Many agencies buy leads but cannot tell where the leads came from. They may also lack proof that each person agreed to a call. This guide shows a better way.
Use four steps: find leads, get permission, win members, and stay in touch. Keep a clear record for each step. Your team can use those records to improve the work. A future buyer can check them too.
This guide is for Medicare businesses. It does not give plan advice to the public.
The four steps
| Step | Main question | Record to keep | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find leads | Where did each lead come from? | Lead source and cost report | One vendor sends almost all leads |
| Get permission | Did each person agree to contact? | Consent record with the date and words shown | Proof stays in a vendor system |
| Win members | What did each new member cost? | Monthly cost report | The answer changes each month |
| Stay in touch | Did the team follow up? | Contact plan and call log | The plan lives in someone’s memory |
Your team should run all four steps at the same time. Use one ID for each person. That ID should link the lead source, consent record, sale, and follow-up notes.
Why clear records help
Paid leads can help an agency grow. They also bring risk. Ask these questions:
- Can the leads keep coming? A vendor may stop sending leads after a sale or deal ends.
- Can you prove consent? Your team should know when and how each person agreed to contact.
- Can you show the cost? Your report should use the same math each month.
Keep your own records even when a vendor sends the lead. A bill does not show the full story.
Step 1: find leads
People may find your agency through search, helpful pages, referrals, or ads. Medicare also has key dates:
- Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7. People can join, drop, or switch certain Medicare plans during this time.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs from January 1 to March 31. This period is for people who already have a Medicare Advantage plan.
- The Initial Enrollment Period lasts seven months. It starts three months before the month a person turns 65 and ends three months after that month.
People turn 65 all year. Your agency can serve that need each month instead of waiting for fall.
CMS counted a little more than 70.3 million people with Medicare in April 2026. About 34.3 million had Original Medicare. About 36 million had Medicare Advantage or another health plan. See our Arizona guide for state facts.
Records to keep
- A report that shows where each lead came from.
- A list of what you spent on each source.
- A list of the websites, pages, ad accounts, and data you own.
- Vendor contracts that say who keeps the data.
Numbers to track
Track leads and cost by source. Also track how many leads came from work you own, such as your website, and how many came from a vendor.
What a buyer may check
A buyer may ask who owns the website, content, ad accounts, and data. A buyer may also check if one vendor controls most of the leads. Keep the answers in reports your team uses each month.
Step 2: get permission
Medicare marketing has rules about how plans and marketers contact people. Federal rules cover Medicare Advantage and Part D marketing. They also cover many outside marketing firms.
Rules can change. Check the current CMS and federal sources listed below. Ask a lawyer or trained rule expert to review your plan.
Records to keep
- A consent record for each person. Save the date, source, words shown, and type of contact allowed.
- Proof of where consent came from for each bought lead.
- A written rule for where you keep consent records and for how long.
- A list of any lead with missing proof and what your team did next.
A simple check
Pick 20 leads at random. Ask your team to show the full consent record for each one. Fix the process if the search takes days or the proof is missing.
What a buyer may check
A buyer may run the same test. The buyer may also read vendor contracts to learn who owns the proof.
Step 3: win members
Write down how you find the cost of one new member. List each cost you include, the time span, and what counts as a new member. Use the same rule for every source.
Records to keep
- A written rule for the cost of one new member.
- A monthly cost report for each lead source.
- Counts for leads, booked calls, and new members.
- Notes that match marketing counts to the main sales records.
Numbers to track
Track the cost of one new member for each source. Track how many leads move to a call and then to a sale. Note the date when you change the math.
What a buyer may check
A buyer may check if your team used the same math each month. The buyer may also match your marketing totals to your sales records. Clear and steady numbers build more trust than a good-looking number with weak proof.
Step 4: stay in touch
New members bring value when they stay. Write a contact plan for each member group. Log each call, email, or other contact.
Records to keep
- A contact calendar for each member group.
- A log of the contacts your team made.
- A list of people who left or changed plans, with a reason when they give one.
- A written rule for how you count members who stay.
Numbers to track
Compare planned contacts with finished contacts. Track how many members stay over the time span in your written rule. This guide does not give a target rate because a target needs good source data.
What a buyer may check
A buyer may compare your plan with your contact log. The log shows if the team did the work.
Link the four steps
Use these three tools:
- One ID for each person. Use it from the first lead through each follow-up.
- One list of terms. Define lead, new member, cost, and member stay rate once.
- One monthly review. Check lead sources, consent proof, costs, and follow-up at the same meeting.
These records help your team manage the work. They also help a future buyer understand the business.
Rules and legal review
This guide explains marketing records. It does not give legal or rule advice. The rules depend on your role and the states where you work.
Check current rules for Medicare Advantage and Part D in 42 CFR parts 422 and 423. Check CMS marketing guidance and your state insurance office. Ask a trained lawyer or rule expert to review your work.
Common questions
Does this guide help people choose a Medicare plan?
No. We write for Medicare businesses. We do not rate plans or tell people which coverage to pick. Visit Medicare.gov or speak with a licensed agent for plan help.
Can an agency still buy leads?
Yes. Keep a lead source report, cost report, and consent proof for bought leads. Use the same reports for leads from your own website.
Does this replace a rule review?
No. Your team still needs current rule training, review of marketing work, and legal help when needed.
What should I ask a marketing firm to show me?
Ask for four things: a lead source report, consent proof, a monthly cost report, and a follow-up log. See our sample marketing plan for a made-up example.
Want a clearer marketing plan?
We can review your lead sources, consent records, costs, and follow-up plan.