You Ever Think About how Much Money You Waste on Leads?

[VolAgent]

Actually, America has no official designated language. There are many getting their naturalized citizenship and can’t speak a word of English.

As Broker4Ever alluded to, only in very limited circumstances can you become a citizen without speaking English. Plenty of people are here with varying levels of immigration status, from illegal all the way up to permanent resident. None of which require you speak English.

And I'm no sure no one here learned Spanish, Latin, French, etc. well enough to pass a class in high school or college and then promptly forgot it...

 

[shonceman]

As Broker4Ever alluded to, only in very limited circumstances can you become a citizen without speaking English. Plenty of people are here with varying levels of immigration status, from illegal all the way up to permanent resident. None of which require you speak English.

And I'm no sure no one here learned Spanish, Latin, French, etc. well enough to pass a class in high school or college and then promptly forgot it...

I was nearly fluent in Spanish in my youth, and can still carry on a general conversation in Spanish when necessary. But I've definitely fallen out of practice. I've even sold a policy or two in Spanish, but I'm not confident enough to pursue Spanish speaking prospects. (But I won't just walk away from them when they turn up, either!) But there's loads of opportunity here in Texas for bilingual agents!

Texas has no official language either, but at one time both English and Spanish were designated as official languages. For a while so was German. And very briefly, Norwegian. Occasionally somebody tries to mount an English only campaign here, but they're wasting their time, and working against history.

 

[shonceman]

As to the OP's question, back before fixed price leads, nobody would have asked that. You paid a per thousand piece price for a mail drop. Sometimes you got a lot back, other times not. You judged ROI based on the total premium sold vs the total cost of that drop. That number was usually very positive.

But thinking in terms of price per lead can tempt you to feel like a lead was wasted if you don't sell it. This mentality can lead to accepting bad business, e.g. a DE cardholder who's already lapsed three policies in the last several months. You feel pressure to go ahead and write them because you don't want to waste the $30.

If you can get back to the idea that it costs this much money per drop, even though you're getting a set number of leads for that price, you'll feel better about your ROI overall, your attitude will improve, and you'll write more and better business.

 

[JimmyCrappedCorn]

Always blows my mind that someone fills out an English lead card and claims they don’t speak English. I can usually still get in the door and figure out if that’s a door/objection excuse or they can’t speak it or if there someone there that can translate.

If I get a lead and it says Gonzalez or Hernandez or anything like it I wont touch it. I wont call it and I wont go the door. I pitch that lead in the trash. If I get a lead that has any Asian or Oriental sounding name it goes in the trash. Its not politically correct I know but it really has nothing to do with racism or bigotry or anything else but the time proven fact that statistically those leads are for guys who don't mind getting the sale the hard way. I do mind. I mind a lot. I developed this plan of action way back in the mid 1980's and have stuck to it almost religiously. I noticed way back it my first 5 years that pursuing those sales was getting sales the hard way. I have a very high closing ratio and avoiding leads like that is one of the reasons why. Once in awhile about every 2 or 3 years for the heck of it I will try to sell a Gonzalez or Ching Chang lead and I quickly am reminded why you don't waste time with those leads.

 

[vic120]

If I get a lead and it says Gonzalez or Hernandez or anything like it I wont touch it. I wont call it and I wont go the door. I pitch that lead in the trash. If I get a lead that has any Asian or Oriental sounding name it goes in the trash. Its not politically correct I know but it really has nothing to do with racism or bigotry or anything else but the time proven fact that statistically those leads are for guys who don't mind getting the sale the hard way. I do mind. I mind a lot. I developed this plan of action way back in the mid 1980's and have stuck to it almost religiously. I noticed way back it my first 5 years that pursuing those sales was getting sales the hard way. I have a very high closing ratio and avoiding leads like that is one of the reasons why. Once in awhile about every 2 or 3 years for the heck of it I will try to sell a Gonzalez or Ching Chang lead and I quickly am reminded why you don't waste time with those leads.

That is just stupid, Yes the close ratio is lower but the ones I get are easy sales and also the ones I get are big on referrals.

 

[HoosierLife]

That is just stupid, Yes the close ratio is lower but the ones I get are easy sales and also the ones I get are big on referrals.

I never threw that many leads away. Well that's not true. I always bought so many leads that I could hit my goals and be able to grab the low hanging fruit.

You can always increase your productivity by buying more leads.

OR

You can squeeze every last drop out of each of your leads.

Both ways work, I think Corn's point that one was is easier.

 

[shonceman]

Once in awhile about every 2 or 3 years for the heck of it I will try to sell a Gonzalez or Ching Chang lead and I quickly am reminded why you don't waste time with those leads.

Can't imagine why those might be a waste of time for you. smh.

 

[vic120]

I never threw that many leads away. Well that's not true. I always bought so many leads that I could hit my goals and be able to grab the low hanging fruit.

You can always increase your productivity by buying more leads.

OR

You can squeeze every last drop out of each of your leads.

Both ways work, I think Corn's point that one was is easier.

Im just saying its a call and a message, I am not jumping through hoops but the ones I get are easy sales the ones that are not easy sales I am on and off the phone fast

 

[Baseball7]

Wow, I’d never just throw out a hispanic lead like that EVER.

 

[SPUR CITY]

Wow, I’d never just throw out a hispanic lead like that EVER.

Yea, if I did that here in San Antonio my kids would be skinny