Life After AEP – What Comes Next?
What worked, what didn’t
By Austin Felch
Congratulations agents, you’ve survived another busy Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). Now that the marathon has come to an end, it’s a great time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t during this year’s AEP.
First and foremost, let’s celebrate your accomplishments. Take note of things that worked in your favor. Here are some items to consider:
Enrollments
Review the number of enrollments you completed this AEP. Take note of what worked well with getting those enrollments. Was there a specific channel you used to communicate your services? Did you use a different presentation? Drill down to the specifics on how you achieved the enrollments you received.
Quality Leads
Did you receive quality leads this AEP? What marketing channel did they come from? Did your cost per lead decrease or increase? Quality leads, a fruitful marketing channel, and a low cost per lead are all great accomplishments to strive for. Take note of these and why they worked well for you.
Referrals
Referrals are hard to come by, so even if you received just one referral during this AEP, that is a great accomplishment! Where did the referral come from? Was there a reason the referral chose to solicit your services? These are great questions to consider as you build out your referral plan for the future.
Identify areas of improvement
Even if you scored some major accomplishments during this AEP, there is always room for improvement. Let’s take a look at some common areas where Brokers and agencies tend to struggle during AEP.
Lead improvement
While leads can be an accomplishment for some, they can also be a source of improvement for many. If you didn’t receive enough leads this AEP, take a moment to consider why? What channels were you expecting leads from that didn’t produce? Why do you think it didn’t work out? Was cost a factor? Content? Taking a moment to sit down and think through the hurdles can help you devise a plan for the next go around.
Time management
Did you struggle with managing your time during this AEP? If so, identify areas that are eating up a lot of your time. Once you identify areas of improvement you can look for ways to help streamline your sales process. AGA agents have access to a ton of resources and support that many find useful in streamlining their business process.
Carrier options
Did you feel limited by the number of carriers you represented? Did it make it difficult to close a deal with limited options? Unfortunately, this is a common area of improvement for many agents. Having more options to shop on behalf of a client is a win-win. Make sure you’re representing a full range of carriers giving yourself the ability to shop numerous options on behalf of your clients.
Regroup between Medicare enrollment efforts
Take some time to regroup and strategize before the next enrollment period. There’s a lull in the storm between the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which runs from Jan. 1 – March 31.
Take this opportunity to improve upon your weaknesses.
- Start following up with clients.
- Create a marketing strategy.
- Brush up on the Medicare Advantage OEP compliance rules.
- Most importantly, celebrate your wins, big and small.
Austin Felch– Chief Operations Officer joined AGA in 2019 with years of Medicare industry experience and running a national compliance program. His career has been focused on working with agents and agencies to develop compliant marketing campaigns that have the best ROI possible.
Contact: afelch@appliedga.com