Sales and Marketing

Over the years of working with benefits professionals, I have seen three common mistakes that are costing them business and raving fan referrals. More importantly, these three mistakes also are costing them money through staff and infrastructure expenses.

Crossing the value gap should be a top priority for benefit sellers. The value gap is a chasm that exists between how most advisers sell, which buyers view as ho-hum, and a wonderful place where relatively few sellers travel, but buyers love. Taking your buyers across the value gap lands you in a place where buyers are more frequently willing to buy and where you'll have more fun than a kid in a candy store.

After 10 years as a sales coach to benefit professionals - both core and voluntary - I have had an epiphany of sorts. My epiphany was this: Sales success is really very simple, regardless of your product or service. It boils down to this:

The Employee Benefit Adviser App is a must-have resource for benefit brokers, advisers and consultants who help employers build and manage their group benefits programs, be they health, retirement, voluntary or non-insurance. Choose from our helpful apps and download them today!

To sell is to close. It is the penultimate conclusion. Selling is of no value unless one can close the sale in a timely manner.

To be successful in the sale of voluntary insurance products the agent will have to be transformed into a member of the business owner's employee benefit advisory team.

My practice as an ERISA attorney is devoted to working with financial advisers to help their retirement plan clients reduce their administrative cost, minimize their fiduciary liability, and maximize retirement savings at a flat fee.

Almost 80% of employers anticipate that there will be an increased demand for access to savings and investment advice about their 401(k) plans, according to a new survey from Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

One of the more contentious issues of last year's health care reform debate, whether health insurance companies should be allowed to sell policies across state lines, was the focus of a hearing by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Health Subcommittee last month.

Thorough knowledge of this HR necessity will set you apart as a benefits administration partner for your clients.