I understand that even though you may be captive (you still basically work for yourself) you only get out what you put in and would like some advice on what others have done that has worked for them when it comes to prospecting and/or generating new business. I have just ordered business cards, pole signs, magnetic car signs, signed up on a couple websites for leads, made flyers, do walk and talks, put a sign along with flyers in a truck stop, and thinking of ordering pens and refrigerator magnets to pass out and thinking of direct maling, a website and possibly a 20-30 second radio spot. Not sure what works and more importantly what does not work as far as my ROI (return on investment).Thanks.
Business cards are a mini billboard if done right. They are a throw away if not.
Telephone pole signs, yard signs, have got to be the worst marketing idea ever.
Flyers work if hand delivered, not if placed under windshields. I do know people who have gone out in the early AM and affixed flyers to the front door of businesses.
Radio, TV is expensive with low return.
Pens, magnets, etc are fine but you can probably get more bang for your buck in other ways.
Internet leads require a lot of skill & picking the right company. You might want to avoid that until you have the cash and ability to make it work for you.
I understand that even though you may be captive (you still basically work for yourself) you only get out what you put in and would like some advice on what others have done that has worked for them when it comes to prospecting and/or generating new business. I have just ordered business cards, pole signs, magnetic car signs, signed up on a couple websites for leads, made flyers, do walk and talks, put a sign along with flyers in a truck stop, and thinking of ordering pens and refrigerator magnets to pass out and thinking of direct maling, a website and possibly a 20-30 second radio spot. Not sure what works and more importantly what does not work as far as my ROI (return on investment).Thanks.
Shhh, I'll let you in on the secret to prospecting..... many spend years to learn what your going to find out, for free, right now.
Are you ready????
If you go to the grocery store, you can't find a box of 'prospects'. Not generic, not namebrand. I've checked the hardware store, not there either. I've went to a few specialty stores, not in stock there.... You can find some on websites, but the quality and consistency just isn't what you expect.
Bottom line is, there is no secret place for finding prospects. Heck, you listed more than most people try. For some reason, people do not line up somewhere to be sold insurance. I don't know why not, but I think Hillary has promised to fix this if elected president.
Find 2 or 3 things that your comfortable with, that fits your level of knowledge, and work them. Don't spread yourself so thin you can't deal with the business or tell what is working and whats not (or nothing will be working). For instance, radio spots might work (doubtful, but maybe) but you would have to be prepared for 10 lines to ring all at once, and then nothing. Nope, they won't leave a message. If you answered one call, that's all you would get out of the spot. Don't even think about tv commercials.
Somewhere else I had posted a list of things that I've done (or tried to do) to prospect, everything from network groups to little league sports events. You can do a lot of things for very little money, or you can spend a lot of money and do very little, your pick.
I've seen people fail in this business for lots of reasons, but 2 primary ones.... they don't work hard enough (2 hours a day doesn't cut it) OR they spend so much money up front they have to quit to get a job to pay their bills. Be frugal, don't spend a dime unless you can see how you will get your money back.
Think about it.... pole signs - when was the last time you saw a pole sign and thought to yourself "Hmmm, I gotta call and find out how to make money selling houses" or "Hmmm, I gotta call and get me some affordable health insurance"? (sorry arnguy, bad grammar). The ones that do call, call for the wrong reason. Can you get business? Sure, it's been proven, but I've also seen people get heavily fined because their signs weren't permitted properly with the city (ooops, people forget to mention that part).
Think about why you do what you do, what would make you respond to yourself and use those 2 or 3 things until you can do them extremely well. Add another, and then another. Never have more than 5 marketing programs going at once, you'll kill yourself. Always have 2 or 3 (i.e., internet leads, network groups, cold calling).
There are no secrets to success in this business, to many people have been doing it to long. The way to success is through disciplined hard work, with a vision, and a plan to achieve that vision.
Shhh, I'll let you in on the secret to prospecting..... many spend years to learn what your going to find out, for free, right now.
Are you ready????
If you go to the grocery store, you can't find a box of 'prospects'. Not generic, not namebrand. I've checked the hardware store, not there either. I've went to a few specialty stores, not in stock there.... You can find some on websites, but the quality and consistency just isn't what you expect.
Bottom line is, there is no secret place for finding prospects. Heck, you listed more than most people try. For some reason, people do not line up somewhere to be sold insurance. I don't know why not, but I think Hillary has promised to fix this if elected president.
Find 2 or 3 things that your comfortable with, that fits your level of knowledge, and work them. Don't spread yourself so thin you can't deal with the business or tell what is working and whats not (or nothing will be working). For instance, radio spots might work (doubtful, but maybe) but you would have to be prepared for 10 lines to ring all at once, and then nothing. Nope, they won't leave a message. If you answered one call, that's all you would get out of the spot. Don't even think about tv commercials.
Somewhere else I had posted a list of things that I've done (or tried to do) to prospect, everything from network groups to little league sports events. You can do a lot of things for very little money, or you can spend a lot of money and do very little, your pick.
I've seen people fail in this business for lots of reasons, but 2 primary ones.... they don't work hard enough (2 hours a day doesn't cut it) OR they spend so much money up front they have to quit to get a job to pay their bills. Be frugal, don't spend a dime unless you can see how you will get your money back.
Think about it.... pole signs - when was the last time you saw a pole sign and thought to yourself "Hmmm, I gotta call and find out how to make money selling houses" or "Hmmm, I gotta call and get me some affordable health insurance"? (sorry arnguy, bad grammar). The ones that do call, call for the wrong reason. Can you get business? Sure, it's been proven, but I've also seen people get heavily fined because their signs weren't permitted properly with the city (ooops, people forget to mention that part).
Think about why you do what you do, what would make you respond to yourself and use those 2 or 3 things until you can do them extremely well. Add another, and then another. Never have more than 5 marketing programs going at once, you'll kill yourself. Always have 2 or 3 (i.e., internet leads, network groups, cold calling).
There are no secrets to success in this business, to many people have been doing it to long. The way to success is through disciplined hard work, with a vision, and a plan to achieve that vision.
I have ran extensive radio and t.v. ads and found both to have very low conversions, extremely high cost and radio in particular brought out a bottom level of society I have never experienced before.
While radio and t.v. might be viable with a multi million dollar budget of an insurance carrier - for the broker who simply gets a small rake - I am not sure I could recommend it as an affordable marketing tool.
-Buy Internet Leads , low cost, return on bad ones, low cost of acquisition
-Maybe hire a telemarketing company? We have one that works for us real cheap - it is not our primary lead source but we don't have a lot of money into it either
-Find a 'NICHE' whatever that might be and run with it... We have about 10 industry associations we belong to and while we are not buried in leads when we get them they are the best leads we get and close rations are through the roof.... Need ideas? Think about your hobbies or what you like and just about everything these days has a club or association you can get your message out to real cheap - never hurts to have something in common with your audience either.
WALK AND TALK Every time I stop to get gas I wait till I see a truck with a ladder on top (those are my clients!) I say hello, ask what type of business they are in, ask for a business card , then ask if they have benefits at work. I do this every place I stop and get 10 to 20 leads a week this way
POLE SIGNS They do work way out in the country but do look like crap and make a bad impression in towns and cities.
The biggest thing is to get out there, to take every chance to tell as many people as possible in person what you do. Thats my job and I love it!!
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"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right."
~ Mark Twain
Business to Business has been my number one source for quality health leads. I hate cold calling so I don't do it but I supplement my business to business with some internet leads. Not very many but just enough to keep me busy (get about 2-5 per week from hometown).
Referrals are another good source for quality leads. When I'm doing business to business I'll walk into insurance agencies and introduce myself, ask if they do health insurance, then let them know I give $10 gift certificates to either movies, starbucks, or jamba juice for every referral they send my way. Has worked like a charm. I made a good contact with a cost-u-less agency that has sent me good business (about 4 written health apps in a 2 month period.)
Basically, it's try it and see what works then run with it.
I have just ordered business cards, pole signs, magnetic car signs, signed up on a couple websites for leads, made flyers, do walk and talks, put a sign along with flyers in a truck stop, and thinking of ordering pens and refrigerator magnets to pass out and thinking of direct maling, a website and possibly a 20-30 second radio spot.
Thats sounds like what I had to do when I started with NASE in my past life As far as I know the only agents that put up pole signs are agents from NASE. Pole Signs are very effective way to generate leads if you plaster them EVERYWHERE!!! Make sure you use 800 number so if you are not there to answer the phone it goes directly to pre-recorded message. Good Luck
He also knows about zero premium life insurance and I am trying to get more information on free health insurance.
He has all the answers for the free stuff."
Very true. And by the way, I also have information on the following freebies:
Free hate-mail
Free hair-removal gel for golden retrievers
Free rust remover for your 1978 Chevrolet Malibu
Free ring tones from Morocco
Free sod samples from the 1986 Little League World Series
Health Insurance Marketing
As far as I know the only agents that put up pole signs are agents from NASE. Pole Signs are very effective way to generate leads if you plaster them EVERYWHERE!!! Make sure you use 800 number so if you are not there to answer the phone it goes directly to pre-recorded message. Good Luck
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