Over the past four years, the insurance industry has undergone major shifts from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Insurance carriers—like Aetna and UnitedHealth Group—are opting out of the ACA marketplace in a number of states, citing financial losses. Younger demographics—who typically use less healthcare services than older patients—are choosing to risk paying out-of-pocket expenses versus paying for health insurance.

Many agents start their careers with a phone and an empty desk—smiling and dialing their way through a list of cold-call contacts.

Open enrollment is the most hectic time of the year for health insurance agents. So how does one cut through the noise and efficiently market their brand to shore up sales during this period? Below are three digital marketing tactics aimed at reaching more prospective clients and increasing your sales throughout open enrollment and beyond.

In April, UnitedHealthcare announced its plan to exit 26 of its 34 healthcare exchanges beginning in 2017. To many, this didn’t come as a surprise, as the insurer had been warning since late last year that the exchanges were a risky investment. (To date, Aetna, the nation’s third-largest health insurance provider, Humana, the fifth largest health insurance company in the U.S., and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina have also pulled subsidized health plans from select states—citing financial losses as the primary driver.)

Efficiency drives business. Without a system in place that allows and nurtures efficiency, a business is going to spend excess time on tasks that should be routinely, or in some cases, automatically done. A system that is inefficient is also a system that results in a loss of opportunity in sales and unnecessary operating expense.

Efficient management of leads, whether inbound or outbound, is key to maximizing your agency’s multi-channel distribution model. In part one of the series, we discussed inbound leads and team member profiles. Here, we dive into effective lead management and outbound (dialer) strategies to help your agency maximize close rates.

The importance of technology platforms is ever-increasing in necessity among insurance agencies. More often than not, we see agencies using multiple platforms to manage their leads, quoting, enrollment and customer management which significantly impacts efficiency. In part one of our series on maximizing multi-channel distribution, we discuss agency roles, how these roles enhance the sales process, and why an all-in-one agency platform optimizes sales.

Millennials are the generation of instant gratification. As millennials interact with the insurance industry, the industry finds itself facing a more demanding group, but also a group that is willing to listen. When it’s time to purchase an insurance policy, half of millennials turn to family and friends for advice and referrals. These conversations don’t just take place in person or over the phone; they take place in the social community. It’s as simple as someone posting a question to social media asking “Looking for health insurance. Recommendations?”

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking tool in the world. The social platform not only allows you to connect with others in your industry, but it is also a great way to put yourself in front of consumers who may be interested in buying a policy from you. When using LinkedIn to expand your network, the ultimate goal is to make yourself visible to potential connections through groups, search, and current connections.

Thought leaders are well respected among their communities and drive innovation in their industry. They have a large network of followers and speak to issues outside the realm of their day-to-day niche. While becoming a thought leader is not an overnight process, the relationships built during the process create a deep sense of loyalty that translates into leads for your insurance agency and enhances your agency brand.