What was your first AEP like?

[BrandonPaul]

At the significant risk of having people want to boast and one-up each other, I'm genuinely curious what everyone's first AEP experience was like and, most importantly, how many sales you made during your first AEP. I just want to go in with my eyes open and have this thread be a resource for future new agents.

 

[vic120]

Different than it would be today If I were starting

The real question is what will you be doing to get in front of people?

 

[sman]

At the significant risk of having people want to boast and one-up each other, I'm genuinely curious what everyone's first AEP experience was like and, most importantly, how many sales you made during your first AEP. I just want to go in with my eyes open and have this thread be a resource for future new agents.

I don't recall my numbers from my first AEP, but Medicare wasn't my primary market back then. The biggest thing you need is a steady flow of qualified prospects. If you can make that happen, you'll be just fine.

 

[Chazm]

I sold maybe 5….

 

[somarco]

I sold maybe 5….

DonP sold 10 . . .

 

[Midlevel]

DonP sold 10 . . .

The first hour.

 

[vic120]

DonP sold 10 . . .

Come on Don had 10 before he even got his license

 

[kgmom219]

Aaaaand we are off track. Shocking.

Most of the people answering probably were in the business before AEP even existed, so we aren't that great of resource. I think the average is around 50. Again, AEP should not the be your goal. The goal is 10-20 a month, 12 months a year.

 

[AugustaMi]

First AEP was fun...would've liked more, but wouldn't we all. Next one will be planned much more effectively. I've been planning that now. I didn't out-do myself, but for what it's worth I'll post about it.

We are all different, with different goals, and in different phases of life. I just hit 50s and financially secure with very few bills, all major assets are paid for long ago. I also work another job, and then was away from town and not working at all either job about 20 days of AEP.

Two super simple main things I did: 3000 mailers (2000 low-income and 1000 T65 was all I could scrounge up last minute) and 3 short and easy events at a local VFW. The result was 36-ish enrollments, about 8 of which were new to MAPD. A few fell off, and I had to go get them back (time-consuming headache but accomplished that) Also did a few handfuls of GTL. 5 or so were DSNP. Some were low income but not full QMB+.

Hindsight, 9000 mailers would've put me in a great position, but I would've had to greatly expand my driving area, which I am not flexible in. It was hard enough to get the 3000 last-minute mailers in the area I wanted due to availability through the only vendor I knew about at the time.

I was very new to Medicare (not health ins in general) and doing the spaghetti throw a little based on FMO toutings and some things I did or tried to do were a bust (ex, Dollar General never got going but wasted time on it-I think I posted about this in another thread).

For the first AEP, it wasn't supposed to happen until this year....my FMO was the ONLY reason I got going this past one....I was barely contracted and certified and ready to go. The idea of Medicare wasn't even a seed in my head until late July 2021.

1st AEP was a good experience. I learned a ton at what felt like a fast pace. Learned I'm going to avoid dementia and DSNP... I also learned a ton more since.

The range of enrollments during AEP for agents at the FMO I am at is under 10 to over 200...there was one woman who did over 300 but she was in her 4th AEP. One guy did over 200 who was newer--he had a good Walmart and I believe was an anomaly, and I'm not sure if it was his 1st or 2nd AEP. Quite a few people did around 100.

I'm going with kgmoms idea now and that's going fine. 10 a month, give or take. Being on a hamster wheel at this stage of life will never happen.

 

[DonP]

The problem with coming aep as far as leads go is how will the new cms rules as far as taping conversations and possibly appts event everything ? We don’t know what the final final law will look like . Some people are saying it doesn’t pertain to face to face agents . I know it will be very tough setting appts if the first line you have to say and record is “ I don’t represent all plans in the area . To compare all plans call 1-800 Medicare for your options “ . I’m going extra hard from now until until Oct 1 to put as many as I can on the books not knowing how aep will be . If aep is going to be tough I’ll spend 4 weeks calling existing clients and moving all that want to move . I’ll spend 1/2 my time on retention . Let’s see how things shake out . Or I’ll spend much more time with aca open enrollment.