MEDICARE PLAN PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST

There are so many details in the start-up of a new Medicare Advantage plan, many of which

center around operational issues and the need to satisfy CMS demands.

However, many times what seem like just internal operation functions to check off your

CMS list are really key elements of the prospect journey. Assistance and review from your

marketing partner can help ensure you don’t just fulfill a CMS requirement, but instead

create experiences that turn prospects into your members.

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Establish products and product namesYou could leave this to the actuaries — whom we all know will ultimately need to be the ones to sign off on this — but engaging an

experienced marketing agency at this stage can make a big difference. Their experience in what benefits and features have worked and not

worked over the years and what mix attracts prospects to purchase can help guide product development.

And, believe it or not, product names can be a BIG factor in what people choose. Your actuaries may not be the best people to name the

products, but your experienced marketing partner can provide the guidance on what works best.

Build a sales site, NOT a member portal Too often the initial Medicare plan website is designed to meet the CMS requirements for members because it's the easiest way to satisfy

CMS and get your site up and running. But you’re ignoring the reality that during the AEP this site is a point of entry for your prospects, and

they have different needs than members.

Your content should reflect that this site is used by prospects. Coming back later and trying to make it a sales site is difficult and often

means starting all over again. Start out right to avoid unnecessary time and money later to fix it. Sure there is a member button that takes

members where they want to go, but you need to convert prospects first.

Make sure your site is mobile-optimized and responsive Seniors have tablets and smartphones and know how to use them. Don’t make the mistake of developing

everything for a desktop. A “mobile friendly” site is not enough; your site should be responsive to whatever

device your prospect uses.

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Consider prospect-friendly tools like click-to-chat, click-to-call, and emailThere is nothing worse for a prospect than to be in the middle of making a product decision or enrolling and being stopped dead by a

question. Consider on-the-spot help. Seniors are used to retail sites that offer these tools and answer email in a timely fashion. Don’t

offer email if you lack the ability to respond quickly and to individual queries, not in automatic replies and “packaged” form letters.

Craft telemarketing scripts that engage and sellThe importance of developing a strong phone sales script cannot be underestimated. Research has shown that any time

personal engagement occurs, conversions go up.

There are many elements that must be in these scripts, so it's important to create a friendly tone from the start of the

call. In many instances, this call will create the prospect’s judgment of how you are to work with as a company. Take the

time to make it a good customer experience. Also make sure that what they will experience is clearly spelled out in the

advertising. There should not be a disconnect. For example, if ads promise a free information kit when they call, but

they first need to endure a sales pitch, there will be disappointment. If they are going to be sold to, let them know that a

friendly representative will take them through your products and help them with any questions they have.

5 Create a sales seminar presentation that really sells you and your products Sales seminars are an integral part of getting members, particularly if your plan is new. People will want to know what you are all about.

Don’t short change this presentation by merely putting in the required CMS information.

Make it interactive. Save space to talk about how you are different from and better than your competitors. Pre-record the hard parts (e.g.,

the Part D section) to give some relief to the presenter and keep everything on the up and up for that secret CMS shopper. Make a game to

engage them before the presentation kicks off. Sales seminars include “must have” sections but that doesn’t mean they can’t be engaging.

This is your chance as the new guy to really show that you are different. Don’t end up looking and sounding like everyone else.

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Build an enrollment kit that includes your salesperson, tooYes, there needs to be an SB and a 1557 form and all the other CMS legal mumbo jumbo, but don’t let this kit just be a document

holder. For those who choose to “just get an information kit,” this piece — whether it comes by mail or online — is an opportunity to sell.

It needs a salesperson’s voice to inform, persuade and assure.

The kit needs to take prospects through the sales process step by step and include materials that translate “CMS-ese” into a language

that they can understand. Do you need a sales brochure with benefits when you have the SB? You bet. No one wants to plow through

that SB. Make it easy for prospects to know what they are buying.

Create unique advertising pieces that represent you and have strong product messagingDon’t be afraid to create advertising that differentiates you to the prospect and that carries strong messaging that

sells. New plans often fear CMS regulation, which results in advertising that is overly simplistic. Partnering with an

agency who knows what will work both from a sales and regulatory standpoint will yield the kind of

advertising that results in sales and keeps you out of trouble with CMS. The more qualified the lead

going into the sales process, the better.

Plus, you should never be able to put your finger over your logo on an advertising piece and

not be able to tell it came from you. If you can’t tell it’s from you, it needs to be fixed.

8 Provide compelling materials for your live salespeople Brokers, captive agents, and your sales team all need support materials. Sales presentation flip books, broker push cards and postcards, and

customizable print ads for brokers are just a few items that can aid your sales people whether they are internal or external.

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Get your digital store in orderSeniors are online and searching. Make sure you have a robust digital presence that includes:

Landing pages Digital ads Facebook ads Search ads Retargeting ads

Year One: Look at your market on a county-by-county basisIn your first year, creating a marketing model to help you hone in on the people most likely to buy isn’t possible because you don’t have

the historical data to create one.

However, looking county by county at your competition, the MA penetration and prospect income levels can help develop messaging by

county in your direct mail advertising. Using laser personalization to address different messaging is easy and inexpensive to implement

and boosts response.

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Don’t neglect DRTV As a new plan, awareness is important. DRTV with an Action BrandSM approach can get you both leads and awareness without sacrificing

either. Your voice and brand on TV builds your credibility as a plan while reaching a broad – yet targeted – audience.

Define what you need to know now and in the future Many plans focus on the reporting they need to provide to CMS and which is a must have. However, equally critical is

setting up a marketing CRM system with true lead-to-sale tracking, monitoring, and reporting to optimize leads and sales

during your marketing campaign. KPIs need to be clearly established. This level of preparation will also ensure that you

have the data necessary for analysis and insight to prepare for Year 2.

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14 Examine the entire lead and sales process through the eyes of the prospectWhat is your prospect going to experience from the minute they see your ad on TV, receive a piece of mail, or see your digital ad? Do

the messages align? Are there any disconnects? No matter where they go, the messaging should be recognizable as yours.

Partner with an agency that understands the importance of connecting all the dots and can work with you as you map out the process.

They can help you see the holes and help you fill them. Integrated media ensures that no matter where prospects look they will find you.

Integrated messaging provides you with a single voice for consumers whenever they see you.

In September, stress test all systems to ensure your AEP is ready to go and there are no malfunctions on October 1.

15 Final tip Always leave a little of your budget aside for contingencies. Once the AEP starts and you see what your competitors are

doing and how different media are working (which you will be able to do with your good CRM system), you may want to do

something different: Put out an additional piece of advertising in an area that is working well, or change up messaging to

combat a competitor’s attack.

Holding a small portion of your budget in reserve assures you can adapt as needed. If nothing happens, wonderful – just put

that extra money into digital and TV at the end of the AEP to snap up those procrastinators. (In case you didn’t know, many

people wait until the last minute, so staff accordingly at the end of the AEP.) But if you don’t have those funds available, you

could waste time getting approvals while opportunities slip away or are missed altogether.

610-407-0407 gprice@dmwdirect.com www.dmwdirect.com

Use this Pre-launch Checklist to soar to a success-filled first AEP. For additional help call or email DMW Direct today.