Medicare Blog | Medicare News | Medicare Information

Running a business can be a daunting task; even more so, if the business has been running on survival mode for the last couple of years. Everything that has been tried to ensure success has returned nothing but disappointment.

What went wrong? Why is the business only hanging by a thin thread? The business has a marketing plan in place and a large budget to focus on traditional and new media techniques; such as, direct mail, radio, emails, and search engine optimization (SEO). Plus, it offers a wide range of products that the public wants. Yet, nothing seems to work!

For many advisors, it is hard to see that the problem comes from poorly designed marketing campaigns. Too often, advisors are too eager to sell their product. They focus on getting one message out to the masses, and expect to see a great influx of leads to be quickly converted into sales.

Instead, focus on the targeted audience and identify what their needs are. Once this has been determined, then the marketing message and campaigns can be tailored accordingly. Do the same to the other product lines, identify, categorize, customize, and so on. Soon, your hard work will pay-off, and you will see leads building up.

Engage them further, once the prospect has made contact; follow up with a call, invite them to a free event, offer a free report or direct them to informative video feeds on your website. These little actions will help keep the dialogue open and help ease their decision into becoming a new customer.

Just remember by building an effective marketing plan that will allow you to identify prospects needs, match them with the proper product line, and build a system to engage them and follow up, you should be well on your way to the road to excel as an advisor.

Question: Do you feel your business is hanging by a thin thread? Would revamping the marketing approach help your business move in the right direction?

Source: LifeHealthPro

• Gerber Insurance: September 2013 Med Supp rate adjustments AZ, IA, MI, OK, SD, TX Learn More

• September 2013 Med Supp rate adjustments AL, KY, and Med SELECT AL, OK, TX Learn More
• October 2013 Med Supp rate adjustments CA, NC, ND, OH, PA Learn More
• October 2013 Med Supp rate adjustments WI Learn More

• Assured Life Association/Woodmen of the World: October 2013 Med Supp Rate Adjustment for OH, WA, and Med SELECT for OH. Learn More
  
• 2014 Cigna PDP Training and Certification - Learn More
  
• Everence Agent Training Webinar Aug 14 - Learn More

By building an effective brand for your business you can separate yourself from the competition in this industry. Creating an effective brand is one that convinced people to buy “you” before they step foot into your office or talk to you over the phone. Determine your brand in your community and see if people already know who you are. If they do, what is the brand they identify with your name? Does is help to separate you from the competition or does it lump you in with everyone else?

Here are some ways to develop a positive brand that allow you to stand apart from your competition:

• Old-fashioned values. This means treating people with respect; explaining things in a way people can understand, and listening intently so you can truly hear your client’s needs. You are always focused on your client’s agenda, not your own. If you say you’re going to do something you do it, and if you make a mistake, take responsibility and find a solution as soon as possible.
  
  
• Expert knowledge. Be among the absolute best at what you do. Study the art of our craft and become an expert in the field. Also, it’s important to know the products you represent. It’s been said the products you recommend will only account for 10 percent of your success in gaining new clients. So you should know 100 percent of that 10 percent.
  
  
• Genuine understanding. Since in the Medicare Supplement field you will be working almost exclusively with either retirees or people getting ready to retire it’s important to understand what your clients are going through. Become an expert in your niche. You don’t need to be jack-of-all trades but rather a specialist in your field. Genuine understanding can only be demonstrated over time by having a passion for serving the needs of your clients.

An effective message and brand along with a great marking plan can lead to the successful practice you’ve been working toward. If you have any questions, please give your marketer a call at 1-800-998-7715.

Source: LifeHealthPro

• There's a New Med Supp in Town - Learn More
• 14.5 Million MA Members - Over Half are on a Zero Dollar Premium Plan - Learn More

Combined Insurance Medicare Supplement is pleased to begin offering agents the opportunity to use their new E-App Platform when submitting your Med Supp business.

Benefits of using the Combined Med Supp E-App:

• Expand your client base
• Save time and gas
• Reduce your daily overhead
• Eliminate mistakes and unnecessary paperwork
• Get paid quicker

For contracted agents, in order to get started selling with Combined Insurance’s E-App today, simply login to the Combined agent portal at www.aiatpa.com. Please contact your marketing representative if you need assistance in accessing the agent portal.

Also, to help you get started Combined Insurance has provided a FAQ and Quick Start Guide to make the process quick and efficient.

Combined Insurance has recently filed their competitive Medicare Supplement in the following states: GA, OH, MO, NJ, and PA.

Additional Approved States include: AL, AZ, IL, IN, KY, LA, MS, MT, NC, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, and WV.

Not yet appointed with Combined? Instantly download free sales materials and rates here.

For any other questions on getting contracted with Combined or getting started using the E-App please contact us at 1-800-998-7715.

• Combined Med Supp E-App Now Available - Learn More
• A Unique Med Supp Opportunity with Everence for AZ, CA, ID, MT Agents - Learn More
• Hospital Indemnity Plan Designed Specifically for Medicare Advantage Members - Learn More
• Reach New Med Supp Sales Heights - Learn More

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

• UnitedHealthcare February Training Calendar - Learn More
• ND Agents: Stay Competitive with Low Med Supp Rates - Learn More

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

• The Perfect Medicare Supplement for AEP - Learn More
• Heartland National Oklahoma Appointment Renewal Form - Learn More
• AEP Changes and Fax Cover Sheets - UnitedHealthcare - Learn More

Agencies grow using a variety of marketing, some more common than others. If you've reached a brick wall and your pipeline isn't as full as you'd like it to be, now is the time to look into jump starting your marketing techniques from a new angle. Although some marketing may seem unorthodox, as Maribeth Kuzmeski from Red Zone Marketing advises, "It's how you get your message out and how you drive others to you. There's not an advisor I know who has too many people to see."

The blog last week looked at using social media to connect with prospects. Here are a few other overlooked tactics that could give your business the jolt you have been looking for:

1. Virtual Appointments. In our internet age, face-to-face meetings no longer have to mean in person. Several web-based video meeting services, like GotoMeeting and Skype, are available for you to meet with your clients without leaving your business. When prospecting over the phone, prospects might feel more at ease working with you if they are able to put a face to a name. Especially with seniors just turning 65 and familiar with internet tools, you will be able to walk through the paperwork to get them contracted more efficiently without sacrificing the personal touch of meeting face to face.
   
   
2. Community involvement. Not only is getting involved in charitable organizations good in and of itself, it's also a great way to network with prospects and build relationships. Whether it is through your religious place of worship or another volunteer opportunity in your community, get to know the people you work with and fill them in on what you do. Chances are, someone there or someone they know could be an excellent referral for your future business.
   
   
3. Webinars. It's becoming increasingly difficult for prospects to commit to a seminar or event, however with a webinar you can potentially meet with more people while cutting the costs associated with planning an event. Using the same platforms as your virtual appointments, you will be able to educate a group of prospects leading to new clients.
   
   
4. Client surveys. Doing a yearly survey of your current clients is a great way to find out who is willing to give a referral as well as what products or services your current clients are also interested it. This too, will identify who might be interested in adding a final expense, short term care or annuity to their portfolio, as well as show what products may be missing from your portfolio that are of interest to your clients.
   
   
5. Direct mail. Surprise! As more and more agents have favored e-mail marketing some seniors have become "turned off" by the volume they are now receiving. This has made them more receptive to direct mail pieces again, and the response rates have increased in the last year.

Whether it's meeting with clients virtually or getting involved in your community, the success of your agency depends on how well you execute your marketing ideas. As John Comer, CFP or Comer Consulting acknowledges, "Marketing is easy to understand but hard to execute." If you have any questions about executing an unconventional marketing strategy, call your PSM marketer at 1-800-998-7715 for tips and techniques to get it off the ground successfully.

Please give us your feedback!
What unconventional marketing strategies have you tried? What do you find the most difficult aspect of your agency's marketing? Is there any topics you'd like to see discussed on the blog as far as techniques to guide you through your marketing efforts?

Source: InsuranceNewsNet

In 1898, Elias St. Elmo Lewis developed the AIDA sales funnel still used by marketers today. The layers originally created are awareness, interest, desire, and action. He used it to explain the selling process in the insurance field and break it down into the hierarchical structure that is easier to understand and keep the sales funnel flowing. Although the model remains just as relevant as it was when it was first created, it is important to allow for affects of new media on each of the steps. One way to do this is to create a fifth layer, the referral.

Here is how each layer is changing with new media:

• Awareness: Traditionally this has been through newspaper ads, billboards, radio and TV commercials. As the insurance world moves towards the digital age, it is important to take advantage of the arenas where people spend most of their time. Currently, that is in social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.
  
  
• Interest: As an agent it has always been important to understand where your potential clients are and meet them there. Today’s marketplace shows an increase in consumers expecting brands to become a part of their culture. This means using informational graphics and videos as well as emotional stories to convey the importance of your product and what it can do to improve their life.
  
  
• Desire: Once you have their attention, you will need to explain why they need your products. What are the benefits? Create a desire for your product with your marketing and education of the product’s value to your prospective clients.
  
  
• Action: In many ways this was previously the last state of the selling tunnel. Once your customer is aware, interested, and has the desire to buy, you would encourage them to buy the product. Consumers these days are looking for an easy or intuitive buying process. As you guide them through the process you will be setting them up for the new fifth layer: the referral.
  
  
• Referral: This is the best tool in any agent’s marketing strategy. Once you have one happy customer promoting your service they can bring you several more. This is where social media can really help to positively promote your company. Positive comments on your Facebook wall, tweets reflecting your good service, or recommendations on your LinkedIn profile all work toward gaining new clients.

In many ways, social media is a set of bookends with the sales process in between, creating an effective sales cycle. You advertise via the networks and receive referrals based on your positive customer experiences. Interaction via Facebook and Twitter is increasingly becoming as affective in sales as a call between a sales rep and a client. By leveraging these new resources you can create your niche in the insurance sales market and target prospects accordingly. As the number of consumers turning toward the internet for insurance research and purchasing continues to increase, it is important to adjust your marketing concepts in order to adapt.

To read the entire article, please see InsuranceNewsNet's Why 'Funnel' Away Business (page 40).

Precision Senior Marketing will be closed Monday, May 28 for the Memorial Day holiday. Regular 8am-5pm CDT hours will resume Tuesday, May 29. We wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday. We appreciate your business and the opportunity to serve your needs.



Please give us your feedback!
Do you use social media in your sales cycle? How has it changed your business? Do you find the process easy to manage?

Source: InsuranceNewsNet

• Woodmen of the World Medicare Supplement Rate Increase for Oregon - Learn More

In the past few years it has become more and more evident that the Internet is not a passing fad. It’s no longer a means of achieving more success but of staying in the game. Therefore, your marketing strategy is no longer "should I be marketing on the Internet?" but "how do I effectively market on the Internet?" This can be a daunting task, especially if you are new to online marketing. The most important thing is to realize all of the opportunities and revenue when you expand your business to sell Medicare supplements online.

It’s no surprise that the role social media plays is huge. In fact, social media is the No. 1 activity on the web, and if Facebook alone was a country it would be the third largest nation in the world with more than 800 million active members. There is a whole new realm of success in internet marketing; here are the three most popular social media websites to be using:

1. Facebook. As I said before, Facebook has the largest reach in social media today. However, it’s important to note that Facebook has a more "relational" sales style than "transactional." Share helpful videos and articles as well as photos from your company events and holiday parties. Steve Savant, author of "How to Become an Internet Sales Superstar" and host of the daily Internet talk show Business Insurance Zone explains, "Facebook is the estrogen zone." His suggestion as you start initially is to request to post photos via a spouse or other family member’s personal page, showing you with clients or at an event. Their friends can comment asking what you do, request a meeting, or offer a referral.
   
   
2. Twitter. Twitter is excellent for getting the word out about your recent YouTube videos, upcoming events, as well as linking to your informational industry articles. With only 140 characters allowed (including spaces and punctuation) it’s important to think of a meaningful message to entice your prospects and clients to click on your link and explore the content further.
   
   
3. LinkedIn. LinkedIn is usually thought of as the “business Facebook” in the social media world. Though it is not as social as its counterparts, their Groups are a great way to network and discuss industry topics with those who can relate. Also, your profile will allow you to connect with past coworkers who might provide referrals and connect with other agents who you want to work with.

To help spread the word, put your social media URLs on your e-mail signature and company stationary. Let your clients know they can find industry news and continuing education about their plans by "Liking" your page or "Following" your Twitter. Also, you should link to these sources on your homepage to further the information prospective clients have access to.

Though breaking into the social media sector may seem overwhelming at first, the referrals and business commissions are worth the extra effort to get involved. If you need any help or have questions, please call you marketer at 1-800-998-7715 for more information.

Please give us your feedback!
Do you use social media in your marketing? How has it helped you in your business? What did you do to get started?

Source: InsuranceNewsNet

• Woodmen of the World/Assured Life Med Supp Application Tips - Learn More
• Assured Life Med SELECT Provider Directory Update - Learn More
• Woodmen of the World Rate Increase of Colorado - Learn More
• Gerber Life Med Supp Application Tips - Learn More
• Gerber Life Med SELECT Provider Directory Update - Learn More
• Gerber Life South Dakota GI Rights Update Notification - Learn More
• Gerber Life Medicare Supplement Rate Increase for Utah - Learn More
• Gerber Life Medicare Supplement Rate Increase for Florida - Learn More

A few months ago, Google introduced their +1 system; you might have seen the new buttons appear next to your search results recently and wondered what it is and how it can help your business. Google +1 is similar to Facebook "Likes", it is a way for your clients to publicly show to their friends and family that they like and recommend you, which can help promote client referrals.

Also, there are signs that Google +1 will affect organic rankings as well. Google +1 allows Google to own a primary source of data, not rely on secondary sources, and these social cues become a core part of the search experience. Websites with a +1 button receive as much as three times more exposure on the Google+ network.

If you’re one of our valued senior market agents and enjoy working with Precision Senior Marketing, let us know by logging into your Gmail account and clicking the +1 button on our homepage @ Precision Senior Marketing.


Example of how Google’s +1 feature can help your business:
A friend of your client might search for Medicare Supplements in your hometown, see that their friend +1'd you, and give you a call or fill out the form on your website because of it. Same can happen between complete strangers, as trust will be instilled by knowing that other people have used your service and have seen success with your brand. Once you have a working relationship with your clients, it would be beneficial to ask them to go to your website and click “+1” for you. It’s an innovative way to continue to grow your business online.

Please give us your feedback!
Do you have the Google +1 button on your website? Do you plan to get it? How do you think the +1s will affect Google organic rankings?

Source: Search Engine Watch

• Forethought Medicare Select Released in OK - Learn More
• Cigna 2012 Training and Certification - Learn More
• Assured Life Medicare Supplement Rate Increase for Mississippi - Learn More
• Universal American Med Advantage 2012 Product Maps and Overviews - Learn More
• Gerber Life Medicare Supplement Rate Increase for MI, MS, NC, NE, and WV - Learn More