Tricks of the (benefits) trade: How to find business within a professional organization

You are a benefits professional. You need new clients. You have either a geographic territory or a market niche like manufacturing companies or medical practices. You have joined the professional organization populated by prospects. How do you get business from them or at least get appointments?

The logic of the professional organization

Many industry professionals overlook this marketing opportunity. They think of an association like an alumni club, perhaps for a university like Harvard. “If I didn’t attend Harvard, they are not going to let me in as a member.”  That may be true for colleges, but not for professional groups. If you search in your market for manufacturing associations or medical associations, you will find them! Chambers of Commerce fit into this category too. That one is too obvious. You want the unlikely ones.

Why would the local medical association or a geographic group of manufacturers let you, an insurance professional, into their group?  Some won’t, but others offer a category of membership for businesses selling into this market. This is an associate level of membership. If the organization doesn’t offer that category, they may approach it differently with sponsorship opportunities. In either case, once you look down the associate membership or sponsor list, you should see commonalities:  Accounting firms, insurance agencies, staffing agencies and banks sell into this market. You are not the first trying to scale this wall. Plenty of others have done this before you. However, admission comes with a cost. The questions are: “How much is access to this market worth to you?  How many competitors are already in place?

Assuming you like the answers you found, here are several ways to raise your visibility and get business prospects:

1. Attend meetings. These might be evening meetings or luncheons. You want to show up, get your name tag and get to know the other players. Arriving early and talking with others as they arrive is an easy first step.
2. Become a worker bee. Associations have staff, but they need extra hands, especially where in-person meetings are involved. This gives you an opportunity to meet members on an equal footing and show you are a contributor, a giver. You are not a taker.
3. Deliver a lunch or dinner presentation. These organizations often bring in a sponsor to partially defray the cost of the meal. You are paying for access, but if they are doctors with their own medical practices, it can be money well spent. Explore their website. What kinds of topics are presented? Do not be discouraged if it’s all about diseases and new drugs. Look through the archive of past presentations. With luck, you will find someone talked about retirement planning before.
4. Workshop presentations. In addition to regular meetings, they often hold a trade show type day when exhibitors pay for space and a day’s worth of educational programming is presented. If this profession requires CE credits to maintain their licenses, this is often a draw for attendance. Can you present a workshop topic?
5. Continuing education credits. Are there topics you can deliver that count for CE credit? Learning how benefit plans work and what the government allows (and doesn’t allow) might be a topic that might qualify for an audience like accountants (in their association) or business owners (through the chamber). Your firm should be able to tell you more concerning their selection of approved presentations.
6. Write a newsletter column. Years ago, newsletters were monthly or quarterly publications. A key reason they exist is to add to the value of membership. Today, many newsletters have moved online. 69% of nonprofits use e-mail newsletters. There is a huge appetite for content, especially when the organization steps up the frequency. A column on employee benefits could be considered educational content. Your firm might have ghostwritten articles you can add your name too, within the rules.

Related: Join the club! It’s a solid prospecting strategy for benefits brokers

Involvement in meeting organization and providing agenda content can make the jobs of the professional staff easier. This is an opportunity to interact with members who have the potential to be clients. People do business with people they like.

Bryce Sanders is president of Perceptive Business Solutions Inc. He provides HNW client acquisition training for the financial services industry. His book, “Captivating the Wealthy Investor” is available on Amazon.