It’s during the holidays for retailers. It’s January for the fitness industry. And it’s November — the beginning of open enrollment — for those of us in government health care. It varies by industry, but one thing is true across the board: The health of your business depends on being ready for its peak season.
Open enrollment is a crucial time for health care companies like Molina Healthcare. It’s the period when current and prospective members can enroll into a plan for health care coverage through the exchanges, Medicaid or Medicare. To prepare for this important time, Molina utilizes methods, both traditional and unexpected.
Here are a few strategies that can drive more business your way, and help you hit the ground running.
Explain why you are the solution
Everyone knows advertising is a great method for raising awareness. But some companies forget a crucial element in their advertising — the Unique Selling Proposition, that special quality that sets you apart. Don’t be afraid to tell customers why you’re their best choice over the competition.
Molina’s USP is our long-standing, physician-owned experience in providing quality, low-cost health care that is uniquely tailored to serve our members, who are traditionally underserved. We communicate this message through our grass-roots outreach as well as paid advertising.
Show the community you’re committed
If you don’t have the budget to invest in traditional media, there are other options.
When you donate resources locally, there’s no downside. Besides directly benefiting your neighbors, you increase awareness in the community — and can even improve your bottom line. A May 2013 Cone Communications study found 82 percent of U.S. consumers consider corporate social responsibility when deciding how to spend money.
For six years, Molina has been able to support unsung heroes with our Community Champions Awards, honoring recipients with $1,000 grants. We also partner with other health care providers and those community agencies already serving our customers, like with Supports to Encourage Low-Income Families recently in Butler County, gifting housewarming supplies to people moving off the street into permanent housing.
These programs foster positive associations, help solidify our messages with our customers and inspire our staff to better sell a product for a company they believe in.
Get the staff invested
Everything’s ready. Clients will soon be at your door to close the deal. For many customers, the person who answers the phone is the face of your business. Empower these employees with knowledge and they’ll represent you in the best light.
At Molina, we make sure the entire staff is informed of the company’s key priorities especially as it relates to our peak season.
Regardless of their roles within the company, we ensure that all employees know when open enrollment is coming up, why it’s important to us, why it is important to our customers and what each of them can do to make an impact.
All this preparation pays off as we’re able to show our members we care about their well-being — and we’re ready to take care of them.
