Hero’s work. A key to helping employers embrace worksite products and the concept of the industry overall is effectively telling them what we do; we make them look like a hero to their employees. That said, to make them look like a hero we have to be able to communicate to all the employees. Technology has given us new options and opportunities to help our clients but fundamentally having the right access, and having the best set up is key to a successful enrollment. If we can’t get what we need to do our job the best way possible, it is in the client’s (and our) best interest to walk away. That’s the most difficult and most important lesson I learned.

Teamwork. Choosing partners wisely sounds cliché, but it is a truism. We all can benefit when we partner with the right carrier, the right technology company, enrollment firm or broker. Working together can help us all financially if we choose the right people with whom to partner. To find that right partner, you have to be the right partner. Every situation has to benefit all parties.

Road work. Also, to find the right partner it helps to know people. Attending conferences and meeting other insurance professionals can be so helpful to you and them. If there is something I need to discover or I need to find a solution for a unique issue, I simply reach out to one of the many people I’ve met.

Enrollment. Have an enrollment strategy and a re-enrollment plan. Rushing through a situation without properly planning for the proper set up, the meetings, the first, second, and third-year product mix, the effective communication with the employer and everything that’s necessary for a successful enrollment will spell disaster for your clients and you. They will be soured on the concept of worksite and you might have a negative balance sheet.