Ideas to Find New Prospects

[DHK]

Buying leads is a strange thing.

On one hand, what is the offer that the lead is responding to? The most successful agents you are referring to... are doing a comprehensive planning-type approach... and using that approach doesn't work well with most leads. Not that it can't be done... but the lead already has an impression of what you do and what they think they want.

Also, there's the ethics of the lead company. I once used an appointment setting company that sent me pure junk. Not only was the lead not interested, they threatened to sue me if the calls didn't stop. This company completely misrepresented their services. Unfortunately it was so long ago, I don't remember the name.

If you're doing transactional sales, then leads may work for you.

If you want to do more of a fact-find and planning... then leads might not work for you.

Two completely different markets and approaches to consider.

 

[scagnt83]

I admit I don't know anybody in person that is successful via leads, so my experience with leads is mostly bad. I wouldn't pay a dollar for the leads my agency gives me.

You are also new to the industry and know very little about how successful agents operate.

There are guys bringing in $500k/y off of internet leads. Usually at that level it is from their own website... but they are the same type of leads that you can buy.

Buying leads all depends on the company selling them. Some are crap, others are decent. The key is to vet the company and their lead sources very well. I have found back when I did purchase leads that the "best lead company" tended to change about every 6 months or so. That is why I would use more than one source.

If you are receiving truly exclusive leads then you can make plenty of money. Especially if you learn to cross-sell.


IMO leads are a different story. Some IMOs have great lead sources, others just buy aged leads that are crap. (although some aged leads are gold)



But lets review the facts based on your previous posts...
Your agency takes a HUGE haircut on your life business, like 50% if I remember right.
Your agency gives you no real training or sales support for life sales.
The IMO your agency uses for life has been subpar.

So to base your opinion of an entire industry off of your 1 year of experience with a single agency that is not a life insurance focused agency is not reflective of the truth in any way shape or form.

I am not a huge fan of buying leads. I do not do it now but I have in the past and made plenty of money off of them. The first annuity I ever sold was from a bought lead and was a $400k annuity. I was a green agent who was broke as hell, I could barely afford to pay for the lead, but that sale probably kept me from falling out of the industry.


Sure prospecting yourself is the tried and true method. But that takes time. Leads give you prospects that are already interested in buying now. Not prospects that you have to talk into buying. It is hands down the best way to get sales quickly. Give me 10 term leads that were sent in fresh today and most likely I can close at least one of them today (with electronic signatures) over the phone using ezlife... That is not my business model, but it is the model for a whole lot of successful agents.

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Right now you come across as very negative and unteachable. Based on your own posts, you seem to be struggling, yet you resist any advice you get that might involving changing. Perhaps I am wrong, but that is definitely the impression I'm getting.

While I have never cared for "Fake it until you make it." There is some truth in it. Even when life is crappy, be positive. Exude confidence and people will pick up on it.

I agree 100%. Negativity gets you nowhere. And a negative attitude in general can affect your sales presentations. Hell, I smile when I cold call; you have a friendlier tone of voice when you smile.


New agents that fail to take advice usually bust out after a couple of years max. LifeWorth has been given some very sage advice from various people on this forum and he has not seemed to implement any of it from reading his posts.

Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink... or in this case you can give an agent good advice but you cant make him act on it.

I was young and dumb and thought I knew everything once. Now that I am older I look back on advice from experienced agents that I did not take and think about how stupid I was to ignore it.

 

[LifeWorth]

You are also new to the industry and know very little about how successful agents operate.

There are guys bringing in $500k/y off of internet leads. Usually at that level it is from their own website... but they are the same type of leads that you can buy.

Buying leads all depends on the company selling them. Some are crap, others are decent. The key is to vet the company and their lead sources very well. I have found back when I did purchase leads that the "best lead company" tended to change about every 6 months or so. That is why I would use more than one source.

If you are receiving truly exclusive leads then you can make plenty of money. Especially if you learn to cross-sell.


IMO leads are a different story. Some IMOs have great lead sources, others just buy aged leads that are crap. (although some aged leads are gold)



But lets review the facts based on your previous posts...
Your agency takes a HUGE haircut on your life business, like 50% if I remember right.
Your agency gives you no real training or sales support for life sales.
The IMO your agency uses for life has been subpar.

So to base your opinion of an entire industry off of your 1 year of experience with a single agency that is not a life insurance focused agency is not reflective of the truth in any way shape or form.

I am not a huge fan of buying leads. I do not do it now but I have in the past and made plenty of money off of them. The first annuity I ever sold was from a bought lead and was a $400k annuity. I was a green agent who was broke as hell, I could barely afford to pay for the lead, but that sale probably kept me from falling out of the industry.


Sure prospecting yourself is the tried and true method. But that takes time. Leads give you prospects that are already interested in buying now. Not prospects that you have to talk into buying. It is hands down the best way to get sales quickly. Give me 10 term leads that were sent in fresh today and most likely I can close at least one of them today (with electronic signatures) over the phone using ezlife... That is not my business model, but it is the model for a whole lot of successful agents.

----------




I agree 100%. Negativity gets you nowhere. And a negative attitude in general can affect your sales presentations. Hell, I smile when I cold call; you have a friendlier tone of voice when you smile.


New agents that fail to take advice usually bust out after a couple of years max. LifeWorth has been given some very sage advice from various people on this forum and he has not seemed to implement any of it from reading his posts.

Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink... or in this case you can give an agent good advice but you cant make him act on it.

I was young and dumb and thought I knew everything once. Now that I am older I look back on advice from experienced agents that I did not take and think about how stupid I was to ignore it.

I'm showing my newbness. Thank you , again, for the experienced words.

 

[briko3]

Lifeworth:

If you actually prospected how you know to prospect, you wouldn't be struggling. It's time to let go of the excuses and make a real effort. Start that on Monday with no excuses, and I believe you'll be in a much different place mentally by this time next week. If you can't get past the excuses that are keeping you from doing what you need to do, you need to get out of this business ASAP. There's no reward for staying a broke agent.

 

[TwiLight]

Leads are actually a new concept for me after 29 years in this business..... Never had to buy them.... I only buy them now for FE agents and work them myself so we can pinpoint the best targeted market of the buyers for FE.

Now Life sales in general, I never buy leads.... always did the work myself....

Look at the Success Through Partnership Agent Brochure link below in my signature and you will see what I mean about activity that generates leads.....

It is all about activity that generates sits. Some agent nowadays call it leads, I call it target marketing... Combined with Networking, Social Media and Referrals, an agent will have a long career in the life business..

 

[VolAgent]

Leads are actually a new concept for me after 29 years in this business..... Never had to buy them.... I only buy them now for FE agents and work them myself so we can pinpoint the best targeted market of the buyers for FE.

Now Life sales in general, I never buy leads.... always did the work myself....

Look at the Success Through Partnership Agent Brochure link below in my signature and you will see what I mean about activity that generates leads.....

It is all about activity that generates sits. Some agent nowadays call it leads, I call it target marketing... Combined with Networking, Social Media and Referrals, an agent will have a long career in the life business..

The point wasn't that Lifeworth finds leads to be junk. The point was the general negativity and resistance to listening to the very advice he sought out and was given.

Leads are just another way of prospecting. As you can see in FE, they lend themselves to certain lines of business over others. My only point was, don't tell me leads suck and traditional prospecting is best, when you suck at traditional prospecting!

JMO, Lifeworth needs an attitude readjustment and a good manager, and in that order.

 

[TwiLight]

The point wasn't that Lifeworth finds leads to be junk. The point was the general negativity and resistance to listening to the very advice he sought out and was given.

Leads are just another way of prospecting. As you can see in FE, they lend themselves to certain lines of business over others. My only point was, don't tell me leads suck and traditional prospecting is best, when you suck at traditional prospecting!

JMO, Lifeworth needs an attitude readjustment and a good manager, and in that order.

I was actually speaking to the OP.... Trying to get back on topic to the original post....

 

[VolAgent]

Trying to get back on topic to the original post....

You know that will get you banned around here, right?

 

[kamkaran]

They are really good ideas!!!
well done my bro!!

 

[Mark]

Welcome Insurance Agents-Simple Prospecting Idea That Works Here is a simple way to find prospects.