There’s no denying the pandemic changed the face of Medicare Sales. There’s also no denying that you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Remote Medicare sales are here, and they aren’t going away.
Learn why you should master remote sales and how to do so.
3 Reasons to Sell Medicare Remotely
1. Your competitors are already doing it.
You’re not just competing with other local agents, either. Just turn on the TV during a Medicare enrollment period, and you’ll see that there are “hundreds of agents” waiting to take your potential clients’ calls.
Of course, anyone in the industry knows that beneficiaries will get much better service from a local agent than a call center. Still, all your potential clients see is convenience. To stay competitive, you need to offer that same accessibility.
2. Agents who adapt to remote sales techniques sell more policies.
It just makes sense that an agent who adapts to the client’s needs will sell more policies. We saw that in action after last AEP when we surveyed Medicare agents. The survey found that agents who sold remotely reported an AEP that was at least as successful as previous years, with many having even better results than usual. Those who didn’t adapt to online methods, on the other hand, reported disappointing AEP numbers.
3. You have a unique opportunity to earn client loyalty.
Agents who don’t sell remotely offer a personal touch, while call centers offer convenience. You can provide both, and the returns in client loyalty (and referrals) are definitely worth learning new methods.
A member of the NCC team recently shared the following experience:
“My mother turned 65 during the pandemic. She has always been terrified of technology. That, combined with nerves about the idea of Medicare in general, made her impatient to complete the process. I had to talk her down from calling an 800 number from a TV ad multiple times before getting her in touch with a local agent who was selling remotely.
Not only did this agent put her totally at ease on their first call, but he also walked her through text-to-enroll and gave her newfound confidence with technology. A week later, she went out and bought the first computer she has owned in 15 years. I get emails from her every day now.”
According to our team member, her mother has already sent numerous referrals this agent’s way. By adapting to remote methods and helping clients adapt, the agent has earned loyalty and referrals from an entire family for life.
5 Tips for Remote Sales Success
1. You don't have to limit Medicare and senior health products when selling over the phone.
You can sell Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplements, PDPs, and ancillary products over the phone, as long as you follow the proper procedures. Some details to note:
- All compliance rules still apply. An SOA is required, and you may NOT sell life and investment products on an MA or PDP appointment.
- Many carriers have specific requirements for remote sales. Aetna, for example, requires you to pass a self-paced compliance course before selling via their RATE tool. You can find more details on carrier requirements for remote sales in our COVID-19 Resources.
You can also sell D-SNPs remotely. As with Medicare products, you’ll still need to follow all standard requirements and may be required to use carrier-specific tools and processes. For example, WellCare allows you to enroll D-SNPs remotely by mailing the client a paper app but doesn’t accept D-SNP enrollment through their PURL tool.
Learn more about these requirements on our Remote Medicare Enrollment FAQs, and check out our Guide to Selling D-SNPs for tips on selling these plans.
2. Use a comprehensive enrollment platform to streamline your sales.
When you think remote sales, you may be picturing spending your days logging into different carrier sites and finding yourself overwhelmed with record-keeping. An all-in-one platform like NCC’s Enrollment Central not only helps you avoid that fate but gives you SOAs, drug lists, online quoting, and the ability to submit enrollments with a single tool. You’ll save time, consolidate your records, and avoid errors.
3. You can still give presentations and even seminars remotely.
Online tools allow you to present to both individual clients and groups in a remote setting. Many even let you do so from your smartphone. Check out our list of Mobile Apps for Medicare Agents to find options for remote meetings and presentations, as well as tons of other useful apps to help you sell Medicare remotely.
4. Documentation is vital.
Keeping good records has always been an essential part of selling Medicare, but it becomes even more critical without the in-person component. Tools like Enrollment Central can help you consolidate your records in one place.
Good documentation starts with your first contact, so be sure to use an intake form like NCC’s Medicare Needs Assessment to gather crucial information about new clients.
5. Sell over the phone the same way you'd sell in person.
This might be the most important tip you could receive for selling Medicare remotely. Online tools may change your record-keeping and document-submission methods, but your clients are still people.
- Introduce yourself and explain the reason you are calling. For example: “Hello _______, my name is ______, and I’m calling to make sure you’re getting all of the benefits you deserve as far as your prescriptions, doctors, and DVH benefits are concerned.”
- Don’t skip the warm-up. This is your advantage over call center operators who don’t live in communities with their clients. You can offer a personal approach by taking the time to get to know your clients. It may take 5 minutes, or it may take an hour. Either way, you’ll earn loyalty that call center operators can’t touch, and that loyalty will translate to referrals.
- When you ask positioning questions to assess your client’s Medicare needs, keep it conversational. Don’t let the fact that you’re not face-to-face cause you to rush through your assessment. Otherwise, your client will feel like they’re being interrogated rather than assisted.
Check out our Medicare Sales Training Guide for complete details on Medicare sales techniques, and always keep in mind that even if the selling methods have changed, you and your client are both still human beings. Great agents can connect to beneficiaries on that level no matter the form of communication.
Still Hesitant to Sell Remotely? Let's Talk.
The NCC team has been offering agents one-on-one assistance with remote sales since the pandemic began. We can help you get set up with the right tools and guide you through sales techniques to keep your book of business growing in any climate. Give us a call today at 800-695-0280 to talk to a Marketing Specialist.
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