Should I Hire a Appointment Setter or Buy Leads From....

[timamr]

Ok, I'd like some input. I sell Individual Health, not group. I am debating whether to buy pre-qualified leads or just have an experienced appointment setter call and set appointments for me. I know that I can close 20-25% if I can get a good qualified appointment but we will use the 20% close just to be on the safe side.

As for the appointment setter route: He is experienced and I do not have to supply the leads. I know personally that when I set and appointment, only about 60% stick. So if he charges me $15/hr and works for 30 hrs a week (or $450/wk) setting 1 appointment per hour for me, that is 30 set appointments a week. 60% of 30 is 18 actual appointments and I have a 20% close ratio, that means 3.6 sales/week.

As for the bought leads: I am leaning towards ParasolLeads. They state a 40% or higher close ratio on their website, which I am skeptical about. However using the same 20% close ratio and they say each "exclusive" lead is $18 bucks, that means I could spend the same $450/wk for 25 "exclusive" leads and make 5 sales. (25 leads x 20% close ratio=5)

Now here's my concerns: I sale 100% from home via telephone and screen-sharing. Which would you recommend? I understand the appointment setter route would require more no show's, etc and since I am not calling to set the appointment, even when I do call I have to warm up to them as it is my first time calling them, even though someone already set the appointment for me.

As for the "exclusive" leads. I would think they would be alot more qualified since after all, based on ParasolLeads info, they are "exclusive", pre-filtered leads based on the criteria I set and these folks have "requested" info on insurance.

Keep in mind, I only sell individual health from telephone and screen sharing.

P.S--Josh I hope you comment as well. My first goal is to buy leads from you and call them but even if I implement one of the two cases above, I will still use your service since I would think I would have plenty of time on my hands to increase business by ME calling from your list

 

[Stephen]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I would go for it. Also keep in mind that the no shows are still leads that have shown interest.

I would make sure that the appt. setter knows that he is on a trial basis.

 

[timamr]

He knows this. I am just looking for feedback from folks who have used a good appointment setter and leads before, and which worked out best in regards to time and $$ on my end. And also any input on ParasolLeads because I have never used an appointment setter or bought leads. Thanks

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

My first goal is to buy leads from you...

Don't think you'd be buying leads, you'd be buying names on a list.

A lead has done something affirmative to show interest. A name on a list is just that - a name on a list.

 

[timamr]

Don't think you'd be buying leads, you'd be buying names on a list.

A lead has done something affirmative to show interest. A name on a list is just that - a name on a list.

I stand corrected, you are correct. So will you now enlighten me as to your thoughts about either using the appointment setter or using ParasolLeads?

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

So will you now enlighten me as to your thoughts about either using the appointment setter or using ParasolLeads?

Depends on your target market, but probably neither.

I successfully sold IFP over the phone from 2005-2010. I used two telemarketers to call my target market to gather facts and gauge interest. Very simply, I would call back the "interested", qualify them, and sell them.

Why would you need an "appointment setter"?

 

[HarryDaBroker]

i do gruop, so not too familiar with individual, but my logic is such. if you arent busy, buy a target list and do your own telemarketing.

for appointment setters, i only paid per appt and had to have a recording of the appt settings. not too great

for paid leads, i found the lists werent that great either.

the best route i found was to build relationships and work that route

 

[GeminiGroup]

I like having the little more control that comes with a 'personal' A/S
a) You can make 'adjustments' on the fly
b)There is NEVER a more exclusive lead than one created IN-HOUSE

I would pay the EXPERIENCED A/S ...not on a HIGH hourly as you suggest but more on a 'moderate draw'
plus an outstanding bonus per 'sit'............

This does two things:
a) It gives your experienced a/s a reason to keep the quality UP...
as he should know actually 'seeing' the people is the goal not just pushing out appointments and pissing off time.

b) His 'per hour' EARN may go thru the roof in his eyes (with a smaller guaranteed commitment from YOU)...
plus now the a/s can look at the gig as if YOU are running HIS appointments, so now EACH opportunity for a 'sit' becomes more valuable to him and rescheduling and follow up will happen more diligently because it means MONEY to him.

(You can gain a PARTNER that handles marketing w/o giving up any 'real' equity but
still have a guy with 'skin' in the game and a desire & a strong incentive to make sure folks are being SEEN)

You both are closer to the same agenda S.T.P. (seeing the people).
You get a guy that makes MONEY by having YOU see people and you're both home free
(as long as you do your job and close).

 

[HarryDaBroker]

I like having the little more control that comes with a 'personal' A/S
a) You can make 'adjustments' on the fly
b)There is NEVER a more exclusive lead than one created IN-HOUSE

I would pay the EXPERIENCED A/S ...not on a HIGH hourly as you suggest but more on a 'moderate draw'
plus an outstanding bonus per 'sit'............

This does two things:
a) It gives your experienced a/s a reason to keep the quality UP...
as he should know actually 'seeing' the people is the goal not just pushing out appointments and pissing off time.

b) His 'per hour' EARN may go thru the roof in his eyes (with a smaller guaranteed commitment from YOU)...
plus now the a/s can look at the gig as if YOU are running HIS appointments, so now EACH opportunity for a 'sit' becomes more valuable to him and rescheduling and follow up will happen more diligently because it means MONEY to him.

(You can gain a PARTNER that handles marketing w/o giving up any 'real' equity but
still have a guy with 'skin' in the game and a desire & a strong incentive to make sure folks are being SEEN)

You both are closer to the same agenda S.T.P. (seeing the people).
You get a guy that makes MONEY by having YOU see people and you're both home free
(as long as you do your job and close).

yeah, what he said, but get out there in person as well. far more valuable than hiding behind a phone.

 

[Josh]

Don't think you'd be buying leads, you'd be buying names on a list.

A lead has done something affirmative to show interest. A name on a list is just that - a name on a list.

I get where you're coming from and would have agreed with you more a few years ago, but most industries refer to "a name on a list" as a lead. The fact of the matter is that they're both leads, one is a warm lead, the other is a cold lead. Both are leads, but they're certainly different.
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Josh I hope you comment as well. My first goal is to buy leads from you and call them but even if I implement one of the two cases above, I will still use your service since I would think I would have plenty of time on my hands to increase business by ME calling from your list

My philosophy on lead generation usually doesn't work for new agents or even some experienced ones. If it were me, I'd try both and see how the results worked out. If either one fails, that's just the cost of doing business. Obviously if you can't afford to lose it then you shouldn't be using your rent money as your lead generation budget, but if you can afford it then trying a bunch of different things is the way to go. There are a lot of agents that fail out of the industry that probably could be doing well if they could figure out what works for them, but that takes trial and error which takes time and money, two things most new agents don't have.

I've never worked with Parasol, but some folks do have some nice things to say about them. I've personally had good luck with HometownQuotes.com (life leads), but the volume wasn't there. I think $15/hour is a lot to pay a telemarketer, but not out of line. I've paid that (and more), but I'd be shy about paying someone that kind of coin unless they had experience doing exactly what I needed them to do (in this case, insurance).

If you're going to hire a telemarketer, you really should be an experienced telemarketer yourself. It's extremely difficult to manage someone working for you when you're not familiar with being successful with it yourself. I find a lot of agents try to use a telemarketer as a crutch by trying to use them to telemarket because they can't figure out how to do it themselves. The problem with that situation is it's the blind paying the blind to be their guide.