Insurance Agent Forum

[midwestbroker]

I have been running telemarketed leads for the past few weeks with so-so success. The leads are cold called by a marketer the day before.

One thing that has helped me with people not wanting to change is the Medicare and You book 2008. If you open the front cover it says (second paragraph) to the effect that you should review your plan each year since plans change every year and what worked for you this year might not be the best thing this year.

It is amazing that when I say it they take it with a grain of salt, but when I show them the book, they perk up.

Anyone else have some tidbits they use?

I had been spoiled by carrier leads the last few years where the client called the carrier so it was a warm lead. Now that I am doing cold called appointments, I have to "sell" more.

[michellea]

Thanks for the tip. I deal with medi/medi clients a good bit. I know it is different in every state, but here in Alabama the state will only cover 16 days of inpatient hospital and 14 doctor visits a year. Also, they only get glasses every 2 years. So I ordered a Medicaid Guidebook for our state. I have started using that when selling also and I show them in the book where the state sets those limitations.

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Originally Posted by midwestbroker

I have been running telemarketed leads for the past few weeks with so-so success. The leads are cold called by a marketer the day before.

These are the kind of results you can expect from cold-called, telemarketed leads.

Much more effective:

Line up some speaking engagements anywhere seniors congregate (Senior Center, mobile home park, etc.). These groups are always searching for free speakers. Give them an "education only" presentation on some facet of Medicare/Medicare supplement/MA's.

Sets you up as an expert. They will then come to you. Much easier, and more importantly much more effective.

[senior-advisor-indiana]

You must be selling MA's with those leads?

[midwestbroker]

I have both MA and supps in my bag, but mostly MA plans.

The breakdown of appointments I have had so far:

1/3 with Supps already
1/3 with MA plans already
1/3 I cannot help (group plan or Medicaid)

With supps in KS, if they cannot pass underwriting they are stuck with that supp. Missouri will at least let you change once a year on you anniversary date from carrier to carrier.

[Frank Stastny]

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas

These are the kind of results you can expect from cold-called, telemarketed leads.

Much more effective:

Line up some speaking engagements anywhere seniors congregate (Senior Center, mobile home park, etc.). These groups are always searching for free speakers. Give them an "education only" presentation on some facet of Medicare/Medicare supplement/MA's.

Sets you up as an expert. They will then come to you. Much easier, and more importantly much more effective.

Moon, do you also work the senior market? I can't remember for sure what you sell.

I have done what you suggested, educational only, no sales pitch, on numerous occasions and each time it has not been worth the effort and time. I get an occasional sale but not enough to make me want to seek those places out. If that accounts for a large part of your business you will have to tell me your secret.

I have tried everything out there, twice, to make sales in the senior market and without question doing my own telemarketing (cold calls from a list) has consistently brought me more business with less expense and time than anything else I have tried.

I can set more appointments than a telemarketer can in the same amount of time and they are qualified appointments. I don't go on an appointment unless I feel very strongly that I am going to make a sale. A telemarketer isn't going to be able to find out and give me that kind of information unless they are a licensed agent. They are going to have me chasing all over hell's half acre giving people "valuable information".

I have never known an agent working in the senior market that was so busy all day every day writing apps that they had to hire someone to make calls for them.

Anyone can sell insurance, the financially successful agents are the ones who bit the bullet, worked their ass off and learned how to prospect. (This includes getting over the fear of and learning how to telemarket. It isn't rocket science!) I think this is even more true in the senior market. These people love personal contact from the person they will give their money to. I think there is a much bigger trust issue in the senior market than elsewhere.

I have trouble understanding someone who says they are in sales and are afraid to or claim they aren't any good at picking up the telephone and making calls. It's like someone who wants to be a baseball player but all they want to do is catch the ball but they don't want to throw it. At some point they are going to have to learn to also throw the ball or go to the showers.

[retread]

Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas

These are the kind of results you can expect from cold-called, telemarketed leads.

Much more effective:

Line up some speaking engagements anywhere seniors congregate (Senior Center, mobile home park, etc.). These groups are always searching for free speakers. Give them an "education only" presentation on some facet of Medicare/Medicare supplement/MA's.

Sets you up as an expert. They will then come to you. Much easier, and more importantly much more effective.

I agree with you. This has been one of my most successful marketing efforts, and serves to get my name circulated. I get calls several weeks or months from these "events".

I need a balance to this, though, and telemarket in between "events".

[Newby]

I guess I'm kind of halfway between Midwest Broker and Frank.

I always do my own calling and appointment setting. But I will run an appointment to give them free information and revie the Medicaid and You book if that's what they want.

My first week on the job in funeral preplaning, my manager/trainer sat me down with a phone and a list and had me make calls. After a few calls, I got an appointment with a little old lady who wanted a free book we were offering along with a preplanning quote.

He went on the appointment with me and let me sit there and present funeral preplanning to her, while he knew the whole time she had already preplanned with him a couple of years earlier.

As we drove away, he told me that he knew that the whole time but thought it would be a good way for me to practice the presentation on a real person.

The next day, the lady called me and had a friend who wanted to preplan and she had the appointment all set up for me. I made my first sale from her.

The manager said I was the luckiest SOB he ever met.

I've been putting myself in situations where I can be lucky ever since. And it's worked quite well for me. You can often get lucky out in front of live people. If your day is not "full" of good appointments, don't turn down the weak appointments.

I don't prequalify very hard.

[moonlightandmargaritas]

"Moon, do you also work the senior market? I can't remember for sure what you sell."

No Frank, I don't. As a matter of fact I avoid it like the plague. Kind of ironic here in Florida, huh?

Everyone has their own methods that work for them. Overall though, I believe folks will get better results from warm methods as opposed to cold methods - no matter what the market - as long as it's done consistently and well.

Others mileage may vary.

Almost forgot! I truly believe you have to have 3 or 4 things going...a little marketing machine...to be financially successful in this business. There is no "magic bullet" - not even hard work!

All kinds of folks workin' hard, but without a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. You've got to work hard, and smart.

[Greenhorn]

Originally Posted by Frank Stastny

Moon, do you also work the senior market? I can't remember for sure what you sell.

I have done what you suggested, educational only, no sales pitch, on numerous occasions and each time it has not been worth the effort and time. I get an occasional sale but not enough to make me want to seek those places out. If that accounts for a large part of your business you will have to tell me your secret.

I have tried everything out there, twice, to make sales in the senior market and without question doing my own telemarketing (cold calls from a list) has consistently brought me more business with less expense and time than anything else I have tried.

I can set more appointments than a telemarketer can in the same amount of time and they are qualified appointments. I don't go on an appointment unless I feel very strongly that I am going to make a sale. A telemarketer isn't going to be able to find out and give me that kind of information unless they are a licensed agent. They are going to have me chasing all over hell's half acre giving people "valuable information".

I have never known an agent working in the senior market that was so busy all day every day writing apps that they had to hire someone to make calls for them.

Anyone can sell insurance, the financially successful agents are the ones who bit the bullet, worked their ass off and learned how to prospect. (This includes getting over the fear of and learning how to telemarket. It isn't rocket science!) I think this is even more true in the senior market. These people love personal contact from the person they will give their money to. I think there is a much bigger trust issue in the senior market than elsewhere.

I have trouble understanding someone who says they are in sales and are afraid to or claim they aren't any good at picking up the telephone and making calls. It's like someone who wants to be a baseball player but all they want to do is catch the ball but they don't want to throw it. At some point they are going to have to learn to also throw the ball or go to the showers.

I agree with you Frank, with me its call reluctance. When you cowboy up and dial... things happen. BTW yoor posts are always great. I'm using some of your aproaches and there working!

[theinuranceguy]

I have a telemarketer that I pay for me to set Medicare Appointments. Its the most cost effective way for me. Instead of taking one or two days out of the feild to make calls I pay someone $10 an hour to do it for me. She also answers my office phone and keeps my schedule together. You'd be suprised, the senior market can keep you busy during the day. I could probably make phone calls in the evening, but I like spending time with family and friends. I am running about 20-30 appointments a week, spend one day in the office to process paperwork and follow up with clients, and I dont work Saturday or Sunday.

I do however call my referrals.

Now to be honest, the leads are not as "good" if I set them, and there are some people that I really cant help, and If i was on the phone I wouldnt of set it. But I plant seeds, I get in the door on the basis of Medicare but I always do an entire fact finder. There has been countless times that I went in on the basis of Medicare, set another appointment, and SOld them some life insurance.

For me, its not a matter of being scared of the phone, its that I lose money if I take time out of doing appointments to cold call. Ill leave that to my telemarketer and run an extra 7 appointments per week. One sale for me per week pays for all my overhead, everything else is mine!

[The Rabbi]

I point out the strengths and weaknessess of what they have and what is an alternative and its strengths and weaknessess. They need to have a really good reason to change and money is the main issue.

[telem-healthsolutions]

Originally Posted by theinuranceguy

I have a telemarketer that I pay for me to set Medicare Appointments. Its the most cost effective way for me. Instead of taking one or two days out of the feild to make calls I pay someone $10 an hour to do it for me. She also answers my office phone and keeps my schedule together. You'd be suprised, the senior market can keep you busy during the day. I could probably make phone calls in the evening, but I like spending time with family and friends. I am running about 20-30 appointments a week,

Now to be honest, the leads are not as "good" if I set them, and there are some people that I really cant help, and If i was on the phone I wouldnt of set it. But I plant seeds, I get in the door on the basis of Medicare but I always do an entire fact finder. There has been countless times that I went in on the basis of Medicare, set another appointment, and SOld them some life insurance.

For me, its not a matter of being scared of the phone, its that I lose money if I take time out of doing appointments to cold call. Ill leave that to my telemarketer and run an extra 7 appointments per week. One sale for me per week pays for all my overhead, everything else is mine!

That's actually really truth.. I work with a call center and right now setting a good appointment is as hard as it can be, agents save a lot of time by paying someone to do the pre-qualification, but as a comment for you theinsuranceguy, you're paying a bit off from the regular. although, if the person Is helping you out answer the phone at your office is probably a good rate.

[hjdinfl]

What scripts are people using and how can I get a copy? Thanks!

[theinuranceguy]

Originally Posted by telem-healthsolutions

That's actually really truth.. I work with a call center and right now setting a good appointment is as hard as it can be, agents save a lot of time by paying someone to do the pre-qualification, but as a comment for you theinsuranceguy, you're paying a bit off from the regular. although, if the person Is helping you out answer the phone at your office is probably a good rate.

$5 per preset is unbeatable. I know of some places where they charge $30 or $40 per preset. Most cost effective way is to higher someone to do it for you, and not a company that specializes in it.

[xrac]

Heh! This is a very good thread. Lots of good information and not the foolishness they often degenerate into. Thanks everyone.

I have a great fear of cold calling although I am very good at it once I can beat my fear into submission. Concerning prospecting I recently bought on Ebay Bill Bishop's Gold Calling System of Teleprospecting. He was recommended on Topgunproducers but I think he is no longer active or alive since I can not find anything from him since 2004. <