Medicare Agent Training: Stay Informed, Close More Sales
When was the last time you participated in Medicare agent training aside from your annual certifications? For many Medicare insurance professionals, the answer is far too long ago. But why? Clearly, there’s a direct relationship between strong organizational skills, stellar sales performance, elevated product knowledge, and sophisticated sales techniques. Even for agents who are supported by an industry leading, trusted field marketing organization (FMO) like Financial Grade, continuing education often falls to the bottom of the to-do list.
You may be a knowledgeable, experienced professional already, but Medicare sales are unique. On top of the annual updates to plans, policies and procedures frequently change. The dynamic, highly regulated nature of Medicare sales and enrollment makes consistent training an absolute must.
Medicare Agent Training: What You Need to Know
Licensed Medicare insurance agent training is an essential element of your success. Without investing effort into continuing education, your business can quickly falter and potential revenue opportunities can vanish. By contrast, routinely participating in training and adopting the latest technology can help you close more sales.
1. Prospecting is key to long-term success
Effective lead generation is one of the most crucial aspects of an agent’s skill set because it’s the lifeblood of your business. Without leads, you can’t make sales. Unfortunately, prospecting is where even expert Medicare insurance agents can feel challenged.
Some might feel they have enough business to be comfortable and may not be interested in learning how to maximize lead generation in a modern sales environment. But, to be truly competitive and build a sustainable business, you have to spend time generating leads. In addition to training opportunities to learn more about prospecting, Financial Grade offers special rates on qualified lead lists.
2. Don’t forget the fundamentals of licensed Medicare insurance agent training
Closing doesn’t happen by osmosis. When you first go through Medicare agent training, you were probably taught the basics of the sales process. Over time, you may have stuck with that strategy or perfected your own technique. Don’t forget to regularly refresh your knowledge of the fundamentals!
Believe in what you’re selling. Be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of the senior health plans you sell. Understand your clients’ pain points before recommending a plan. Be prompt, courteous, and a good listener to leave a shining impression. And, most importantly, don’t forget timely follow ups!
3. Continue learning
Of course, you do need to move beyond the basics. Your Medicare agent training would be incomplete if you didn’t also have a deep understanding of Medicare’s complex regulations and how they affect your business. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) offers webinars and other resources for new and returning agents.
Additionally, as part of the support provided as an FMO, Financial Grade regularly hosts training webinars and seminars. This ensures you always have the latest Medicare information, sales tips and techniques, and organizational skills to stay productive.
4. Embrace Medicare agent training technology
At this point, technology touches nearly every aspect of modern life, and Medicare insurance agent sales are no different. As you pursue continuing education, learn how to use modern technology to optimize your sales process.
One way to take advantage of available technology is with Financial Grade’s Quote and Enroll Tool. This powerful tool quickly and easily compares plans and premiums to deliver accurate quotes for clients considering a new Medicare plan. Effectively leveraging such technology helps you serve your clients better.
Selling Medicare plans with the greatest success takes focused, intentional work. Invest time in yourself, and you’ll see a positive impact on your business. Contact us today to get training now.
image credit: shutterstock/Life and Times
