WalMart Medicare Advantage Marketing Coming Very Soon

[MedSuppPro]

A few years ago I sat in a Wal-Mart and probably made an extra $15,000 in just a couple of months.
Rick

That was a few years ago -- what about today?

Look I'm not trashing Joe Moore's opportunity. Recently, I placed a fairly large Walmart booth order and frankly I'm trying to figure out if this makes good business sense in 2009.

Joe's is a FREE booth. Some FMO's are offering the same booth for $250 and a few suckers are at the $500 level. Since when is FREE a bad opportunity?

Just to set the record straight; Humana is still contracted and somehow the UHC AARP group will replace the Humana booth only if UHC AARP can find someone per individual store. Otherwise, the booth defaults back to Humana. But, if Frank-The-Insurance-Man goes to the local Walmart store and talks to the store manager he will be told to call corporate. This is a corporate deal.

So, my question for the group is: Why? Why under the current set of CMS rules would anyone sit in a Walsmarts for 15+ hours a week and only be able to hand out business cards and not be able to start a conversation about MA or PDP's. I suppose one could hawk UHC/AARP MedSupp's. But, I'm not sure this will generate enough business to make it worth your while. So, how are agent's able to make this booth thing work in 2009?

 

[Guest]

They could always ignore the CMS rules, isn't that why they cranked down harder? Would that surprise you?

So, my question for the group is: Why? Why under the current set of CMS rules would anyone sit in a Walsmarts for 15+ hours a week and only be able to hand out business cards and not be able to start a conversation about MA or PDP's. I suppose one could hawk UHC/AARP MedSupp's. But, I'm not sure this will generate enough business to make it worth your while. So, how are agent's able to make this booth thing work in 2009?

 

[MedSuppPro]

They could always ignore the CMS rules, isn't that why they cranked down harder? Would that surprise you?

Nothing surprises me anymore when it comes to CMS cranking harder. One of the requirements of a UHC/AARP booth is that we report by the 20th of the month prior the days/nights we will sit in that booth and pass out business cards to Secret Shoppers (SS Agents). Who needs freedom of speech?

Nein, I think I'm answering my own question!

 

[Joe Moore]

Thanks. I wasn't "pushing" Pyramid, just using it as an example. I nether like or sell any of the PFFS plans.

The reason I posted that was because I was once approached by and agency trying to get me to sit in a Wal-mart. They were offering $125 per app. I think I made some kind of disparaging remark about his heritage.

I have heard of these "deals' also. But, they wanted $250 for the rights to do it.

 

[Tom Highway]

Why can these not be considered sales events? Do they have to be considered educational events?

If these can only be educational events, forget free to sit in the booth, you'd have to pay me to do it!

That was a few years ago -- what about today?

Look I'm not trashing Joe Moore's opportunity. Recently, I placed a fairly large Walmart booth order and frankly I'm trying to figure out if this makes good business sense in 2009.

Joe's is a FREE booth. Some FMO's are offering the same booth for $250 and a few suckers are at the $500 level. Since when is FREE a bad opportunity?

Just to set the record straight; Humana is still contracted and somehow the UHC AARP group will replace the Humana booth only if UHC AARP can find someone per individual store. Otherwise, the booth defaults back to Humana. But, if Frank-The-Insurance-Man goes to the local Walmart store and talks to the store manager he will be told to call corporate. This is a corporate deal.

So, my question for the group is: Why? Why under the current set of CMS rules would anyone sit in a Walsmarts for 15+ hours a week and only be able to hand out business cards and not be able to start a conversation about MA or PDP's. I suppose one could hawk UHC/AARP MedSupp's. But, I'm not sure this will generate enough business to make it worth your while. So, how are agent's able to make this booth thing work in 2009?

 

[Joe Moore]

So, my question for the group is: Why? Why under the current set of CMS rules would anyone sit in a Walsmarts for 15+ hours a week and only be able to hand out business cards and not be able to start a conversation about MA or PDP's. I suppose one could hawk UHC/AARP MedSupp's. But, I'm not sure this will generate enough business to make it worth your while. So, how are agent's able to make this booth thing work in 2009?

We have never been banned from writing business at the booth. We cannot approach a client, but we can respond and put the pen to the paper if the client starts the conversation.
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That plus the fact that you keep ingoring the gentlemanly suggestions that you cut the crap about this not being an offer and move it over there.

OK,
It is now mentioned under offers. It probably would have been more correct to have started there, but since I started it where I did, I thought maybe best to leave it alone.

Either way, it now should be able to be seen either place.

 

[policy doctor]

Don't know why you folks are picking on Joe. It's not like he never posts here and hasn't tried to be helpful. Plus we have had other frequent posters give "offers" like better contracts and buy this to get that.

So that tells me some of you are PO'ed about something else (money issues?) and flaming a forum member. Personally, I rarely view the Offers section so this was nice to know.

Go kick the dog at home.

 

[theinsuranceman]

Don't know why you folks are picking on Joe. It's not like he never posts here and hasn't tried to be helpful. Plus we have had other frequent posters give "offers" like better contracts and buy this to get that.

So that tells me some of you are PO'ed about something else (money issues?) and flaming a forum member. Personally, I rarely view the Offers section so this was nice to know.

Go kick the dog at home.

Well spoken!

 

[G.Gordon]

Here's what I've learned about some WallyWorld agents.
. they do make some money... some more than others
. they do make that money in a limited amount of time
. most don't keep the same cell phone number after the selling season... they don't want to service what they sell... hit and run agents piss me off

I've done more MA plan service than most of the agents around this area that sell them. It works for me. I take them off using a SEP or during AEP. 40 last season. One this past week. A T65'er that couldn't find the agent that sold her the Mercy Plan... that's what is had her screaming.... MERCY!!!
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OK,
It is now mentioned under offers.

I'm also on a large motorcycle forum and when we have offers or items for sale we post a "Link" in the regionals forum so those closer to us can have first dibs and avoid shipping, etc. Is it per forum rules... not exactly, but it avoids the dog pile for trying to sell a jacket in the wrong forum.

 

[Joe Moore]

Here's what I've learned about some WallyWorld agents.
. they do make some money... some more than others
. they do make that money in a limited amount of time
. most don't keep the same cell phone number after the selling season... they don't want to service what they sell... hit and run agents piss me off

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I think what has helped us most is that we have a walk-in office, where we can be found to help solve problems. Also, our continued visible presence at WalMart adds credibility. We also supply clients with refrigerator magnets with telephone numbers, business cards, etc. Our No. 1 agent is Vice-Mayor of his small town, and he also has a walk-in office.

The way we have tried to teach the agents is that until a client's problem is solved, the agent has a problem. We are just now adding a licensed insurance agent that also happens to be also a licensed attorney. He is also scheduled to work a WalMart. An odd arrangement, but he is more like a 60-year-old lazy old hippie that is very smart, has a law degree and people trust.

Think of his motivation to do this. His time is more his own than hanging around court; he hates in-court work; if he has a good week, he can make more money at this than a lot of attorney work; he could possibly pick up some attorney work he wanted.

He has an uncle that everyone knows who is also an attorney and ex-mayor of our town.

This pretty well proves to me that, contrary to popular belief, not all insurance agents are crumb-bums.