Advice on Selling Medicare Supplements

[ksigmtsu]

It's a soul patch, popularized by musicians, beatniks and artists, (a la Frank Zappa, who added a mustache to his). I'm a drummer, just as an fyi.

A goatee is a beard growing off of the chin, you know like a goat?

Frank Zappa is a personal hero of mine. However, I still stand by my initial comment about your appearance in your photo being quite "fratboyesque".
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Needs of the Customer. That set my mind on fire. Thank you boss! I have never seemed to acknowledge their needs.

I find Med Supp to be less about meeting the "needs" and more about selling the "wants" of the customer. The real "want" you are filling is solving a perceived problem of the customer. They want advise from an agent, you show them that you can fill that spot for them so they have a person that will address their concerns, and you from that point on are their agent. Most seniors I do business with already know what supplement or MA plan they want, they just want someone to explain the process and do the forms and deal with the company for them, and they'd prefer a local person they can relate to that makes them feel good about it. I've even had people so confused about the process of using an agent that they believed they had to pay me extra over the cost of the policy to sell it to them, for the extra service I provided. People HATE dealing with out of town people over the phone that can't actually address their questions in a timely manner. That's your selling point. I am a person, I will help you. You can call me, I will deal with the company for you. I am not a telephone answering service with a push button menu. It is very much less about selling the plan, and more about selling yourself, at least in the way I do it. The FIRST thing out of my mouth on the phone with leads is

"Hi, is this (first name)? Hi, my name is (my first name), and I am a local medicare supplement specialist in (town). I saw you needed help with your supplement insurance, how can I help you?"

People will even ask me sometimes about the price on the supplement the call center already offered them, or tell me that the app is in the mail already, and my answer 100% of the time is

"I can help you sign up for that product, at the same price, and also if you need any changes in the future I also have 7 other carriers in case a change needs to be made. If you ever need anything, you can call me."

50-75% of the time, I convert those people who have already been sold by a call center.

If you are working local leads, that's your niche. That's what I would suggest ANYONE just starting out to do. Don't even try to suggest you know more than anyone, just that you'll work hard to meet their needs and they can trust you.

 

[Olive Tree]

Are you serious? Did you just take time out of your schedule to make it this clear for us all? Oh my Lord God! Just when i thought I didnt need or want more info you hit us with this great selling plan. May you receive a one hundred fold (maximum) return for your time and information. May your sales increase substantially. May pressure be non existent in your life and may Jesus continue to put you in front of people who are able to show you uncommon FAVOR! Amen

Frank Zappa is a personal hero of mine. However, I still stand by my initial comment about your appearance in your photo being quite "fratboyesque".
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I find Med Supp to be less about meeting the "needs" and more about selling the "wants" of the customer. The real "want" you are filling is solving a perceived problem of the customer. They want advise from an agent, you show them that you can fill that spot for them so they have a person that will address their concerns, and you from that point on are their agent. Most seniors I do business with already know what supplement or MA plan they want, they just want someone to explain the process and do the forms and deal with the company for them, and they'd prefer a local person they can relate to that makes them feel good about it. I've even had people so confused about the process of using an agent that they believed they had to pay me extra over the cost of the policy to sell it to them, for the extra service I provided. People HATE dealing with out of town people over the phone that can't actually address their questions in a timely manner. That's your selling point. I am a person, I will help you. You can call me, I will deal with the company for you. I am not a telephone answering service with a push button menu. It is very much less about selling the plan, and more about selling yourself, at least in the way I do it. The FIRST thing out of my mouth on the phone with leads is

"Hi, is this (first name)? Hi, my name is (my first name), and I am a local medicare supplement specialist in (town). I saw you needed help with your supplement insurance, how can I help you?"

People will even ask me sometimes about the price on the supplement the call center already offered them, or tell me that the app is in the mail already, and my answer 100% of the time is

"I can help you sign up for that product, at the same price, and also if you need any changes in the future I also have 7 other carriers in case a change needs to be made in the future. If you ever need anything, you can call me."

50-75% of the time, I convert those people who have already been sold by a call center.

If you are working local leads, that's your niche. That's what I would suggest ANYONE just starting out to do. Don't even try to suggest you know more than anyone, just that you'll work hard to meet their needs and they can trust you.

 

[ksigmtsu]

Are you serious? Did you just take time out of your schedule to make it this clear for us all? Oh my Lord God! Just when i thought I didnt need or want more info you hit us with this great selling plan. May you receive a one hundred fold (maximum) return for your time and information. May your sales increase substantially. May pressure be non existent in your life and may Jesus continue to put you in front of people who are able to show you uncommon FAVOR! Amen

I can't tell if that is sarcasm or just really over the top. Either way it made me smile. Lol time out of my schedule too, that's really funny, I work from home so my time isn't worth much.

 

[Jim Jenkins]

It's a soul patch, popularized by musicians, beatniks and artists, (a la Frank Zappa, who added a mustache to his). I'm a drummer, just as an fyi.



Looks like some sort of creature or maybe a smashed bug.

 

[Guest]

Looks like some sort of creature or maybe a smashed bug.

Ha ha, my dad says "put some milk on it let the cat lick it off" I don't have the heart to tell him the cat's been dead for ten years or so, LOL

Frank Zappa is a personal hero of mine. However, I still stand by my initial comment about your appearance in your photo being quite "fratboyesque".

I got to see Zappa does Zappa last summer, one of the best shows I've ever seen, my older Brother was a huge fan, he saw him every Halloween in NYC for years!!

To Olive: Yes, 12 songs is a lot, but I am the point where I can learn the melodies and arrangement and successfully play the tune.

Cheers!
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I can't tell if that is sarcasm or just really over the top. Either way it made me smile. Lol time out of my schedule too, that's really funny, I work from home so my time isn't worth much.

I have a feeling your time is worth a lot more than many others, keep up the good work!

 

[jerry176]

Just set an appointment for a J plan. I only want to work with J plans until they are gone. I have made them WANT a NEED by switching them to J and adding NEEDED coverage for the same or slightly lower rate! 12 songs is a lot of songs to memorize by the way!

Olive Tree 1. I make sure they understand that they must qualify for these savings and that we must in essence choose them. Everybody wants to save money but who can qualify? I ask the tobacco question and if they say they dont use it I say, this is why so many people would get angry with me but the reality is they are the ones smoking! I make them feel great for passing the smoking test.

2. I am not licensed so I cant quote rates (how lame) I dont want a license either. I assume close by saying when you save this money I am begging you to put it into life insurance but Sharon its your decision, you may want to spend this extra $500 on a couple of nice dresses. Its your decision. Now how old are you again?
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Olive, maybe you should get your insurance license, so that way the folks who are being pushed the J plan, can ask you why did you put us in a plan that is being eliminated, and the rates are going to increase because there will be no new enrollees... also if you are not licensed, why are you recommending any plan for that matter.
Do you know why the J plan is being eliminated???
If you did, maybe you wouldn't push it.

 

[Olive Tree]

Hello super genius. Does this mean that J plan rates will sky rocket? My people taught me that the J plan is leaving but if you have it already you keep it with a great rate in the future. If this is not true please tell me.
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This is peoples lives here. Please reply with the reason that the J plan is not worth pitching. You can't just say "if you knew why". If your just joking please tell me. I have received enough info on the forum to only pitch the F plan they have with a better company with relative ease. Thank you for raising the red flag on the J (though it seems that your real issue is that im not licensed). I respect your advice and therefore have come to the conclusion while writing this that MAYBE I should no longer pitch the J plan at all? Whatever...
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Also people may WANT to pay a little extra for a J plan. You act as if these people are trapped for life the day a plan increases. This is supplements sir not Verizon Wireless with a 3 year contract...relax. By the way this is my final post in this thread so I wont be replying. Thanks buddy

 

[Frank Stastny]

Hello? Does this mean that J plan rates will sky rocket. My people taught me that the J plan is leaving but if you have it already you keep it with a great rate. If this is not true please tell me.
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This is peoples lives here. Please reply with the reason that the J plan is not worth pitching. You can't just say "if you knew why" this is serious if it's some drastic increase in the future. If your just joking please tell me. I have received enough info to only pitch the F plan they have with a better company. Thank you for raising the red flag on the J. I respect your advice and therefore have come to the conclusion while writing this that I shiuld no longer pitch the J plan at all?
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Also people may WANT to pay a little extra for a J plan. You act as if these people are trapped for life the day a plan increases. Lol

No, he is not joking. I neither recommend nor sell Plan J for the reasons he mentioned. I don't recommend or sell Plan F either. In most instances it is not the best investment of their premium dollar, however, that will vary from state to state based on the premium difference between F and D or G.

There are no Med Supps with any company that a client can keep "with a great rate" for usually more than a few years. They all go up and with no new revenue coming in for Plan J after June1, 2010 it is going to start to get very expensive because claims will continue.

As premiums increase the healthy people will leave Plan J but the unhealthy people will be stuck with it. Premiums are based on claims experience, the more claims the higher the premiums will go especially with Plan J because the "new" money will come to a halt.

I expect that within the next three years Plan J is going to be extremely expensive. So expensive that a lot of people who get stuck with it because of health reasons and cannot change may not be able to continue to afford the premiums.

I'm afraid you may be doing those people a huge disservice. Your right "this is serious". It may be in your best interest and the senior's to know a lot more about Medicare and Medicare Supplement insurance if you are going to council them and assist them in making well-informed and intelligent decisions.

If you would like to give me a call we can discuss this at greater length over phone. There really are some things you need to be aware of if you are advising seniors regarding their Medicare Supplement insurance.

Call anytime.

 

[GreenSky]

Just noticed on the Mutual of Omaha site that they will allow a GI from their Plan J into the new plans starting next June.

Fortunately, their J plan is the lowest of any plan in CA so I'm very happy use it, especially with the ability to change in the future.

Rick

 

[Frank Stastny]

...especially with the ability to change in the future.

Rick

However, that is a provision that is unique to only a few states, California and Missouri being two of them.