Brand New with a Few Questions Regarding MedSupps.

[Chazm]

I have found using Skype to be very productive for a face-to-face substitute. I use it a lot for existing client meetings and calls. If my customer has to step away for a minute or two, I can work on something else. I save time and travel and my customer gets some flexibility.

With Med Supps? Most of my clients don't even use a computer

 

[Daytona_Guy]

I have found using Skype to be very productive for a face-to-face substitute. I use it a lot for existing client meetings and calls. If my customer has to step away for a minute or two, I can work on something else. I save time and travel and my customer gets some flexibility.

The vast majority of seniors we speak to are online.
Just saw this study indicating it's about half of the senior population.
Report: More than half of seniors now use the Web - CNN.com

We target those above $25,000 in income and I'd say that about 75% of them that we talk to are online.

I would suggest, though, instead of using Skype for that personal interaction, that you use a very simple screen share and show your camera on your screen. This is a super simple setup that allows them to see you.

1) They do not want you to see them (as in a skype-model).
2) 90% of them will not be using Skype and do not want to go through the hassle of installing it merely to speak with you.

Even if they do have Skype, I would not want to take the unnecessary time to walk them through adding me as a contact, etc. etc. It's frustration that neither they, nor you, have the patience for when all we need is the result, not that process. Avoiding any unnecessary frustration with the computer leads to a faster call conclusion. In my early days of selling, I was told to bring three pens into the house. Why? Because any interruption (having to go back outside to get another pen) can be their excuse to stop everything and "think about it and get back to you."

Don't become a computer tech for folks.. it's not your job.

By sending them a link, for instance, to JoinMe using the free
application icon on your desktop, within a minute you can have a link generated and e-mailed to them directly. They merely have to check their e-mail and click on the link to see you.
EASY EASY EASY.

On your side, you can be showing the quote engine, the application and then run the program for your webcam, showing the preview of your cam and bring that into the view of the screen being shared. Showing my camera to the client is not a necessary component. I use it very sparingly, as I don't want to, or need to, be under the microscope the whole time. But when I'm making a very important point, I want them to see me make it, and I look right into the camera for that connection - and it works. Here's a picture of what that camera program's preview window looks like. Again, you only have to run the preview window and move it into the screen you're sharing. See a scary example here.

In my setup, I maintain two monitors, side by side. One monitor is set for them to see and the other monitor can do anything outside their field of view that's not important for them to see. It works great.

You can now use what I call a "credibility piece". This is a Powerpoint-type presentation that shows your background, your picture, your family, a list of companies you represent, a list of states you're licensed in, and even a photo of your license if you wish. All of this builds instant credibility and eliminates the #1 reason they would not do business with you over the phone - they don't know you and don't trust you. When you eliminate this problem, it's all about getting the application done.

One more tip, I would get to the health questions in the phone call as early into it as possible. Why? Because you could spend 30 minutes building trust and credibility and getting them the right rate and over to the application only to later find out that they have to answer "YES" to the disqualifying questions.

It is advantageous to you and to them to not waste their time with something they do not qualify for. In the early days of sales training, they call this a "take away". But it's legitimate to explain to them that they may or may not qualify for a much better rate on their Medicare Supplement insurance plan.
Newer plans require medical underwriting and you have the questions they would need to answer right there. If they wouldn't mind listening to these health questions real quick, you will know if this is something worth looking into or not.

Note... "listening" instead of answering and "worth looking into". This means you've let them off the hook of actually providing personal information and you are just offering to educate them. It also means you don't expect them to take action, you are proposing that it may be worth looking into. It's very non-committal, if that's a word. This is important UNTIL they've built the trust, but again you don't want to take that unnecessary step if they have COPD, out of control diabetes and are 400lbs and 5' 9.

Hope this helps someone.

Everything we do is over the phone and I definitely would not do it any other way.



.

 

[bill3173]

With Med Supps? Most of my clients don't even use a computer

Same here, the only ones that I get that are able to do anything on the computer are either recently retired or currently working in an office somewhere.

Oh well, I have a skype meeting set up with some of my 68-80 year old clients, and then I'm going to have them digitally sign the apps that I've sent to their iphones, but first they're going to attach usb cables and upload to their computers for a larger display...see how easy it is?

 

[BobbyMcGee]

Image:

Sskype? You want me to skype? My ass.

 

[Newby]

The vast majority of seniors we speak to are online.
Just saw this study indicating it's about half of the senior population.
Report: More than half of seniors now use the Web - CNN.com

We target those above $25,000 in income and I'd say that about 75% of them that we talk to are online.

I would suggest, though, instead of using Skype for that personal interaction, that you use a very simple screen share and show your camera on your screen. This is a super simple setup that allows them to see you.

1) They do not want you to see them (as in a skype-model).
2) 90% of them will not be using Skype and do not want to go through the hassle of installing it merely to speak with you.

Even if they do have Skype, I would not want to take the unnecessary time to walk them through adding me as a contact, etc. etc. It's frustration that neither they, nor you, have the patience for when all we need is the result, not that process. Avoiding any unnecessary frustration with the computer leads to a faster call conclusion. In my early days of selling, I was told to bring three pens into the house. Why? Because any interruption (having to go back outside to get another pen) can be their excuse to stop everything and "think about it and get back to you."

Don't become a computer tech for folks.. it's not your job.

By sending them a link, for instance, to JoinMe using the free
application icon on your desktop, within a minute you can have a link generated and e-mailed to them directly. They merely have to check their e-mail and click on the link to see you.
EASY EASY EASY.

On your side, you can be showing the quote engine, the application and then run the program for your webcam, showing the preview of your cam and bring that into the view of the screen being shared. Showing my camera to the client is not a necessary component. I use it very sparingly, as I don't want to, or need to, be under the microscope the whole time. But when I'm making a very important point, I want them to see me make it, and I look right into the camera for that connection - and it works. Here's a picture of what that camera program's preview window looks like. Again, you only have to run the preview window and move it into the screen you're sharing. See a scary example here.

In my setup, I maintain two monitors, side by side. One monitor is set for them to see and the other monitor can do anything outside their field of view that's not important for them to see. It works great.

You can now use what I call a "credibility piece". This is a Powerpoint-type presentation that shows your background, your picture, your family, a list of companies you represent, a list of states you're licensed in, and even a photo of your license if you wish. All of this builds instant credibility and eliminates the #1 reason they would not do business with you over the phone - they don't know you and don't trust you. When you eliminate this problem, it's all about getting the application done.

One more tip, I would get to the health questions in the phone call as early into it as possible. Why? Because you could spend 30 minutes building trust and credibility and getting them the right rate and over to the application only to later find out that they have to answer "YES" to the disqualifying questions.

It is advantageous to you and to them to not waste their time with something they do not qualify for. In the early days of sales training, they call this a "take away". But it's legitimate to explain to them that they may or may not qualify for a much better rate on their Medicare Supplement insurance plan.
Newer plans require medical underwriting and you have the questions they would need to answer right there. If they wouldn't mind listening to these health questions real quick, you will know if this is something worth looking into or not.

Note... "listening" instead of answering and "worth looking into". This means you've let them off the hook of actually providing personal information and you are just offering to educate them. It also means you don't expect them to take action, you are proposing that it may be worth looking into. It's very non-committal, if that's a word. This is important UNTIL they've built the trust, but again you don't want to take that unnecessary step if they have COPD, out of control diabetes and are 400lbs and 5' 9.

Hope this helps someone.

Everything we do is over the phone and I definitely would not do it any other way.

.

That's a very helpful post! Chris is always on the cutting edge of technology but he focuses on keeping it simple for the consumer which is key.

 

[eharriett]

I have a great deal of interest in this topic. I'm not convinced that we need to be online with our clients just yet, but I think it is only a matter of a few short years before we must. If you listen to the PDP and MA companies, they believe our clients can run a computer as if they've been doing it since they were teens. The majority of my prospects use a computer today, but for simple things: emailing and the occasional web browse. But I've got a lot more clients today with an IT background than I did 5 years ago. We don't have a web presence yet because we haven't needed one, and we haven't found anyone online yet in a way we're comfortable interacting with our clients. We're sure we are missing a small amount of business by not being there, but that isn't a line we've felt a need to cross yet.

That being said, my grandmother is 104, living in Israel, and communicates with me on Skype about once every 30-60 days. So who knows.

 

[Guest]

I have found using Skype to be very productive for a face-to-face substitute. I use it a lot for existing client meetings and calls. If my customer has to step away for a minute or two, I can work on something else. I save time and travel and my customer gets some flexibility.

Wow, that's great! I live in a rural area and every day I have at least one person that when I ask if they have email they ask 'what's email'? lol...

 

[Aksarben68022]

When it comes to telephonic or non-traditional enrollment methods Med supp and MA carriers are headed toward paperless/non-traditional sales and enrollment methods because it increases their profits. using no paper cuts down the number hands required to service the app on arrival at the carrier and having a pre-built Eprocess cuts down on the typical agent and consumer errors that create log jams in new business and underwriting.

We as agents need to stay ahead of the curve or at least ride the wave so we avoid getting sucked under by the riptide and left in its wake and good or bad so do prospects...

We sell 100% of our policies over the phone and in all 50 states, some with voice signature others with Esignature and a few more with wet signature and fax or scan submission from the consumer.

just imagine what the Medicare market enrollment and sales methods available will be like in 3 years and how much the process has changed in the past 3 years.. its pretty amazing when you think about it.

 

[aheff]

I am in the minority here, but I still do F2F, for several reasons. Primarily, and I guess unfortunately, that's my comfort zone-although I am really trying to do more over the phone. That being said, when I meet with a prospect, I'll usually have one or two other appointments in the same area, to maximize my travel time spent. My closing ratio on a F2F appointment is close to 100%. Since my business is mostly referrals, I get significantly greater referrals from F2F. My cross sell is 0% over the phone, F2F is better. My retention is much better from F2F. Finally, I think the client appreciates F2F much more, and I think I do a better, more thorough job for him. This is no knock on phone/mail whatsoever- just F2F works for me.