Holmes Murphy’s Post

Does your community have the winter blues? 😰   Don’t panic. It’s common for engagement to drop off over the year-end holidays, and as January rolls on, it can be hard for members to get back in the swing of things.   Over the last two days, I’ve shared a couple of ideas to re-energize your community engagement. Here’s one more:   🫶 Weave webs of friendship and connection between your members.   This is something to work on throughout the year, even when engagement is high. It’s a sort of insurance policy against steep peaks and valleys in activity.   Make sure you offer time during events for people to connect with one another in small groups and conversations without you. Relationships that are sparked live often carry over into conversations on the platform.   Resist the urge to insert yourself into every conversation. If you’re “in the room” for every interaction, it becomes hard for people to have genuine conversations without you.   To recap, here are 3 ideas to electrify engagement when your community’s in a winter slump: ⚡ Show up on the platforms that have your members’ attention ⚡ Reach out directly to people with historically high engagement ⚡ Help members build relationships with each other independent of you Have you tried these tips? What else would you add to this list?

Over the last 25+ years, clusters, associations, and alliances have been introduced to the independent agency ecosystem and have grown steadily. During the last 5 years participation in these organizations has exploded and these operating platforms are now known as agency networks. Bob Besio, Scott Stice, Kevin Callahan, Gina Papas, and I completed independent research on agency networks using the voice of over 500 independent agents. The research centered on three topics:   1. The goals of independent agents and the barriers to meeting those goals over the next 24 months   2. The reasons for joining agency networks   3. The types of network benefits that are most important to an independent agent     With over 70% of agencies now participating in some sort of network, competition among networks is steadily increasing. In the perspective below, you'll find what we learned as well as prospective strategies that carriers can apply to best leverage the network structure and benefits.

Focus on Profits – Employer Plan Sponsor versus the BUCA’s One aspect of control for an employer choosing to join our stop-loss group captive programs is control over their spending and keeping any potential profits, versus paying Blue United Cigna Aetna (BUCA), further juicing the BUCA profits. Self-funding benefits is a “pay as you go” approach for funding claims within the self-insured retention (SIR). The SIR is the employer deductible above the covered member deductible and the liability for claims below the stop-loss Individual Specific Limit (ISL). The SIR is the employer’s pay-as-you-go portion of medical and RX claims and the location for an employer’s true “profit” or savings.       In contrast, the fully insured health insurance market sets its premium and requires its customers to pay 100% of the premium, regardless of actual claims cost or volume. The carrier exerts absolute control over employer fixed cost premiums and plans offered. BUCA's profit margins are in black and white for everyone to see, the 15% Medical Loss Ratio (MLR). The MLR expressed in dollars, increases with each extra dollar charged and paid by an employer plan sponsor.     Our self-funded employer retains flexibility and control over the offered Plans, aiding in recruiting and retention. The strength of self-funding is controlling health care costs in an employer-sponsored health plan.   Don McCully runs Medical Captive Underwriters - https://lnkd.in/gYDtbKmY The focus is on lowering medical inflation and employer healthcare spending for enrolled employers. ClearCaptive and American Band Captive are 50-state open-access medical stop-loss group captive solutions for middle-market employers.

Building strong relationships is key to success! My new article explores how expressing appreciation strengthens connections, fosters a creative environment, and fuels success. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/geMgTYTX #gratitude #teamwork #MyUtilities

They say life is short, so why not make sure you're prepared for anything? With The Platinum Organization, Inc. you can be sure that your loved ones are taken care of no matter what happens. Visit https://lnkd.in/ghz9S45z to get protected today! #LifeInsurance #FamilyProtection

At Find UK People, we understand that reliability, trustworthiness, and efficiency are more than just buzzwords – they are the pillars of our commitment to our clients. While many companies may promise these attributes, delivering on them consistently is a different matter altogether. Why Find UK People Stands Out: Reliability: Our dedicated team utilises advanced tracing technologies and a comprehensive database to ensure accurate and timely results. We pride ourselves on our track record of successfully locating individuals across the UK, even in the most challenging circumstances. Trustworthiness: At the heart of our service is a commitment to ethical practices and confidentiality. We handle every case with the utmost discretion, ensuring that sensitive information is protected and used responsibly. Our clients trust us to manage their cases with integrity and professionalism. Efficiency: Time is often of the essence in people tracing, and our streamlined processes are designed to deliver quick and precise outcomes. From the initial inquiry to the final report, we focus on minimising delays and maximising effectiveness, saving our clients valuable time and resources. In a world where promises are easy to make but hard to keep, Find UK People continues to differentiate itself by consistently delivering reliable, trustworthy, and efficient people tracing services. Our clients' peace of mind is our highest priority, and we strive to exceed their expectations every step of the way. Discover the Find UK People difference – where commitment to excellence meets unmatched expertise. Findukpeople.com #legalprofession

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our valued clients and foster meaningful connections as we continue to progress each day. #ClientService #RelationshipBuilding 🌟 Celebrating Success and Amplifying Impact! 🌟 In the ever-evolving world of professional communities, it is crucial to recognize and embrace the significance of sharing our wins. As we strive to make a difference and leave a lasting impact, it becomes equally important to continue nurturing our growth. Let us remember that our achievements are not meant to be kept in isolation but rather shared with our esteemed peers. By doing so, we not only inspire others but also foster a culture of collaboration and collective advancement. In this fast-paced and interconnected digital age, the power of sharing success stories cannot be underestimated. By showcasing our accomplishments, we not only highlight our expertise but also contribute to the growth and development of our professional networks. As we navigate through our respective industries, let us make a conscious effort to celebrate our wins and share them within our communities. By doing so, we create a ripple effect that propels us towards even greater achievements and amplifies our collective impact. Remember, success is not a solitary journey but a shared experience. Together, we are incredibly grateful to the National Small Business Association (#NSBA) for their unwavering dedication to advocating for small business owners. Their tireless efforts to amplify our voices on Capitol Hill are truly commendable. Thank you, #NSBA, for your invaluable support in championing the interests of small businesses. #Gratitude #SmallBusinessAdvocacy Excited to have the opportunity to connect with incredible individuals nationwide who are dedicated to driving positive change. Engaging in thought-provoking conversations about pressing matters often neglected by the mainstream media. #Networking #MakingADifference #CriticalIssues I am thrilled to announce that we have been privileged to contribute to these remarkable endeavors. 

Industry relationships can be a hidden treasure. Recently caught up with a former colleague over coffee, reminiscing on shared experiences in business and family. Reflecting on how time flies when familiar faces are replaced by new environments, personalities, routines, and responsibilities - that's life, right? The essence of this post is that your business colleague or "competition" can often be your greatest source of new business. Deep relationships are indeed the keys to winning trust. My strongest connections have been with industry peers, sharing a common vision, empathy, and the tools to excel in our craft together at industry events. While they may be considered competition, these relationships often lead to valuable referrals. Unlike customers who may approach vendor relationships cautiously, industry colleagues foster trust more naturally. Reconnect with old industry buddies over coffee, not only for a pleasant catch-up but to leverage past synergies in business. They might offer unexpected help without a formal request. As Vice President at Harvest Cloud Cafe, where value is delivered daily, I invite you to explore the untapped potential of industry relationships. Let's talk. joe@harvestcloudcafe.com www.harvestcloudcafe.com

https://lnkd.in/df9W6Ut4 Do I need life insurance if I'm single? 🙋♂️🙋♀️ Here are 3 reasons you could consider life insurance even if you’re single. 1. Buying a property 🏡 – If you’re covered and you pass away before your mortgage is paid off, your life insurance could help pay off the rest. Allowing you to leave the property to loved ones or charitable causes that are important to you. 2. Protecting your children 👩👧👨👦– If you have children from a previous relationship, Life insurance can give you peace of mind knowing your children would be cared for financially if the worst were to happen to you. It could pay out a cash lump sum to your beneficiaries to help with things like child-care costs and everyday living expenses. 3. Friends and Family ❤️ - It is not only children who might rely on you financially. A single person may choose to help a close relative in full time education, or parents in retirement, etc. Life insurance could ensure this support continues should the worst happen. So, if you need advice for life insurance as a single person, book a free 30min call 👇🏾 Claudia Fernandes Protection Adviset 07719274347

Do you know what your agency should do right now to not only survive, but thrive? Agency owners learned these insights, and much more, at the FirstChoice Annual Member Conference In Motion. Read Today’s ViewPoint from Diane Wagner and stay in the loop on all the valuable expertise and transformative discussions affecting the industry right now. #MarshBerry #FirstChoice #Network #InsuranceIndustry #TopAgencyPartner