Who Buys Leads?

[Josh]

Some folks would rather not fuss with it. The other thing to consider is that if google changes their algorithm an agent and/or lead vendor can just pay the new guys on top for the leads without any interruption of service.

Not for nothing, but I think the guys throwing down a healthy six figure income buying leads would have a difference of opinion with you about "there just being better ways to market".

If a guy (or girl) spends $3k/month in leads and nets $10k, why should they change what's already working?

 

[Norwayguy]

Let me tell you a story about a lead. My website recieved a lead from California, so I got in touch with an agent from the forum on here and only asked that he let me know what happened. As it turned out the lead was bogus but someone did answer the phone so while explaining why he was calling he developed a sale to this essentially wrong number.

 

[Bob Klee]

Great story.

I've had several of our agents tell us the same thing. One must be able to go with the information they are given: whether on the phone or if setting at your desk.

FYI: if "anyone" could make a website work & drive leads then "they" would do it. But....it is not that easy or profitable...

 

[LGilmore]

So Ralph? Is the whole purpose of your post to tell those who use internet leads that you're better than them?

Sure kinda comes off that way....

ANY form of marketing works or doesn't work depending on many factors.

It has been said that only 5% of marketing works at a given time. The problem becomes the 5% shifts for various reasons.

Internet leads, cards, cold calling or what ever you use only "works" a small percentage of the time. With any marketing, it runs hot and cold over time. The trick is to learn how to do more than one type of marketing at the same time. Agents who do that, tend to be successful.

Is your method better than mine? On a given day, at a given time, with a given customer, yea maybe. Five minutes later mine crushes yours.

The thing we should be talking about is methods to consistently market, mulitple methods. Along the lines of fishing, several lines in the water, different baits and lures.

I do use internet leads, not as an exclusive method, but one of many. For me, it's another line in the water with a different lure on it. They allow me to meet people I wouldn't have normally.

 

[Josh]

So Ralph? Is the whole purpose of your post to tell those who use internet leads that you're better than them?

Sure kinda comes off that way....

ANY form of marketing works or doesn't work depending on many factors.

It has been said that only 5% of marketing works at a given time. The problem becomes the 5% shifts for various reasons.

Internet leads, cards, cold calling or what ever you use only "works" a small percentage of the time. With any marketing, it runs hot and cold over time. The trick is to learn how to do more than one type of marketing at the same time. Agents who do that, tend to be successful.

Is your method better than mine? On a given day, at a given time, with a given customer, yea maybe. Five minutes later mine crushes yours.

The thing we should be talking about is methods to consistently market, mulitple methods. Along the lines of fishing, several lines in the water, different baits and lures.

I do use internet leads, not as an exclusive method, but one of many. For me, it's another line in the water with a different lure on it. They allow me to meet people I wouldn't have normally.

Very well said.

.

 

[Bob Klee]

Very well said.

.

Plus 1+

Well said Larry. One can tell that you are very good at what you do.

 

[Guest]

LG, my point is internet leads are poor way to grow a business in comparison to other forms of marketing, not that I am better than them; although, I personally would never pay for a lead again.

The reason I'm saying this is because real marketing is getting people to seek you out and contact you. Buying internet leads now a days is barely a step above cold calling with a free ipad. Now go ahead bash me about bashing cold calling. I do have an issue with it not because its hard, but because it's like using dial up instead of broadband to grow and expand your business. It's not that they dont work it's just that there are plenty of ways to generate business for less money and less time.

The reason I bring it us is because I see a lot of topics on here about which company is better than who when in reality they are all terrible. The only exceptions is for when people say ohhh they have great customer service. but who cares when you pay $10 / lead return 40%+ of them and spend your time trying to get a hold of the rest of them.

I don't know if you own your own agency but look at it from a business perspective. internet leads take a lot of resources to generate money from because you need highly skilled people to work them. Highly skilled people cost more money and are harder to find. Why do you think mcdonalds is so successful? It's not because they have the best food or highly paid and highly skilled workers now is it. As a business owner if I can focus my efforts on generating high quality leads that are ready to buy and easy to close Ill make more, save more, and pay people less because it takes less skill.

I would just like to see more people think outside the box for their marketing and get people talking about more productive ways to generate business so new people dont go crazy trying to sell internet leads to make a living. I mean who wants to call 10-15 internet leads to get a deal when you can call 3-4 to get the same deal with less competition and for less money.

I mean common whats better paying for internet leads or taking the time out to go down to a local car dealers establishing a relationship to where any financed vehicle that needs insurance you get first dibs. Show them a superior service and accessibility (late night is your foot in the door) and they wont mind not getting a cut. Ive actually got dealerships to stop using people that were paying them to use me because I was getting their customers way better deals. Once they have access to the lowest rate with no down payment they get to focus on selling cars instead of worrying about if their customer can afford insurance to take the car home.

Its just as hard to acquire affiliates as it is to continuously grind leads. the only difference is once you have an affiliate it is very little work to maintain the relationship. what do you think lead vendors do. Just cut out the middle man, be a man and go do it yourself

Do that for a month and youll be surprised. even if the dealer only sends you 2-3 cars a week, get 2 or 3 dealers and youll never go back to internet leads. add in a website and post card mailings and youll never pick up the phone to dial, just to answer.

Stop walking to the river every day to get water. Take the time to build a well and pump from the comfort of your back yard.

 

[OHFLAgent]

Have bought a lot of leads over the years. Internet leads are much tougher to convert than direct mail. Personally, unless you are making 200-300 calls a day to internet leads and selling term, medicare, or health, you will not have a lot of luck.

 

[Guest]

Have bought a lot of leads over the years. Internet leads are much tougher to convert than direct mail. Personally, unless you are making 200-300 calls a day to internet leads and selling term, medicare, or health, you will not have a lot of luck.

One of my points exactly why spend time and effort on something with a low ROI when you can spend the same amount of time and less money on more profitable endeavours

 

[OHFLAgent]

We are going to be trying a different approach...hiring hourly agents (+bonus) to sell to the internet leads. I know of a couple agencies that are killing on this method, but it doesn't work so well for the smaller independents.