Employers who sponsor a group health plan with prescription drug benefits are required to notify their Medicare-eligible participants and beneficiaries whether the prescription drug coverage offered under their plan constitutes “creditable” or “non-creditable” coverage. In earlier years, the notice had to be distributed prior to November 15. However, since the Medicare Part D annual enrollment period was changed under
health care reform and now runs from October 15 to December 7, beginning this year, the annual notices must be distributed before October 15

Medicare Part D Reminder

The reviews are in and everyone loves LinkedIn Makeover: Professional Secrets to a POWERFUL LinkedIn Makeover!

Social Media expert, Seth Goldstein recently posted a glowing video review of LinkedIn Makeover

And the Amazon 5 star reviews keep pouring in:

I had no idea there was so much to Linked In that I just didn’t know about! I never really considered how I might be perceived by oithers based on my own profile. Donna takes you from a beginner to the next level. This book is jam packed with helpful and useful information. It’s hard to beleive so much fits between the covers! It’s an easy read for anyone who is technology savvy or has never even created their own LinkedIn profile.

I have read a ton of books on business networking and social media, but this is one of the best. If you are considering this or another title, I have to tell you that you will be very pleased with Donna’s style of writing and the information you get from this book. Some of the tips are priceless!

I’ve just completed the book and I have to say that I’m looking forward to her next one. I’ve decided to use Donna and her ideas to help me get better “Linked In”!

Thank you to everyone for the positive reviews! I appreciate it!

Purchase your copy today!

Hi Everyone! Here’s another post from your friendly, LinkedIn Profile Writer!

I just posted a new blog entry on my Website, LinkedIn Makeover that details how to customize your LinkedIn Profile address.

You see, LinkedIn assigns your LinkedIn profile an ugly default address. It looks like this:

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/your-name/31/54a/b91

Try putting that on your business card!

Luckily, you can customize this LinkedIn profile address to something more memorable and easy to type!

Read my blog article and watch the embedded video to find out exactly how you can make your LinkedIn profile more marketable!

CLICK –> How do I Customize my LinkedIn Profile Address?

And are you wondering how I customized my LinkedIn Profile address?

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/toDonna

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

As I celebrate 30 years in business I want to share some valuable lessons I’ve learned about selling over the years.  I have personally sold more than $50,000,000 in products and services over the 30 years.  Half of my career was in the textile and apparel industry and half has been in business consulting.  In each business I have had a customer for more than 10 years!

Here are some suggestions.  Hopefully you’ve written out your business plan and set your goals for the next three years.  Reaching those goals will usually involve increasing your sales.  Repeat customers are best; but we all need to find some new customers as well if we want to reach that BHAG (big hairy audacious goal).  This article will discuss strategies to obtain new customers.  These strategies are best suited to business-to-business sales, or retail sales of high-ticket items.

In my experience, the strategy that works best is this one: Stop selling!  Lead potential customers to make a buying decision.  People like the feeling that they are “buying” rather than the feeling that they have been “sold” something.  In fact, people who make an educated decision to buy your product or service are more likely to be loyal customers.  They’re even likely to pay a little bit more for the privilege.

What leads a person to make a buying decision?  Education!

Education empowers a customer to make a buying decision.  Education places your product or service in a more credible light.  When you bother to teach prospective customers why your product is the best, you also show knowledge of your industry.  You put yourself in the position of being regarded as an expert.  This credibility elevates you above your competition.

Here are some action steps toward the goal of winning new customers:

1. Define your target market.  No matter what you sell, it is not for everyone.  If you already have customers, take a look at your customer list and identify the traits they have in common.  What are their demographics?  How often do they buy?  When do they buy?  How does your product fill a need?  If you’re a start-up company with few customers, take a look at your product/service from a customer’s perspective to determine who is most likely to need your product.
2. Tailor your marketing activities to your target market.  Please make a marketing budget and create a one-year marketing plan.  Work your plan.  Monitor where your leads come from.  Resist the temptation to spend marketing dollars on impulse.  So much marketing money is wasted on impulse buys!
3. Use the power of your brand.  Be sure that every time a prospective customer sees your message, it is consistently presented.  Whether it’s in print, on your vehicle, on the internet, in your email, on a billboard—be sure your logo is always presented the same way.  By taking this action, you maximize your return on marketing investment.
4. Educate your prospective customers.  Once you have your prospect’s attention, resist the temptation to “sell.”  Ask probing questions (even if in your print materials).  Find out what your prospect needs.  Find out when the buying decision is usually made.  Find out who makes the decision.  Provide the prospect with lots of information about your company and your product/service.  Build a relationship—the prospect will feel like more than a sales target.  Be sure to include your promise (you do have one, don’t you?).
5. Keep prospects in the loop.  Once you have a lead, continue to contact that prospect and feed them information.  If your sale takes several meetings, be sure you continue to move the process toward closing the sale (but don’t be pushy).  Nowadays it’s easy to stay in touch with people by email (if they have given you their email address voluntarily).  Perhaps you sell a product/service that is only needed during emergencies.  You must keep in touch with your prospects frequently, so that your name will be “top of mind” when that acute need arises.
6. If you’re going to give a special offer, don’t lead with it.  If you lead with a coupon, you’re telling prospects that price is more important than anything else.  If you educate people on your company and your product/service—and then give a special offer—you are offering the prospect one more piece of education that will help them make the buying decision (for example, $50 off for new customers if purchase is made by the end of the month).
7. Stop talking and close the sale when you hear the buying signal.  When your prospect has made the decision and you hear words like, “I’m ready to get started,” or “Can you deliver it on Saturday?” that’s when it’s time to do the paperwork.  No more talking about features and benefits.  The only remaining item is payment and delivery.
8. Use the delivery process to strengthen your relationship with your new customer.  You educated the person as to why you are the best to buy from—now prove it!

If you have done this properly, you will have a repeat customer and your new customer will provide you with referrals that will be a lot easier to close.  When you have properly educated a new customer, it is likely that your new customer will educate others (especially if you taught them well).  Knowledge is power.  People feel good about telling others they have had a good experience.  They like to recommend good products/services to others.  Good luck!

This is our first video from 2004 or 2005. Enjoy!

LeTip of Lower Bucks County!

I recently posted a new entry on my LinkedIn Makeover blog all about how to see who has viewed your LinkedIn profile.  In the post, I also included a video to help you determine if your LinkedIn profile is working for you!  

Take 2 minutes and watch the video! There are two invaluable tips in the video that will help you determine the POWER of your LinkedIn profile.

EMA Group Inc

When buying any form of insurance, should you work with an insurance agent or broker? To know the answer, you need to first understand the difference.

Captive agents are employees of an insurance company. As such, they represent that company completely, just as a Toyota dealer who sells Toyotas exclusively: No matter how good a Ford is, No Toyota salesman will sell you one. Some of the biggest insurance companies work in a similar way and only have captive or career agents.

Independent brokers can work with many carriers and usually represent the purchaser’s (your) best interests.

Thus, brokers are free to shop with multiple carriers to find one that offers the policy that is the best match for the client’s needs. There is no one insurance policy that is “the best” for everyone. Each client is unique.

Brokers, as a result, do the shopping for their clients, alleviating the need for their clients to shop on their own.

So you should either work with a broker, or with a number of agents, since agents will usually give you policies from one carrier each.

Sometimes agents claim to be brokers in an effort to discourage their clients from talking to the competition, If you are unsure, ask him or her to name the carriers he or she works with, and if you doubt their sincerity, ask to see their licenses. In some states, agents must have one license for each carrier they represent. In PA brokers have one license, but must be appointed with each insurer. Another good test is to ask for a business card or take a look at their website. Usually if it only contains a name or a logo of a specific insurance company, that’s who they represent.  

For More Information Ask Your Independent Broker:

Edward T. MacConnell
EMA Group Inc.
PHONE:  (215)355-2121 FAX: (215)947-5478
EMAIL: edmac@emabenefits.com
Website: http://www.emabenefits.com

Blog: http://www.blog.emabenefits.com