Final Expense Telesales Tips - The Reboot!

[shonceman]

The original was a great thread that got WAY off the tracks WAY too early! The OP, @NSRH , tried to breathe life back into it a couple times, but it failed to resuscitate! Still, there was some great stuff in there. So, I hope y’all don’t mind if I post several on-topic quotes from the first thread. I hope some others will follow with some ideas that will help agents who may be struggling with the whole work from home thing (like I am!).

For those of us who've already been living in this final telesales telesales world, I thought it would be a good idea to share tips, carriers, and lead vendors to our cohorts to help them during these uncertain times.

Whats your favorite carrier?

Whats your favorite kind of lead?

What tips do you have?

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My favorite carrier is American Amicable because of the ease of doing business. Although, I am finding, that many other carriers are getting better daily.

The best lead for telesales is still TV. However, Facebook lead costs have CRASHED. This is a great time to jump in and get leads for $2-$3. I wouldnt use a vendor only to pay 200% more. Research and do it yourself.

Heres my tip. Dont go back through all your old leads and think you are going to resurrect intrest. Buy new leads, and buy alot of them.

Dave Duford (Rearden) has a great video on Youtube and also posted on this site

Thanks for the layup =)



Hope some vendors will reduce price on FB leads now. $20+ retail is a bit too much.

Great idea.

Favorite telesales carriers: RNA, Prosperity and Trinity. SS billing + voice sign for all 3.

Favorite lead: Real-time telemarketed call back with verified checking, ages 50-79 and agrees to speak with an agent. Basically telemarketers calling on DNC scrubbed and TCPA verified data to call on (old FB leads or Journaya/Trusted Form verified) + scrubbed against TCPA Blacklist Alliance and inputting into a form to serve it up in a CRM immediately.

Tip:

You need proper training and sales systems to make telesales work. If you take your DM leads and try to sell them over the phone with your typical f2f presentation, you’ll fail. If you buy internet leads and don't have proper sales training or sales systems, you'll fail.

My advice is either partner with a telesales-focused agency with an open release policy (hey, telesales isn't for everyone) or wait it out. Don't waste any time/money unless there's a proven system in place.

Good Stuff. I hope others add to it.

I will add my unconventional ideas.

As it appears there are going to be many spouses, students and relatives home. Use them to update your contact manager. A quick call from one of them to your book of business to update the information will get request for quotes. For themselves and relatives.

At a minimum you will get text, email and beneficiary contact info for drip marketing.

Great idea.

We do “soft touches” twice a year. Typically on birthdays and policy anniversary dates.

We call to just brighten their day.

I love the idea of calling on clients for no reason during this time to just ask if they are doing ok.

When we soft touch them we do a lite review = face, prem, Beneficiaries. Beneficiary is where the magic is.

OK someone asked me how to finds clients to call outside of starting a the As in the *file cabinet.

We all get a call list every month. It is called a commission statement.

*File Cabinet. For you young techy agents. Those are those bank of metal cabinets in old guy's offices. They hold lots and lots of paper.

Use your worked leads to practice. Cost you zero. What are they going to do, say no?

Another existing client filer - recently pasted the contestable period.

"Hey Buela it Wino your Insurance guy. How are you and 'cepus doing? Yeah man, it is crazy out there right now. Hey, I have just been calling some of my clients to check up on them.

If I can I just want to give you a quick update on your policy and go over the contestable period you just passed.

Stuff......... More stuff...... Well that is the short version let me know if you need more info.

Oh, oh, before I forget. We show Daisy Mae as the primary beneficiary.......

I'm getting alot of agents asking me "What carrier is the easiest to sell over the phone?"

Thats actually the wrong question to lead with.

The better question is "Which carrier is the easiest to service customers over the phone?"

Some carriers will actually allow you to sell 100% telesales, but require signatures to make changes to policies... those can lead to heavy chargebacks.

Telesales Tip:

When you call on leads, use a system that allows for you to have a local area code. You should own these numbers so when they call back they all forward to your system, or one phone line.

Any reputable dialer company should have this function.

The guys from Equita had me on their Podcast yesterday specifically to talk telesales... there is some information in here geared specifically to F2F agents and how to transition into Telesales...

Hope you get something out of it.

Mailed Apps and Policy Delivery - You can print your own Priority labels. The mail carrier picks it up. The client gets something that stands out from the rest of the mail. You get tracking to let you know when they got it so you can text than to sign the app or delivery receipt. If an app you put a label Priority envelope to send back. Tracking lets you know when they pail it and when it hits your PO Box.

You can order the two per page labels from Amazon.

Priority is about $7.75 each way.

Ill try to get this thread back on track.

Telesales Tip:

As part of your sales process, as soon as appropriate, give your prospective client your NPN and State License Number.

Make them write it down.

This helps overcome future concerns with trust and legitimacy of the process.

I saw some agents on Facebook saying they were texting a digital copy of their business card and the lead early during the phone call. The guys posting this were brand new to telesales so no history with it. Do you think that would be a plus or a negative?

Totally a negative in Final Expense.

They are old and their minds wander.

I want that ear smashed to their phone the entire time.

Telesales Tip:

There is no real objection until you ask for the money.

Until then treat all natural resistance as a question, comment, or concern.

 

[shonceman]

Mailed Apps and Policy Delivery - You can print your own Priority labels. The mail carrier picks it up. The client gets something that stands out from the rest of the mail. You get tracking to let you know when they got it so you can text than to sign the app or delivery receipt. If an app you put a label Priority envelope to send back. Tracking lets you know when they pail it and when it hits your PO Box.

You can order the two per page labels from Amazon.

Priority is about $7.75 each way.

This was something I hadn’t thought of before. Good advice!

Since my clientele tends to be less sophisticated, and terrible procrastinators, I use more of a budget approach. When I’m mailing an app, I make a point to tell them what color and shape the envelope will be, my agency name and city where I’m located (so they’ll recognize the return address). I hand write their name and address. To the immediate left of that, I write diagonally “Info You Requested” and draw a circle around it.

Inside the envelope, I put a sticky note with hand written instructions on the face of the app. (I also highlight and put sticky arrows on the sig spaces.) I enclose a stamped return envelope with another diagonal message, “Attn: My Name” next to my address. I also try to include a magnetic business card, which gives the package a little weight and bulge to create more incentive to open it right away.

 

[goillini52]

The original was a great thread that got WAY off the tracks WAY too early! The OP, @NSRH , tried to breathe life back into it a couple times, but it failed to resuscitate! Still, there was some great stuff in there. So, I hope y’all don’t mind if I post several on-topic quotes from the first thread. I hope some others will follow with some ideas that will help agents who may be struggling with the whole work from home thing (like I am!).

I just posted this in another thread. Dave Duford posted a telesales crash course earlier. I can't find it on here now, so I'm glad I copied it earlier. There's a lot of good stuff and he covers about all the bases.

Final Expense Telesales: A Crash Course For New Agents

 

[goillini52]

This was something I hadn’t thought of before. Good advice!

Since my clientele tends to be less sophisticated, and terrible procrastinators, I use more of a budget approach. When I’m mailing an app, I make a point to tell them what color and shape the envelope will be, my agency name and city where I’m located (so they’ll recognize the return address). I hand write their name and address. To the immediate left of that, I write diagonally “Info You Requested” and draw a circle around it.

Inside the envelope, I put a sticky note with hand written instructions on the face of the app. (I also highlight and put sticky arrows on the sig spaces.) I enclose a stamped return envelope with another diagonal message, “Attn: My Name” next to my address. I also try to include a magnetic business card, which gives the package a little weight and bulge to create more incentive to open it right away. View attachment 6133

Pink? Hmmmmm, that's myinsurebiz's favorite color.

 

[goillini52]

The original was a great thread that got WAY off the tracks WAY too early! The OP, @NSRH , tried to breathe life back into it a couple times, but it failed to resuscitate! Still, there was some great stuff in there. So, I hope y’all don’t mind if I post several on-topic quotes from the first thread. I hope some others will follow with some ideas that will help agents who may be struggling with the whole work from home thing (like I am!).

Hopefully @DayTimer won't come trolling and mess this thread up too.

 

[shonceman]

Pink? Hmmmmm, that's myinsurebiz's favorite color.

Haha! It does look pink in the photo! It’s really more of a sandy color, almost the same as a Manila folder. I’ve used sky blue, pastel green, yellow, and occasionally orange, but never pink! I’m not a pink kinda guy!

 

[WinoBlues]

This was something I hadn’t thought of before. Good advice!

Since my clientele tends to be less sophisticated, and terrible procrastinators, I use more of a budget approach. When I’m mailing an app, I make a point to tell them what color and shape the envelope will be, my agency name and city where I’m located (so they’ll recognize the return address). I hand write their name and address. To the immediate left of that, I write diagonally “Info You Requested” and draw a circle around it.

Inside the envelope, I put a sticky note with hand written instructions on the face of the app. (I also highlight and put sticky arrows on the sig spaces.) I enclose a stamped return envelope with another diagonal message, “Attn: My Name” next to my address. I also try to include a magnetic business card, which gives the package a little weight and bulge to create more incentive to open it right away. View attachment 6133

Fat Mail

I have an old style red ink stamp that I may use under the reply address 'Your Insurance Agent' just a little ascew.

Priority Mail - it stands out. Red, White and Blue. Heavy cards stock. Says Important and Official, without saying it. There is a half size as well. Tracking tells you when it is delivered. Cheaper than gas and time.

 

[shonceman]

Cheaper than gas and time.

True that. Good point!

 

[DayTimer]

Hopefully @DayTimer won't come trolling and mess this thread up too.

To be fair, had I known I'd unleash the swarm with just that silly one word post, I would not have made it. Seriously. I never imagined such a reaction would be possible, and if I had even expected it to be possible I would have said nothing. Lo siento for any role I played in loosening the lug nuts ...

 

[NSRH]

Thanks @shonceman !

Telesales Tip:

Don’t waste your time writing any GI products.

1.) Commissions are low
2.) None of the carriers have true Social Security Billing
3.) Placement and Persistency is low
4.) It takes the same amount of time to sell the deal
5.) The service work is greater on GI

When you write a GI product, you’ll end up making 20 to 30% of what you would have made if you wrote a traditional final expense policy, but you’ll spend the same time writing it, and likely more time servicing it.

Throw the lead away, and focus on the products that yield the highest profit for your time investment.

For every hour your wasted on a GI presentation, you could have spent that time on a regular FE presentation and made quadruple the money.

Literally, it takes 4 GI sales to make the same profit as a regular FE product, but takes the same amount to sell the GI and more time to service.