Producer Guide

association discount ProGam for individual disability income insurance

Powering Opportunity through Professional Associations

For Producer use only. Not for use with the general public.

®

BusiNess-BuildiNg OPPOrtuNityOur Association Discount Program provides you with the opportunity to build your business with a target market and it provides associations with a value-add for members in the form of discounted individual disability income and overhead expense insurance.

In addition, associations offer business building opportunities because they can provide a continual stream of business as new members join or simply due to the amount of referrals, cross-sell, and upsell opportunities that are presented over time.

Best of all, once you are able to secure an association endorsement, your agency can become the “go-to” full-service agency for all financial matters, for members and their families — giving you the opportunity to build long-term relationships with each and every prospect.

develop your market

• One sponsorship can lead to multiple sales

• Achieve favorable access to “warm” prospects

• Build long-term relationships with prospects

• Multiple cross-sell/upsell opportunities

• Ability to establish your agency as the “go-to” resource for all financial matters

Preferred marketsThe Association Discount Program is available to non-medical and non-dental associations as well as to veterinarians. Review Guardian’s Market Research Reports. These useful guides highlight valuable information on the optimal markets to target for association business. The markets we recommend for individual disability are:

1. Architects 4. Engineers2. Attorneys 5. Veterinarians3. CPAs

recently submitted business

• Look for professionals earning $50,000+

• Find out if any belong to a professional association

• Ask for referral to association’s decision makers

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5 steps to success

steP 1ideNtiFy AssOCiAtiON OPPOrtuNities

online resources

• Internet searches

• Professional networks such as LinkedIn

check local resources for associations

• Yellow Pages

• Local library’s “Book of Lists”

• Family and friends belonging to an association

Once you’ve identified a good candidate association, become familiar with the industry or profession. What magazines or journals do they read? Be aware of industry issues and concerns.

• You must obtain approval to approach an association. Associations must be for members with a shared occupation, have 100+ members, have established bylaws and be limited to a city, county or state (not multi-state or national).

• Fill-out and submit an Approval to Approach Association Form (7151) to your local agency.

• The association request will be reviewed for compatibility with the program profile. A decision will be made within 2-3 business days and you will be notified of pre-qualification of the association.

How to Get an appointment:1. Refer to your in-force block to seek out clients that may

be involved with an association

• Ask them for a referral

• Name of key decision maker

2. Seek out centers of influence, for example, attorney or CPA clients that may be involved with the association

3. Review the Association website for links and contact information

4. Pre-Approach• Select and mail a pre-approach piece. We suggest

the following:

– Director letter (Pub6629BL)

– Director flyer (Pub6630BL)

• Call to follow up and request an appointment

be Prepared for meeting

• Prepare for meeting

• Meeting should include:

– PowerPoint Presentation (Pub4455BL-PPT)

– Association Director brochure (Pub4455BL)

– Sample Member brochure (Pub4459BL) and/or Imprint flyer (Pub6641BL)

– Sample Announcement (Pub6640BL)

– Sample Marketing Plan (Pub6620BL)

– Approval Form (7153)

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steP 2 suBmit APPrOvAl tO APPrOACh AssOCiAtiON FOrm

steP 3 meetiNg With Key deCisiON mAKers

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demonstrate advantages

Explain how this program can add value and further support their commitment to their members, using our Association Director brochure (Pub4455BL) which covers program highlights, advantages and opportunities including:

• Valuable offerings with permanent discount

• Attract and retain new members

• Client referrals to Association

• Our products and this program will strengthen the association’s commitment to its members

• Committed producer support, resource for information and education

Win endorsement

• Confirm director’s commitment for offering program

• Review your marketing plan approach and fine-tune using questions on page four of this guide

• Confirm with the director that you will be provided with a list of members or roster

• Confirm you will have access to members (without access to members, the program will fail, it’s imperative to have access to members)

Have director sign association endorsement form

• Submit signed Endorsement Approval Form (7153) to your local agency

• It is a best practice to have an announcement letter reviewed, approved and initialed by director to submit along with Association Endorsement Form

• Once approved, you will be sent your Association Program ID #, Annual Review Date, and Sales Goals

• No fewer than 50 member calls per week

• Ask for referrals and cross-selling opportunities often

• Use DI Quick Issue process for those who qualify

• Provide superior service and value to each member

– Each member should have a positive experience. It only takes one bad experience in an association to affect your goals

– Prepare for meetings and return calls promptly

– Look for ways to have a positive impact on the association, for example, attend and speak at meetings and sponsor events

steP 4 eArN eNdOrsemeNt

steP 5 meet yOur gOAls

build an effective marketing Plan using these Questions

Using the Association Director’s knowledge to maximize the success of your strategy is undoubtedly the best tactic in building a stellar marketing plan.

Ask these questions when you’re earning your endorsement, or immediately upon earning an endorsement, so that you are ready on day one to implement a successful marketing strategy that will drive participation and results!

ask association director:

1. What methods have you traditionally used to communicate to your members?

NewsletterWhat kind and how often• Print

• Electronic

Email

Intranet or dedicated website

Posters/flyers

MeetingsIf yes, what kind of meetings:• Annual Conference

• Dinners

• Golf Outing

• Social Functions

• Fundraisers

• Other

2. How do you keep track of your members? Is there a roster? I will need access to the list for this program. (Keep in mind that if the director will not give you access to the members, the program will not be successful.)

3. If you’ve endorsed other benefits to your members, what were the participation rates (were they successful)? If so, what do you think contributed to their success? If not, what could have helped?

4. Are there any upcoming events that I can attend? Could I sign members in?

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drive results

marKetinG activity

Mailings • Announcement from Association director (signed) mailed to each member with di brochure

• Meeting invites sent to members’ homes with rsvP information for a free income analysis

• Meeting Invite/Reminder

Events

Networking, Special Outings, Tradeshows, Dinners…

• Attend Association Board Dinner • Join group of Association members on golf outing (social).

PR

Agency Press Release, Byline Articles, Director Message to Association, etc…

• Director message to Association re: new offering

• Place byline article in newspaper

Advertising • Quarter page ad in newsletter with meeting information

• Quarter page ad in newsletter with meeting information

• Quarter page ad in newsletter with meeting information

Meetings/Seminars/ Conventions

• Member Seminar with hand-out brochures and flyers. bring illustrations for each person that RSVP’d and requested a FREE income analysis

• Encourage people to linger, ask questions and/or schedule a follow-up meeting

• Member Seminar with hand-out brochures and flyers. bring illustrations for each person that RSVP’d and requested a FREE income analysis

• Encourage people to linger, ask questions and/or schedule a follow-up meeting

Month 1 Month 2 Month 3

sales activity tracKer

• 50 Calls Weekly to Members 

• 5 Meetings per week

• 50 Calls Weekly to Members 

• 5 Meetings per week

• 50 Calls Weekly to Members 

• 5 Meetings per week

total # of meetings 20 # of meetings 20 # of meeting 20

# of submitted apps 5 # of submitted apps 2 # of submitted apps 6

Premium Paid $$ Premium Paid $$ Premium Paid $$

Sample 3-month Marketing PlanUse the following “sample plan” to help drive and track results. Then use this marketing plan template (Pub6620BL) to track your own efforts.

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discounts available through Program

• Individual DI – 10% (Includes Retirement Protection Plus Program)

• ProVider Plus & ProVider Plus Limited (in states where Provider Choice not approved) – 10% (Includes Retirement Protection Plus Program)

• Overhead Expense – 10%

eligibility

• Only members of association are eligible to participate in a DI Association Program

• To apply for a discount, each member must sign the Association Membership Confirmation Form (AA1706))

occupations

• Program is limited to homogeneous associations representing occupation Classes 6-3

• No medical or dental groups will be accepted except veterinarians

• Other occupation groups may be limited or excluded, as necessary, based on claims experience or portfolio concentration

association Guidelines

• State, county, regional, or local associations only

• No national or multi-state associations

• Maximum size should be appropriate for the producer or producer team to adequately solicit business.

• The association must:

– have a constitution or by-laws restricting membership to individuals in the same occupation;

– be formed to promote the professional or trade interest of its members; associations formed for the purpose of obtaining insurance are not eligible;

– be in existence for at least two years

• Associations sponsoring multiple carriers in the same product line are not eligible

Producer rights

• The originating (“endorsed” or “sponsored”) producer or agency will be the only one allowed to market the discount program to association

• Any other contracted producer whose client is a member can offer the discount by using the proper forms and giving a 10% commission split to the originating producer

Production Requirements

Each approved association is reviewed annually to ensure it meets or exceeds overall product profitability objectives. Should there be poor persistency and/or claims experience, we reserve the right to terminate the program. General guidelines that have been established to help monitor profitability are as follows:• First Year Minimum Requirement (smallest of)

– 10% of membership or 50 Policies written on membership or $50,000 of premium

• For Subsequent Years (smallest of)

– 5% of membership or 25 Policies written on membership or $25,000 of premium

di Program Guidelines

The materials shown here have been developed to help you build a strong marketing and communication plan that will drive sales:

member communications

Announcement Letter (Pub6639BL)

Announcement Letter (Pub6640BL)

Income Analysis (7148)

Imprintable Member Brochure (Pub4459BL)

Member Presentation (Pub6641BL-PPT)

Imprintable Flyer for Members (Pub6641BL)

Member Confirmation (AA1706)

director communications

Director Brochure (Pub4455BL)

Director Pre-Approach Letter (Pub6629BL)

Director Flyer (Pub6630BL)

Director PowerPoint (Pub4455BL-PPT)

Approval Form (7153)

Key markets

Accountant/CPA market opportunity blueprint Pub6471bl

architect market opportunity blueprint Pub6479bl

attorney client Profile Pub5631bl

attorney client scenario Pub7576bl

attorney market opportunity blueprint Pub6472bl

Business/Practice Owner market opportunity blueprint Pub6473bl

computer Professionals market opportunity blueprint Pub6481bl

engineer market opportunity blueprint Pub6483bl

veterinarian market opportunity blueprint Pub6480BL

all – select from menu Customizable Pre-Approach Letter Pub6157bl

all – select from menu customizable byline article Pub6522bl

All - generic needs brochure – di myths Pub3670BL

All - generic Needs Flyer - Quiz Pub6329BL-IMP

All - generic Gaps in Group flyer Pub4812bl

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®

the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America7 hanover square New york, Ny 10004-4025 www.guardianlife.com

individual disability income products underwritten and issued by Berkshire life insurance Company of America (BliCOA), Pittsfield, mA. BliCOA is a wholly owned stock subsidiary of and administrator for the guardian life insurance Company of America, New york, Ny. Product provisions and availability may vary by state.

Pub4454Bl (07/16) 2016—22437 (exp. 07/18)