A new year brings new opportunity. Capture as much of that opportunity as possible by starting the year off right. Here are seven things you can do this January to prepare yourself for a great year in Medicare sales.
1. Audit the previous year.
The last year was a busy one. Go over the year with a critical eye. What worked? What didn’t? Did you meet your goals? What changed? Assessing these issues will help you improve in the coming year.
2. Find solution to problems.
If you had any problems last year, now is the time to find solutions for them. For example, were you overwhelmed at the end of AEP? Think about how you can pace yourself better. Did you have a low retention rate? Think about how you can work to improve retention throughout the year.
3. Assess your tech tools.
Online enrollment, quoting apps, agent portals and video conferencing have all become important tools for insurance sales agents. Not all of these tools are equal, however. Review your tech tools to determine whether they’re working as well as they should. Also, think about whether you need more practice with them, or whether your clients need more help with tech tools. Finally, think about whether you should add any tech tools to your toolbox.
4. Brush up on training.
Now is the ideal time to brush up on training. Even if you’ve been in the business for years, it’s easy to forget a few things here and there, and some rules and regulations change over time. Take advantage of free training opportunities – there’s a lot out there that can help you.
5. Check in on your clients.
Hopefully, your clients are happy with their plan selections, but if they tell you they’re not, you can help them find a solution. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 to Mach 31, and although CMS has strict rules against marketing for it directly, it does give beneficiaries one more chance to find the right plan.
6. Create a marketing calendar.
You need a marketing calendar for the new year. The more detailed you make it, the easier things will be for you throughout the year, and the less likely you are to let marketing fall through the cracks. When you create your marketing plan, consider the campaigns you’ll use to reach new clients, such as age-ins. Also create a plan for keeping in touch with your current clients to strengthen retention and increase referrals. Finally, create a social media plan calendar and think about updating your website or Facebook profile.
7. Set goals for the new year.
You might have goals regarding sales and income, and those targets can be useful. To reach those big goals, however, you need to have other smaller goals – goals about the work you’re going to do to achieve your sales target.
Go back and review the 2020 AEP Planning Guide. To hit your 2021 AEP goals, you need to start now. Think about carrier contracts, how much training you want to complete and your year-round marketing strategies. Consider making these goals part of your New Year’s resolution.
The months will fly by faster than you realize, so don’t put off these key steps. If you’re not yet contracted with Western Asset Protection, consider getting contracted. Here’s how we can help you succeed.
