We suggest doing a direct mail drop, then follow up with phone calls. This has been very effective for us. We had a client Tim P. in CA who did that with us and wrote $34,000 AP in 2 weeks. He wrote his results here on the forum under I think, " Solid marketing platform for lead generation" This is why we started a direct mail company also. It is very effective to use direct mail then follow up with calls. It is not a cold call anymore. Meaning, they have something to relate the call to. Very effective!
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Gary R. Prado
President WWW.MarketingCampaignSolutions.com
Direct Mail, Professional Tele-prospecting, Data,
Specality list, CRM software, Lead Generation, Hot transfers, leads
MCS 3:1 dialers (AS SEEN ON JOHN'S BLOG AND THIS FORUM) $349 m-m No Setup fee
The premiere Marketing Company for the Insurance Industry!
I do believe it's more unethical than illegal, but it does make a sale.
It's the old, "It-All-Depends." Some emails may be considered spam (a no-no nuisance verging on unethical) and legitimate confirmed opt-in. For extra measure, the "double opt-in" (checking the subscriber's approval and then re-checking it again just to be sure. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about "bulk" or mass email:
"Confirmed opt-in (COI)
A new subscriber asks to be subscribed to the mailing list, but unlike unconfirmed opt-in, a confirmation e-mail is sent to verify it was really them. Many believe the person must not be added to the mailing list unless an explicit step is taken, such as clicking a special web link or sending back a reply e-mail. This ensures that no person can subscribe someone else out of malice or error. Mail system administrators and non-spam mailing list operators refer to this as confirmed subscription or closed-loop opt-in."
As far as direct mail before making a cold phone call, if you show it works, by all means keep doing it. In my experimenting, I noticed a common theme. My appointment ratio was the exact same whether or not I mailed the letter first.
"HomeService, are you still receiving any of those DI commissions?"
Nope. I was in NY then and moved to TX, did not keep my renewals. I switched companies anyway and was not vested. I do wonder how many are still on the books, though.
I am interested in the email marketing, who do you go through to obtain lists of people who might be interested in buying health insurance? And how much do they cost? Are you allowed to add filters so to speak, so you know which audience you are targeting? What company/s do you recommend?
I used to (drink the kool-aid) and purchase NAA's recycled leads. They were crap, in my experience and opinion. I have been working ACA direct mail leads for a few months now and they have proven to be much better. It seems that the mailer being used is harvesting a prospective client who is much more intelligent about the fact that they actually do need coverage, or even more coverage. Just my experience.
I used to (drink the kool-aid) and purchase NAA's recycled leads. They were crap, in my experience and opinion. I have been working ACA direct mail leads for a few months now and they have proven to be much better. It seems that the mailer being used is harvesting a prospective client who is much more intelligent about the fact that they actually do need coverage, or even more coverage. Just my experience.
I always find it interesting when web sites fail to give anything definitive about the people behind the scenes and their only contact source is an anonymous email or registration.
You would never know it from their site, but ACA was started by former A L Williams / Primerica reps.
The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree . . .
I always find it interesting when web sites fail to give anything definitive about the people behind the scenes and their only contact source is an anonymous email or registration.
You would never know it from their site, but ACA was started by former A L Williams / Primerica reps.
The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree . . .
Last time I checked, ACA was nothing more than a kissing cousin to NAA. Have things changed?
I understand your question and had the same idea when I was first contacted. After being beaten and bloody from naa, I was more cautious than a sore-tailed-cat in a room full of rocking chairs. So, I did my own personal research. Couldn't find hardly anything on here. Found no complaints after hours of google-searching. So, I talked to the few folks that I could find that had any experience with it. And, I talked to some folks that have been there for a substantial time. Things started to sound like there might be a difference, so I decided to give it a try.
I wouldn't know how things have changed since I was not there at the beginning. In fact, I've only been around since the Fall of 2007. I spent 18 months of NAA misery and agree with every "slam" on this forum concerning them. So, like I said, as for change...I can't talk about that for lack of longevity. But, I can tell you that there is a world of difference in the support structure, the actual knowledge of the insurance industry, and quality of leads.
My managerial support at naa was almost non-existent. I had actually started to build a small team. I could not beg my manager to pick up the phone or write an email to encourage an agent who was going through a personal crisis and rough time. All I could get out of him was, "Well, I'll uh see what I can do..." The openness that I experience now is a full 180 degree turn. I have access to contact anyone that I need...all the way to the top. And the agents that I brought with me have been amazed at how they have gone from being ignored to respected and valued as team members. -- Another thing that I wised-up to is the difference in fields of knowledge. I have learned that the folks at ACA actually know the insurance business. At the former company, they knew networking, recruiting, and tactics for drive-by selling...but I learned so little about the industry in those 18 months. Its amazing to see that the focus is actually on finding what product is best for the client. I have not been pushed at all to recruit or network or "tap-root". I have been shown how to evaluate client needs and meet. -- The last thing I mentioned was the lead quality. Its nice to not be shelling out good money for leads that had been worked and re-worked. I have copies of old naa leads on which I made notes where another agent (under the same manager) had been there two days before I got the lead and called. It was amazing. Seems to me that it would have made sense to at least re-sell the lead to a different manager and avoid the appearance of a scam. But now, my leads are exclusive to me. I haven't ran into the first lead that had been touched by another agent.
So, those are my experiences. Good contracts aside, all I want from a company or agency is honesty, integrity, and support. Needless to say, I have not been disappointed.
So . . . is the ACA you refer to in fact American Classic Agency, out of FL, working the mortgage life market?
Yes. That is the one. We have a good MP program for those who need it...just without the pressure to recruit everybody and their brother...and without the pushing of drive-by non-med sales...and without....well, you know all that other mess.
Yes. That is the one. We have a good MP program for those who need it...just without the pressure to recruit everybody and their brother...and without the pushing of drive-by non-med sales...and without....well, you know all that other mess.
I always find it interesting when web sites fail to give anything definitive about the people behind the scenes and their only contact source is an anonymous email or registration.
You would never know it from their site, but ACA was started by former A L Williams / Primerica reps.
The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree . . .
Then I know you can't be talking about ACA because the website give plenty of info and Jerry Policastro makes himself plenty available. ACA operates nothing like Primerica or NAA. After 18 months with NAA, I can testify to that fact.
Re: direct mail leads
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