AEP is the busiest stretch of the year for Medicare agents, and the workflows you build beforehand shape how the season goes.

In this Built for AEP 2027 session, Charlie Bryan (IMN Community Advisor) and Ryan Peters (CEO of Phil-Am Agency) shared practical ways agents are using AI and automation to communicate better, retain more clients, and free up time for growth.

Here's how their advice fits into your AEP plan.

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1. Automate the work, and keep the relationships personal

AI works best as an assistant. It can boost productivity and streamline processes, while compliance, personal oversight, and the human touch stay with you. Tailor AI outputs to your voice and review them before they go out, so every message stays authentic.

Ryan provided a detailed example of a Medicare agent handling significant plan updates for over 120 clients. Instead of scheduling individual calls or meetings, they built an automation sequence using text, voicemail drops, and email.

2. Start small, and build on clear processes

Choose one area and aim for a 10% improvement this year, such as an automated birthday campaign, a data cleanup, or an AI-drafted email. Clear, scalable processes make each step easier and help you grow responsibly. Not sure whether to pay for an AI tool? Try the free version for a few days first, and upgrade once you outgrow its limits.

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3. Get your data ready early

Make Spark your single source of truth so your workflows run smoothly when they go live. Start refining your data in May or June rather than waiting for your AEP campaign to launch.

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4. Pace your outreach

Drip campaigns match your outreach to your capacity. As Ryan put it, "Don't hit 300 prospects all at once unless you're ready to take 300 calls immediately." Research also shows Medicare beneficiaries prefer to hear from their agent one to two times a year, so focus on timely, purposeful messages during enrollment and at key points in the policy lifecycle.

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5. Strengthen retention with personal, automated touches

• ‍Birthday messages: A warm text on a client's birthday, followed by a check-in the next day.‍
• Plan update outreach: One agent used texts, voicemail drops, and emails to reach more than 120 clients about significant plan updates. All 120 were retained, and 85 were happy with the automations alone, saving more than 85 hours that went back into growth.‍
• Personalized video: HeyGen can deliver tailored avatar-based videos based on how much a client's plan is changing.

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As Ryan advised, let AI work for you, not instead of you. Watch the full session on demand to hear the speakers walk through their workflows in more detail.

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