Help Clients/Grow Revenue
Speed-to-Trust: The New Metric for Brokers in 2026
By Jói Sigurdsson, CEO of CrankWheel
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Trust, not product, is what wins and keeps clients. For years, brokers have focused on “speed-to-lead,” the race to be the first to respond to an inquiry. As we move into 2026, a fast response is no longer enough. The new benchmark is speed-to-trust: how quickly a prospect feels clarity, confidence, and a real connection with their broker.
The new year is a great time for brokers to rethink the client trust equation. The landscape is shifting, and clients are looking for more than just a quick callback. They need a trusted guide who can cut through the noise and provide immediate clarity. This is where speed-to-trust becomes your most valuable asset.
Why Trust Is the Ultimate Renewable Resource
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 20 – Click here to download!
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2026 Trend Forecast: Why Vision Benefits Will Be a Strategic Priority for Insurance Brokers
By Ben Hoover, Morris & Garritano Insurance
After several years of rapid workplace transformation, 2026 is emerging as a pivotal year for employee benefits, especially in vision care. For insurance brokers, vision benefits are no longer a “nice-to-have,” but a strategic lever for improving productivity and overall employee well-being.
Findings from the Transitions Optical 2025 Workplace Wellness Survey underscore the urgency of this shift. Screen-heavy, hybrid, and flexible work arrangements now dominate daily routines, and their impact on visual comfort and performance is growing. Employees are clearly signaling a need for more support, and brokers who help employers respond will be well-positioned to deliver measurable value.
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 22 – Click here to download!
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BROKER V CARRIER
Carriers: Friend or Foe?
Our Esteemed Panel of Experts Provide Input on Health Commission Crossroads in California
By Phil Calhoun
Four highly accomplished industry leaders provide a sophisticated view of how carrier commission strategies, regulatory structures, and market forces are reshaping the health and Medicare landscape in California. Maggie Stedt contributes decades of Medicare and carrier product experience, including time as a carrier product director. Maggie was on the team that started the Medicare Summit—the largest Medicare event in CA—and she served as CAHIP president. Rosamaria Marrujo brings national distribution insight as an FMO operating in all 50 states and she served as president of CAHIP. Juan Lopez adds deep legislative and association engagement as well as carrier experience and has served as president of CAHIP. Dawn McFarland connects state and federal advocacy with day-to-day brokerage operations and has served as president of the Los Angeles chapter of CAHIP.
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 36 – Click here to download!
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Meet Our Esteemed Panel of Experts
Maggie Stedt
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Rosamaria Marrujo
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Juan Lopez
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Dawn McFarland
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REFERRALS
Do you have a smooth running Referral Machine?
By Bill Cates, CSP, CPAE, President, Referral Coach International
Every advisor knows referrals are the holy grail of client acquisition. Study after study continues to validate this. When they flow—with the clients that fit your profile—life is good. Right-fit prospects show up already trusting you, and new business comes with less friction and even a little fun. But when your referral machine sputters—or worse, stalls completely—it can feel like the spark has gone out of your growth engine.
If that sounds familiar, there’s a good chance your “referral system” isn’t really a system at all. It’s a few scattered tactics: a thank-you note or birthday phone call here and there. Maybe an occasional “Who else do you know?” that never feels quite natural. Getting good at any one part of the process will help. But building a complete referral system—one that’s authentic, intentional, and repeatable is what creates consistent growth and steady introductions to right-fit clients.
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 46 – Click here to download!
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COMMISSION PLANNING
Protect, Grow, Sell
By Phil Calhoun
As we enter another year, we remain committed to our goal which is to educate health insurance professionals about the risks they face with their commissions and the solutions to Protect, Grow, and Sell Commissions.
To help accomplish this goal in 2026, we have scheduled more educational webinars during the peak planning season, from January to June. We feel to properly do commission planning, one needs to get started in the first quarter of the year and then move through the learning process to implement either a Commission Protection Plan if staying active or move through to complete a Purchase Agreement with a Buyer to sell their book of business.
Featured in our January Special Issue 2026 page 48 – Click here to download!
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