Published by Jamie Johnson on February 3rd, 2026



Insights from a Sales Leader Who Has Seen What Really Works

After more than a decade leading sales teams and working side by side with brokers of every size and style, I can tell you this: the brokers who win today aren’t the ones who hustle hardest or quote the fastest. They’re the ones who understand how the market is changing—and adapt ahead of it.

Health insurance brokers aren’t just navigating a crowded field; you’re navigating a marketplace transforming faster than at any point in my career. Technology-driven competitors, specialized consulting firms, new funding models, and an increasingly informed employer audience are redefining what “good” looks like.

Employers today are more cost conscious, more data savvy, and more willing to explore alternatives than ever before. They’re looking for a partner who can cut through complexity—not just manage renewals.
After years of watching what works, here’s what the most successful brokers consistently do to differentiate themselves and become indispensable advisors.

1. Focus on what employers actually care about most

Yes, premium costs, deductibles, and networks matter—but every broker can talk about those. In every employer conversation I witness, the real differentiation comes when a broker elevates the discussion to what’s underneath the renewal.

Top brokers guide employers into deeper value levers:
  • Total cost of care—not just premiums
  • Predictability and long term budget stability
  • Employee satisfaction and retention
  • Risk exposure and claims volatility
  • Administrative burden on HR and finance
When you help employers understand what’s really driving cost and risk, you change the relationship. You’re no longer a shopper—you’re a strategic partner.

2. Show up with more options—options that deliver real value

When brokers stay in the “PPO vs PPO” discussion, they limit themselves to a pricing conversation they can’t control. The brokers who stand out bring more creative, high value solutions to the table.

Based on what I’ve seen work consistently, successful brokers broaden the conversation with:

Reference-Based Pricing (RBP)

Once viewed as too disruptive, RBP has matured—with improved advocacy, legal support, and predictable plan design. When a broker positions RBP thoughtfully, employers can see:
  • Reduced facility and hospital spending
  • Improved cost predictability
  • Transparency into high cost areas of the plan
Download our RBP Broker Toolkit to learn more.

Level-Funded and Self-Funded Options

Brokers who understand funding strategies—and can explain them clearly—are winning more often. When employers see the advantages of integrated stop-loss and administration, real-time data, and coordinated claims management, the conversation shifts from “premium” to “strategy.”

This is where brokers truly distinguish themselves.

Preventive-Only Plan Designs

For small businesses or employers under acute affordability pressure, preventive-only benefits can be a smart component of a broader plan.
Trustmark Preventive PlusSM offers first-dollar preventive coverage and access to PHCS discounts—helping employers support employee health while managing budgets responsibly.

Modern wraparound solutions

The market is innovating fast, and employers appreciate when brokers help them navigate programs that complement their PPO or RBP plan, such as:
  • Virtual care
  • Pharmacy carve-outs
  • Mental health or MSK programs
  • Navigation/concierge services
None of these stand alone—but when tied to a specific cost driver, they deliver real impact. The best brokers help employers integrate them strategically, not randomly.

3. Tell a clear story with data

Employers don’t want more spreadsheets—they want meaning.

The brokers who close business are the ones who turn data into decisions:
  • What’s driving cost?
  • What levers can we pull?
  • What tradeoffs exist?
  • What outcomes can we expect?
Specificity builds credibility:
“This move could reduce spend by $400,000, impact 12% of members, and requires moderate operational change.”

Data earns trust. Clarity wins decisions.

4. Help employers think long-term

Many brokers get stuck living renewal to renewal. The best ones paint a multi-year strategy that reduces volatility and creates predictability.

Examples I’ve seen succeed:
  • Year 1: Plan design refinement and contribution strategy
  • Year 2: Explore level-funded or self-funded options
  • Year 3: Evaluate RBP, network or optimized vendor solutions
This roadmap positions you as a long-term steward of their risk—someone who’s thinking two steps ahead.

5. Bridge HR, Finance, and Employees

Your best clients aren’t struggling with benefits—they’re struggling with alignment.

When brokers can translate strategy for every audience, everything sticks:
  • CFO: Risk, volatility, cash flow
  • HR: Employee experience, administrative effort
  • Employees: Access, quality, affordability
Brokers who can articulate a strategy across all three perspectives build credibility faster and win larger, more complex clients.

6. Stay in touch all year—and brand your process

The biggest differentiator I’ve observed? Consistent, proactive communication.

Top brokers build a drumbeat of value throughout the year:
  • Claims and trend reviews
  • Benchmarking
  • Renewal prep
  • Market scans
  • Decision matrices
  • Plan performance summaries
And they don’t just share data—they brand the process so employers associate the discipline, insights, and structure with them, not the carrier.

Great brokers make their value unmistakable.

7. Use a repeatable value framework

A consistent evaluation framework helps employers feel confident making complex decisions. Your framework should answer:
  • What problem does this solve?
  • Who is impacted?
  • What’s the financial impact?
  • What operational changes are required?
  • What risks exist—and how are they mitigated?
Consistency elevates your advisory role and accelerates decision-making.

The bottom line from someone who’s seen it year after year

You don’t win by quoting more options or discounting renewals—that commoditizes your expertise.

You win by:
  • Leading the strategy
  • Bringing clarity
  • Explaining tradeoffs
  • Aligning stakeholders
  • Helping employers make confident decisions
Do that consistently, and you become the broker employers keep, trust, and refer.

Ready to take these strategies to market?

If you want help evaluating funding strategies, exploring RBP or PPO options, or building multi year cost control plans for your groups, I’d be glad to partner with you.

Let’s work together to bring your clients flexible, transparent, high value plan designs that truly stand out.


Trustmark® and Trustmark Small Business Benefits® are trademarks of Trustmark Insurance Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are not affiliates of Star Marketing and Administration, Inc., and Trustmark Life Insurance Company.