I recently appeared on Steve Savant’s Money, The Name of the Game. This is episode 5 of a 5 part series regarding Voluntary Benefits. Below are excerpts from the press release announcing this episode. You can listen to the audio as a podcast or watch the video that appears at the bottom of this page.

Press Release

Your insurance agent makes all the difference. A good Voluntary Benefits agent can help you choose the right policies for your family.

Many consumers can get confused by the multitude of choices they face when choosing a Voluntary Benefits policy and an insurance company. A good agent makes these decisions easier.

Once a consumer knows the basic types of Voluntary Benefit policies that are available, and what to look for in an insurance company, they still may have many questions. A good insurance agent can help them clarify the best options for them. There are several factors you should consider when choosing an agent.

Longevity – How long has the agent been in business? Many insurance companies are recruiting machines. There is a chance your agent was working in a retail job last month. We all have to start somewhere. By definition, no one has insurance experience the day they start. If they are new, is there an experienced agent with them?

Professionalism – You definitely want to work with a true professional. Does your agent have solid knowledge of the entire health insurance marketplace, not just Voluntary Benefits? Are they involved in the community they serve?

Service – It is important to understand how committed your agent is to superior service. Will they give you their cell phone number? What is their promise of response time?

Diversity – Are they able to represent more than one insurance company? If they only represent one company, they can’t show you different options from different companies. Even if those choices might be a better option for you.

Focus – Do they represent too many insurance companies? I’m convinced that the phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none” was written about many insurance agents. It is good to have diversity when choosing the right policy but if your agent represents 25 companies he can’t possibly know how each company and their policies might meet your needs.

There are many choices when it comes to the insurance agent you choose. You might as well choose the right one. Use this as a checklist to make sure the person that is advising you is the best fit for your family. Voluntary Benefits can stand in the gap between you and financial devastation. It is critical you know that your agent has your best interest at heart. If done correctly, the programs you purchase will help you when you need it the most.

Thank You For Listening

I really appreciate you listening to the podcast and would love it if you would be so kind as to rate the podcast on iTunes.  To do that, all you have to do is go to https://successisvoluntary.com/iTunes and follow the instructions.  It will take you less than 30 seconds and would be a huge help to me as it will keep the podcast towards the top of the business charts in iTunes which will help new people discover it. And don’t forget to give it some digital love. Please share on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out in the social media universe!

I look forward to seeing you back here next week, in the meantime, don’t forget that everything you do in this business is voluntary.  Including success!!!

I recently appeared on Steve Savant’s Money, The Name of the Game. This is episode 4 of a 5 part series regarding Voluntary Benefits. Below are excerpts from the press release announcing this episode. You can listen to the audio as a podcast or watch the video that appears at the bottom of this page.

Press Release

Not all Voluntary Benefits insurance companies are created equal. Your Voluntary Benefit policy is only as good as the company you bought it from.

As the perceived need for Voluntary Benefits has increased, consumers are looking for ways to protect their families. It is critical that they choose their insurance company carefully.

There is a multitude of Voluntary Benefits insurance companies in the marketplace with more entering all the time. So how do you know which company to choose to protect your family? The following items can be used as a guideline.

Claims payment – Let’s face it, most consumers feel the most important thing to consider regarding any insurance company is how hard is it to file a claim and how quickly will it be paid. It is also critical that the claim is paid fairly. Many consumers also want their insurance agent to help them navigate through the claims process. In today’s age, there is no reason to not do your research. But remember every insurance company in the world has someone that is upset with them. Are the reviews more positive than negative?

Rate stability – Most Voluntary Benefits insurance companies reserve the right to change their rates based on many factors, but they can’t single you out. They have to raise the rates for everyone who has the same policy that you do. A little research should reveal how often this happens.

Brand name – Surprisingly this is not a major factor. Do you care if you blow your nose on tissue or Kleenex?  It does the same job. Just because you see their commercial incessantly doesn’t make them better. Conversely just because you haven’t heard of them doesn’t necessarily make them bad. Often smaller companies are able to offer more innovative features and benefits. They are better positioned to meet the ever-changing realities of the overall insurance marketplace.

Customer service – No one likes to be on terminal hold. A quick way to discover the company’s dedication to service is to call their hotline and see how long it takes you to get to a real person.

Financial stability – It is important that when you make a claim the insurance company is still in business. There are several rating services such as AM Best and Moodys that consumers can use to make their decision.

As consumers realize the importance of Voluntary Benefits, they are often overwhelmed by the array of companies they have to choose from. With a little research, this decision doesn’t have to be paralyzing. Just use this article to help you make the best decision for your family.

Thank You For Listening

I really appreciate you listening to the podcast and would love it if you would be so kind as to rate the podcast on iTunes.  To do that, all you have to do is go to https://successisvoluntary.com/iTunes and follow the instructions.  It will take you less than 30 seconds and would be a huge help to me as it will keep the podcast towards the top of the business charts in iTunes which will help new people discover it. And don’t forget to give it some digital love. Please share on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out in the social media universe!

I look forward to seeing you back here next week, in the meantime, don’t forget that everything you do in this business is voluntary.  Including success!!!

Whenever you are meeting with a prospect, the largest unspoken objection/question they have is, “What makes you and/or your product special? Why should I spend my time, money and attention with your company?” Most salespeople try to build their presentation around this question but use platitudes. “Our service is unparalleled.” “We have superior products.” “Our biggest competitive advantage is our people.”

The problem with these platitudes is
that every one of your competitors is saying exactly the same thing. Additionally, they are completely subjective. Worst of all, guess who is telling them these platitudes? The very person trying to sell them something. Weird… Is it any wonder that there is a breakdown in trust between prospects and most salespeople?

So how do we differentiate ourselves from all the noise in the market? We must give the Decision Maker an objective way to justify choosing us/our company. (Remember people buy based on emotion. They justify that decision based on logic.) “Because I said so,” isn’t going to cut it. Neither is showing them your company’s propaganda, errr, I mean brochures.

Tim’s Top 11 Ways To Prove You Are Special

1. Show up with a written, personalized agenda and give them a copy of it. This shows that you thought about their business before you came in. You are not just there to “spray and pray.” (Video-gamer reference)
2. Let other people say you are special. Having testimonial letters from your happy clients is not a new concept. So why is it, that in the last 22+ years, I have seen maybe a half dozen agent consistently execute this powerful technique? (Spoiler aleart: They were all top producers.)
3. Take testimonials to the next level. Instead of just getting a testimonial letter, why not use video? More than once I have had a customer use their iPhone to send me a quick video. (I refuse to have clients who have an Android phone)
4. Obtain permission from your clients to reference their name on a list of other businesses that use your products or services.
5. Bring value outside of your products every time you meet with them. A few ideas to get you started:
   
   • An article about where health care is headed
   • Ideas about implementing telemedicine
   • The latest projections for the labor force
   • An article about how to lead millennials
   • A hot lead for their business
   • An introduction to one of your COIs or customers
   • Provide articles from outside, independent sources touting your company and/or it’s products.
6. Prove that you are a professional by showing knowledge about their business/industry. Ask questions like, “Many of my clients in the widget manufacturing industry are telling me they are having challenges sourcing high-quality widget steel. Has that been a challenge for your company?”
7. Bring a document that provides a very clear future of the steps you and your company will undertake when they say yes. This relieves the pressure for them to figure out how to implement your product. It also reiterates how easy it is to do business with you.
8. Keep your word. If you promised them further information, get it to them BEFORE the deadline you gave them.
9. Send a handwritten thank you note, regardless of the outcome.
10. If you didn’t earn their business, ask permission to follow up with them on a predetermined, regular basis. Then DO IT!
11. Continue to add value to the relationship on a go-forward basis. (See number 4)

Limited Time And Attention

You are competing for the attention of the Decision Maker. Every salesperson, representing all sorts of products and services, wants to meet with your prospect. Most of them are hacks. Don’t be just another one of the dozens of hacks your prospect deals with. You are a professional, right?!?! Prove there is indeed something that makes you special.

Your Turn

What makes you special. Don’t be modest, shoot me an email or leave a comment below.

I first heard Les say this from the platform at a very large sales conference.  It made an impression on me, but I didn’t realize how much it shaped my career until much later.

Helter Skelter

I have always enjoyed reading and learning, but I haven’t always had a conscious, well-formed plan. In fact, most of the books I read were chosen because of the shiny cover jacket on the shelf of the bookstore or the rack at the airport. It is amazing to me that I was able to retain as much as I did since I was bouncing all over the place.

It wasn’t until I was listening to a John Maxwell Maximum Impact Club recording that I put it all together. John was talking about how one of his early mentors asked him what his personal development plan was. John hemmed and hawed but eventually had to admit he didn’t have one. This was my story too! I didn’t have a plan either.

Wandering In The Wilderness

As I have led thousands of independent agents and leaders, I have found few of them work on self-development at all. In fact, according to Tony Robbins and Chet Helms,

I recently appeared on Steve Savant’s Money, The Name of the Game. This is episode 3 of a 5 part series regarding Voluntary Benefits. Below are excerpts from the press release announcing this episode. You can listen to the audio as a podcast or watch the video that appears at the bottom of this page.

Press Release

There is a myriad of choices for the consumer to choose from when it comes to Voluntary Benefit policies. Understanding the things to look for will help dramatically, especially at the time of claim.

Not all Voluntary Benefits policies are created equal. As consumers are becoming more aware of the need for Voluntary Benefit protection, they are often overwhelmed by the myriad of insurance policies they have to choose from.

Regardless of the insurance company, the following features are critical in evaluating whether or not to purchase a policy:

Guaranteed Renewable – An incredibly important consideration is whether or not the policy is guaranteed renewable. If it is the insurance company can’t raise your rates or drop your coverage just because you are making claims. This is unlike auto insurance where the insurance company will do just that. Most Voluntary Benefits insurance companies reserve the right to raise rates, but they must treat every customer that owns that policy equally.

Underwriting – A majority of Voluntary Benefit policies require just a few questions to determine eligibility. Very rarely do they ask for medical records or blood work. In fact, under certain circumstances, the policy may be “guaranteed issue.” In other words, regardless of medical condition, you can’t be turned down.

Portability – Most (not all) Voluntary Benefits programs are purchased through a payroll deduction. It is important to you know when you leave employment that you have the right to keep your coverage.

Exclusions & Limitation – Without exception, every insurance policy in America has certain exclusions and limitations. It is important to check that they are reasonable. What constitutes reasonable? That’s up to you. For instance, most accident policies won’t pay if you are legally drunk at the time of the accident. They also won’t cover you if you hurt yourself in the commission of a felony. For most people, those are examples of reasonable exclusions and limitations.

Look-back periods – Even though a policy might be guaranteed issue, that doesn’t mean you will necessarily be covered. A great example would be that even though you were allowed to purchase a cancer policy if you currently are battling cancer, the company won’t start paying claims on that occurrence for a period of time.

Building Benefits – Some policies have benefits that increase in value the longer you have the policy. This feature often necessitates a nominal additional cost. Most consumers agree that the cost of the building benefit is incredibly helpful.

Return of premium – One of the biggest complaints of consumers when purchasing insurance is the fact that they may never need it. With a return of premium feature, if you don’t make a claim over an extended period of time you get all of your money back when the policy terminates. This ability also usually requires an additional cost, but many consumers gladly purchase this option, knowing they are eventually going to get back every penny they paid over the lifetime of the policy.

Ability to upgrade – Your life changes. Can you change your policy to reflect that reality? Some policies have the ability to make changes to increase the benefits available. It is important to know that your policy can keep up with your life.

Consumers have more choice in Voluntary Benefits than ever before. Make sure that you make the right choice to protect your family from the devastating financial realities that often ensue following a serious accident or illness.

Thank You For Listening

I really appreciate you listening to the podcast and would love it if you would be so kind as to rate the podcast on iTunes.  To do that, all you have to do is go to https://successisvoluntary.com/iTunes and follow the instructions.  It will take you less than 30 seconds and would be a huge help to me as it will keep the podcast towards the top of the business charts in iTunes which will help new people discover it. And don’t forget to give it some digital love. Please share on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out in the social media universe!

I look forward to seeing you back here next week, in the meantime, don’t forget that everything you do in this business is voluntary.  Including success!!!

Today’s blog post may or may not help you, but I promise it will make me feel better! And it’s a lot cheaper than an appointment with my therapist.

You are a sales PROFESSIONAL, right? So why do so many “professionals” have horrifically bad outgoing voicemail messages? It drives me bat-sh*t crazy.

If you ask anyone who has ever worked for me, they will tell you this is one of my all-time pet peeves. Perhaps I’m overreacting. But I promise, if your voicemail has any of the phrases below, you may be losing credibility with the people trying to reach you.

Tim’s Top 11 Peeves As It Pertains To Voicemail

1. No outgoing voicemail message at all. Instead, the computerized voice that says, “You have reached 555-121-1212. Please leave your message after the beep.” – Whenever I hear this, I wonder if they are dodging creditors or they are afraid that whoever is calling will know for sure this is their phone number. C’mon, take 60 seconds and set up your voicemail already.
2. “The voicemail box for this subscriber has not been set up.” – Seriously? I actually get this message at least once a month when calling “professionals.” Enough said.
3. “The voicemail box belonging to Joe Agent is full and can no longer accept messages.”  – Ummmm, why? Which one is it, are you too clueless, too disorganized, or both?
4. The voicemail that was set up from the car while driving. You know what I’m talking about. You can barely understand the message due to the background noise. I get it, you are busy but find someplace quiet to record your outgoing voicemail message. Your callers will thank you.
5. “I’ll call you back at my earliest convenience.” – This may be the one that drives me the craziest. I’m so glad that my call was so important to you that you will make sure it doesn’t inconvenience you. Lose this phrase!
6. “I’ll call you back as soon as possible.” – What does that mean? An hour, a day, a week? Give me a timeframe to expect your return call (by close of business, within 24 hours, etc.) and then overdeliver. I personally use 24 hours, but I usually return calls within a few hours. (Why I only return voicemail twice a day.)
7. “So, you know what to do…” – Don’t try to be funny or glib. Remember, you are a professional, act like one.
8. “Leave your name, number, the time you called, the reason for your call, any other pertinent information, your mother’s maiden name, your astrological sign, Social Security number, shoe size…” – Do I really need to tell you all of that to get a return call? I’m guessing my name, number and (perhaps) the reason for the call should be enough.
9. “After the beep” – Oh, I have to wait for the beep? Weird, when did that start? If only I had known…
10. “I’m so sorry I can’t come to the phone right now…” – Are you really sorry? It sounds disingenuous to me as I’m usually not very sorry when I can’t answer the phone.
11. “Your call is very important to me.” – Every single call you get is important? Even the calls from telemarketers or your annoying brother-in-law? I get you want to be polite, but let’s not kid each other.

O.K. What Should I Say?

So what do I suggest instead? “Hi, this is Tim Martin with Success Is Voluntary. I’m currently unavailable. Please leave me your name and your best contact number. I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. I promise.”

How simple is that? Make sure your outgoing voicemail message, leaves a clear message: That you are a true professional.

Get Your Voicemail Messages Returned

Read How to avoid voicemail hell. 6 tips that will keep you in the game.

Your Turn

What is the most annoying thing that you’ve ever heard on an outgoing voicemail message? Amuse the SIV Tribe by leaving a comment below.

I recently appeared on Steve Savant’s Money, The Name of the Game. This is episode 2 of a 5 part series regarding Voluntary Benefits. Below are excerpts from the press release announcing this episode. You can listen to the audio as a podcast or watch the video that appears at the bottom of this page.

Press Release

Once the consumer is ready to sit down with a Voluntary Benefits agent, they need to understand the types of policies that may be available and how they might fit their needs.

Disability – This is the easiest Voluntary Benefits policy for most people to understand. Disability pays the policyholder if they are unable to work due to an accident or illness. Most financial planners recommend that their clients protect their most important asset; their ability to earn an income.

Accident – The most popular Voluntary Benefits policy for many insurance companies is their accident plan. These programs usually cover everything from cuts that need stitches to major accidents needing an air ambulance, and everything in between. The benefits are tied directly to the seriousness of the accident.

Critical Illness – These policies are very customizable based on the client’s needs. The customer can purchase a policy that covers just one type of critical illness such as cancer. There are also critical illness policies that cover multiple serious issues such as cancer, heart attack, stroke, parallelization and other conditions.

Life Insurance – LIMRA, which is a worldwide research organization, that for 102 years has kept a pulse on the Life Insurance market, published a study in 2016 that found 56% of American households don’t have life insurance. More alarmingly over 50% of those that had life insurance recognize the need for more. Overall, 7 in 10 of all households said they would have trouble covering everyday living expenses after just a few months if the primary wage earner died.

As a consumer, you need to make sure that you protect your family from the devastating financial realities that often ensue after a serious accident or illness. To make sure your family is protected you must choose the right policies for your family.

Thank You For Listening

I really appreciate you listening to the podcast and would love it if you would be so kind as to rate the podcast on iTunes.  To do that, all you have to do is go to https://successisvoluntary.com/iTunes and follow the instructions.  It will take you less than 30 seconds and would be a huge help to me as it will keep the podcast towards the top of the business charts in iTunes which will help new people discover it. And don’t forget to give it some digital love. Please share on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out in the social media universe!

I look forward to seeing you back here next week, in the meantime, don’t forget that everything you do in this business is voluntary.  Including success!!!

I recently appeared on Steve Savant’s Money, The Name of the Game. This is episode 1 of a 5 part series regarding Voluntary Benefits. Below are excerpts from the press release announcing this episode. You can listen to the audio as a podcast or watch the video that appears at the bottom of this page.

Press Release

The true need for Voluntary Benefits hasn’t changed in the last 25 years. The perceived need is greater than ever due to the changes in major medical insurance.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and pressure on private health insurance plans have driven unprecedented change in the healthcare industry. Deductibles, co-pays, and co-insurance are skyrocketing almost as fast as the rates are. Many parts of the country have seen an increase of 50% or more for major medical premiums.

A 2015 Harvard study found that the leading cause of bankruptcies (just over 60%) was due to medical expenses. The surprising finding of this study was a majority of the people that claimed medical bankruptcy had medical insurance.

Most families don’t have the savings necessary to withstand the financial chaos while facing serious medical conditions. Often there is a double loss of income as a healthy spouse stays at home to care for the injured or ill spouse. When children are involved, the family comes to a standstill, but the rent, electric bill, and car payments keep coming due.

The financial strain can also lead to emotional damage. This is why many insurance agents talk about the triple threat of serious health conditions. The disease damages the body, the finances, and the emotions. A good insurance policy can’t fix all of the emotional damage, but it can at least ease the stress of financial worries.

Voluntary Benefit companies have helped people keep their creditors at bay for over 75 years. Often the real cost of a serious illness or injury is not the medical bills. Typically, after a serious accident or illness, family expenses skyrocket and income plunges. Most families are left with devastating financial challenges.

There is a myriad of Voluntary Benefits policies offered by a few dozen insurance companies. Most often these policies are purchased through an employer via payroll deduction.

Consumers can’t always protect themselves physically from serious accidents or illness. They can make sure that their family is protected from the devastating financial realities that often ensue. Most consumers purchase Voluntary Benefit policies to make sure that after a serious incident they can keep food on the table, gas in the car and a roof over their head.

Thank You For Listening

I really appreciate you listening to the podcast and would love it if you would be so kind as to rate the podcast on iTunes.  To do that, all you have to do is go to https://successisvoluntary.com/iTunes and follow the instructions.  It will take you less than 30 seconds and would be a huge help to me as it will keep the podcast towards the top of the business charts in iTunes which will help new people discover it. And don’t forget to give it some digital love. Please share on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out in the social media universe!

I look forward to seeing you back here next week, in the meantime, don’t forget that everything you do in this business is voluntary.  Including success!!!