Health insurance agents are preparing for one of the busiest times of the year—the Open Enrollment Period (OEP). With Halloween also right around the corner, now is the ideal time to steer clear of the “spooky mistakes” and “traps” that might be lurking in the shadows if you’re not properly prepared. Although the last-minute rush can be challenging, you can avoid these scary encounters and enter the OEP ready for success by using the appropriate techniques.
Now let’s take it a step further and examine some practical ways to help you stay focused, confident and organized in the final days before the OEP.
Stay Organized in the Final Pre-OEP Stretch
Organization is the key to managing tasks efficiently and keeping a consistent pace the OEP season approaches. Here’s how to prepare yourself:
- Create a Task Calendar: Divide OEP preparation duties up by day or week. Prioritize high-impact tasks such as client outreach, marketing preparation, and lead list changes or updates. Having a system in place helps you avoid being overwhelmed immediately before OEP.
- Utilize Project Management Tools: Trello, Asana, and Monday.com are a few examples of tools that can help you monitor your progress and establish due dates for important tasks. These tools can keep you accountable so you remain on course throughout the final stretch.
- Set Clear Priorities: As the OEP draws near, it’s crucial to focus on tasks that have the biggest impact on your sales preparedness and client outreach. On the other hand, you should postpone long-term and non-essential duties until after the OEP is over.
Make Sure Your Lead List is OEP-Ready
Properly organizing your tasks and goals is important, but don’t forget about your list of leads. Making sure that your leads are up-to-date and properly segmented ensures a smooth operation
during the most pivotal time of the year. ‘
- Update Lead Data: Ensure that the client’s contact information, preferences, and past interaction notes are complete and accurate. This data enables you to tailor your OEP outreach and interactions based on client’s specific needs and wants.
- Segment Your Leads: Segment your list of leads according to their needs, sales potential. Sales potential segmentation includes categories like: existing clients, high priority prospects, new leads, and so on. Segmentation makes it easier to develop multiple tailored outreach techniques to increase engagement and sales conversions.
- Prioritize High-Intent Prospects: After segmenting your leads, start prioritizing your outreach schedule based on sales intent. Begin with the leads that are most likely to renew or convert during the OEP. Then, slowly but surely move on to your lower intent prospects. A strategic approach ensures that you talk with the strongest prospects early, boosting your potential for more successful enrollments.
Double-Check Your Technology
During the most impactful months, that last thing you want is for a technical issue to ruin your chances of closing more sales. Taking the time to check your technology before the OEP starts, guarantees that everything is running smoothly, and helps avoid unexpected lulls in activity due to malfunctions.
- Examine Your CRM System: Confirm that your CRM system has the most recent client data in place. Additionally, check for any software updates. Lastly, test the communication features such as automated messaging. Doing this helps ensure that your client outreach plan stays intact so there are no surprises later on.
- Check Your Marketing Channels: Social media advertising platforms, email marketing platforms and other online outreach tools should be integrated and ready-to-use. This also includes having any marketing campaigns set-up and turned on. The weeks and even months leading up to the OEP is a great time to develop a specialized advertising campaign to help bring in more prospects. We also encourage you to run tests before setting anything live to make sure that everything is functioning properly.
- Test Communication Tools: Verify that your messaging apps, virtual conference software, and phone lines are ready for increased customer demand. It’s also important to have backup plans in place in case you encounter any technological difficulties.
Plan for a Strong Start to the OEP
The first few days of the OEP are generally the busiest so it’s crucial to get off to a strong start from day one. These first days set the precedent for the rest of the period, so make sure to maintain your momentum and enthusiasm as time goes by.
- Prepare Your Initial Outreach: Begin with a focused, effective outreach strategy. This includes tactics such as customized emails, phone calls, and highly-targeted advertisements. Focus on getting as many conversions in the early days to set the tone for the remainder of the season. As previously mentioned, the best way to do this is usually by giving priority to high-potential leads and current customers.
- Create Follow-Up Cadences: Make sure that every client gets constant attention by setting timely follow-up reminders in your CRM. Develop customized follow-up cadences, especially for the prospects who are still on the fence and require additional support. As insurance agents, it’s crucial to not get in the routine of speaking to every potential customer the same.
- Personalize Client Interactions: Tailor your messages and conversations based on your client’s specific needs and inquiries. If you have notes stored in your CRM system from the past about client preferences, take some time to review this information ahead of time. This helps to quickly establish positive rapport and increase conversion rates.
Maintain Focus Throughout the OEP
The OEP should be viewed as a marathon, not as a spirit. Keeping this in mind, it’s essential to keep a steady pace, without burning out. The following strategies can help you stay energized all the way until the OEP is done, so you can continue performing the best of your ability:
- Set Achievable Daily Goals: Establish attainable objectives for each day, emphasizing a balance between important follow-ups and high-priority tasks. Throughout the OEP, you can
- Take Periodic Breaks: Regular, quick breaks will help you stay focused and avoid burnout, especially during peak periods of the OEP. In order to recharge your mind and come back to each prospect with a renewed energy, set reminders for a few minutes to rest in between client conversations.
- Delegate Tasks if Possible: If you have other available team members, consider assigning them lower-priority tasks as needed. With the help of coworkers, you’ll have more time to focus on more important OEP-related duties like client outreach, OEP marketing campaign optimizations, and relationship development.
Step Into the OEP Without Fear
The secret to a successful OEP is preparation. By following this actionable guide, you’ll avoid last-minute scrambles, and instead, enter the OEP knowing that you’re ready for what’s in store!
For more resources, tips and information about ways to get ready for this year’s Open Enrollment Period, visit the blog section of our site.
Lastly, if you want to take full advantage of the opportunity that the OEP presents, don’t show up empty handed. Instead, work with our high-quality insurance leads!
Our dedicated marketing team and multi-step lead validation process ensures that every lead we sell is vetted for intent and legitimacy before it reaches your desk. This means more prospects, more sales for you, and more money in your pocket. To learn more, simply fill out a quick form or give us a call at 888-684-3121!
