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Employers have experienced dramatic increases in engagement by tapping into employees' innate competitive and social drives. By using social challenges to entice employee interest in wellness initiatives, employers not only build participation, they are more likely to inspire long-term behavior changes.

As the economy struggles toward a meaningful recovery, health care costs continue to rise. With these factors in play, "decisions have moved higher up in the organization," says John DeLorenzo, SVP of sales and account management for Prudential Group Insurance. "So it's not just the human resources department or the benefits department making those decisions. It's moved all the way up ... into the C-suite."

Instead of focusing on the external issues that you cannot control, you should be focused on your business model and figure out how to reinvent your practice to enhance your value proposition to your clients and prospective clients. How can you make up any lost revenue? Why will your clients find your services relevant - and perhaps even more necessary? What additional revenue streams can you add to optimize the value of your existing and new client relationships? That's what you need to focus on and that's all within your control. That's also why we have been discussing strategic alliances over the last several months as a strategy to adapt to the changing market conditions. Joining forces with like-minded benefits professionals just might be the right approach.

Ellen M. is a 47-year-old single mom whose 4-year-old son is diagnosed with pervasive development disorder not otherwise specified, a disorder on the autism spectrum.

When asked about their experience with selling workplace voluntary benefits, most brokers often give one of two replies:

Employees know very little about disability coverage. But when they learn about it, they often want it and are willing to pay for it. A Consumer Federation of America and Unum national survey finds that only 13% of surveyed workers know "a lot" about disability insurance, and less than half (47%) know what its benefits are, according to the survey of 1,200 employees. Yet, when informed about DI, a majority (90%) want the coverage, and 86% are willing to pay half of a $30 average monthly premium, and 56% are willing to pay the entire premium in order to gain income protection should they become disabled. According to a 2012 Social Security Fact Sheet, almost 1-in-4 of today's 20 year olds will become disabled before age 67.

With consumer-driven health care plans increasing the out-of-pocket contribution for a growing number of employees, employers and their advisers are looking for ways to offset these costs. Consult A Doctor's telephonic program connects employees to a doctor in a matter of minutes, no office visit copay required, just a fee-for-service that is often covered by the employer.

All too often we get caught up in day-to-day activities and forget who it is that we ultimately serve: employees. Without employees signing up for benefits, querying accounts, using services provided and generally trying to take care of themselves and their families, we wouldn't have businesses to run. To bring this point home, I offer the following composite sketches (based on anecdotes from brokers, vendors and employers) - oh to be a fly on the wall ...

Your sales organization has a mix of players. Some are great, some OK and some, well, not making the grade. Yours is like many - but not all - organizations. Not all employees are titans, but that's what your goal should be. This column will look at profiling employees into three categories. It is about improving the ranks of superstars and changing out substandard players. We want to create a stronger army for you with higher productivity and profits.

If you are looking for an idea that can capture the attention of employers, consider helping them provide employees the means to bridge the gaps in their medical plan. I have identified five distinct gaps that, if addressed, can create a huge sales opportunity for group health agents.