I'm looking for agents who would like to get free leads in exchange for linking to my website. I have a lead generation site that generates leads for about 2 dozen personal and business lines of insurance.
A link on your website that promotes insurance quotes for states that you don't work in and/or lines of insurance that you don't offer can generate leads I can send to other agents. You'll get cash or free leads in exchange for the valid leads you send me.
Your visitors will see a disclaimer that indicates that another agent will service them if they live outside of your servicing area.
Also, if you don't have a questionnaire on your site, your visitors can use the questionnaire on my site. They will see your name and number on my site and you will get any "round-trip" leads for free.
Please send me a private message if interested.
What kind of success are you having with your site? Do you have any promotional tips? I'll post some of my tips later if this thread gets any activity.
A link on your website that promotes insurance quotes for states that you don't work in and/or lines of insurance that you don't offer can generate leads I can send to other agents. You'll get cash or free leads in exchange for the valid leads you send me.
Your visitors will see a disclaimer that indicates that another agent will service them if they live outside of your servicing area.
Also, if you don't have a questionnaire on your site, your visitors can use the questionnaire on my site. They will see your name and number on my site and you will get any "round-trip" leads for free..
I don't know, but there is just something that does not pass my 'smell test' about this... and not just Alston's endeavor but the whole "let's make money on leads" thing.
This is my opinion and my opinion only. I think a site of a professional becomes cheapened... if not even sleazy... when there are Google ads on it and/or when there is a "get a free quote even if not in my territory" function on the site.
My site gets a lot of traffic because I wrote a hard-hitting monograph that people (for some weird reason) seem to like and pass along to friends. To be honest, I don't want people to think I'm pimping for Alston or InsureME or anyone else. If someone fills out my form, they get ME... not ten other agents they never heard of. I get people from other states contact me... and I personally call them and refer them to someone (often from this board) whom I know will do a good job for them.... or I refer them to someone like John who knows 'everyone" and who will refer them a 'good' agent. (Of course that 'good agent' will reciprocate to me when he has a lead he can't help.)
And more than once that out-of-state prospect was so 'touched' that I called them and took the time to find out about their situtaion that they referred ME to a friend or relative in CA. Of course I always ask for that. So I don't WANT to give away 'leads' even if I can't service them directly. Everyone knows someone in CA... and I want to be that someone's agent if I can. It won't happen if ten other agents call the prospect.
And another thing. Our name, our reputation, and our integrity are on the line every day. What is someone going to think of you if they fill out the form and get some sleaze-bag agent? Sure, the prospect may be 1,000 miles away... but you can bet they have a friend or relative in your area or close by.
And just how MUCH money are you going to really make from an affiliate program? Is it worth what you get? And how much is Alston (or others who do this) going to get? If you want to make Alston and/or the lead generation companies rich, that is your business, but as for myself, I just don't see the upside compared to the downside.
I'm not telling anyone that they should or should not participate in this plan. I'm only saying why I don't do it.... and I only hope that those considering it will think about it and not be lured by promises of what I think will be false riches.
Leads are the life-blood of our industry. Why give them away for pennies when you can make dollars on them? I don't understand it.
Please take this as constructive criticism. Try to say what you need to say in less than a page or two. Most of us just skim long posts. The only thing we needed to know was at the end where you said you weren't interested.
Rick
------------------------------------ ILIAA
Training, Community, Support, and Success Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn rick@iliaa.org
I don't know, but there is just something that does not pass my 'smell test' about this... and not just Alston's endeavor but the whole "let's make money on leads" thing.
This is my opinion and my opinion only. I think a site of a professional becomes cheapened... if not even sleazy... when there are Google ads on it and/or when there is a "get a free quote even if not in my territory" function on the site.
My site gets a lot of traffic because I wrote a hard-hitting monograph that people (for some weird reason) seem to like and pass along to friends. To be honest, I don't want people to think I'm pimping for Alston or InsureME or anyone else. If someone fills out my form, they get ME... not ten other agents they never heard of. I get people from other states contact me... and I personally call them and refer them to someone (often from this board) whom I know will do a good job for them.... or I refer them to someone like John who knows 'everyone" and who will refer them a 'good' agent. (Of course that 'good agent' will reciprocate to me when he has a lead he can't help.)
And more than once that out-of-state prospect was so 'touched' that I called them and took the time to find out about their situtaion that they referred ME to a friend or relative in CA. Of course I always ask for that. So I don't WANT to give away 'leads' even if I can't service them directly. Everyone knows someone in CA... and I want to be that someone's agent if I can. It won't happen if ten other agents call the prospect.
And another thing. Our name, our reputation, and our integrity are on the line every day. What is someone going to think of you if they fill out the form and get some sleaze-bag agent? Sure, the prospect may be 1,000 miles away... but you can bet they have a friend or relative in your area or close by.
And just how MUCH money are you going to really make from an affiliate program? Is it worth what you get? And how much is Alston (or others who do this) going to get? If you want to make Alston and/or the lead generation companies rich, that is your business, but as for myself, I just don't see the upside compared to the downside.
I'm not telling anyone that they should or should not participate in this plan. I'm only saying why I don't do it.... and I only hope that those considering it will think about it and not be lured by promises of what I think will be false riches.
Leads are the life-blood of our industry. Why give them away for pennies when you can make dollars on them? I don't understand it.
Please take this as constructive criticism. Try to say what you need to say in less than a page or two. Most of us just skim long posts. The only thing we needed to know was at the end where you said you weren't interested.
Rick
You could have PMd me on this... which would have been the proper and genteel way to handle it. But you wanted to make a point in public.... maybe embarrass me... or maybe pick a fight.... "constructively, of course." So let me do the same and ask you to take this "constructively"... KMA.
I will write the way I write... as long or as short as I please. You have the option to not read anything I post. Indeed, I rather hope that you exercise that option.
You could have PMd me on this... which would have been the proper and genteel way to handle it. But you wanted to make a point in public.... maybe embarrass me... or maybe pick a fight.... "constructively, of course." So let me do the same and ask you to take this "constructively"... KMA.
I will write the way I write... as long or as short as I please. You have the option to not read anything I post. Indeed, I rather hope that you exercise that option.
Al
Just as you posted awhile ago about one word posts, I was sincere in making the constructive.
I certainly haven't been nasty to you personally. Others have questioned if you are indeed in insurance but I certainly have not done anything like that.
If you want to think you're being picked on, so be it. By the way, please post what KMA means. I'm apparently not as computer literate as you and I know you would not make any personal attack as I would have report your post to a moderator. Aside from a little sign language, I only speak English. If you have something to say, just say it.
Al, you and I had a disagreement about coverage awhile back. You chose to take it personally. You chose to take my criticism of a very long "letter" you posted personally. Then you called me out.
You owe me (and likely others on this forum) an apology for the personal attack. How about it? How about a public apology for what you just did?
Rick
Last edited by GreenSky : 09-02-2007 at 10:24 PM.
Reason: found a couple of typos - missed a lot more I'm sure
Nice looking site you got there Al. Did you design that insurance site yourself?
I'm flattered... but are you kidding? Who has the time for that? I used a $50 utility for the Mac called Rapidweaver. It took me about two days to write the content. I stole (fair and square!) the question-form from John P. I also got some of the 'resource' content from a few other sources (with permission). It was a full two days of work... and that was that.
The simple blue theme I use is just one of the many templates that Rapidweaver has. With RW you pick the theme and the rest is basically a "fill in the blanks" methodology and it generates all the 'stuff.' A 10 year old could do it. My website is a "quick and dirty" effort. One of these days I'll get around to making it really "good" by hiring a pro. The pros take a year and a day to finish something and RW let me have most of the site up and running in a few hours.
I'm sure there are some excellent "rapid website development' utilities for Windows as well. I know a lot of folks who are using a CMS (content management system) like WordPress for their websites. I use phpNUKE for our Jaya123 site. It's ugly has hell, but again, I didn't want it good... I wanted it Tuesday!
Al, you and I had a disagreement about coverage awhile back. You chose to take it personally. You chose to take my criticism of a very long "letter" you posted personally. Then you called me out.
I have no idea what you are talking about.
I sometimes take things on this board personally... we all do. But I try to remember that this is just a web board and no one here is 'god.'
I might have called you a lot of things... but 'out' is not one of them.
Again, I don't know what your issue is.... and to be honest I'm not all that interested.
Studies have shown that the collective memory of any Internet 'community' as prolific as this one is about 48 hours. Everyone forgives and forgets. No mater how big the online food-fight, after about two days everyone is friends again. It's true.
You owe me (and likely others on this forum) an apology for the personal attack. How about it? How about a public apology for what you just did?
Fine. If you felt personally attacked by something I posted, I apologize. I'm not sure for what... but I have no ego here. You've got the right to post what you want about me or anything else... and you seem to exercise that right quite often. I feel I have the same right... but maybe not.
I don't care. This is a web board... not real life.
Al, if you are going to apologize, then just do it. When I apologize, I do it like a mench.
I don't don't know where you are coming from, nor do I know where you are going with all this. Can't we just get along?
I also asked you what KMA means.
It's a version of KOTC
OK, maybe I went too far with you, given what I perceive are some anger management issues you have.
Rick, I'm sorry if you are upset. But you have a way about you of pissing people off... even better than me... and I thought I was the best at it.
You come into a public venue and tell me my posts are too long when it really should have been a private message. How am I supposed to take that? I'm really supposed to CARE what you think of my literary style? Well I don't, so I told you to 'kiss off." And I'm not REALLY sorry for it, because you had it coming. But I am sorry that you've gone off the deep end on this. I just wanted to let you know that you were really out of line... constructive or not. And I did. And now you are even more pissed than you were earlier. I didn't see that coming... and I AM sorry for that.
Give it up. Walk away. It's just not worth it. We don't know each other, we don't work with each other, we don't live near each other, we're probably never going to meet each other.... and we're probably never going to agree with each other.
Let's just agree to disagree on everything from here on out, and just co-exist.
I'm sorry for what I said, I'm sure you are sorry for what you said (although I can't remember that either) and so let's just both be sorry for ourselves and for each other (making us a sorry lot!) and move on and enjoy our lives.
We good with that? (I just know someone will post "Get a room!" and we probably deserve that!)
I don't know, but there is just something that does not pass my 'smell test' about this... and not just Alston's endeavor but the whole "let's make money on leads" thing.
This is my opinion and my opinion only. I think a site of a professional becomes cheapened... if not even sleazy... when there are Google ads on it and/or when there is a "get a free quote even if not in my territory" function on the site.
Leads are the life-blood of our industry. Why give them away for pennies when you can make dollars on them? I don't understand it.
Al made some valid points. However, I don't understand the "pennies" comment. I'm offering a free exclusive local lead for every two non-local or "wrong-line" leads I get. At that ratio, if the non local leads you give away are worth dollars, you are getting 50 cent pieces in return.
If you are only sending me leads for lines you don't sell and states you don't service, I think it comes pretty close to getting something for nothing.
Of course it is designed for me to make a profit. If it wasn't it wouldn't be sustainable. However, if it is not profitable for all involved I will withdraw the program. I'm a big believer in the Seven Habits "win-win or no deal" concept.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time defending myself, nor will I create another thread promoting this proposition on the forum. I don't want to get flamed or banned from the forum. I enjoy reading and posting here.
I'm still in personal production. I use the same techniques to generate leads for myself and for my son that I use to generate the leads I send to other agents. I was hoping that if we get leads from other agents' sites that are also in personal production, we would have more quality leads for our client agents and for ourselves.
The bottom line is:
You can put one of our links on your site in a few minutes and you can take it off just as quickly if you change your mind.
End of defense.
If you are interested, please send me a private message.
If you would like to use this thread to exchange ideas about promoting an insurance-based website please add to the thread and I will respond with some of my ideas.
Al made some valid points. However, I don't understand the "pennies" comment. I'm offering a free exclusive local lead for every two non-local or "wrong-line" leads I get. At that ratio, if the non local leads you give away are worth dollars, you are getting 50 cent pieces in return.
If you are only sending me leads for lines you don't sell and states you don't service, I think it comes pretty close to getting something for nothing.
There is never something for nothing.
A person (a guy in this instance) stumbles on to my site... maybe because someone gave him the link so he could read my past newsletters. He fills out a "I want a quote" form. Whom is he expecting to get? You? Alston? John? The Man From Uncle (that dates me!)?
The person is expecting me and when he/she does not get me but gets a NASE or Mega or Farm/Ranch or UA agent, what is the opinion of ME going to be?
Folks, all "we got" here is our name and reputation. No one sells anything that is unique (although the creativity of 'picking and packaging' products to the clients best advantage is a unique skill, I grant you that.) At the end of the day when someone asks a friend "Do you have a good insurance guy?" you want them to say "Yeah, call [you]."
Now instead of giving away the lead, if you call the person who fills out the form and explain to him you are not licensed in his state but that you have a PERSONAL network of top-notch agents and you are going to pass his info on to Sue Smith in [prospect's state] AND you call Sue and give her the background... you have made TWO friends... the guy...and Sue.
Eventually (IMO... read that again) that is going to come back to help you and make you [a lot?] more money than getting one 'free' local lead for every two you give up. You now have TWO avenues for referrals... the prospect AND Sue.
The person who fills out your form is a warm lead. There has to be a reason he did it on YOUR site as opposed to the million-and-one others. Somehow you connected with him. I think you are throwing money away if you don't act on that connection.
KMA means Kiss My Ass. Not kiss off. Al has told alot fo guys to KMA.
Because a lot of young guys like you have this entitlement mentality such that you think it's all about YOU. You have no respect for anyone's opinion but your own... and you often act like the typical school-yard bully. Those of us who are a bit older knew (know) HOW to deal with a bully... it was (is) not through touchy-feely, "let's talk about it" therapy!
I feel Alston has information to share that can benefit quite a few on this forum.
I have a website, and occasionally get prospects, but not anywhere enough. I also participate in public forums (consumer oriented) as well as industry forums. I co-author a popular industry blog and have my own blog (which is sadly, much neglected).
Alston came here offering to swap information. I hope I can glean some things before he decides to not waste any more of his time by casting pearls before swine.
Alston came here offering to swap information. I hope I can glean some things before he decides to not waste any more of his time by casting pearls before swine.
I feel Alston has information to share that can benefit quite a few on this forum.
I have a website, and occasionally get prospects, but not anywhere enough.
Thanks for the kind words.
I'm more than willing to share information to help other agents promote a local insurance-based website. I hope that this thread will move away from the negativity and can become an exchange of profitable ideas.
Let me get started by sharing the first tip:
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Don't write a book. Write a magazine or a newspaper.
The search engines like NEW INFORMATION. You can increase your rankings simply by making constant changes to our website. Change your home page, revise other pages and/or add new pages regularly. Newer information, all things being equal, is more relevant. The search engines read your website with a computer program and can't tell if the new content is more relevant, but they can tell how old it is.
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I will also offer advice specific to the website of anyone from this forum who decides to trade leads with me. I have had some success in this area. I'm not a design guy though. I have ugly, but profitable sites. We're on the first page (organic or free listings) on all three major search engines for many of the phrases we target such as "Connecticut Blue Cross quotes" and "Connecticut health insurance quotes". Getting the rankings took a lot of study and effort, but not a lot of money.
I don't expect anyone to get rich simply by trading leads with me. However, a reasonable goal might be to increase the usable leads you receive by 5 to 10 percent in exchange for sending me your unusable out-of-state leads.
Who Has A Website or Blog?
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