What Are You Doing Differently in 2015?

[Josh]

Through the end of the year pretty much everyone is going to take at least a little time off. Like I imagine most folks do, at the end of each year I like to take some time to reflect on what I did well, not so well, and how that will impact what I do in the coming year. Of course the review might lead one to the conclusion that everything was great this year so no reason to change the plan for next year.

So what will you be doing differently?

A few years ago I realized I was terrible at keeping track of receipts which made the tax season obnoxious by having to dig up receipts and look at credit card statements piecing together what happened to make sure I was taking all my deductions.

Another year I felt like I had been missing the boat on social media so I decided to take a stab at LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, some more successfully than others.

For next year I'm working on adding sales staff to work the phones aggressively and work on really growing my business.

If LinkedIn is something you're adding for 2015, feel free to get started by connecting with me (www.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-stacy/69/820/992). Once you get started you might be surprised by how many people are already waiting to be in your network!

Whatever your plan is, good luck in 2015!

 

[summerof18]

Through the end of the year pretty much everyone is going to take at least a little time off. Like I imagine most folks do, at the end of each year I like to take some time to reflect on what I did well, not so well, and how that will impact what I do in the coming year. Of course the review might lead one to the conclusion that everything was great this year so no reason to change the plan for next year. So what will you be doing differently? A few years ago I realized I was terrible at keeping track of receipts which made the tax season obnoxious by having to dig up receipts and look at credit card statements piecing together what happened to make sure I was taking all my deductions. Another year I felt like I had been missing the boat on social media so I decided to take a stab at LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, some more successfully than others. For next year I'm working on adding sales staff to work the phones aggressively and work on really growing my business. If LinkedIn is something you're adding for 2015, feel free to get started by connecting with me (www.linkedin.com/pub/joshua-stacy/69/820/992). Once you get started you might be surprised by how many people are already waiting to be in your network! Whatever your plan is, good luck in 2015!

Yet again this year has been huge learning curve for me!
This next year I plan on increasing my FE leads from 15, to 20.
I exceeded my financial goal this year, so i intend to double my income for 2015, which is SO exciting! I can't wait for the new year!
You'll hate to hear that I am already all ready for tax season, I stay so organized throughout the year that when season comes around I'm already done basically. I keep track of my monthly expenses on excel and make sure that matches up to my categorized files of receipts. maybe I'll motivate you!
Just recently started using facebook for marketing. I've already sold 4 families their health insurance from just a few posts. I plan on using Social media even more 2015. Plus I also want to start taking photos of my clients after a sale and posting their pic on my business page with logo across pic. Got that idea from a recent thread on forum
I also have learned to NOT allow this business to stress me out. When the chargebacks come piling in all at once like they love to do, don't fret, cus in the end it always evens out and the next week will be great.
Happy New Year everyone, and thank you to all those who have helped me!

Amber

 

[kstein]

I need to focus on process of when a new client/prospect calls my office, how the data is input, to after the sale making sure they like Facebook page, opt into email list, etc. My goal is to have a systematic process that takes some of this off my plate.

 

[EugeneM]

I have been rigorously recording effective dates/prospects from the last year or so. I will be getting more creative in the way that I approach these potential accounts next year as compared to a typical call. I am a firm believer in cold calling but I want to hit these from all angles next year.

Direct mailers sent out 90 days before their renewal expressing interest in an appointment. Email blasts, Social Media Invites anything to stand out from the other 100 people calling. So by the time I do reach out to them personally they will have seen our logo/name a few times already and be more prone to setting an appointment.

 

[rousemark]

Yet again this year has been huge learning curve for me!
This next year I plan on increasing my FE leads from 15, to 20.
I exceeded my financial goal this year, so i intend to double my income for 2015, which is SO exciting! I can't wait for the new year!
You'll hate to hear that I am already all ready for tax season, I stay so organized throughout the year that when season comes around I'm already done basically. I keep track of my monthly expenses on excel and make sure that matches up to my categorized files of receipts. maybe I'll motivate you!
Just recently started using facebook for marketing. I've already sold 4 families their health insurance from just a few posts. I plan on using Social media even more 2015. Plus I also want to start taking photos of my clients after a sale and posting their pic on my business page with logo across pic. Got that idea from a recent thread on forum
I also have learned to NOT allow this business to stress me out. When the chargebacks come piling in all at once like they love to do, don't fret, cus in the end it always evens out and the next week will be great.
Happy New Year everyone, and thank you to all those who have helped me!

Amber

Love your attitude! As for taxes. I make a resolution to do better on record keeping every year... especially mileage and auto expense.. Usually lasts until about the Ides of March.

 

[VaDwayne]

I have set my goal for new written premium at $350,000 for 2015 with $150,000 of that with Erie Insurance.

 

[sshafran]

My goals for next year:

Increase new Medicare clients from direct response marketing - I have a marketing plan already in place.

Increase Medicare Referrals.

Shift Medicare target market - I do well with T65's. Always have. I rarely lose one to another agent. I've never had problems closing non T65's who get referred to me - but I have had problems with "cold-prospecting" the older crowd. I'm admittedly stubborn in that I won't cold call outside of Ohio, and I can't cold call in Ohio, so I'd like to figure out a way to prospect (other than referrals) in the "overpaying on your supplement" market. So, this year, I want to do some trial and error with some new mail pieces and figure out something that "works" for me. Always open to suggestions...

Decrease distractions / mistakes - this past year I moved my office twice, my home once, became a landlord, and dabbled in 2 other types of sales in addition to working some T65 and some medicare referrals. At the end of the day, I "made some money," but I need to focus on one goal: 1,000 Medicare clients (I'm still a few years away, but my book grows every month). I also wasted a few thousand dollars and too many hours on some dumb marketing early in 2014...lesson learned. 2015 is my year to Focus.

Increase cross sales. Simply put, I want to make each new Medicare client more profitable. I don't want to "settle" for Med Supp + PDP or MAPD. I know the percentage of clients who have more than their Medicare with me - in 2015 that percentage will go up. I have a cancer plan that I really like that I know I can cross sell in addition to FE.

Increase "systems" in my business. i.e., an automatic / consistent system for every new customer for retention, referrals, and cross selling. An automatic / consistent system for every lead. An automatic / consistent system for every prospect that I don't close...

Decrease face-to-face appointments. Increase e-apps.

 

[Rearden]

Personal Production Goals:

-Lead flow ramp up to average 35-40 set appointments weekly.
-Minimal late days in the field.
-550 to 650 FE apps submitted.

Agency Goals:

-Increase contracted agents by 150 to 200 percent of 2014 totals.
-Execute regional agent recruitment marketing plan.
-Agency Production goal of 750,000AP.

Internal Goals:

-Completion of new Feagentmentor.com | website, complete with video training on presentations, appointment setting, app training, etc.
-Implementation of a new database to store client and prospect information.

Hope you guys feel like me - 2015 is going to be my best year ever!

 

[nyc2phi]

Last year I was worried about writing as much business as possibly..

This year the same however I want to get better at putting only the best and cleanest risks with my best carrier.

Going to change up the marketing a bit to attract those clients and going to do a better job of frontline underwriting.

 

[Newby]

Great thread.

On a personal production level:
1. Additional proactive marketing to my client base.
2. Additional preparation leading into Medicare season. (That comes around so quick every year.)
3. Continue improving at FE phone sales. Just started selling by phone through Medicare season out of necessity of being anchored at the office. Takes a whole different level of organization that doesn't come natural to me.
4. Take more Weekends off. (a goal but probably won't happen. )

On an Agency Level:
1. Complete revamp of website. More info and much easier to navigate.
2. Improve on boarding of new agents with ease of contracting and more structure of brand new agents.
3. Identify agents who are struggling and help them develop action plan to reach their goals.

2015 is going to be a great year! Everyone starts at the same place...ZERO. Everyone is smarter than they were last year so you should be able to improve your results over last year.

Happy New Year everybody!