Broker blog

How do you make decisions about technology investments? 

Technology has created new habits in all of us - including our clients. Just consider how you use the internet, apps, social media, or text messaging each day. 

As a professional, you have a choice: to ignore what’s going on or keep up! I say keep up! But, be strategic. Not everything that’s “new and shiny” serves your goals and objectives.

“What are you doing for employees that don’t qualify for benefits or didn’t elect health insurance coverage?” If you aren’t already asking your clients and prospects this question, I’m urging you to start! 

Although rising health insurance premiums may make the question challenging for employers to answer, it’s also become increasingly important to ask. I see that there are two distinct ways to serve the unbenefited…

1) benefits the employer can provide

2) benefits the employer can offer

Remember the Amazon Fire Phone? Did anyone besides me own one?

I anxiously awaited my new phone’s arrival in July of 2014 – excited to be an early adopter of new, cool innovations. My excitement quickly turned to frustration once the phone arrived. 

• It didn’t have many of my favorite apps – including Starbucks and Uber (what!?)
• Importing my music was annoyingly difficult

Six months later, it went back in the box and I went back to owning an iPhone.

I was recently asked, “What word would you like to see eliminated from the healthcare industry?” I chose the word “cheaper.” And because I’m not a whiner who just brings problems, my solution is this article.

How many companies do you work with that have Millennial decision-makers? 

Whatever your answer, it will certainly increase. “Mature Millennials” are in their mid-30’s and are beginning to take on leadership and management roles in their organizations. By 2025 they’ll represent a whopping 75% of the workforce. In just a few years, the majority of business leaders will be Millennials.  

How does this impact you as a broker? How will this generation function as leaders of companies and managers of the generation coming behind them? 

Now that we’re through the Q4 crunch, are you getting to know your family and friends again (kidding, not kidding)? A big part of my “off-season” is spent learning and planning and books are key in this process. 

I read (or re-read) books from successful business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs. Reid Rasmussen, the CEO of freshbenies, encourages our entire team to read constantly (check out his 5 tips to maintain the habit). 

I have the craziest conversations with people telling me that social media and marketing activities are a waste of time, and they don’t see how social/marketing could influence anything substantial, like their business. And when I look at their LinkedIn profiles, I see zero activity. Yet, some have hundreds of connections.

The time comes when you know you need to make changes in your business, but changes can be intimidating. How do you know if the team will accept the new ideas? How do you know if the clients will like it? How do you know the changes will even work?

Well, the short answer is that you don't know, and that's okay. In fact, it can be to your benefit. Not knowing and choosing to move ahead anyway can actually become a competitive advantage for you if you approach it with strategic intent.