Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about timing—not just in business, but in life. There are things we tell ourselves we’ll get to later, opportunities we assume will still be there, and decisions we put off because we believe we have more time.
The truth is, windows of opportunity open and close. And AEP is one of those windows.
For a few short weeks, our industry creates an incredible amount of activity and opportunity. Advertisements are everywhere. Clients are paying attention. Plans are changing. Conversations that may be difficult to have during other times of the year are happening naturally.
But just as quickly as AEP arrives, it will be over.
That’s why we have to make the most of this AEP while we have it. Push hard. Work the opportunities in front of you. Don’t assume you can make it up later or that next year will look the same.
It won’t.
Next year’s AEP will bring different plans, different challenges, and different opportunities. You will never have this exact window again.
So as we enter AEP, prepare now. Get organized. Know your market. Contact your clients. Follow up with your leads. Ask the right questions. Look beyond the immediate sale and look for the complete solution.
The window is opening.
Make the most of it while it’s here.
Colan Mouton
Regional Director, NE
AEP is here, and the preparation you do now can make a big difference in how you navigate the weeks ahead.
This month’s national call focused on getting ready for AEP and making sure you have the right pieces in place before the season gets busy. Take a few minutes to ask yourself:
Do you have your strategy together?
Do you know where you’re focusing your time and how you plan to work your market?
Have you reached out to your current clients?
Send letters/postcards to show your clients you’re available and ready to help them navigate changes for the upcoming plan year.
Do you have your sales kits and materials prepared?
Get organized now so you’re ready when the calls, appointments, and opportunities start coming in.
Are you aware of plan exits and flips in your area?
Know what’s changing in your market so you can be prepared for the conversations your clients will have.
Have you turned your leads back on?
AEP brings increased activity and new opportunities. Make sure you’re positioned to capture them.
Do you have your personal affairs in order?
AEP can be a demanding season. Take care of the things you can now so you can stay focused and maximize the opportunities ahead.
AEP moves quickly. The more prepared you are going in, the more time you can spend doing what matters most—serving your clients and growing your business.If you need help getting ready, reach out to your DSM or RD. We’re here to support you throughout AEP.
Monday’s National Call was a great one! If you weren’t able to join us, be sure to catch the recording, now available on the ARC.
We were excited to welcome back Mutual of Omaha as our guest host and officially announce our brand-new carrier partnership with Physicians Mutual. There’s a lot of exciting opportunity ahead, and we’re looking forward to what these partnerships will bring to our agents and their clients.
Speaking of opportunity, now is the perfect time to take a fresh look at the incredible ancillary portfolio available to you. We have so much more to offer clients beyond Medicare, and these products can be a valuable way to round out your client conversations and provide more complete protection.
From hospital and dental coverage to critical illness, cancer, accident, life, and more, our portfolio gives you multiple opportunities to uncover additional client needs while growing your business.
Utilize the full portfolio available to you! Every client conversation is an opportunity to uncover a need, and ancillary products can be a valuable part of that conversation.
Starting August 12, we’re kicking off an incredible new incentive:
That means your qualifying ancillary business can help you earn double conference credits toward Maui.
Incentive Period: August 12 – September 29
Seven weeks to earn!
Goal: More conference credits = one step closer to Maui!
Annuities are excluded from this incentive.
This is a fantastic opportunity to put your ancillary portfolio to work, help more clients, grow your business, and double your conference credits at the same time.
Seven weeks. Double credits. One amazing destination. Let’s make it count!
Good luck, everyone! Take advantage of this incredible opportunity, make every client conversation count, and get one step closer to Maui!
Mai-Lee Coddington
Regional Sales Director, SW
This week’s Carrier Spotlight features Mutual of Omaha and its new and improved Hospital Indemnity Plan. Click below to check out the flyer for all the details on the plan and its latest enhancements.
One of my biggest takeaways from our guest speaker was learning more about the plan’s reimbursement benefits for custodial care and pet boarding expenses—two unique features that can really help set this plan apart in the marketplace. These added benefits can make a meaningful difference for your clients while giving you another great reason to introduce this plan into your client conversations.
Mutual of Omaha – Hospital Protection Plan Highlight Sheet
Mutual of Omaha – Hospital Indemnity Product Availability Map
We’re also excited to officially introduce our new carrier partnership with Physicians Mutual! Click below to download the flyers for state availability and additional information.
Physicians Mutual Product Availability Maps
To help you get started, we’ve already scheduled additional training opportunities designed to familiarize you with Physicians Mutual, introduce you to their products, and give you the confidence to begin sharing this new partnership with your clients. We encourage you to take advantage of these trainings so you have the knowledge, tools, and support needed to launch efficiently and successfully.
Have questions or need assistance? Robin Huff, Regional Account Manager, is here to support you as you get started:
We’re excited about this new partnership and the opportunities it brings to you and your clients. Keep an eye out for upcoming invitations, attend the trainings, take advantage of the resources available to you, and let’s get Physicians Mutual off to a strong start!
In just a few weeks, we’ll come together in Houston for our annual AEP Kickoff. For many, it’s a chance to reconnect with friends, sharpen your skills, and build momentum for the season ahead. For others, it will be your very first Kickoff. No matter where you are in your career, I believe events like this can be career-changing.
As I prepared for this year’s event, I found myself reflecting on something I wrote in last year’s newsletter. Early in my career, attending one of these meetings had a profound impact on my future. Ironically, that event was also in the Houston area. Returning to the same city all these years later makes this year’s Kickoff feel like a full-circle moment.
Looking back, it wasn’t one keynote speaker or breakout session that changed everything. It was the opportunity to be surrounded by people who were already accomplishing what I hoped to achieve.
Like many new agents, I assumed top producers had something I didn’t—a special talent, a different personality, or a secret to their success. What I discovered was much simpler. They faced the same objections, heard the same “no’s,” and experienced the same setbacks as everyone else. The difference was that they had learned a few lessons I hadn’t yet—and they were willing to share them.
That realization changed everything.
One conversation sparked a new idea. One small adjustment led to better results. Over time, those small changes transformed my career. I wasn’t changed overnight—I grew because I was exposed to new perspectives, proven strategies, and people who challenged me to become better.
That’s the real value of Kickoff.
The training sessions, product updates, sales strategies, and industry insights are incredibly valuable. But some of the biggest takeaways happen between sessions—over dinner, in the hotel lobby, or during conversations with people who understand exactly what you experience every day.
Our business can be a lonely one. Most days it’s just you, your clients, and the road between appointments. Kickoff is a reminder that you’re part of something much bigger. It’s an opportunity to learn from one another, encourage one another, and see firsthand that success isn’t reserved for a select few. It’s built by ordinary people who commit to learning, growing, and showing up every day.
As we prepare for Houston, my encouragement is simple: come with an open mind. Ask questions. Introduce yourself to someone new. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn.
Because you never know which conversation, idea, or small adjustment will become the moment you look back on years from now and realize—that’s where everything changed.
Colan Mouton
Regional Sales Director, NE
Our recent National Call featured special guest Derek Weidenmeyer, Sales Director of Brokerage Sales at Mutual of Omaha, who shared valuable insights into several products that can help agents grow their business and provide clients with protection at every stage of life.
These solutions offer flexible protection options while creating additional opportunities to diversify your portfolio and better serve your clients. Contact your DSM to learn more about these Mutual of Omaha products.
