Preparing for Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) can be an overwhelming and chaotic time. It helps to know exactly what you need to be efficient and effective during your biggest sales season.
Of course, you want tools that can do it all and keep you organized. You may already have your AEP checklist, but before you get too far, make sure your bases are covered with these necessary pieces for a successful AEP as well as Integrity’s PlanEnroll for one easy solution.
1. Make it mobile. When it comes to today’s internet, there are few things more important than ease of access at any time and any place. Keeping your website mobile-friendly is important for a senior generation that’s increasingly tech-savvy — or at least supported by children who are. When searching for your contact information or details about the plans available via tablet, phone or laptop, it shouldn’t become unreadable or tough to navigate. A user-friendly experience is a more profitable experience and puts your clients at ease.
2. Paperless is productive. It’s become simply too time consuming to keep hard-copy files of everything. With paper only, you’re just begging for mistakes (including potential HIPAA violations) and missed opportunities, which can quickly become overwhelming. We recommend using an online customer relationship manager (CRM) to track all your pertinent client data. This way you can save time and frustration by keeping all documents on a computer, where they can be easily accessed at any time, with just a few clicks. We also recommend selecting an enrollment platform that syncs with your CRM for seamless client management.
3. Optimize with automatic enrollment. Keep it simple! Today’s agent needs to be compliant, organized, and efficient in helping their clients, so why shouldn’t you do all of that in one place? Make your site the one-stop shop where clients can not only see the plans available in their area, input their doctors and medications, but enroll right then and there. No messing with postage, no waiting. This allows you to spend more time on your business and life, and allows clients to get the coverage they need as efficiently as possible.
4. Stay in the lead. You’ve done plenty of marketing through Medicare’s “off season,” but lead generation doesn’t ever stop. As the enrollment period draws near, you need a way to appeal to consumers and direct them to contact you. By simply filling out a form on your site, beneficiaries can show their interest whenever they want! That way, both you and your potential clients can spend more time on the things that matter. Because during AEP, your time is better spent helping your clients rather than courting new ones.
And if you’re interested in growing your business even further, select a tool that has a lead generation program. Low-cost leads can be an excellent way to bring new clients to your business. You’ll help even more clients and earn more commissions when you grow your book of business!
5. Compliance is key. And it doesn’t have to be complicated. By putting a “Contact” button on your site, clients can click it to complete a form with their information, giving you the information you need to contact a prospect. With the right CRM and site, a compliant electronic Scope of Appointment (eScope) is automatically prompted, and a 48-hour countdown begins. This 48-hour countdown should be visible in your CRM, that way, you know when you’re able to compliantly contact a client!
The right CRM and enrollment tool also records your calls and stores them for reference later. Since CMS requires agents to record phone calls and keep a record of these calls, selecting a tool that makes compliance second nature is a great strategy for success this AEP.
PlanEnroll Does It All
Looking for the full package? PlanEnroll streamlines the way you sell Medicare. It helps you quote faster, generate leads around the clock, stay CMS compliant and so much more. By getting your own PlanEnroll site, you’re setting your business up for a successful AEP.
And what’s more, PlanEnroll is also integrated with MedicareCENTER. The MedicareCENTER Client Manager, for example, acts as a CRM that securely stores pertinent client info. The records are easy to update, and through Client Sync, clients have the ability to create their own profile on your PlanEnroll site to add, share, and update their info when necessary. This info can then be easily accessed to complete Medicare plan quotes and comparisons on PlanEnroll.
Encourage your clients to share and update their preferences in PlanEnroll seamlessly with Client Sync! Share this guide to encourage your clients to sync their PlanEnroll profile for the best experience.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2018. It has been updated to include more relevant information.
Our guide, Modern Medicare Marketing for Today’s Agents, is a great resource to check out for ideas and tips on how you can take your marketing to the next level and modernize your approach.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
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