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This is a critical time of year for Medicare Health Plans nationwide, as the Dec 7 finish line for the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) nears. By mid-November, plans should be at about 50% of their AEP application goal.

If you’re in that boat, you have very little time to double your number of applications! With 25% to 33% of those applications usually coming in the last week of the AEP, you need to do everything you can to entice prospects and hit your numbers — now. We’re talking ASAP!

Here’s a checklist of proven To-Do Tactics to ensure you bring in every last application.

1. Send a customized message through email and mail to everyone who you sent an application to but has not enrolled. Some procrastinators just need a little reminder. In between taking calls, have your reps make outbound calls to these consumers – prioritizing calls based on your model of those most likely to switch.
2. Retarget prospects via Facebook, Search and Display advertising, reach out to individuals who visited your website and may have taken a “sales” action — but did not enroll. You may do this throughout the AEP but in these closing weeks, it’s critical to engage those that have shown an interest. Remind them of benefits and how easy it is for them to switch. Highlight the deadline. Provide a special hotline.
3. Tailor a specific message to your non-converted leads (those who did not receive an enrollment kit). Even if they have enrolled elsewhere, remind them that they can still change their minds – it’s the last app received that counts!
4. Reach out one last time to members who left you. Or those that have indicated they are leaving.
5. Host pop-up enrollment events. Let consumers know you will be there to help them.
6. Encourage walk-ins to your local office (If you can). A good one-on-one experience may be just the thing to convert last-minute enrollments.
7. Add an urgency message to your DRTV end tags and/or phone bars.
8. Boost your DRTV and digital media spend. Leads continue to increase even this late in the AEP, but both of these channels serve as reminders to consumers who have not yet turned in their application.
9. Add an urgency message and change calls to action to “Enroll Now” on all landing pages, websites, and microsites. Do the same with all social media advertising.
10. Rev your New to Medicare efforts backup. Many plans dial these down during AEP. Be sure you don’t let these efforts fall off after December 7th. Use those late 2018 New to Medicare enrollments to help you meet your January 1st goal!
11. Bonus Tip! Send last-minute shoppers their enrollment kit Federal Express or UPS overnight. And include a special reminder regarding the deadline. Better yet, if the prospect is comfortable, encourage visiting your website for all the necessary information and forms.

I hope that you can take advantage of some of these ideas to make this year’s AEP a success. We’re always just a click or call away to help you strategize, plan, and execute to make this year’s goals or looking forward to 2019.