Seems like there are so many negatives in the news about healthcare reform and the recession that any insurance agent selling health insurance must be getting downright pessimistic. I know I have lately, almost abandoning health sales in favor of life insurance and annuities.
It has been rather disappointing because some of the programs such as medicare advantage seem to have totally flopped, and it also seems as if the carriers could care less for agents or the clients. I personally will never write another one of those. It does not seem to be the right thing to do for my customers anymore.
The retention of old health insurance customers is dropping off rapidly and the carriers seem to have either tightened up their underwriting or their rates have went up. (or both)
Thing is that health insurance has been how I have made my living for the past two years and I don’t want to leave those customers on the sidelines. What I have focused on over the last three months is making better use of my marketing resources and brushing up and revamping my sales skills.
I have discovered several ways of making more effective use of my lead sources and have found new ways of using web 2.0 properties to generate more leads. (many I dont have to pay for, it is just a little time consuming) that has gotten my sales back on track and is starting to really pay off.
My friend Randy is now wanting for me to help him develop a training program that will help new agents learn basic sales closing and he wants me to have a section on the online sales and lead generation part. I think I am going to suggest we go the video route. that will be the best way to teach. Just didn’t know what I was getting into when I told him how good he was at teaching insurance sales.
We’ll see…
Cheers,
Mac