Sales and marketing

One speaker at the National Association for Health Underwriters annual conference Monday provided suggestions for brokers to protect their businesses, as well as increase referrals, when enrolling individuals and small businesses on the public marketplaces.

According to one 401(k) expert’s poll, employees need to be saving 20% of their earnings for retirement. How they get there is where you come in.

While many brokers consider leaving the industry in response to the changing health care environment, most agree that reform has created a huge opportunity for advisers willing to adapt.

Road to Workplace Benefits Mania: Ahead of the July conference, speaker Scott Snow says that most employers have a large health care cost problem and aren’t aware that many employees have working spouses who can be covered by their own plan.

Either way, benefit firms are consolidating and it’s important for brokers and advisers to evaluate their options and find the right fit for their agency.

Commentary: Improve external communications, including your sales system and your marketing efforts, to enhance benefit brokerages overall.

How a father and daughter benefit broker team worked together to launch a private insurance marketplace that serves small and mid-size businesses as well as other local advisers.

Several benefit brokers share their experiences with using TV ads during open enrollment 2014.

Commentary: Columnist Craig Davidson explores the future of employee benefits in the kick-off to a new series about what’s to come and how to prepare for change.

Commentary: Columnist Jack Kwicien tells you to take a step back and evaluate each client from a sales management consultant approach.

Potentially a result of complaints from consumers and increased competition on the ACA exchanges, benefit brokers may be pleased to find more options on the 2015 plans.

Employees living paycheck to paycheck need solutions from their employers to meet financial emergencies, yet most employers aren’t aware financial wellness programs and lending solutions exist or that they’re credible.

Commentary: As part of columnist Mel Schlesinger’s sales system that cannot fail series, he discusses how to have a sales value proposition that is different from competitors and opens doors at all times of the year.

Commentary: Blogger John Graham helps benefit brokers and advisers unlearn some of the worst sayings business people tend to tell themselves.

Benefit brokers should be turning their sights to the capabilities of health care data to improve employer clients’ employees’ health. There are doctors asking for even more potential from computer algorithms to interpret such data and could provide a glimpse into the future.

While one of the most talked about rising employee benefits, brokers vary in their approach to offering this trend because of the realities of use, cost and profit.

Industry experts say that while unlikely, the historically stable product line may have the potential for price changes as its sales continue to rise.

Commentary: The Japanese have a business philosophy called the keiretsu. Find out how it could improve the way you operate.

Industry groups hope the broker licensing bill will be attached to another insurance law that should go through Congress soon, but lawmakers aren’t confirming anything right now.

Benefit insiders predict a steep decline in small business group health insurance sales in the coming years, which could prove harmful for many independent brokers and agents.