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For nearly a decade, DMW has been part of RISE, an organization that brings professionals in the Medicare space together to share ideas, learn about industry trends and regulations, and build meaningful connections to positively impact the industry.

This year, my colleagues Renee Mezzanotte, EVP, Client Engagement and Justin Stauffer, EVP, Marketing, Technology & Media; along with our friends, George Dippel, President, Deft Research (an Integrity Company), and Missy Bazzo, Director, Medicare, Peak Health, had the privilege of presenting at the 2025 RISE Medicare Marketing & Sales Summit in Puerto Rico.

Renee, Justin, George, and Missy’s panel discussion, “26 Ideas for ’26: Marketing Lessons Learned from an Extraordinary AEP,” was a hit! Why? Because attendees walked away with so many real-world, actionable approaches to improve their marketing performance.

For a taste of the ideas our team shared, see below. To hear about the other 23+ ways to win more quality leads, you’ll have to reach out.

3 ways to win leads during the next Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

1. Be authentically local
If you’re a local plan, embrace it — it’s a valuable attribute. In fact, recent research shows many consumers prefer local businesses for their community connection. Local companies are seen as more accountable and in touch with people in the area, which fosters a sense of belonging and trust.

Here are a few ways to build your connection in the community and use it to attract high-quality leads:

• Don’t just say you’re local, prove you’re part of the community. For example, if your plan offers local seminars and workshops focused on Medicare and health education for seniors, overtly advertise the events.
• Make a favorable impression on your target audience. Consider sponsoring a local event, such as an exercise class, art class, or a bingo night at a senior center that serves the Medicare-eligible population.
• Embrace transcreation. If you have a multicultural target audience, go beyond translation. Start the transcreation process at the ideation phase of a campaign to ensure your campaign resonates with your entire audience, regardless of their cultural affiliation.

2. Use first-party data to nurture leads
Although Google has altered its initial approach to phasing out third-party cookies, plans remain in place to protect users’ privacy and give them more control over their online data. Since Google first announced plans to phase out third-party cookies in 2020, many browsers have already deleted them proactively — forcing marketers to rely on first-party data.

With 40+ years of experience adjusting to changes like this, DMW knows how to be flexible … and this is no exception. Justin said it in his blog post in 2021 and it’s still true today: a prospect’s email address is the gold standard of first-party data. And a strategic email lead nurture campaign is similarly worth its weight in gold.

Email, in general, is an affordable communication channel that fits seamlessly into omnichannel marketing campaigns without monopolizing costly sales hours. Each email in the nurture stream can be easily personalized and timed, ensuring the content is relevant and sent at the most opportune time.

Additionally, when each email in the stream has a clear and specific call to action, prospects remain interested. This keeps them engaged and drives them toward the ultimate goal — enrollment.

3. Appearance matters
I’m sorry to say it, but when it comes to direct mail, humans are superficial. What’s on the outside counts more than what’s on the inside.

Start with your envelope — include copy that conveys urgency, piques curiosity, or indicates that valuable content is inside to increase open rates. Use color in accordance with brand guidelines to cut through the clutter and make your envelope stand out from the rest.

Our oversized direct mail packages average 50%-120% greater response rates and have a lower cost per lead (CPL) than standard direct mail packages for both Medicare Advantage plan and Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan (DSNP) prospects. Along similar lines, direct mail packages get more responses than self-mailers for DSNP prospects.

Of course, testing should still be at the core of your direct response campaigns. As DMW’s Pat Donoghue said in his blog post about testing promotional vs. “official” envelopes, you won’t know what works until you compare.

Move forward with DMW

The presentation we shared at the 2025 RISE Medicare Marketing & Sales Summit is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what we know about driving leads and acquisitions. Each product, audience, and client requires a unique strategy. Reach out — let’s talk.