Join us for our first episode of the second season as we dive into the latest insights from the 2024 Medicarians Conference in Vegas. Our hosts, the Insurance Buddies, Jason McLellan, Andy Duster, Will Smallwood, and Richard Buffkin, share their thoughts on the new CMS regulations, the growing interest in ACA, and the emerging role of AI in the insurance industry.

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with 3 of our carrier rep partners; Kyle Ingraham from Health Alliance Plan - or HAP, Robin Kane-Mostyn from McLaren Medicare, and Rob Roberts from Priority Health! With all 3 of these carrier reps having once been independent agents themselves, we sat down to talk about the 5 Habits of TOP Successful Agents. 

What does it take to become an independent agent in today's world? And more importantly - what does it take to become a SUCCESSFUL AGENT in today's world? From mindset, to marketing; Kyle, Rob, & Robin tell us the facts about developing & maintaining an entrepreneurial balance in the insurance industry. We talk about how to find resources for training, education, marketing, and business development. They also give their top tips on how to become successful in the industry, including a habit or two to avoid doing!

Carrier Reps play an important role in the industry - because they help facilitate the growth of the agent, while also being the agent's advocate. As well as being the direct line of communication between the agent's client and the insurance carrier - meaning that they're constantly keeping their ears to the ground in terms of what agents and their members want from their plan!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Nick Mancuso from Retirable! Retirable describes the business as "... an experienced team of financial advisors and technologists, passionate about building a way to help you get more from your golden years — and we won't stop until everyone can confidently expect a better retirement." -Retirable.com 

Today we sat down with Nick to talk about the current state of the Financial market in 2023; and how recession impacts investment accounts. Some would say that the market is on a downward trend - but is it? Nick explains that what we're seeing in today's market is played up by media, and exaggerated. Although there have been market declines in the last year, 2023 has seen some interesting investment numbers due to the increase in Annuity investments. Index accounts are seeing the greatest returns of any investment account-types. Due to the cyclical nature of the market, index investments get all of the market growth, without any market decline. Annual resets allow for index accounts to grow with market increases; making index accounts like annuities and IULs to become more and more popular in today's financial world.

Is this the best way to help clients save for retirement?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Donald Kirkendall from Kirkendall/AffordableOne Insurance! Don walks us through the importance of life insurance in today's world, and why it's MORE important for younger generations to think about life insurance now than ever before.

The cost of living has gone up...but so has the cost of DYING! Young people have less risk of passing away unexpectedly, therefore their monthly premiums will be much lower than for those who are in their later years of life. Many young people believe that life insurance is too costly, so they put it off - thinking they won't need it until they get older...but then the unthinkable happens.

Don explains for us all the different situations that young people in the Millennial (ages 25-42) and Gen Z (ages 7-24) can possibly be in; when it comes to needing life insurance. Situations ranging from being a single parent with children from multiple fathers, a child with family health risks, and a child who lost their mother during childbirth. It's these stories that make us realize that tomorrow is never promised. Don also shares with us a few tips on how you can start generating life insurance leads in these age brackets, and how to speak to these groups on the importance of these products for their family's sake.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat BACK down with Robert Intelisano, aka The Insurance Doctor! Rob walks us through some really important things that can help you sell more annuities! We talk about the features and benefits of annuities that help educate the client, while still making the most sense to them!

Robert is the Founder and President of Intelisano & Associates. Since 1999 he has worked with thousands of individuals, families, and businesses helping them to obtain the best and most cost-effective insurance protection for their specific needs.
 
Taking a holistic approach with every case, Rob does not promote products until he understands his client’s short and long-term goals and needs. Only then does Rob and his team of independent professional advisors design the best solution, and always with the goal of providing you with protection and peace of mind at the right premium.

Rob has earned the following designations:
• Earned Chartered Life Underwriter CLU in 1995
• Earned Certified Senior Advisor CSA in 2003

Rob shares some of the most important lessons he's learned since starting in the industry, including the importance of having a good mentor, and being honest and transparent with your clients.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Chris Schiefer; a life insurance specialist and IAD's partner from TruChoice Financial! Chris has been working in the insurance industry for almost 20 years and has been helping agents and brokers alike grow their book of business by educating them about different insurance products that can help them retain and grow generational wealth for their clients.

There are numerous ways that today's consumers can save for retirement. But how many ways are people saving for life after death? Today Chris helps us outline the benefits and caveats of different insurance, and non-insurance options for today's consumers to help them grow or maintain wealth. These options can also help generate generational wealth for the client's family. 

But how do we know which is best?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Robert Intelisano, aka The Insurance Doctor! Rob walks us through some really important things that both you and your clients need to know about annuities; including some basic definitions and tax deferrals.

Robert is the Founder and President of Intelisano & Associates. Since 1999 he has worked with thousands of individuals, families, and businesses helping them to obtain the best and most cost-effective insurance protection for their specific needs.
 
Taking a holistic approach with every case, Rob does not promote products until he understands his client’s short and long-term goals and needs. Only then does Rob and his team of independent professional advisors design the best solution, and always with the goal of providing you with protection and peace of mind at the right premium.

Rob has earned the following designations:
• Earned Chartered Life Underwriter CLU in 1995
• Earned Certified Senior Advisor CSA in 2003

Rob shares some of the most important lessons he's learned since starting in the industry, including the importance of having a good mentor, and being honest and transparent with your clients.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Chris DeMars; an annuity specialist and IAD's partner from TruChoice Financial! Chris has been working in the insurance industry for almost 20 years and has been helping agents and brokers alike grow their book of business by educating them about different annuity, securities, & traditional savings options that consumers can use to save for retirement.

The cost of raising a child in the year 1990 has since more than tripled in today's world. While the cost of living; has shot up significantly in the last 3 years. What will the financial climate look like in the next 30 years, and how will we all have enough money to survive after the employer paychecks have stopped rolling in? What do we do if every day is a Saturday in retirement? There are numerous reasons as to why we all have to save for retirement, and there's just as many ways to save for that stage of life. 

But some options are better than others. There are so many risks associated with more traditional forms of retirement savings options, including withdrawal risk, longevity risk, tax risks, etc. Teach your clients how to save for a more financially sustainable future by planning for retirement using insurance products, as opposed to their bank.

How many times have we had to bail out the banks? How many times have we had to bail out the insurance company? 

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Ken Peterson from Benistar, where we talked about 10 ways that you can be a better communicator. Communication is extremely important in a sales environment, and how your client feels in a conversation with you will have a lot to do with whether they will close the sale...or go somewhere else!

In today's digital age, more and more people are craving that face-to-face interaction, as opposed to looking at a computer screen. Although you may still be conducting some meetings via Zoom or other similar platforms due to restrictions of physical distance; it's important to know how to be a good communicator in these situations. Consumers in today's world want to feel like they are truly being heard. And if you are proposing to be able to solve their problems with what you sell, you should be ready to actively listen in order to provide the emotional connection with a client that will make them feel heard. When your clients feel as though you're a great communicator, they'll want to refer you to their friends and family!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO.  Today we sat down with Shirley Lanier - Shirley has been in the industry for roughly a decade and started out her business in the D-SNP market of Medicare. Shirley explains to us the benefits of D-SNP Medicare products, as well as the differences that the PACE programs make to seniors; but that you can't have both!

The Medicare system can be extremely confusing, and if you're not careful or ask the right questions to your clients, you can end up a creek without a paddle! We talk about the barriers to D-SNP products, the limitations but also the benefits of the program for those people who are dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. With such a large gap in today's wages amongst the working class - most seniors (especially in low-income areas around southeast Michigan) have more limited options for care, or even financial resources in order to stay healthy! What else do you want to know about D-SNP vs. the PACE Program?

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO. In today's episode, we sat down with Joanne Giardini, owner of Giardini Medicare. Joanne has been a Medicare expert for roughly 2 decades and uses TikTok as a means of generating high quality leads for her and her agency! How many leads you ask? How about 300 people who are ready to enroll in Medicare by the end of 2023?! WOW!!!

Joanne explains how she got started in producing TikTok content and how it has become part of her weekly routine. She explains the time and dedication that she puts into the platform, and how it has helped her grow the business in a way that no one - not even her son - ever imagined! Joanne also talks about how she films videos ahead of time, so that she can have videos ready to post while she's relaxing on vacation. (But as a Medicare agent, are you ever really, TRULY ever able to relax or take vacation? Hmm...)

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO. Today, we had 3 very special guests in the DIP studio; Dan Tripp, Ruben Rodriguez, and Andrea Hicks. Each of these agents shared some of their client horror stories, ranging from "hindsight is 2020" to "maybe I should bring bug spray with me to every appointment...."

When you work with the general public, there are NUMEROUS things that can go terribly awry! There are so many people that don't understand the importance of working with not only a knowledgeable agent, but also the importance of simply HAVING the insurance policy for their needs - and how their needs could cripple them financially without proper coverage. Learn from these mistakes so you can help take your business to the next level - and have a laugh or two along the way!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO. In today's episode, we sat down with Dan Greer, aka Dan "The Man" Insurance Etc.! Dan has been in the insurance industry for a decade and has a lot to share about the insurance industry - mainly about the importance of client retention!

Client retention can be the make or break in your insurance business, especially as a Medicare agent. From referrals, renewals, medicare scams, and unintentional plan switches; it's important to stay up-to-date with your clients, check in with them periodically, and just let them know you're still here to help them. Dan "The Man" explains of a few instances where he could have done more to retain a few clients; and what he learned from those experiences. While also sharing some ways that he keeps in contact with past clients, but without paying for a large CRM system!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or DIP! for short! A podcast for independent insurance agents; brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct, a full-service FMO. For today's episode we sat back down with Tyffany Chalifour-Molic (aka the Boujee Budget Mom on tiktok!) to discuss the time and effort that goes into content marketing on social media. Social media is a WONDERFUL tool to small businesses - including independent insurance agents! Having social media accounts are free to the user as well as audience members, so why not take advantage?

But social media is also a game; run by our favorite fickle mistress - the ALGORITHM! Producing content that works WITH social media algorithms as opposed to against them will help you and your brand get the exposure that you're looking for when you're attracting an audience of consumers to your personal brand. But content creation is VERY tedious and time consuming, so you have to be realistic with yourself when you're a business owner and want to grow your brand online. What are you actually capable of producing in terms of content? What should you be doing in order to be seen by new audiences? Tune in to find out!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! In today's episode, we sat down with Kayla Salamon! Kayla is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in Marketing, Communications, and a Certificate of Public Relations. Kayla works as a soial media campaign manager for a global marketing agency that services many large brands that you know and love! She is also a large consumer of social media as well as a content creator/travel influencer on Instagram! (Follow her! @kaylasalamon)

Kayla shares with us her expertise in how to structure content, in how it should align with your business goals, be created with your audience in mind, work with the social media algorithm, and how posts can go viral. We talk about the business funnel and the purpose of using social media as a means of spreading brand awareness, in order to generate leads that align with your original business strategy. Social media is a wonderful free tool, and you can have it work to your advantage to make more money in your business; if you structure your content for higher reach and engagement.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! In today's episode, we sat down with Lisa Winn of the Winn Agency, and Dan Greer, aka Dan "The Man" Insurance Etc.! We talked about the struggles Lisa was having with agencies that promised one thing...and did another. It's unfortunately too prevalent in today's world that entities are offering social media marketing services to insurance agents, (or other small business owners) but these services are often not what they seem...

Dan "The Man" Insurance Etc. has been a client of IAD's sister-brand Marketing Advisors Direct for 6 months, and shares how his experience in working with MAD has differed - and even EXCEEDED expectations in comparison to what other agencies or entities are offering as far as their social media marketing services. Dan explains his joy in working with MAD and the value it has given to his insurance business.

Agents today are getting ripped off with social media marketing services that don't understand the industry; including Medicare marketing compliance, CMS guidelines, posting strategies, OR EVEN SIMPLY USING HASHTAGS!!!!! Our Host and Social Media Strategist Kelsey Korte does a deep dive on the questions that agents should be asking any social media marketing service, in order to determine whether the service is going to bring you results, or leave you feeling burned!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! In today's episode we're sitting down again with Gabrielle Curry to talk about social media! Social Media is an amazing marketing tool for businesses of all sizes, but if you're an independent agent trying to grow your business in today's world, you should have a presence on social media in order to generate leads.

In this episode we talk about the different social media platforms that are generally used by a majority of audiences in today's world. We also discuss the reasons why agents should be utilizing social media to market themselves and their businesses, along with social media marketing techniques that can help you boost your social channels. We also go over target audiences and how to develop content that truly speaks to your target audience.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! Today we're sitting down with the Boujee Budget Mom from TikTok; Tyffany Chalifour-Molic! Tyffany is an entrepreneur and content creator; starting with her mindset coaching business, Tyffany uses TikTok to spread brand awareness about her business!

With over 100k followers on TikTok, Tyffany explains how she's developed a personal brand for her business and how she's used TikTok to to do it. In today's episode, we go over what goes into developing a personal brand for independent insurance agents, and how to utilize your personal brand on social media in order to attract those high quality insurance leads that are closer to closing every time!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! Today we sat down with John Janesak of Covenant Financial! John talked with us today about the 5 FREE ways that he generates HIGH QUALITY insurance leads in today's world.

When you're an insurance agent or small business owner, it can be hard to generate leads in today's market. The competition is TOUGH and it can be hard to succumb to the pressures of traditional, EXPENSIVE forms of lead generation. If you caught episode 4 of the DIP podcast, we talked with Joe Brown about how expensive some of these lead generation strategies have become over the years. So it's made it harder to get a good ROI in the year 2023. But John tells us about the networking, community events, referrals, and more ways that he's been able to grow a profitable business, and having a career that provides for his family.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful, even if they're not an independent insurance agent! But for now - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!
#DIPintoInsurance

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! Today we're sitting down with Joe Brown. Joe has been an independent agent for nearly 30 years, and has tried a bit of everything when it comes to the marketing and lead generation tactics for independent agents.

Joe explains how lead generation and marketing for agents has shifted and changed over the years; the benefits, the caveats, and everything in-between. We go over everything from lead lists for direct-mail, cold-calling, generating referrals, sponsorships, networking, organic web SEO & social media, and MORE!

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful; even if they're not an insurance agent! But until then - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome back to the Direct Insurance Podcast, or DIP for short! Today we sat down with Gabrielle Curry, an independent agent and talked about using the SMART method to develop & sustain business goals in the insurance industry.

When you're a small business owner, it can be easy to lose sight of your business and financial goals if you don't have a roadmap to get there. Gabrielle explains how at her agency, she and her fellow agents set production goals based on experience level, benchmarking last years' results, & time of year. She breaks down how her long term goals are made up of multiple short term goals that help her stay on track. She explains how her short term goals help outline and motivate her to meet more people & have more personable interactions in order to meet her financial goals, and what activities go into developing the success within those goals.

Share this episode with a small business owner that you think would find this information helpful, even if they're not an independent insurance agent! But for now - Let's D.I.P. into insurance!

Welcome to the DIP! or Direct Insurance Podcast! Today's episode is how FMO's (Field Marketing Organizations) help independent insurance agents in their businesses. An FMO is the third-party intermediary between the independent agent, and the insurance carrier. They are licensed to sell, market, and distribute insurance products. Although, an FMO is mostly responsible for providing insurance agents and brokers with training, resources, product information, back office support, and assisting with marketing services.

In short - FMO's help independent agents and brokers make more money in their businesses!

Today, we sit down with Ryan Morefield of Senior Advisors to talk about how he has benefitted in his business as an insurance agent; while being partnered with an FMO.

Welcome to the Direct Insurance Podcast, otherwise known as DIP! Today we're sitting down to talk to Insurance Advisor's Direct's CEO & President, Jason McClellan.  Jason has been in the insurance industry and worked as an independent agent for over 20 years. After seeing opportunity for both marketing AND training resources that were currently available to Independent agents, Insurance Advisors Direct was born! 

Join us as we walk through the process of understanding who makes a great insurance agent. We go over information like getting your insurance license, certifications and exams, business information and helpful resources to help you grow your business as an independent agent.

Share this podcast episode with anyone you know who has been thinking about getting started in insurance - now, lets' DIP into Insurance!

Hello, and welcome to the Direct Insurance Podcast - or D.I.P! The D.I.P Podcast is brought to you by Insurance Advisors Direct; Southeast Michigan's Full Service FMO. 

This Podcast will cover topics such as lead generation, marketing, digital marketing strategies, and more for the independent broker! Here at Insurance Advisors Direct, we have one mission; Simplifying Your Success! We focus on the success of our industry partners through our 7 Core Pillars:

• Product Offering
• Training & Education
• Lead Generation
• Sales Tools
• Marketing Services
• Technology
• Administrative Services

If you are an independent insurance broker in the health, senior health, life, or annuities markets, we highly suggest you D.I.P into Insurance with us!

Thinking of becoming our industry partner? Visit our website!
www.iadbrokerage.com 

Or Call Toll Free!
(800) 381-0977

Now, let's D.I.P into insurance!