Tips For Insurance Brokers - Surviving In This Changing Benefits Marketplace!

Oct. 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Hooray - You are ending 2012.  Your Groups are in place - Enrollments will be underway - Revenues will be coming in - It's Celebration Time!

The Problem - The Times They Are A Changing!  What about next year?  What happens after the party ends and you face the potential impacted of PPACA - ObamaCare or a close alternative with RomneyCare?  The bulk of these regulations will begin to take full effect on 1/1/2014.  The "Let's wait and see what will happen" or "Maybe it will go back to the way things were" must give way to a Reality Check.  The benefits landscape has already changed and there will be more changes effective 1/1/14.  We're asking these questions?
  > What are you doing to get ready?  
  > How are you helping your current clients to prepare their Organizations for the required changes?
  > What are you doing to "Build Trust" and "Add Value"?
  > Are you discussing the Problems and providing Solutions?
  > How will you sustain your business?
  > How are you going to replace lost income from deteriorating or lost health Insurance commissions?
The Short Answer - START NOW!  Here's a Short List of Solutions:
1) Begin or expand your shift to Inbound Marketing.  Redesign your website to better introduce the visitor to what differentiates your Organization from your Competition - Differentiate your Plans, Programs, and/or Services.  Begin with a concise Elevator Presentation composed of Key Words that will attract Search Engines and gain the attention of Visitors.  When potential Clients are searching the internet for Plans, Programs, and/or Services make sure they arrive at your Organization's Landing Page specific to their search - Not your Home Page.
2) During this years Enrollment, dedicate yourself to meeting with the Owners, CFOs, and HR Managers to discuss and explain the implications of Healthcare Reform and the options that need to be further discussed in preparation for 1/1/2014.
3) Educate yourself on HealthCare Reform.  There are a wealth of informative sites on the internet.  Try these - HealthCare.gov,  ProsCons.org, WhiteHouse.gov, Romney Health Care Website, Kaiser Foundation.
4) Develop your Presentations for introducing Clients to Benefit Plan Design options for the coming year.  Topics should include:
  > Discuss that all Benefits are - or will be - Voluntary on an Individual or Group basis.
  > Discuss how you can assist the Client in building a Menu of Benefits to provide Choices for the Employees.
  > Discuss introducing IRSC Tax Advantaged Plans to reduce Benefit Costs and Taxes.  Plans should include:
Implementing Pre-Tax eligible Benefit Plan Premiums                                                                                                 Implementing Medical Reimbursement Accounts                                                                          
Implementing Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts                                                              
Implementing Transportation Reimbursement Accounts                                                              
Implementing either HRAs or HSAs
  > Introducing a Cutting Edge Defined Contribution (DC) Plan Design for the overall Employee Benefits Strategy.  DC empowers the Business Owners and CFOs to budget the Organization's financial contribution to the Employee Benefit Plans in the coming and future years.  In addition - and important to your financial future - the Organization's Decision-Makers work with you as a Trusted Advisor to build a menu of Employee Benefit Choices to meet their Needs and Price Points.
  > Discussing the possible opportunities available with the introduction of Exchanges - Federal, State, and Private.
  > Shifting your Compensation to Fee Based away from the traditional Commission Based model.  Discuss the costs of maintaining your Services and the reality of shrinking or disappearing commissions.
5) Join and Utilize Social Media, ie. Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. as appropriate.
6) Participate in the Business Media Groups: The Groups include: Agents of America(AOA), Insurance Campus, NOLHA, ProducersWeb, and SIMA - Build your Contacts/Followers, Comment on Discussions, Start Discussions, Start Groups, etc.  Build Trust and Add Value with potential Clients by submitting articles and your Blog about your areas of expertise.  Build your Brand - Don't try to Sell!
7) Start Following Developments in Mobile (Cellular/Smart Phone) Marketing.  This is the New Frontier for keeping in contact with Decision-Makers, Prospects, Employees, and for driving Inbound Marketing!
8) Consider Using Services like Hubspot for Inbound Marketing Software, LillianBrie for Mobile Marketing, and partnering with BenefitPlace.biz and BPTradeShow.com for Inbound Marketing strategies to have Qualified Prospect Knocking At Your Door.

So there you have it!  A primer for focusing on next year's business environment as you enter this year's Enrollment Period.  It's time for many in the Insurance and Benefits Industries to get their heads out of the sand and take a pro-active stand for establishing their Future in the Industry.

Note:  Visit Benefitplace.biz for more information and Join our Linkedin Group, INSURANCE FORUM, for more discussions. To Join Go To -
http://linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2762200

For more information Contact Phil Eide:  Visit - BenefitPlace.biz  Email - phil@benefitplace.biz or give us a Call- 216.577.5579