Possible Effects Of Continued Healthcare Reform On Insurance Leads

Posted on July 25, 2012 by

It’s been almost a month since the Supreme Court ruled to keep Obamacare in place and many people are still unsure as to what this could mean. One thing is clear though. It will still impact the B2B insurance market and might even alter the eligibility of some businesses as qualified leads. This video from FoxBusiness tries to present these effects and whether or not you believe it, there are some things you can still do in case it proves true:

The following effects mentioned in the video are as follows:

Changes in Insurance

Both the effects on private consumers and on businesses are spelled out here. Now, should there really be a significant change in your plans, you would obviously watch out for reactions from the business community. If this is right, this might cause them to change their minds. Leads qualified previously are now bust because the changes of have made your offers ‘uneconomical’. Still, maybe that’s just their perception. Try and set an appointment with the insurance prospect with the offer of showing how your business isn’t as compromised by the law as they think.

Rising Premiums

The rising costs of healthcare is becoming less and less disputed. However, there’s still a possibility that some forms of it will only get more expensive. These factors may not be within your control as a health insurance provider but that doesn’t mean there aren’t costs within your control at all. For example, start outsourcing non-core functions that seem to take up too much money. If your own business just can’t afford the time and money to invest in processes that aren’t close to its core, then you’ll save more if you just let a more experienced company take the wheel.

Big Changes in 2014

The so-called big changes here appear to only affect your market but then again, that should only give you more reason to make it your concern. Fortunately, this simply means you have a sort of deadline to find as many leads as possible. And not only that, you should be ready to pursue them and close the deal before the penalties start to hit. Try to coordinate with your prospects and use the set appointments to help plan things out.

“A Whole New Ball Game”

Last but definitely not the least, you have the possibility put forth by the coming elections. Should Obama’s political opponents succeed and repealing the healthcare reform is the natural consequence of that success, then you need to prepare for that as well. At this point though, it does beg the question on how much your plans should depend so much on the political atmosphere. On further reflection, isn’t it too unstable? Given that, perhaps the best course of action for marketing is one that’s willing to adapt without necessarily changing anything integral. Granted, there might be some changes provoked by these plans that should be mentioned in your marketing messages. Despite that, perhaps all you need is to simplify the other three adjustments mentioned above into a more consistent model:

Use appointments to set things straight.
Outsource non-core processes.
Have a deadline when generating and pursuing leads.

Make An Accounting Lead Out Of A Growing Business

Posted on July 12, 2012 by

No matter how slow it would seem, small businesses will eventually grow. In fact, isn’t growth one of the primary measures with which everyone measures success? It is evident in the way more word gets out about what the business provides. It’s evident in the way a good business is making more money each year. And from each year, the more determined businesses strive to make that growth monthly, and some even further into daily!

You can also see it in the way they use the money they’ve gained to expand. Some move to bigger offices or improve the way they manufacture products or serve customers. Others seek to develop the products and services themselves and introduce more innovations to the world.

In either case, both strongly have to do with what lies at the heart of their business. However, a business cannot rely on just its core. A lower priority for a certain process does not automatically mean that a need for it is nonexistent.

Such is the case with processes like accounting. When companies are in the midst of growth, it sometimes gets harder to manage accounts, organize financial data, and produce relevant information from it at any given time. It’s no coincidence then that it’s at this stage that growing companies consider outsourcing. Therefore, this makes them a good target for your lead generation campaign.

But first, here is a more detailed list to help you identify these growing businesses as possible B2B sales leads:

Focus on core functions – Obviously, a company that is growing seeks to only focus on what helps it grow and helps define its role in the industry and the rest of the business world. On the other hand, these same companies might not consider accounting close enough to those core processes so their chances of outsourcing can be quite high.
Expansions of core functions – This includes research and development for better products and services. It also includes also the improvement of product delivery and customer service. But again, this gives them a lower budget for non-core functions like accounting. It’s a good idea to offer your services as a cost-efficient solution.
Lack of knowledge – This can be the most critical so far. While they lack the capacity to invest, they can still spend some effort evaluating themselves. Save them this trouble and offer your own insight to show just how fast you can deliver.
In the midst of struggle – Of course, another obvious sign is that they’re growing a little too fast for the capacity of their current accounting services. Spot these companies right away so at the very least, they’re aware that your firm exists and will consider you as an option.

Growing businesses can’t really be blamed for focusing on their core. Often times, it’s the reason for that growth in the first place. Losing sight of what defines their business can have consequences which could damage that growth. Offering your services when they’re at that stage can help maintain that focus by giving expert insight and offering your services as an option.

Be It Business Lead Generation Or Accounting, Always Live Up To Information Standards

Posted on June 14, 2012 by

One of accounting’s most important functions (and challenges) is to provide financial information that is only the most relevant to the person or entity requesting it. With that established, it’s important that such information really does live up to their standards.

This emphasis on quality information isn’t just unique to B2B accounting firms. You will find a similar emphasis when it comes to generating B2B sales leads for your business.

Do take note, information comes in many forms. The part about what makes this challenging in accounting is that you have to figure out the right kind to deliver your client. And whether you’re getting your own leads or outsourcing a lead generation company, the same challenge is still there. But with regards to the latter, it’s still important despite how far it would seem from your core function. Without the information provided by the lead generation process, you’ll never know exactly how many sales opportunities are out there. In order to stay afloat, you’ve got to maximize your chances and grab those opportunities.

Now, just what kind of information do you need? Actually, you don’t need just one but several kinds for different stages of the process. First, you’ll need contact information. It doesn’t matter if your method of choice is email, telemarketing, or even direct mail. There’s no point if you don’t have a phone, a name, or an address. Second, it really helps if you try to learn more things about the business that you’re contacting. You need a basic idea of what they might expect from your services. But again, that’s not enough. In fact, it’s only enough to get you through the first circle of obstacles that are placed around by decision makers. This leads to a third type of information which you must acquire upon connecting with them. Learn more about their needs. Verify what your previous research has dug up about them. Refine and complete their data profile. See if they have the budget to afford your service. All the while, keep a hold on their interest by using that information to offer solutions.

Today, new marketing and sales methods are all about really focusing on the clients and getting information straight from them. For example, look at social media. Marketing through sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn will only be successful if there’s emphasis on the social aspect. But what exactly does that mean? It means you must engage your market and this is something that you don’t need to limit to just social media. You can communicate with prospects and hear their views and expectations straight from them through any channel of communication. It’s just a matter of preference anyways. The important thing is you’re using your exchange to boost the quality of your information and minimize risks.

This new age of information has really shown how much power knowledge can provide. On the other hand, knowledge is like any other commodity in that it is selected and desired in accordance to specific needs. If it fails to meet those needs, then it is just useless data. Therefore, information should always live up to the standards that they set.

Professional Telemarketers – Informing Only Those Who Care

Posted on May 10, 2012 by

It’s not that surprising that when people think telemarketing, they still assume an invasive and disruptive sales caller. However, like much of public opinion, it’s not entirely accurate. With today’s technology in both communication and data management, the only reason that a telemarketer might call for would be to dispense information. As for the people they will call, it’s only the people who would care to receive it.

For instance, B2B insurance companies often need to stay in constant communication with their current clients and inform them of any changes, updates, or even new offers. However, on the part of the clients, only a select few in an organization would care for this information. Those who say that email blasting gets it across more quickly don’t really wonder if they need to go that far just to deliver a message to one or a few select persons.

But first off, why again would this information be so important? Obviously because insurance is a controversial industry and there are more than a handful of businesses (not to mention labor rights organizations) who scrutinize the policies involving the whos, whats, and hows of insurance packages. Naturally, you’d want to present yourself as reputable and be completely honest with everyone who does business with you.

Believe it or not but maintaining that integrity can be critical for certain B2B lead generation strategies. Particularly, strategies that involve retaining the interest and continued patronage of your clients. Simply put, if you can’t attract new clients, then nurture the relationship you have with your current ones. That will only work though if you’ve established trust and remained honest with them.

Then again, just because you don’t do everything to inform your clients doesn’t mean you do so for underhanded reasons. Business communication takes a lot out of any company’s pocket. In the case of telemarketing, it’s like investing in your very own insurance call center. The costs of office space, equipment, software, and most of all the experience to train them both in proper communication plus knowledge of your own company will consume a lot of time and money.

In such cases, you should try outsourcing. Plenty of companies already outsource for their telemarketing leads, how much more if you’re just outsourcing them to keep the old ones interested? On the other hand, retaining that interest means you need to open yourself to inquiries and keep them informed. Telemarketing isn’t the only industry that’s suffered a blow in reputation. Insurance companies have their fair share of stigmas as well and most of them involve dishonesty with their clients. But just as how telemarketers these days have improved with what has been available, so should you. If you have to outsource, why not?

Take note, there are moments where the economic climate will make attracting all-new clients difficult and it’s during such periods that companies start turning to retaining their current ones to keep work coming in. The sad part is some of the younger ones can neither afford nor have the expertise to do it right by themselves. In your case though, you know it involves not only being upright and honest with your client companies but also informing the right people in charge.