It’s Time to Thank Your Clients!
With AEP fast approaching there’s no better time than now to reach out and thank your clients. After all, without them where would we be?
When you have clients who’ve been with you for years, you might fall into the trap of taking them for granted. You tell yourself they’re happy where they’re at and they don’t need to hear from you. But that’s wrong! These are just the clients you need to be reaching out to.
Your long-term clients provide the backbone of your book of business, help generate new leads and give you firsthand insight into what matters most to Medicare beneficiaries. If you’re not maintaining consistent and personalized contact, you’re at risk of losing your most valuable clients. So what can you do to connect with your clients?
Make it personal
You may not have the capacity to send a handwritten card to every one of your clients, although they’re incredibly effective. But the more you personalize your communication—even the everyday messages—the better response you’ll get. Before you make contact, review your notes and find a way to show authentic interest in your clients’ lives.
Ask about grandchildren, confirm recent changes in their coverage are still meeting their needs, inquire about an upcoming vacation or follow up on their plans to move next year. Clients genuinely appreciate this personal touch.
Taking the time to make that connection means they’re more likely to trust you. They know you’re paying attention and listening to what they say. In turn, your clients are more likely to not just stay with you, but to also refer their family and friends to you.
Ask for referrals
Speaking of referrals, your regular customers are an incredible way to generate new leads. But you do need to follow CMS guidelines carefully. A 2019 change to the communication requirements lets you reach out to prospective clients at their mailing address or email, but still not by phone. This means you can only ask for referrals’ names and addresses.
Also, don’t make clients feel like the referral request is the only reason you’re contacting them. Thank your client first and only inquire about the referral at the end of your communication. Never pressure clients or offer an incentive in return for a referral.
Keep up with Medicare trends
Even if your client isn’t changing their coverage, you should be ready to field their questions about new Medicare legislation, new offerings from providers, or trends that could signal a switch down the road. For example, Medicare enrollees are now spending more on Advantage Plans than Original Medicare—an average of $321 higher in 2019. This means beneficiaries see real value in these plans and are willing to spend extra money for extra coverage.
The number of Advantage enrollees also continues to rise, with 42% of Medicare enrollees choosing an Advantage Plan in 2021. If your client is currently enrolled in Original Medicare and a Part D plan, they may want to hear more about their alternatives.
Use a CRM system to stay organized
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software remains a growing sales trend that’s actually predicted to increase at a rate of 14.27% from 2020 to 2027. A CRM tool is especially useful for insurance agents. They store policy information, appointments, notes, birthdays, personalized reminders, schedule emails and help streamline messaging.
CRMs help you improve your client relationships by making communication easier, faster and less work for you. To help you with this transition, Financial Grade offers discounts for AgencyBloc, the #1 agency recommended management system on the market.
Act Now!
You’ve put in the legwork to bring these clients into your service. Now is the time to let them know how much you appreciate them.
Reach out to your clients today, even if you think they’re happy with their current policy. And if you have questions about integrating AgencyBloc into your workflow, contact us today for assistance, tips and discounts.
image credit: shutterstock/anyaivanova
