With 2016 in the rearview mirror, it's time we look toward 2017. While the last year brought plenty of changes to the insurance industry, a new president, an expanding workforce, continuing technological advances and much more will continue to make waves for brokers and benefits professionals. To help you prepare, we've gathered 100 tips to grow your business, make enrollment smoother, reach clients more effectively and ensure that 2017 is your best year yet.

Technology

1. “It doesn't matter how flashy a demo is — any benefits technology that lacks integration capabilities with a business' payroll, HRIS, and timekeeping system of record potentially leaves room for error and frustration.” Courtney Simpkiss, vice president of broker channel strategy, ADP

2. “Clients are yearning to spend less time on the phone and more time online. Having this online presence to communicate with clients makes for a more interactive experience, engaging them each step of the way and providing easier accessibility.” Sally Poblete, founder, Wellthie

3. Benefits providers and brokers should provide user-friendly tools to increase transparency when it comes to benefit options. Employees and employers can be overwhelmed by choices, but studies show tools like this are important, especially to younger workers.

4. “Consider hosting after-hours webinars, and make information available on a broker-hosted website or on the employer's intranet. One side benefit to online access is information can be updated in real time, without the need for print updates that may be few and far between.” Rob Carnaroli, broker & vice president of sales, Sutter Health Plus

5. “Technology is so prevalent in the enrollment space today, but watch out for relying on technology as the one thing that will make or break enrollment. Technology is great for capturing data, but it won't solve every problem and doesn't change the importance of the other work you need to do.” Kathy O'Brien, vice president of voluntary benefits and national client group services, Unum

6. “To be a truly consultative partner, a broker today must understand the benefits (as well as the limits) of technology.” Dayne Williams, CEO, PlanSource

7. “The broker industry is catching on, but in order to stay ahead of the curve, it will take more than just understanding technological advances being made in the insurance industry, it will mean adopting them.” Sally Poblete, founder, Wellthie

8. “Firms who embrace the power of Big Data and analytics will certainly gain a competitive edge in growing their reputations as trusted HCM advisors.” Courtney Simpkiss, vice president of broker channel strategy, ADP

9. “Compliance tools have to be an integral part of benefits and payroll technology. While it may be impossible for a technology provider to solve every problem facing HR, employers are going to demand that compliance, at a minimum, is an integrated, cohesive part of their tech experience.” Scott Carver, president, PlanSource

10. “Buyers are somewhere between 60 percent and 90 percent of the way to a buying decision before they meet with a sales person. What they learn about that sales person during their online research will largely influence whether or not a face-to-face meeting ever takes place. Sure, it takes time and consistent effort to truly build an online brand, but now is your next best opportunity to get started and/or take that next step. Quick action: On your social medium of choice, find an article to share, comment on an article, or share an original idea of your own.” Kevin Trokey, partner and coach, Q4intelligence

Education

1. Employees are eager to better themselves, especially if doing so can be cost effective through innovative benefits. Consider offering financial planning and educational services like career development courses or college prep classes, as these are becoming more and more popular.

2. Disruption will continue in the insurance industry, but will you be able to keep up? Stay up-to-date by attending industry events, such as the BenefitsPRO Broker Expo in April.

3. To retain knowledge and keep a competitive edge, it's important to practice and refresh skills year-round (think social media training, for instance).

4. Treat rejection as a learning opportunity. Find ways to turn a no into a yes and remember that persistence prevails.

5. “Experiments are usually about learning. When you get a negative outcome, you're still really learning something that you need to know.” Linda Hill, professor of business administration, Harvard Business School

6. Look to your colleagues for exclusive insight you might not have. Ask a younger co-worker what they'd most like out of a benefits package, or what type of insurance is best for your officemate nearing retirement.

7. “I'm a three-time college dropout, so learning over education is very near and dear to my heart, but to me, education is what people do to you, learning is what you do to yourself.” Joi Ito, director, MIT Media Lab

8. “You can distinguish yourself with top-notch technical or industry knowledge. It pays to be viewed as an expert, whether in risk management or the regulatory landscape. You'll open up many opportunities by becoming an authority.” Renee Preslar, communications manager, Transamerica Employee Benefits

9. “The No. 1 employee wellness trend in 2017 will be an increasing focus on helping employees better themselves financially by providing the tools, resources, education and environment to improve their finances.” Matt Cosgriff, retirement plan consultant, BerganKDV Wealth Management.

10. “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” Oscar Wilde

Enrollment

1. “Treat open enrollment communications like a full-scale marketing campaign: plan, inform, energize, and follow up.” Nancy Sansom, CMO, PlanSource

2. “Use available data as you work with employers to build upcoming programs, leveraging employee behavior and filling gaps that may exist. Just as important, use the information to tailor messages before open enrollment to ensure you reach the broadest possible audience with relevant information.” Rob Carnaroli, broker & vice president of sales, Sutter Health Plus

3. The close of open enrollment is a critical time to observe what went well and what can go better next time. Solicit feedback from clients to find out what was effective, what wasn't, and how the process can be improved.

4. “When employees receive communications at least four weeks prior to open enrollment, participation can be as much as four times higher than it is for those who allowed less time to communicate.” Dennis Healy, chief sales officer, ARAG

5. “Too often, employers communicate their benefits program to workers all at once, overwhelming their workforce with an abundance of information. According to an Aflac survey, 83 percent of millennials said they need more time to feel confident before their next enrollment. A more effective strategy for employers could be to try communicating different segments of their benefits program throughout the months leading up to open enrollment.” Ken Meier, vice president, Aflac Northeast Territory

6. “Active enrollment — where an employee must proactively choose a plan or go without coverage — can be an important step in getting employees more engaged in their benefits. And it benefits the employer as well — it provides an opportunity to collect key data (such as current dependent information) and to direct employees to the most cost-effective plans for them.” Kim Buckey, vice president of client services, DirectPath

7. “You need to be able to communicate effectively about benefits with multiple generations over a variety of high-tech and high-touch platforms. Make sure your benefits provider can speak old-school and new-school.” Gavin B. Dean, assistant vice president of the Enrollment Center, Colonial Life and Unum

8. “As shocking as it may sound, open enrollment is not top of mind for the vast majority of employees. So your first objective is to break through all the noise and get your message heard. A few ways you can do this: Choose a memorable theme for your communications; use multiple communication methods; and keep your messaging clear, concise and consistent.” Nancy Sansom, CMO, PlanSource

9. “Insurance open enrollment presents huge opportunities for [cybercriminals] to gain lucrative and exceptionally fresh records. We've heard the PCI Security Standards Council suggest that, “If you don't need it, don't store it.” We would suggest going even further. First, don't just hold this maxim to payment card data; apply it to all the sensitive data, including any personally identifiable information (PII), that you encounter.” Tim Critchley, CEO, Semafone

10. Offer a holistic view of enrollment, by helping employers and employees understand how all of the benefits mesh for each individual.

Standing Out

1. “Most people relate best when they see real-life situations that may be similar to their own. My experience tells me that unless you can put something into a real-world scenario, it's nothing more than words on a page that might be missed.” Rob Carnaroli, broker & vice president of sales, Sutter Health Plus

2. Read up on prospects and gain an understanding of their problems, then position yourself to add the most value to every interaction.

3. “The top question you need to answer is, 'Why should I use you as a broker?' How is it that you set yourself apart from other brokers? Be sure to document and explain the advantages you can bring to the employer.” Monica Majors, vice president, strategic sales & marketing, Sutter Health Plus

4. “In today's health insurance landscape, there are many new boutique plans that offer unique benefits like discounted or free health club memberships, acupuncture, and massage therapy. Listen to your clients, observe their culture and recommend unique benefits that are right for them. They'll appreciate your attention to detail.” Sally Poblete, founder, Wellthie

5. “No one likes spreadsheets. They're hard to decipher, and it's nearly impossible to compare plans side-by-side with so much data crammed in. Employers today want to see plan options visually, so they can clearly understand their options.” Andy Nunemaker, CEO, Dynamis Software Corporation

6. “Brokers who choose not to offer a full range of voluntary benefits — both traditional and non-traditional — are missing tremendous sales opportunities.” Gil Lowerre and Bonnie Brazzell, president and vice president, Eastbridge Consulting Group

7. “The traditional way of offering group benefits is outdated and bloated with waste. Instead of these antiquated traditional beliefs, smart people are creating systems and methods whereby employees can build personalized benefits packages that meet individual needs and circumstances.” Nate Randall, founder & president, Ursa Major Consulting

8. Benefits that were once considered add-ones are now considered mandatory. Round out the benefits package with an appealing mix of standard features and voluntary options.

9. “There is a huge opportunity to revolutionize the industry by turning challenges into opportunities and strengths. We cannot afford an evolution from the past, but must truly transform the industry through revolutionary innovation and value.” Reed Smith, senior vice president, CoBiz Insurance

10. “It requires a better type of mind to seek out and to support or to create the new than to follow the worn paths of accepted success.” John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Communication

1. “Providing education and engagement about both benefits and workplace initiatives increases the effectiveness of programs and contributes to keeping costs down for employers. The more engagement generated, the healthier and better protected the employees.” Steve Horvath, vice president, CoreSource and Dan Johnson, vice president, Trustmark Voluntary Benefit Solutions

2. “The benefits business is full of jargon. Studies have shown that words we use all the time are confusing. Watch the jargon and use terms that make sense to employees.” Marty Traynor, vice president of voluntary benefits, Mutual of Omaha

3. “M. Scott Peck said that true listening requires a setting aside of oneself. And sometimes that means setting aside your personal opinion.” Celeste Headlee, radio host

4. “Millennials get information on their own. However, when it's time to purchase, they still want the personal service and an advisor to help them. As a large demographic, they are similar to the silent generation in that they think through their purchases and do research on their own.” Aprilyn Chavez Geissler, owner, Geissler Agency Inc.

5. “Don't stop communication once the sale is made. The success of your business requires keeping customers on the books. Communication between enrollment periods can help strengthen relationships and boost persistency.” Rob Carnaroli, broker & vice president of sales, Sutter Health Plus

6. An Aflac study found that 80 percent of employees agree that a well-communicated benefits package would make them less likely to leave their jobs.

7. “Many employees are not knowledgeable about benefits plans and insurance terminology and, as a result, are at risk of getting inadequate coverage or buying products they don't need to. You have to look at the workforce and determine what channel would be best to reach employees.” Dayne Williams, CEO, PlanSource

8. “When carriers, brokers, and HR teams are putting together benefits packages, they need to think like marketers. They must adapt their messages to a mobile, impatient audience, while still supplying enough information so that people know what they are getting into.” Scott Carver, president, PlanSource

9. “Many otherwise great campaigns have failed because they are tone deaf to their audience. A program from union members better not be littered with 'employee' references. Graphics should match the demographics of the employee audience, and designers often tend to show 'beautiful people,' but plans need to be shown benefitting real people.” Marty Traynor, vice president of voluntary benefits, Mutual of Omaha

10. “Don't equate your experience with theirs. If they're talking about having lost a family member, don't start talking about the time you lost a family member. If they're talking about the trouble they're having at work, don't tell them about how much you hate your job. It's not the same. It is never the same. All experiences are individual, and more important, it is not about you.” Celeste Headlee, radio host

Customer Service

1. “Businesses need and expect more from their brokers. They are looking beyond traditional insurance and benefits administration and need expertise in all areas of human capital. Brokers who embrace this by providing insight through benchmarking data and analytics, offering set up, connection and optimization support, as well as a variety of ongoing service models will continues to gain market share of those who don't.” Courtney Simpkiss, vice president, Broker Channel Strategy

2. “I would love if someone came to me and said, 'Here are the issues we've seen with other agencies like yours and here's how we helped them save money.'” Elicia Putnam, small business owner

3. “Brokers can best serve customers by knowing the current market landscape well, speaking confidently about it and sharing that knowledge with customers.” Monica Majors, vice president, strategic sales & marketing, Sutter Health Plus

4. “I encourage brokers to start renewal conversations with a budget established, and then work within that budget. Why? Because traditionally, only total plan cost is mentioned upfront, and premium share isn't discussed until after a plan is chosen. That is extremely frustrating for employers and makes choosing the right plan difficult.” Andy Nunemaker, CEO, Dynamis Software Corporation

5. “Personalize, don't just customize. You can offer a long list of options to your clients, or you can shape what you offer based on the relationships you've built and what you know about your clients.” Bruce Hentschel, strategy development, Principal Financial Group

6. Clients want your benefits IQ to be off the charts, but don't skirt emotional intelligence. The ability to listen and empathize not only shows clients that you care, but that you have a deep understanding of what their unique needs are.

7. Stephen Covey said, “Most people don't listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Don't just offer solutions, make it a point to understand why those solutions are the best for your customers.

8. “Good customer service is the backbone of your business. It distinguishes you from direct sales and aggregators. But your customer service efforts must be efficient, too. Minimize the time it takes to resolve customer issues by making small improvements to your customer service workflow and policies. Head off long, drawn-out cases by anticipating potential problems in advance and creating solutions for each. In the end, you'll have more time for new business and to service your existing client base.” Renee Preslar, communications manager, Transamerica Employee Benefits

9. “Customers are smarter than ever. And they're paying more attention to the level of customer service you're providing. That's why marketers are so concerned with the concept of the 'user experience' — a buzzword that's making everybody nervous about connecting with customers. Truth is: It's a real game-changer when it comes to increasing sales and keeping customers loyal. An Accenture study found 90 percent of B2B execs expressed their intention to maintain or increase their spending on customer experience.” Lauren Mestig, CMO, Maestro Health

10. “We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.” Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon

Creating Better Health Care Consumers

1. “What employers are seeking is simple — quality benefits and a way to lower costs. Offering a self-funded plan with complementary voluntary benefit products and solutions allows employers to take advantage of multiple opportunities while providing more options for their employees.” Steve Horvath, vice president, CoreSource, and Dan Johnson, vice president, Trustmark Voluntary Benefit Solutions

2. A well-designed consumer-drive health plan creates a win-win scenario. Employers hold the line on costs, and employees pay only for the coverage they need and want.

3. “If we want to encourage an army of shoppers, we need to use a hybrid of online and offline approaches, including: incentives that give people a financial reason to seek better value care, websites that help consumers understand the intersection of cost and quality, and value coaches who provide concierge service by phone.” Heyward Donigan, president & CEO, Vitals

4. “Many larger employers invest in benefits for the long haul, but some small business owners consider decisions about benefits one-off occurrences. The successful broker helps small business owners see benefits as one part of a strategic vision for future growth and success, rather than one item to check off the to-do list.” James Reid, executive vice president, group, voluntary & worksite products, MetLife

5. “Recommend specific benefits — like disability insurance — that help clients protect their income, their ability to save, and their future.” Bruce Hentschel, strategy development, specialty benefits division of the Principal Financial Group

6. Consider high-performing networks or direct primary care to maintain or improve benefits while cutting costs.

7. “For the vision of consumer-directed health care to be fully realized, it is imperative that employers and benefit providers do not overlook the critical importance of education and targeted engagement to empower better decision making.” Steven G. Auerbach, CEO, Alegeus

8. “When employers, employees (aka, patients), insurance carriers and health care professionals create a greater degree of alignment, share data and focus on value and outcomes, the result will be improved health, lower cost, and higher patient satisfaction.” Reed Smith, senior vice president, CoBiz Insurance

9. “It's not that consumers won't shop online for health care like they do for most other things — it's just not easy enough … yet. It's about creating a transparent marketplace where quality and cost are known entities. It's about getting providers to renegotiate rates and address quality concerns. And it's about making all consumers — not just those savvy enough to shop online — active participants in this system.” Heyward Donigan, president & CEO, Vitals

10. “People want to do the right thing, but they encounter barriers along the way. Online health tools have to recognize and overcome those barriers. Consumers need help opening the box.” Keith Roberts, vice president of engagement, Change Healthcare