Direct Mail Options

[ZenSamurai]

Hi, everybody. This is my first post, but I've been a long time lurker. I really like and follow Newby, Rearden, and Hoosierdaddy. I have a part time job that allows me to pay my bills and 700 is my budget after all bills are paid and I would love to get into the final expense and medicare supps industries full time.

I know Chris at Leadconnection delivers, and I've read from many that MSPM does a pretty good job for the most part, I also read Kramer isn't a bad choice either. My question is this. My monthly allowance for direct mailers is 700. My question is, are their cheaper alternatives to these two companies that anybody has had a good turn out on? I don't mind purchasing from either just checking to see if anybody has had good response from any other mailing house. I'm located in Jersey, btw. Thanks.

 

[Todd King]

Go with the $28 deal with Lead Connections. That way you are assured of the number of leads you get back instead of just hoping you get back enough.

 

[slushpuppyking]

Go with the $28 deal with Lead Connections. That way you are assured of the number of leads you get back instead of just hoping you get back enough.

Well you'd probably want/need 25 leads a week to work and that's $700.

If you are going to drop $700 it would probably be best used on just a mail drop + $260 worth of TM leads @about $18 each. In a perfect world of 2.5% return that gives you about 40 leads per week.

 

[Tom from Denver]

No question TM leads cost less in most areas than DM leads, But the OP said he is new and he said he is starting PT in insurance.

Those two factors alone should keep him far away from TM leads.

TM leads easily slip away on anyone who is not seasoned in telephone sales / appointment setting. With a TM lead, it's not as easy - especially for a new agent - to draw out their why as we approached them, they didn't approach us.

TM leads are much more time sensitive than DM leads. TDM leads are much better fresh but can be door knocked or refreshed-mailed several times over the next year.

I think Todd had the right advice for this new agent.

 

[slushpuppyking]

Good point. Well if I were him and $700 was my total monthly budget for leads I'd try my best to find another $180 and just do a 2000 piece drop on the first of every month and work them as they come in. If he gets lucky with a 2.5% return that's 50 leads to work for the month which isn't horrible for just part time.

If you do well Zen than it won't be long before you can significantly increase your lead budget.

 

[Rearden]

$700 isn't enough to get into this business with direct mail at a retail level (like The Lead Connections).

You need more like $3000+ if you want to get 20+ leads weekly (assuming an average 1.25% to 1.5% response rate).

If I were you starting out, I would either (a) go door to door to sell policies for the first few months, putting aside money for your ultimate marketing investment in leads, or (b) take $200 a month to buy a power dialer and a list of seniors, asking for appointments to show them new, low-cost burial insurance plans, and save the other $500 each month towards a larger investment in marketing dollars.

Or, I'd give EFES a shot with their subsidized mailers and 10-day net billing program.

Good luck.

 

[bboman23]

Some tele leads have the clients quote amount, Bene, and favorite hobby. Just as easy to door knock them as dm leads. Just an option. Could get around 40 a month. 10 per week. 1 to 2 sales will boost the amount you have to spend on leads

 

[ZenSamurai]

No question TM leads cost less in most areas than DM leads, But the OP said he is new and he said he is starting PT in insurance.

Those two factors alone should keep him far away from TM leads.

TM leads easily slip away on anyone who is not seasoned in telephone sales / appointment setting. With a TM lead, it's not as easy - especially for a new agent - to draw out their why as we approached them, they didn't approach us.

TM leads are much more time sensitive than DM leads. TDM leads are much better fresh but can be door knocked or refreshed-mailed several times over the next year.

I think Todd had the right advice for this new agent.

How do I get better at TM. Should I purchase a list from say Josh and cold call and get good at my scripts or would there be another way that you can show me. I would love to get really good at this and learn every facet possible. I plan on only doing DM leads at the time being, but thanks for the heads up, Slushpuppyking. I was gonna do the 25 certain leads and then just save the rest to be ableto afford more DM leads later on. If getting better @ TM leads mean buying a list and cold calling i'll purchase a list start doing that as well.

 

[AnonymousOne]

I would love to get really good at this and learn every facet possible.

Said the 5,000 agents before you who have asked 1,000 questions and read 100 sales books and ran out of time and money before cold knocking a door.
This was meant to inspire.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Good point. Well if I were him and $700 was my total monthly budget for leads I'd try my best to find another $180 and just do a 2000 piece drop on the first of every month and work them as they come in. If he gets lucky with a 2.5% return that's 50 leads to work for the month which isn't horrible for just part time. If you do well Zen than it won't be long before you can significantly increase your lead budget.

I agree here.... This would be the best strategy in my opinion. Agents that I know in Jersey have historically received good returns so I would opt for the mail drop instead of the "price per lead" option. I would use mailing demographics of ages 62-75 10k-50K