There are blogs, YouTube channels, sections of stores and entire stores actually dedicated to being organized. Being organized is a struggle for most, and no age is immune to it. We associate organization with being clean. However, what we are referring to when it comes to business is being prepared by having what you need to have done, knowing where everything is, being able to access files quickly and not missing any important deadlines.
When working with Medicare advisors, being organized takes on a completely different meaning. One mistake that almost every advisor makes each year is that they miss opportunities to be better organized. While some may think this means keeping a desk clean or being able to access important files, the reality is that the area most advisors are lacking in organization is with communication with their audience.
The True Value Of Organization
Being organized in this sense focuses on being a reliable resource of information. People do not need advisors these days, in reality. What they need are guides to show them the difference between option A and option B. When you enroll in Medicare for the first time, do you know what to even do? Most people do not but the information is out there if they want to learn how to do it themselves.
You as an advisor know that doing open enrollment yourself, especially if it’s your first time is usually a mistake. First, your services are free and do not cost the client anything. Next, you have to remember that even if they can get started on their own, there are so many options that they have to go through and then they also need to work with different providers if they want the best deal. Your involvement in this process is valuable, even if the client does not realize it. However, what you have to understand is that the less organized you are, the less the client will rely on you.
How Organization Impacts Medicare Insurance Sales
Every year, when open enrollment comes around, insurance advisors look for ways to grab as many clients as they can. It is similar to trying to fish in a stream during the salmon run. You cannot get skunked, but the difference between having a great day and a fantastic day is a bit of preparation and knowing what to expect. If you want to hit record sales numbers, it begins with being organized and working on this throughout the year. If you do, the work you put in will be most noticeable in these areas:
- Communication: If you were to contact a client right now, would they know who you were immediately? When was the last time you spoke with them? Was it last year at open enrollment? This is a common mistake that most agents make. They clean up during one part of the season and expect things to be just as good or better the next year. The agents who see the best numbers are the ones who work the entire year and keep communication with their clients. It can be as simple as a friendly email with things they need to be aware of regarding their coverage and your offer to assist if they need any help.
- Calendars: There are important deadlines throughout the year regarding Medicare, not just during open enrollment. By being organized, you are able to communicate these dates but also take advantage of them. For example, if there’s a window where you can make changes to your supplements, why not email every new client you have and inform them of this window and ask them if they are happy with their current coverage? Even if they are, this extra effort will go miles with them.
- Timing: If your old client has not heard from you in almost a year but has been hit with dozens of ads from the competitor, do you expect them to reach out to you after your initial email at the start of enrollment?
- Customer satisfaction: One of the reasons Medicare advisors are so focused on customer satisfaction is because the easiest and cheapest lead you will ever get is the spouse or friend of one of your clients. If your customers are happy and their friends or loved ones are eligible to enroll, wouldn’t you expect them to refer you?
- Finger on the pulse of your audience: What are people most concerned with right now regarding their care? For many, it’s not the quality of the care but the cost. If that’s what you are seeing with your audience, try to communicate to them that you understand those concerns and are willing to work with them to address ways of helping them cut costs. If you can give someone a way of cutting their costs by even a couple of hundred dollars a year, you’ve won them over as a client.
- People rely on you for information: Organization also focuses on being a reliable resource for information. An advisor may point out that the information the client often needs is available online. However, what they forget is that the more your client can do for themselves, eventually, their need for you ends and they go with someone who they can get information from. Make yourself a resource and one people should use as often as they can, especially to get the facts.
- Customization: No two clients are alike. Even if two people are on the exact same plans from the same provider and pay the same amount, they may have different health needs and financial limitations. That’s where talking with your clients is so important. Letting them ask questions, explain their situation and so forth gives them a sense of trust in you but also gives you the information you need to make them happy. Listen to what they are saying and show them you are as well.
- See your weaknesses: Because you are not focused on just doing the minimum, you have the ability to see where you need to make improvements. For example, this year you noticed that you spent more time on the phone with people and your phone sales or leads doubled. However, you also noticed that you did not get the same in-person response that you anticipated. Should this be something you focus on to improve next year? Now you have the ability to figure that own and develop your new strategy.
We all know someone or are the person who manages to get results even with a dirty desk and by writing important notes on napkins. It doesn’t matter what makes us successful, we can always be better. If organization can improve your sales numbers during this Medicare open enrollment period, shouldn’t you take a deeper look into the ways and areas you can improve in?