Agents Looking For Lead Sources...Read This!!!

[rousemark]

This comment makes me think of Bob Barney.

Exactly what I thought.... Another courtroom cowboy that is all hat and no court that posts nothing but drivel and then accuses others of doing the same.

 

[Birdman300]

I'm pretty sure he wasn't speaking to you about "boosting post count", it was probably Ryan!

Is there another Ryan on here, or were you referring to me?

 

[HoosierLife]

Is there another Ryan on here, or were you referring to me?

Booster!!! .

 

[Birdman300]

Good advice Ryan. A mixture or variety is good but consistency is key. As Travis also mentioned DM is the gold standard in our business yielding the highest return on your initial investment if ran correctly.

Chase Urich
VP of Sales & Marketing
Equita Final Expense Services
1-800-765-0711 Ext.251 (972)-339-0191 [email protected][/quote]


I think this business is so funny. I have done very well with both DM, and TM. I did terrible with Internet leads, but I'm convinced it's because I did not get a large enough sample size with those. When I look back at the times when my production was very high...it was when I was using either a blend of DM and TM, or exclusively TM. I have also noticed that my production is better for DM in smaller towns or more rural areas than TM. In contrast, I've done exceptionally well with TM (Avatar) leads in more populated areas (>1M people).

I totally agree about the consistency part though...I have definitely noticed that TM's are not nearly as consistent as DM's. I have never had any problems getting enough DM leads, but TM's are consistently inconsistent (if that makes sense). In other words, I can order 40 TM's one week and the order is usually filled within 5 days. But if I order another 40 a week later, then that order tends to take more than a week to fill...and becomes increasingly longer with each successive lead order of the same count. This is where DM leads shine. My experience with DM lead flow has been that as long as I keep ordering, then they keep flowing.

I still prefer to have a good blend of both. I don't know for sure but I've read on this forum that most of the really big producers (on this forum) use DM's as their staple (80%+) then supplement with TM's/Internet (20% or less). I could be wrong though.

 

[WholeLife]

I don't know for sure but I've read on this forum that most of the really big producers (on this forum) use DM's as their staple (80%+) then supplement with TM's/Internet (20% or less). I could be wrong though.

Hey Birdman, not sure if I qualify as a "big producer" or not, but at $230K year to date I would think that I'm probably not a slouch.

I work rural and small towns only, the largest town I touch is about 40,000 population. I've used almost exclusively DM, sprinkling in a handful of TMs only when my DM lead flow has been low for one reason or another.

TMs just don't work well in rural areas. You have to have such a large area just to get the counts. I can't be selling when I'm behind the wheel all day. I can see how TMs would work well in metropolitan areas though.

 

[Birdman300]

Hey Birdman, not sure if I qualify as a "big producer" or not, but at $230K year to date I would think that I'm probably not a slouch.

I work rural and small towns only, the largest town I touch is about 40,000 population. I've used almost exclusively DM, sprinkling in a handful of TMs only when my DM lead flow has been low for one reason or another.

TMs just don't work well in rural areas. You have to have such a large area just to get the counts. I can't be selling when I'm behind the wheel all day. I can see how TMs would work well in metropolitan areas though.

No you're definitely a slouch!!! J/K...Yes, you're an excellent producer for sure...you're performance is outstanding. I was mostly referring to agents who are producing $350k+ in AP. A few are on this forum, but I know there are many that are not. I totally agree with you about TM's in the rural areas though. I tried that in a rural area once, and most of the leads were so spread out that it wasn't worth doing again.

I ONLY order TM's in metro areas because that's mostly where I've been working this year. I've talked with several other agents in the metro area that I work, and they've all told me that they also have had great success using TM's. Having said that, I don't think I could ever give up my DM's. They appear to complement each other from my experience. I think whatever long term lead strategy works for each agent is what that agent should keep using for that particular location.

 

[SPUR CITY]

No you're definitely a slouch!!! J/K...Yes, you're an excellent producer for sure...you're performance is outstanding. I was mostly referring to agents who are producing $350k+ in AP. A few are on this forum, but I know there are many that are not. I totally agree with you about TM's in the rural areas though. I tried that in a rural area once, and most of the leads were so spread out that it wasn't worth doing again. I ONLY order TM's in metro areas because that's mostly where I've been working this year. I've talked with several other agents in the metro area that I work, and they've all told me that they also have had great success using TM's. Having said that, I don't think I could ever give up my DM's. They appear to complement each other from my experience. I think whatever long term lead strategy works for each agent is what that agent should keep using for that particular location.

Ok, I'll play and give my opinion. I'll preface it by stating I will do OVER 400K in 2015, so I meet your definition of "big producer".


DM's are what the MAJOR FE PLAYERS play with. I don't know a SINGLE agent working TM's exclusively doing 350K in production. DM's is and has been the most consistent and sure-fire way to be a PLAYER.


I use TM's and Internet leads from Lee as fillers but DM's are where it's at.


That being said, my ROI might be best with TM's. My AP per sell might be best with Lee's internet leads. BUT you won't find me coming off my DM's to exclusively work those other two lead types. And there's evidence and GOOD REASON why I won't.


The final expense game has lost many potentially good agents who were on a roll early on working direct mail leads. Then they found some early success with their fillers (telemarketing leads) and came off of DM leads to try to save marketing costs. Then over time they found the TM's quality had suffered and found themselves driving further and further because there wasn't enough data for the area. They find themselves trying to get back on the DM leads but at this point they are out of cash flow and can't get back on DM's. They are DONE. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...


Seeing this scenario happen many many times

 

[Iwillpay]

Ok, I'll play and give my opinion. I'll preface it by stating I will do OVER 400K in 2015, so I meet your definition of "big producer".


DM's are what the MAJOR FE PLAYERS play with. I don't know a SINGLE agent working TM's exclusively doing 350K in production. DM's is and has been the most consistent and sure-fire way to be a PLAYER.


I use TM's and Internet leads from Lee as fillers but DM's are where it's at.


That being said, my ROI might be best with TM's. My AP per sell might be best with Lee's internet leads. BUT you won't find me coming off my DM's to exclusively work those other two lead types. And there's evidence and GOOD REASON why I won't.


The final expense game has lost many potentially good agents who were on a roll early on working direct mail leads. Then they found some early success with their fillers (telemarketing leads) and came off of DM leads to try to save marketing costs. Then over time they found the TM's quality had suffered and found themselves driving further and further because there wasn't enough data for the area. They find themselves trying to get back on the DM leads but at this point they are out of cash flow and can't get back on DM's. They are DONE. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...


Seeing this scenario happen many many times

400k !!!, that's some crazy number Spur. I hope next year I can come near enough to at least read your tag.

 

[Ksutton]

Some names on here are familiar due to the fact that I have been "lurking" for some time on these forums -

I have had a long , "scary" road to finally getting contracted with an IMO . I'll be doing FE, and from my understanding I'll be running strictly DM leads .

It's good to read about others success in DM -

Do you (any one) believe FE and DM leads still have some longevity left ?

----------

Let me add a bit to my last question -

I see a lot of success in the business and a lot of producers hitting this big numbers - will that type of production , given the agent is working the same , continue to replicate itself year after year using the same DM mailers ? Or will eventually the counties "dry up" and become "over saturated "?

 

[rousemark]

Some names on here are familiar due to the fact that I have been "lurking" for some time on these forums -

I have had a long , "scary" road to finally getting contracted with an IMO . I'll be doing FE, and from my understanding I'll be running strictly DM leads .

It's good to read about others success in DM -

Do you (any one) believe FE and DM leads still have some longevity left ?

----------

Let me add a bit to my last question -

I see a lot of success in the business and a lot of producers hitting this big numbers - will that type of production , given the agent is working the same , continue to replicate itself year after year using the same DM mailers ? Or will eventually the counties "dry up" and become "over saturated "?

It is possible for an area to be over saturated due to too many agents mailing the same area... But if the ratio of agents to population remains the same, an area should not "dry up" simply because there are new "prospects" aging into the preferred demographic everyday.