Which Has Better Returns for DM Mailings?

[bboman23]

Nikita I would take Newby up on his offer. Try their leads

 

[Nikita]

At FexContracting.com we just rolled out a new fixed price lead that says Life Insurance in the first sentence. That's a little more direct. It tightens the ages up a bit from most fixed price leads at 55-85 rather than go all the way down to 50. Also no P.O. Boxes which I understand can be done with most lead vendors also.

I think ours is the best set price lead I've seen anywhere. But any set price lead has compromises. The best leads of all are going to be ages 60-77, $15,000 to $40,000 income and no P.O. Boxes but you have to do those at price per 1,000. You will get fewer returns on those crème of the crop leads and that's why no vendor will do those at a set price.

But if you are getting ANY form of 20-leads a week and not selling $2,500 to $4,000 consistently, you probably have other areas that you need to work on rather than lead quality. You could probably use additional fine tuning of your appointment setting, presentation, objection handling, company selection, closing, etc.

Of the company leads, I've used Transamerica's lead and done OK with it. Always doubled or tripled my lead cost. Settlers has low cost leads but low returns for some reason.

If you are serious about wanting to work out the rough spots, we would be happy to have you with us and see if we can't help you improve what ever is in your way.

Newby, thanks for the straightforward answer. I'm still experimenting with leads and I would like to try a few different approaches. I have limited time each week that I can work in the field so I'm definitely wanting quality over quantity. I'll check out the TA lead. Thanks again

----------

At FexContracting.com we just rolled out a new fixed price lead that says Life Insurance in the first sentence. That's a little more direct. It tightens the ages up a bit from most fixed price leads at 55-85 rather than go all the way down to 50. Also no P.O. Boxes which I understand can be done with most lead vendors also.

I think ours is the best set price lead I've seen anywhere. But any set price lead has compromises. The best leads of all are going to be ages 60-77, $15,000 to $40,000 income and no P.O. Boxes but you have to do those at price per 1,000. You will get fewer returns on those crème of the crop leads and that's why no vendor will do those at a set price.

But if you are getting ANY form of 20-leads a week and not selling $2,500 to $4,000 consistently, you probably have other areas that you need to work on rather than lead quality. You could probably use additional fine tuning of your appointment setting, presentation, objection handling, company selection, closing, etc.

Of the company leads, I've used Transamerica's lead and done OK with it. Always doubled or tripled my lead cost. Settlers has low cost leads but low returns for some reason.

If you are serious about wanting to work out the rough spots, we would be happy to have you with us and see if we can't help you improve what ever is in your way.

Newby - do you have to be appointed through FEX Contracting to do a lead mailing through you?

 

[bboman23]

Newby, thanks for the straightforward answer. I'm still experimenting with leads and I would like to try a few different approaches. I have limited time each week that I can work in the field so I'm definitely wanting quality over quantity. I'll check out the TA lead. Thanks again

----------

Newby - do you have to be appointed through FEX Contracting to do a lead mailing through you?

Well of course. Nothing is for free

 

[FEproducerKen]

Nikita stop letting these guys lead you in a ditch! Lincoln Heritage did 24 million dollars in 2004. After we went to our own exclusive in house direct mail lead program 116 million. You pay NOTHING for the leads up front. They are financed for you no interest you don't pay for a drop you pay for the leads that actually come back. Get 15, 20 30 per week. We take a small % to pay for the leads to where you always have a cash flow.

Not to mention as you work your direct mail you will get tv leads and several of our beneficiary claim leads during the week.

You are dealing with lead pimps that are selling you leads that have NOTHING to do with final expense. Lead pimps that drop in the same zip codes over and over for you and any other "John" that comes along.

And most of these guys are not full time so you asking them about lead sources is like a chicken asking Colonel Sanders where can he find a place to live.

PM me if you want to know a great lead source. I don't mind telling you but I don't want you to tell these knuckleheads.

----------



A final expense guy using Transamerica leads when Transamerica DOES NOT WANT FINAL EXPENSE BUSINESS.

Good Lord!!!!!!!!!

$116 million or $500 million? Why does that matter? The total amount of premium dollars by the entire company means nothing to an individual agent. Let us hear from the agents and see how much of the $116 million goes to them. Lets hear some numbers from them. It wouldbe a better use of your time to prove to new agents that THEY can make money, not LH.

 

[Nikita]

Well of course. Nothing is for free

I am already appointed with 360 and happy there...and you know that

 

[Newby]

Newby, thanks for the straightforward answer. I'm still experimenting with leads and I would like to try a few different approaches. I have limited time each week that I can work in the field so I'm definitely wanting quality over quantity. I'll check out the TA lead. Thanks again

----------



Newby - do you have to be appointed through FEX Contracting to do a lead mailing through you?

Yes. Ben won't mail us the over ride checks unless you change over to us. If you think your whole approach can't be improved on, I would just try different lead sources. Tighten up the ages, incomes and require physical addresses and you will have the best quality leads.

Why don't you have Ben come field train you and see if he can do more with the leads you already have. That might be an eye opener. We can all improve.

 

[Rearden]

I am already appointed with 360 and happy there...and you know that

Part of doing this biz full time is the uncertainty of what you are going to experience.

You have many variables in play -- locale, level of marketing/agent saturation, your skill level, etc.

I did a lead drop with a piece similar to YIG's a few months ago in rural Alabama -- 60-75, $15k-$50k -- did a 5:1 ROI, closed at 25% or 30% apps-to-leads.

A month later, I used the same exact card, same demos, to a rural part of Middle Tennessee, except at a 250% increase in lead volume. Closed 10% of my leads as appointments, and banked just enough to break even.

Point is most agents, tenured or not, will have bad appointments/days/weeks/months/years mixed in with the good.

It's downright hard to determine whether you had a "bad" batch of leads, or your area is any good, without working the area several times to make a sound determination.

Obviously you can't because funds are limited.

Generally-speaking, when I take on a new agent, here's what I'm looking for.

-Small-town to rural areas -- less agent/marketing saturation and gentler, kinder folks on par.
-Counties with little to no ghettos and projects -- it's not about selling policies, it's about keeping policies. You won't be changing a person's poverty mindset developed over decades inside of 60 minutes. So why target an area that will pull responses in from people who generally don't pay their bills?
-Lead MUST say Life Insurance -- When you do any sort of marketing, potential prospects read the piece's headline, first line and last line to get a summary of what the ad is about, then make the decision to continue reading it based on first impressions.

I like it best when the lead card actually says LIFE INSURANCE in the first SENTENCE, not a line or two lower. That makes it clear what the jig is all about.

The farther down LIFE INSURANCE is from the first sentence, the weaker the response will be, because more will believe it's Mutual of Obama.

Lastly, if you REALLY want to commit to final expense, you need to commit your funds to an on-going direct mail lead campaign, with at least 15 leads weekly coming in. If you are low on funds, try some TM leads to get a quick turn-around and to control cash-out flow better until you've amassed a bank roll.

 

[HoosierLife]

Ben help this girl with setting appointments.

Or Nikita do a search for Travis' and/or JDs script for setting appointments.

After learning what those guys do, I get too many appts. I've started to find out why they sent in the card before I let go with them.

The trick is to sound like your job is just to get the info out to them. No hassle for them, almost like its a hassle for you, but hey it's your job so you gotta do it.

Then you gotta learn how to overcome the objections.

Here's the best response to 90% of them: "My job is just to get the information out to you. What you do with it is entirely up to you." Then try and set the appt again.

Inflection is another key. Start recording yourself setting appts and email at least an hours worth at a time to Ben and Brad

 

[MPCFinPlan]

Newby, thanks for the straightforward answer. I'm still experimenting with leads and I would like to try a few different approaches. I have limited time each week that I can work in the field so I'm definitely wanting quality over quantity. I'll check out the TA lead. Thanks again ---------- Newby - do you have to be appointed through FEX Contracting to do a lead mailing through you?

If it isn't the presentation because lack of appointments, how are you on the phone?

I have a great appointment setter but I've been running into the "I'm not interested anymore" (from what she tells me) and I'm thinking of going back to setting my appointments.

The sell starts from the second you open your mouth. Your selling the appointment over the phone, no insurance.

I'm struggling with the similar situation, but I know better than to blame it on the lead. A lead card is nothing but an excuse to call or knock someone's door. There's no fairy dust leads (aside from rural leads and urban leads)

 

[BURIAL INSURANCE MAN]

This topic has been beaten to death on the forum. Always new agents looking
for the "best mailer". There isn't one. I have used just about every mail
shop mentioned on the forum and both the generic and life insurance
mailers. As long as I have 20 new cards of either type I get 2-4 k premium.
my first sales manager who trained me always said "It's the man not the
land" If you know what you are doing 20-30 cards each week will get you where u need to be. If you are too broke to mail consistently then you are too broke to be successful in this biz.