Episode Summary
This podcast episode focuses on tips for selling Medicare plans over the phone. The host interviews Evette Rodney, an expert in telephone Medicare sales with over 15 years of experience.
Evette begins by introducing herself and providing background on her extensive career in Medicare sales, primarily over the phone. She explains that early in her career, phone sales were not as common as field sales, but it was the main method she used.
When asked for tips on telephone Medicare sales calls, Yvette stresses the importance of quickly establishing trust and rapport with the prospect. Since they cannot see you, you must build trust through an upbeat, excited tone and a clear introduction. Use simple language suited for all education levels when qualifying a prospect by asking about their Medicare coverage and health needs.
Evette provides an example call opening where she mentions receiving a lead card and asks qualifying questions about their doctors, prescriptions, and coverage. This gathers key details to determine the right plan type for their needs.
Handling objections is also crucial. Evette gives tips for remaining calm if a prospect does not recall providing a lead card and wants to hang up. Try to keep the conversation going by focusing on the benefits you can provide. But know that even with the best methods, many calls will end negatively.
On setting expectations, Evette advises not to set them too high. With phone sales, you should expect a lot of hang-ups and rejections. Set "medium to low" expectations so you do not get discouraged when calls go poorly. Focus on gaining new skills as a positive.
Evette notes phone sales have always existed in Medicare, though in-person sales gained popularity for a time. She predicts phone sales will be an even bigger part of the "new normal" after COVID-19. Agents who gain phone skills now will have an advantage. Even post-pandemic, phone skills provide value on bad weather days or for prospect convenience.
Overall, Evette encourages viewing the phone sales transition as a positive opportunity to expand your skill set, rather than a hindrance. With her advice, agents can gain confidence, set realistic expectations, and ultimately thrive with phone-based Medicare enrollments.
Timestamps
(0:00:00) - Broker Link podcast features Evette Rodney on selling Medicare over the phone
(0:00:42) - Evette Rodney is the sales director for Houston-based broker Link
(0:02:39) - The first thing you must do when selling over the phone is establish trust
(0:03:56) - Use simple language when selling or talking to someone over the phone
(0:05:02) - Evette Rodney: Start with pre-qualification questions for prospective clients
(0:09:22) - A telephone call with a prospective customer can go south very quickly
(0:16:01) - Evette says telephonic sales have never gone away
(0:19:37) - Evette: You are gaining a whole new skill set selling over the telephone
