AIP Marketing Alliance recently got teased with some abnormal April weather as our team members enjoyed the sunshine, warm days, and getting outside – even if some of the time involved outdoor chores. Warm weather has a lasting impact on Michiganders as we enjoy a break from the snow and prefer May flowers over April showers.

That one week was a pleasant surprise, followed by a reminder of the winter doldrums as we encountered some hail, more rain, and some conditions that are better left unsaid due to the number of expletives echoed through our state. Let’s just say we hope to be outside a lot more during the next six months.

Needless to say, no one in Michigan likes shoveling snow, cutting grass, trimming bushes, weeding, or any other outdoor activity that doesn’t involve a boat on the lake, a golf course, a tent, or a bonfire. We know we have to do the day-to-day grind now, so we can enjoy day-to-day fun activities later.

That’s why we do “spring cleaning.” When the sun shines on our homes, we want everything to look good and grow the way it should, with green grass, gorgeous flowers, and beautiful landscaping. We take the time to review and prepare things now, so we can have a better outcome later in the year.

You see where AIP Marketing Alliance is going with this spring-cleaning concept. Most of your clients rely on you to guide their retirement strategy. Some clients don’t want to “cut the grass,” but they depend on you to make the grass grow over time toward those golden years in retirement. Other clients may be worried about external factors (weeds, dead spots, bugs, etc.) impacting their retirement accounts and ruining their retirement growth.

As their insurance agent and financial guide, you hopefully have access to their entire retirement yard, where you can provide a full course of services to reduce those pesky risks and grow their retirement dollars. However, you need to know what their yard looks like and if any events have impacted their retirement lawn.

AIP Marketing Alliance recommends contacting your clients about some potential spring cleaning in their retirement strategy to see if any changes could fertilize and grow their retirement yards or protect their yards from falling short. Here are a few quick ideas AIPMA has echoed over the last few months.

• MYGAs: Some carriers still have three/five-year products over 5%, which are performing better than CDs. A MYGA reduces risk with a guaranteed rate for the short term. It’s a solid accumulation play to avoid market losses.
• Life Insurance Policy Review: Have your clients’ lives changed during the last three years of chaos via the pandemic, economy, and everything else? Any life events like marriages, births, divorces, etc.? Make a phone call to check in and see how they are doing and if there’s any need to update their life insurance. An upgrade may fit their needs now that their current policy doesn’t cover (i.e., long-term care).
• Final Expense: Some people were caught by surprise by unexpected deaths due to COVID-19. They also may not qualify for health insurance or have the ability to pay those premiums. Final expense is affordable and without the medical exams to provide protection in the case of an unexpected death.
• Medicare: Is your client turning 65 this year? Do they understand their Medicare options? AIPMA can assist your clients by providing options in their area.

AIP Marketing Alliance can also provide you with some seeds to plant in your book of business through Integrity’s LeadCENTER platform for life insurance, final expense, and Medicare real-time, pre-qualified leads. Our Business Development team also can help you with the heavy lifting by getting you contracted with new carriers (70+), generating illustrations for clients/prospects, and comparing products to best fit your client’s retirement goals.

Don’t push off those chores for tomorrow or next week, as your clients may need your help now if they are “in the weeds” about their retirement strategy. Contact AIPMA’s Business Development team at (800) 783-5206 Press #2 or marketing@aipma.com for your full-service retirement “landscaping” support!