Anyone Recommend a Reliable Lead Sevice

[glenn]

You state the problem with other lead programs is that they don't guarantee returns. I think it's a reasonable to assume that you're suggesting your program does guarantee returns. I ask you what you guarantee, and you don't actually answer the question. I thus assume that in fact you don't guarantee anything either.

Have I got that right? Feel welcome to actually state your guarantee if I'm wrong here.

[Brad Howard]

We generate leads, but we do ask for the business to flow through our brokerage channels, let me know if you'd like more information......

[glenn]

Originally Posted by Brad Howard

We generate leads, but we do ask for the business to flow through our brokerage channels, let me know if you'd like more information......

Seems like a smart idea. How are the leads generated? SEO? PPC? Affiliates? And are they shared leads?

[paulk]

Deleted. Please see this thread for self promotion:
http://www.americaninsurancebroker.c...read.php?t=308

[markmeurer]

There are many good lead providers and a few dud ones out there. I believe the secret to workinging leads is "taking enough leads on a weekly basis". Most agent fail with working leads because they only take a few per month. I have found successful marketers work about 20-30 life insurance leads per week and close 3-8 sales per week.

We have systems and a listing of recommended lead providers at our website. I think most leads can work for you, if you really know how to work them properly.

Mark Meurer
Founder, Author and Sales Coach
www.AgentMenu.com
1-800-678-8113
mark@agentmenu.com

[phi31]

try netquote.com

[bitsdawg]

I think the reason a lot of you don't like internet leads is you try to treat them as if they came from other sources. People that fill out forms on the net may not really be that happy about a phone call so they might brush you off. So, I've had lots of success emailing this people, and then directing them to....WAIT FOR IT....a website.....where it's all about ME (and my products...er...about the client's needs)!

After that, I will follow up with a phone call and email later...or they will call me back if they see that I can provide what I want. Once they've called me back, it's all good. Some of the ones I call will chat with me - 'cause now we're old email buddies, and some won't (that's life). I'll say it again...people who fill out internet lead forms like the internet. That's it.

I hope this doesn't get smacked under self promotion, but I wrote an article on my blog on this..... The article is free of course.

http://www.insuranceleadsite.com/200...nternet-leads/

[Brad Howard]

I'm sensitive too about the self promotion but have been asked before to post info about our services. I can chat one on one with folks that want more info but we specialize in connecting you WITH the lead.

You log into our dialer and it serves up leads every 3 to 30 seconds. These are quote request leads that we generate and then clean and polish with our own TMs. Agents just sit down, put on headset and everytime they complete a conversation the next one is queued up within seconds.

It's highly effective and you avoid all the pounding from out bound dialing efforts and simply have conversation after conversation. I'm happy to expound more or chat privately with anyone with questions.

We do require the business flow through us but we are an IMO and have top comp with all carriers and annualization, you WILL NOT have a pay cut. We also have web enabled support for lead tracking, quoting, forms and can handle all back room support if you simply wish to sell and pass that over to our Denver team.......

[Frank Stastny]

I always find threads about leads interesting. Usually everyone, including me, wants to know where to get the best and "freshest" leads. I'm sure agents fifty years from now will still be searching for the "best" leads. It's kind of like looking for the Lost Dutchman gold mine. We all believe it is out there but no one has found it yet.

I also find it interesting that no one ever talks about their "old/bad" leads. In my experience it is mostly because agents don't have any "old/bad" leads. Almost without exception, agents I have worked with in the past put their "old/bad" leads in a box in their office with the best of intentions of maybe some day calling those people again.

I know, that is what I use to do also. However, everyone knows that it is mostly a waste of time trying to call those people again. We stand a much better chance of making a sale if we are working only "fresh" leads. I use to believe that also.

Every lead I have ever received boils down to a name, address, phone number and date of birth of someone who at that particular moment was thinking about insurance or was convinced it would be in their best interest to learn more. Most of the time it is an emotional decision, not a well informed, intelligent decision that prompts their curiosity.

If they don't buy the agent throws the lead in the "bad lead" box and spends more money on "fresh", "hot", leads.

When I get a lead and contact the prospect the first thing I try to do is get some information from them.

1. Do they currently have insurance?
2. What company do they have it with?
3. Do they feel their premium is too high? (If possible get the amount.)
4. Is their agent providing them with excellent service?
5. Are they interested in obtaining better coverage and possibly saving money?

All of that information is put into the appropriate fields in the Prospects Database. I now have a permanent record that is easily accessible of very valuable information about that prospect. If he/she doesn't buy today, I still consider that a "hot" lead and schedule another contact in the future.

Everyone's situation is constantly changing. The prospect who isn't even remotely interested today may send a cab for you "tomorrow" if you will come out and talk to them. (While you are laughing at that, I am routinely selling insurance to people I received leads from 6, 12, 18, and even 24 months ago.)

Since you have a record of the company they currently have their insurance with, and you hear that company has had a huge increase, that prospect who wasn't interested a year ago is now looking in earnest for a less expensive policy. Every time I find out a company has had an increase I print a list of every prospect I have talked to who has insurance with that company and give them a call. I can almost hear the ching, ching of money going into my checking account.

It's almost like that company giving you a list of their policy holders!

I use to dig through the "bad lead" box looking for those people. Sometimes I would find a few. I even tried to put an index card in a box, that didn't work either. It wasn't until I started using my computer that the information became instantly accessable.

Why keep spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars each year buying new, "fresh", "hot" leads when you can have every lead you have ever purchased literally at your finger tips?

When I had agents working for me I gave them leads. If I told them they were fresh, hot leads they worked them and sold insurance. If I told them they were "recycled" leads the groaned, took them and returned them a few days later and said they "weren't any good". Most of the leads I gave them were old, "bad" leads and they sold the hell out of them if I told them I just got them yesterday.

Manage all of your leads effectively and you will find out that you are spending less money and making more. There is no secret to it, it is just working smarter.

[Brad Howard]

Frank,
Right on, well said. Here at InsuranceOnly took ALL our "no's" and never contacted leads along with those folks that never sent back signed apps and just loaded them into our system for the TMs to call back. The system doesn't allow the TM to read notes and try to figure out who will be home or is likely to buy, they are just served up one after another.

We enjoy a 30% conversion on this "bad" leads. If you buy leads you should also also use a system or process for continued follow up. This should include remarketing and cross selling to your existing clients. Tons of sales come annually from your current clients that need additional services/products.

A great article recently in "Sales and Marketing Magazine" stated that, "80% of all people who inquire about a product buy that product within one year, but not from the company that made the original contact." Think hard on that number...80%! Have systematic routine followup via email, snailmail and/or phone contact with all your leads and existing clients and find the sales without having to buy as many NEW leads.

Leads should begin your process of building a new practice and augment a systematic followup of past contacts and current clients.........