Insurance Agent Forum

[Insuranceman]

Is it better to call business reply postcard leads by phone or show up at their door ? The leads are Medicare supp. and final expence.

[midwestbroker]

I would as the carrier if showing up at their home is allowed.

From all that I have read about Medicare marketing, you have to have an invitation to meet them prior to showing up at their door.

What does the reply card say? A rep will call you or a rep will contact you?

[Insuranceman]

for more information please fill out this postage paid reply card

[policy doctor]

If people mail back a reply card, just do a quick stop at their door .

Have a quick introduction, show them the card, and either set up a time for later that day, next day, whatever. Or if convenient with them, visit right then and there and do what comes naturally. (sell)

A response card is not cold calling because they're looking for info and requested it. You happen to be the local agent they sent it to, to help answer questions.

[midwestbroker]

I agree that a quick visit with the reply card is a warm visit, I would just worry about someone calling Medicare or the DOI.

Does the action outweigh the risk? I am sure that DOI would side with the person, and you would have to proove yourself to them.

But, if you show them the card and offer to come back, I think that would work.

[Frank Stastny]

Midwestbroker,

I believe he said they were med supp leads, not Advantage Plan leads.

A quick visit just to introduce yourself as the agent in the area can be a successful. However, you run the risk of a lot of people not being home or catching them in the middle of something and going home at night having spent the entire day knocking on doors with no one home.

I showed up at one house, knocked on the door and introduced myself. I told the guy who I was and why I was there. He said he didn't fill out the card. I let him look at it and he said:

"yep, that's my signature, nope I didn't fill out the card or sign it"

His "lights may have been on", but no one was at home. :lol:

That's when I started making phone calls before I went to see them.

[midwestbroker]

I personally have never knocked on a door without an appointment already being in place. I am sure that it works for some, but that is not my style, nor would I want someone coming to my door like that.

When I market it is to senior centers, senior living complexes, pharmacies, doctor offices, P&C agents, etc.

In regards to them being supp leads, I do not know what Medicare says about just showing up at their door. I would check that first prior to doing so.

[Frank Stastny]

There is no problem with an agent "knocking on a door" to talk to someone about a Medicare Supplement Policy.

CMS is not involved in Supplement Policies and has no guidelines about how Medicare Supplement policies are sold.

When I did that I was a brand new agent and the "manager" said that was the only way to sell. So, dumb me I as I was told. It only took a couple of days of doing that for me to know it wasn't for me.

[cadylou]

Door to door is a waste of time. Set an appt - it's a way to show respect for the person's time & saves you endless frustration & wasted gasoline. :?

[James]

Originally Posted by Insuranceman

Is it better to call business reply postcard leads by phone or show up at their door ? The leads are Medicare supp. and final expence.

Know a few that specialize in Supplements and MA along with FE, some for Sterling Life part of AON (captive) others are independents for companies like Sterling Investors Life (non captive) out of TX that do quite well just showing up at the door. Calling before hand seems to reduce the average sale per XX number of leads. From my experience in the Senior Market marketing MA and Supplements I would tend to agree.