How Do You Stay in Front of Your Clients?
Client relationships are the lifeblood of Medicare agents. But how do you keep up with this and all your other tasks along the way? Providing excellent service to your clients is the foundation but also just the beginning. Learning to stay in front of your clients all year long will help keep your clients loyal to you.
Here are some strategies to help keep you in front of your clients throughout the year, not just AEP season.
Make a Personal Gesture
Keep track of your client’s birthdays and send them a card. Or pick up the phone and give them a celebratory call. They will be pleased to know you remembered! Sending an email is less personalized; plus, it’s always nice to see a handwritten note show in your mailbox!
Staying in touch throughout the year shows your clients that you are thinking about them and looking out for their well-being. Investing time in your clients makes them feel important. The investment in your time is worth the payoff: client retention and referrals.
AEP letters
As we all know, seniors receive so much information regarding Medicare plans and products leading up to and during AEP season. Sending them a letter in September explaining what to expect and how you can help them during this time will be a breath of fresh air in a somewhat confusing time. When your clients know you have their best interests at heart, they will be more likely to be receptive to meeting with you. For appointed UIG Agents, you have access to a letter you can send out to your clients for the pre-AEP season. Contact us for more information on these letters available to appointed agents!
Social Media
Are you active on social media for your business? This is a no-cost way to stay in front of your clients and prospective clients. Creating a Facebook business page is EASY and FREE. UIG offers content and graphics that are available only to appointed UIG agents. We can also recommend how often to post and what to post. I recommend creating a mix of Medicare content, careful not to mention specific products and plans, and personal content. Are you active in a sport? Do you have pets, children, or grandchildren? Seniors like to see this type of content. It makes you more relatable and builds another level of trust between you and your clients. Also, post topics useful for the senior population, such as healthy eating, exercise, or local events for seniors. It’s often intimidating for agents when they get started on social media, but once you get started, you’ll realize it’s easier than you thought!
Placing ads in your local newspaper
Many of my agents have had great success with their local community papers. Check your area to see what newspapers are in your community. You may even find a specific publication geared toward seniors! The cost is usually minimal, and the rewards are great. Read this month’s Game Changer article about Holly. She is having great success with advertising through her local community publications!
Do you have a local diner that you frequent? Check to see if you could advertise on their paper placemats. Or, if you know the owner, ask them if you can place a flyer in their restaurant. UIG has several flyers that we will personalize for you. Some diners or coffee shops will even let you advertise on coffee mugs! Think outside the box. Remember, many seniors are creatures of habit. So if they see your name and face at their local diner, they are more likely to give you a call.
Educational Seminars
You are missing out on a huge opportunity if you are not hosting educational seminars in your area. Many Senior complexes are looking for activities to offer their seniors. Did you know Humana offers something called “Programs in a Box”? There are over 50 different educational seminars offered on a variety of subjects. You do not always need to be doing Medicare seminars; you could do one on healthy eating habits, or even how to use your smartphone. Providing seniors with valuable information will help you become someone they trust. You will most likely get referrals if you host these community seminars. UIG also offers a PowerPoint presentation, Medicare 101, personalized with your information. Again, I am going to refer to our Game Changer, Holly. She has been doing these Humana seminars with great success!
Partnering with Carriers
Partnering with carriers can be beneficial in many ways. Many carrier reps will partner with you on hosting events, getting give-aways to you for these events, and much more that most agents don’t even realize. As an appointed UIG agent, we can make that connection for you. One of our main jobs as your FMO is creating opportunities for you, and we do that through our relationships with our carrier partners. Carrier reps are very open to assisting agents; all we have to do is ask!
As I mentioned above, thinking outside the box and offering value to seniors will keep you in front of current and prospective clients. If you need help on how to get started, reach out to the UIG Brokerage Team, and we’d be happy to assist our appointed agents. Please get in touch with us if you’d like to become appointed with any carriers or to move existing contracts over to UIG. With these proven strategies, we’re ready to help you take your business to the next level.
Linda Isbell, Broker Sales Specialist