by David and Tracy Bell | Sep 11, 2024
Everyone who was alive at the time has a memory of 9/11. I had been in New York on business the weekend before, attending the grand opening of a client’s restaurant next to the World Trade Center, along with some colleagues. We also went to a Yankees game and enjoyed a beautiful Italian festival in Port Washington.
I had a ticket to return on 9/11, but as fate would have it, I had to rush back to Charlotte for business and flew out on 9/10. Many of my friends and family didn’t know I had returned early, so my phone was constantly ringing that day.
It feels strange to think about how close I was to the tragedy. While my experience is nothing compared to the immense loss and bravery witnessed that day, it truly changed me. I think it changed all of us. I hope our country never forgets how we felt that day.
by David and Tracy Bell | Aug 28, 2024
All Syndicated and PayGo Plus offices will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 2, 2024.
by David and Tracy Bell | Jul 29, 2024
You’ve written your business plan, filed the appropriate paperwork, and set yourself up to manage your own business as an allied healthcare provider. You are accepting clients who pay for your specialty services from the get-go. You are well on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
No matter what type of allied healthcare service you offer—from yoga instruction to massage therapy to social work—your focus is on creating, growing and expanding your business opportunities.
You keep reading all the lists to make sure you’re doing it right. Google has become your best friend as you research and absorb all the advice from the “Top Five Ways to Grow Your Business” to “Lessons for Independent Business Owners.”
There is so much to focus on when you run your own business, even if the only person on your payroll is you. Your checklist of things to accomplish is long. But you are confident and focused on creating a unique and genuine business model that is sure to succeed.
Your immediate reaction is to run out and find many clients as quickly as you can. At the same time, you need to create your website, print business cards, and find opportunities to market your services. As you seek opportunities to build your brand and customer base, you discover that you can offer your services by plugging in as a contractor through existing businesses.
Part-Time Opportunities Can Grow Your Client Base
There are many ways to grow your business opportunities as an independent contractor or small business with a handful of employees. Perhaps you’re a yoga instructor or massage therapist at your local gym two days a week. Or maybe you’re a nutritionist or life coach that provides counseling support one day per week at an existing clinic. You could be a licensed independent social worker working as a contractor at a senior living behavioral health center. You may create opportunities that connect your small team of employees with any of the part-time jobs.
Whatever the case may be, you’re on your own and experience the many freedoms of being your own boss. It is glorious to have the flexibility set your schedule and earn more money while you maintain a work-life balance. If you have a small team supporting you, you’re probably enjoying passing along work-life balance to them, too.
With the many freedoms you’re experiencing being your own boss, there is no reason you could fail. Or is there?
When you—or members of your small business—go work with other people you’re offering expert services to others. But no matter how carefully you or your team members work, there are risks that your business can encounter daily.
Liability Incidents Could Potentially Ruin Allied Healthcare Providers
Consider what could happen when you or your employees visit a client’s offices or use a third-party location for any business-related activity. Unexpected accidents, such as trips and falls, could result in unforeseen medical bills that you have to pay.
In today’s lawsuit happy society, you could find yourself needing an attorney because someone sues you for libel or slander. Without even trying, you could find yourself in uncertain situations which create unanticipated financial risks that could leave you bankrupt or at least in a world of hurt.
Most business owners are already aware of the hidden risks. So you shouldn’t be caught off guard when you are required to show proof of insurance to an existing business which you discuss offering your services.
Not convinced yet? There is proof in the numbers…
Small Business Disaster Facts & Numbers
You can have everything aligned for your allied health business to succeed. But, if you get sued or have to pay medical expenses, your business could unexpectedly close the doors. As an independent contractor or small business owner, here are some statistics to consider:
50% of small businesses survive five years or more (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2016)
10% of small business claims come from customer slips and falls (Source: The Hartford)
22.2% of small business owners experienced a client complaint or dispute. (Source: Insureon’s 2016 Survey)
If that isn’t enough, Insurance Journal cited the following top most costly liability claims for small businesses: reputational harm ($50,000), customer injury or damage ($30,000), customer slip and fall ($20,000), and struck by an object ($10,000). They went on to share that 35 percent of all general liability claims results in a lawsuit.
So what should you do?
Get Peace of Mind With A Cost Effective Easy Solution
Don’t become another failed business statistic because you didn’t take steps to protect your business. Get a general liability insurance policy so when a lawsuit or unexpected medical claim arises, your hard earned money isn’t at risk.
The minimum cost for a general liability insurance policy can bring you peace of mind and potentially save your business from financial ruin.
Are you an independent contractor or small business owner that provides allied healthcare services? You can enroll online in about 3 minutes and receive a policy by email the same day you sign up. If you’re still not sure, learn more here.
Are you a broker who wants to offer general liability to your clients? Learn more or get a quick quote. You can even add the application on your website.
by David and Tracy Bell | Jul 1, 2024
Imagine that you’re a prospective customer who needs workers’ comp insurance.
You’re searching Google looking for an insurance agent that offers the types of policies and services you need for your business.
You find several agents that look like they may have what you’re looking for, and you send each one the same email with a request.
The Story of Three Agents
Warm Welcome. One agent responds to your email inquiry immediately with a reply. He warmly thanks you for reaching out and lets you know that he will get back to you within the next 24 hours. In the interim, he sends information about their process for working with clients, so you know what to expect next. He also points you to a page with a Workers’ Comp checklist that has questions he should ask as you work together.
Unresponsive. Another agent never responds to your email request or phone calls for days or weeks. In fact, you start to wonder if you sent an email to the right address. When you call, you immediately go into a voicemail box but never receive a response.
Minimal Communications. The third agent you reached out to lets a couple of days go by before they send you a response. When they finally do, they merely point you to their website or a landing page. They don’t say anything more. This leaves you hanging wondering about the credibility of the agent.
Tough Questions to Answer
If you were the prospective client looking for help with insurance coverage, which one of the three agents listed above would you want to consider working with?
It is easy to see that the first agent had done a few simple steps to connect with the prospect and provide them with helpful information before they have even spoken.
The other two agent response examples show a lack of interest or consideration. If you were the prospective customer, you would mark them both off your list and focus on the first agent in a heartbeat.
Pause for a moment and think about the way you respond to your clients and prospects.
It can be tough to admit, but which of the three agents do you look most like?
Communicate and Connect with Customers
With any form of customer interaction, you can have success when you follow the age-old rule of treating others the way you want to be treated. Here are a few tips to consider.
Provide Timely, Personalized Responses: Today’s society is built on instant everything. We tend to look for immediate responses whenever we send an email. So how can you apply this? Give your prospects and customers a timely response that is personalized to them. Ensure they experience a connection and feel valued by you.
Write Clear and Concise Messages. We live in an age of sound-bite journalism. We all tend to scan the pages of things we see and read. From our emails to social posts and billboards—we all are guilty of scanning. So how can you overcome the scanning issue? Write clear and concise messages that are easy to understand.
Speak Your Client’s Language. It is easy to get caught up in insurance jargon or industry speak. Remember that your customers don’t have an insurance world dictionary to help them translate what you’re saying when you use buzzwords. Use easy-to-understand terminology and analogies without acronyms when you communicate. Doing so ensures your clients connect with you and what you have to offer.
Make Lists & Use Bullets. Writing a detailed paragraph takes up your valuable time. It also means the person you’re sending it to has to take time to unravel what you’ve written to determine how it applies to them. Consider writing short sentences. Make lists and use bullet points to make what you’ve written a quick read.
Give Calls to Action. Have you ever read through an email response and scratched your head wondering what to do next? Your client has, too. Make it easy on both of you by spelling out exactly what they need to do next. Give them a call to action.
These are just a few ways you can ensure you are effectively communicating and connecting with your clients and prospects. You can also apply this tips to every audience you reach out to – from vendors to carriers to customers and friends. Doing so consistently is sure to make a positive impact and create a win-win situation for everyone.
by David and Tracy Bell | Jun 25, 2024
You want to be successful in your insurance business. Some agents dive in feet first and cross their fingers as they wish for success. Other brokers make a plan and follow it. With either approach, most of us check the box: project/business launch completed. And we quickly move onto the next thing… Right?! We tend to “set it and forget it,” like a Ron Popeil commercial.
While there may be a handful of people this approach works for, the rest of us typically aren’t as fortunate.
If we want to be successful, we need to continually learn and seek ways to improve our insurance business.
Sure, we all know outlandish brokers and agents who run through life jumping from one shiny object thing to the next. While they appear to be successful, they actually leave a wake of chaos and destruction in their path. (The aftermath of a hurricane comes to mind.)
Shiny-object brokers may experience momentary success, but it isn’t sustainable over the long term.
So how can you beat the odds and establish a foundation to propel your insurance business forward systematically?
From a marketing perspective, we recommend creating a strategic plan that you follow like a roadmap. But let’s say you already have a plan. How do you ensure forward momentum and keep up with the accelerated pace of today?
Here are a few guidelines to consider following:
- Continually Learn. Keep reading, searching and listening. With today’s information highway, the options for learning are limitless. From webinars to podcasts to social media platforms – all you have to do is plug in, absorb, digest and apply what you discover.
- Share What You Learn. Keep posting and sharing relevant nuggets and insights with your customers and prospects. In doing so, you’ll position yourself as a thought leader that is plugged in and paving the way for success.
- Find Ways to Connect. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t all about you. It is, however, about connecting with others to see how you can help. (As a Rotarian, we call is Service Above Self.) If you seek ways to help others, you’ll learn volumes about what works and what doesn’t work. By contributing to the lives of others, you feed your soul.
- Genuinely Listen. One of the best ways to continually learn is by really plugging in and listening to what others have to say. Intentionally dig beyond the surface and find out what others are passionate about, what keeps them up at night, and how they are achieving their business and life goals.
- Practice Makes Perfect. Anyone who masters a sport, skill or talent continually practices. They stretch and grow by finding new techniques, approaches, and strategies. No matter what you’re trying to achieve, consistently push to find ways to practice and improve.
- Study Others. Whether it is a new marketing technique or a creative tactic you’ve never tried, there is always something to learn. Find best practices and up your game. Study the masters and learn from the experts.
If you want to be successful, you cannot be stagnant. You have to learn new methods, test them and find the ones that work for you. What methods do you use to continually learn?
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by David and Tracy Bell | Jun 11, 2024
What makes a company successful? It’s the people.
Our mission is to learn more about the abilities of each person we are associated with professionally and personally.
Our company is always looking for great people with a passion for success. We have built the company around the strengths of our people.
When you build a company around people and judge the success of the company based on individuals, you have something special. A company is nothing more than a vehicle for the success of employees, partners, clients and vendors.
I know we’re standing in front of a vintage Rolls in this photo but if you know us, you know we’re more comfortable in beach attire and driving a truck.
A special thank you to everyone who has contributed to the success of this company. We look forward to growing the company family and emerging into a position of market leadership. We believe that we are only as good as the people we associate with and we’ve been so fortunate to work with some of the best people in the world.
