Medicare Supplement Vs Medicare Advantage

So--you find ME at fault when someone else does something irresponsible?

Does someone need a brain?

Get a grip.

Was it a crappy comment? Maybe. If you don't know him.

Was it irresponsible? Not only NO. H**k NO.

If you are so thin skinned that one comment on a message board makes you believe you are a loser, you don't belong in the business.
 
So--you find ME at fault when someone else does something irresponsible?

Does someone need a brain?

You will find life to be a little happier if you slow up a bit.

I think chazm's post is an excellent reminder that product knowledge; market knowledge; and experience in dealing with the flow of probable purchaser feelings and buying experiences; are key elements which can allow a salesperson to become successful in making a sale where others have failed.
 
Insulting narcissists are fewer here than they used to be-but still around

And they waste time with silly, unrealistic, self serving comments that have no basis in reality.

THANKS for a post that brings nothing to the table and costs me 45 seconds I cant get back.

Spare me your brilliance in the future wont you? Share your genius with those that deserve it!

----------



You're a loser if you don't kiss Narcissus' backside. Gods sake.

Hmm... maybe you're taking my post too much to heart. I will say that I am a loser when it comes to marketing to people over 65. Does it mean that I'm a "loser" in the sense you are thinking? No. I am a loser in that kind of marketing, because I failed at it.
Don't take things so personally and your feelings won't get hurt:goofy:

----------

Its a losing battle for me...and I'm not a loser ;)

I don't make outbound calls either, though. People call me. There isn't just one way to succeed.

I wish I could make a living off of just inbound calls, that would be the life.
 
I sell both. Since I start with ACA, most of my medicare eligible clients are coming from that pool and they refer their friends (they tell 2 friends, then they tell 2 friends, etc).

I like one specific Medicare.gov free publication that has an easy flow-chart to demonstrate the difference between MA and MAPD.

go to Medicare.gov, select the "Forms, Help & Resources" tab, on the drop-down go to "Free Medicare Publications", form number 11514 is "A Quick Look at Medicare".

It's downloadable or you can order a single print copy. If a customer doesn't indicate that they are interested in a specific plan or type of plan, I take one of these into every meeting.
 
Losing battle for who? I guess it's a losing battle for the losers, the ones who can't set the appt. I can't tell you how many appts I set after the person tells me they have had tons of calls already.

I speak with agents all the time about T65 v. 67+ and I think it really comes down to personal preference ...

T65 - You will be fighting other agents for these clients just like Chazm referenced above.

67+ - Health underwriting (after offering a strong value proposition to make it worth them switching ...) but fighting other agents will be less common since the market size for folks already on Medicare is significantly larger than T65.
 
Last edited:
I speak with agents all the time about T65 v. 67+ and I think it really comes down to personal preference ...

T65 - You will be fighting other agents for these clients just like Chazm referenced above.

67+ - Health underwriting (after offering a strong value proposition to make it worth them switching ...) but fighting other agents will be less common since the market size for folks already on Medicare is significantly larger than T65.

Remarks which chazm has made concerning some recent business development efforts accompanied with the quotes above, suggest to me that there is more to dealing with the two age markets than personal preferences. I think there are probably some different sales techniques which the two age markets require too.
 
I think the key to success with MAs, MAPDs and PDPs is to be appointed with nearly every carrier possible in your target area. Lots of agents are intimidated with the certifications/recertifications required. I just tell my wife, every July, that I will be unavailable for about three days whilst I do my AHIP and recertifications for about ten or so different carriers.

Then when you meet with people you can be confident of giving them the most optimum plan available for their situations.

It is also helpful to save every single plan's SOB, EOC, formulary, etc. as PDFs on your laptop so you can quickly pull 'em up in someone's living room, whether internet access is available or not. I spend about a day every September or early October downloading all that data. Comes in really handy when people start asking which SNP offers the most OTC stuff, etc.

Can't agree with this more. I love sitting with someone and legitimately being able to say I represent every MAPD a person can buy and almost all the PDP/med sup carriers. Then I use medicare.gov right in front of them and help them navigate through the different plans.

I end up closing almost 100% of sit downs on the first call this way. Once they realize that I don't charge anything and they get the plan that fits their needs, the referrals start coming in.

As far as mailing t65, its tough because of all the clutter. Maybe think of a different way to market to them, like asking a current t65 client to send an email to some of their friends on your behalf. Or having them text their friends. Help write the pitch and give it to them. You know that most people have a handful of friends (think golfing buddies, scrapbook groups, etc) that are right in the same age range. The problem there is that it isn't an instant solution or pre made marketing solution (like the cheapo lead cards that you can buy/mail for $400/per 1000) so many agents struggle with taking something like that to fruition.

One thing I am focusing on now BIGLY is to get introductions to t65 financial advisors. I have met with (coffee, lunch, phone consults) with 5 advisors over the last 2 weeks. These meetings are designed (obviously) to have them refer their t65 clients and early/post 65 retirees to me because:

-I don't step on the advisor's toes, cross selling products
-I will communicate back to the advisor to let him/her know that their client has reached out to me (think about professionals you refer clients to like a FA or Elder Attorney. Wouldn't you like to know that the client followed through?)
-I will stay in communication with our shared clients on a consistent basis (Part D annual reviews) and try to send communication back to the advisor to let them know that I followed through.
-I sell every plan their clients has access to so they are getting the correct plan for their needs and as the client's needs change, I am there along the way.

Using this strategy has helped me grow a lot over the last few years and now I am actually incorporating it into my "pitch" by asking the client for the FA info, rather than having it pop out of left field.

I would challenge anyone that wants to market differently to ask the next 10 people you meet with and sign up who their Financial Advisor is. Then ask if the client is ok with you using their name as an introduction/lead in to meet with the advisor on a 1 on 1 basis (my wife calls them man dates).

This is such an untapped market, at least in my area. I have over 30 advisors that refer their clients to me and I'd say that half the people they send to me are t65. I do help with the ACA and Part D reviews for a non med sup client so you do have to take the good with the bad (which is why being independent helps and I play that angle up). I've done plenty pro bono, like a child who needed an individual plan today that came from an advisor referral so she got an SEP ACA plan at $0 commission.

Just my thoughts
 
[QUOTE="Chazm;1177
I wish I could make a living off of just inbound calls, that would be the life.[/QUOTE]

You'll get there.

And what KStein said. Tonight I'm presenting Medicare 101 to 40 people at a dinner that an FP is hosting. I'm bringing door prizes, so that's $30.

I did a "State of Health Insurance" luncheon a few weeks ago for an FP.

Did the same presentation to an FP firm on Tuesday morning. But I paid for breakfast, so that cost me $50. Damnit.

I've got 1 dinner and 3 breakfasts in May that FPs host and I present.

Every September, I host 3 beakfasts for FPs on next year's plans. Costs about $150 each time. Ask them to bring a friend. Talk about whats going on. Reminds them I'm brilliant ;)

The key to these relationships are:
1. Know your stuff
2. Help their clients even when you make nothing
3. Keep them in the loop
4. Make sure they know upfront what they are getting in return. Which is nothing, except a "value add" to their clients.
5. Only talk to ones who don't do health. Raymond James, Edward Jones, Ameriprise
6.
 
Back
Top