Change client lives through small talk and soft questions

In Enhanced Benefits by Eric Silverman

“No, I’ll just sign a waiver.” Six words an enhanced benefit enroller never wants to hear. We all know that employee, the one who doesn’t have time to meet, already knows everything, and just wants to sign a waiver. I was enrolling a multi-thousand employee group and in walked a gentleman whom I’ll just call ‘Mr. Waiver’ — the employee …

How benefit advisers can use negative enrollment to achieve some very positive outcomes

In Enhanced Benefits by Eric Silverman

How can advisers use automatic benefits enrollment to better support their clients? Here’s a real-life case study provided by Matt Berger, who heads the Philadelphia market for Aflac. An employer was seeing the bulk of its employees abuse the ER or similar urgent care facilities for mundane ailments like colds and stomachaches. The employees’ $50 copay wasn’t much more than …

When it comes to sales staff, is more better?

In Sales by Eric Silverman

We all know that when sales are down benefit agencies commonly hire more sales people. I was probably as guilty of this as anyone for more than a decade. But just because it’s a common practice, doesn’t always make it the best idea. I was part of and even led an organization that recruited more new inexperienced agents in a …

When it comes to referrals – don’t be afraid to ask

In Sales by Eric Silverman

So you’ve found what I call your “owner advocate,” that decision maker on your client’s team who believes in you and what your products and services stand for. Now what? Why not tap your advocate for referrals to other potential clients within their professional and personal network? These are people who would gladly meet with you, if the introduction is …

Boy am I stupid:’ Assumptions wreak havoc

In Careers & coaching, Sales by Eric Silverman

Before you blindly agree with the beginning of my headline, please allow me to defend myself. Has anyone else ever rocked an enrollment — and I mean, really crushed it — only then to have the owner of the company call you unexpectedly when the enrollment is complete to tell you they need to meet with you immediately? Let me …