on participating hospitals and Medicare Select sales opportunities, please go here Medicare Select Information Request or call a marketing representative at 1-800-998-7715.

* This insurance plan utilizes a network of participating hospitals. In the absence of emergency confinement, you must use one of the network hospitals.

Please give us your feedback!
Do you sell Medicare SELECT? How do you incorporate it into your sales presentation? Are you clients receptive to the SELECT product?

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Last week the Obama administration proposed an effort to raise $2.5 billion over the next 10 years by implementing a surcharge to Medicare enrollees who purchase Medicare supplements. This surcharge would affect all new enrollees who purchase Medicare supplements by adding an average of 15% to the premium on their Medigap policy. Those currently receiving benefits and those near retirement would not be affected.

One official said, "Of particular concern are Medigap plans that cover substantially all Medicare copayments, including even the modest copayments for routine care that most beneficiaries can afford to pay out of pocket." Administration officials explain that the reason for the surcharge is that since there is so little out-of-pocket charge seniors often do not think about the costs associated with the care they receive.

Bonnie Burns of California Health Advocates warns that this surcharge would be terrible for consumers. Burns, along with several insurance industry representatives and consumer advocates, agree on the need for affordable insurance costs for seniors.

Burns said, "Blaming Medigap issuers and customers for any over-use of care seems particularly unfair because federal law prohibits sellers of Medigap insurance from determining whether the care a policyholder has received is medically necessary." Instead, she encourages the government to guard against Medicare by requiring providers to document that the care received is medically necessary.

This surcharge plan will go into the federal fiscal 2013 budget proposal, beginning October 1st, and if passed would take effect in 2017.

Please give us your feedback!
Have any of your clients asked you about this surcharge? What do you say to them about it? How do you think it will affect your Medicare Supplement business in the future?

Source: LifeHealthPro

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As you are talking with seniors just aging into the Medicare market, it is important to advise them about the penalties they will pay if they do not sign up for Medicare Part B at the right time. For those seniors who have already filed for Social Security, they will automatically be enrolled in Medicare at age sixty-five. However, seniors who continue in the workforce, either by choice or necessity, and delay their Medicare coverage need to notify Medicare of their decision. Otherwise they will face a 10% Part B penalty for each year that they do not file. So someone filing for the first time at age seventy will face a 50% Part B penalty. The penalty is permanent and can translate into thousands of dollars in unnecessary penalty charges.

For your clients who decide to continue working, advise them to notify Medicare of their decision as soon as they turn sixty-five to ensure they will avoid penalties later. Especially, those seniors who work at a company with over twenty employees, as their employer will continue to provide their benefits. They can do this by choosing the option on the back of the Medicare card that is sent, calling the Social Security Administration, or visiting the SSA website. For their Part D prescription coverage, seniors can delay filing as long as their employer provides equal or better coverage.

Those seniors earning more should also be informed about the surcharges on high-income seniors. Currently, this affects only 5% of seniors, however those still in the workforce are more likely than those retired to fall into the income bracket. The extra charges can be applied not only to Part B, but also Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage.

Advising your prospects of these penalties is great for client retention and relationship growth. While they continue to receive their healthcare from their employer, you can work with them on their final expense, long-term care, and annuity needs until they require a Medicare Supplement.

Please give us your feedback!
Do you have clients who didn't know about these penalties and have suffered inflated costs due to delaying? How do you go about avising your clients who want to delay their Medicare benefits?

Source: KHN

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Precision Senior Marketing is now a national distributor of the new Stonebridge Life Medicare Supplement product. Scheduled for release in several states, this product is now available for agent contracting and will be released to the public in April 2012.

Austin, TX January 20th, 2012 -- Precision Senior Marketing (PSM), a national Medicare Broker, announced today that it is now distributing the Stonebridge Life Medicare Supplement product. Scheduled for a broad release, Stonebridge Medicare Supplement brings the financial stability and national brand recognition of the Stonebridge name, to the senior market.

"This is one of the most prominent Medicare product release in years," says PSM President Lucas Vandenberg. "PSM is honored to be a distributor of Stonebridge Med Supp, which we believe will be highly sought after by senior market insurance agents throughout the country."

Stonebridge Life Insurance Company is a Transamerica company with more than 20 markets in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Currently, Stonebridge Life covers over 3.7 million consumers with a variety of life, health, accident, dental, and now Medicare Supplement insurance plans. They offer quality products with quick response times as well as courteous and dependable service.

"Stonebridge Life is a trusted name in the insurance industry and I am excited about presenting this product to my senior clients," says PSM agent Steve Wilson. "That trust factor, in combination with competitive premiums, is why I anticipate a fantastic reception across the country."

PSM encourages independent insurance agents to visit its website and/or call 1-800-998-7715 to learn more about the new Stonebridge Life Med Supp product.

Located in Austin, Texas, Precision Senior Marketing, LLC is a full-service, national insurance marketing organization dedicated to recruiting, servicing, and supporting the best senior market insurance agents in the United States. You can visit their website at www.psmbrokerage.com.

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In the August issue of Agents Sales Journal market experts Jay Cox, Howard Peck, Richard Peitzmeier, and Tony Colistra were called upon to give their take on the Medicare Advantage market. They spoke of the tremendous opportunities in the Medicare Advantage market and urged those agents who might have moved away from the market due to changes to come learn the benefits. Noting the new rating system will improve the quality of care for Med Advantage members they are optimistic about plans that are proactively working to better the care that members receive. They also see the market going toward a more quality focused approach. Though the details of the cuts Congress is proposing to Medicare Advantage haven't been released the agents speculated that they would include either a decrease in the payment to doctors, increased premiums to policyholders, or reduced benefits. This would then be beneficial to the Medicare Supplement market, for those seniors looking for more coverage who may not have even known Medigap existed due to geography or lifestyle.

Cox stated that Med Advantage is a year-by-year benefit, and that adapting to the changes is part of selling the product. He explains the importance of the yearly education; it is essential for agents to stay abreast of the changes and keep their clients informed. He advises agents working in the business to have a mid-year check-in with their clients in order to assure they are taking full advantage of their benefits, explaining that this justifies the agent's role to skeptical clients. It also builds trust, adds value to your service, and allows another chance to seek out referrals from satisfied clients. His no-holds-barred advice is "don't evaluate it; just sell it. When it changes, we'll change. If it stops, we'll stop, and we'll worry about what to do next then."

Colistra states that "The future for Medicare Advantage is a bright one… Med Advantage plans have proven themselves to be innovative, offering valuable services to member. All of these points combined point to an industry that will continue to thrive." With the Medicare population expected to double in the next thirty-five years, Cox advises those agents still on the fence about going into the Medicare market to "Try it, you'll like it!"

When prospecting with clients it's important to keep a diverse portfolio, including both Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage, in order to meet each client's individual needs with a plan that offers both the coverage and price-point they are looking for.

Please give us your feedback!
Have you chosen to roll with the changes in the Medicare Advantage market? How has it benefited your business? Do you have any advice for those just starting out in the market?

Source: Agent Sales Journal

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