Best Areas for FE - Urban or Country??

[Orlando1]

We all know the lower income areas are pretty much the sweet spot for FE. Is there a consensus on which lower income area is better - big city urban or in the country outside the metro area?

What I mean by 'better' can be measured in 1)marketing response rates/ lead generation, 2) closing percentage, 3)quality of business /persistency.

Curious to see what the overall experience is

 

[Rearden]

Nobody can tell you for sure.

However, I personally prefer rural areas because there is much less agent competition, and people are nicer.

 

[Stephen]

I prefer rural people, but I work an urban area just because of the logistics.

I spent the my first 3 years building my book in rural areas all over the state "bustin bugs" and driving everywhere.

I have spent the last 3 years building my book in the city and what I have found is that while I do run into more undesirables, it is easier to service my customers, cross sell, and work referrals, because I am always in the neighborhood.

 

[jdeasy]

We all know the lower income areas are pretty much the sweet spot for FE. Is there a consensus on which lower income area is better - big city urban or in the country outside the metro area?

What I mean by 'better' can be measured in 1)marketing response rates/ lead generation, 2) closing percentage, 3)quality of business /persistency.

Curious to see what the overall experience is

It simply does not matter. There are very successful FE agents working the inner cities and there are very successful FE agents working nothing but rural. And there are very successful FE agents that work both.

You can't spend too much time worrying about where not to work.

 

[rousemark]

I always preferred small towns and rural areas. Not because the prospects are any better but simply because those are the areas I feel more comfortable in. I feel closed in working the urban areas. In fact, even in the small towns I tend to avoid the larger apartment complexes.. Don't particularly like wall to wall people situations.

 

[nfl72]

I might be missing something here but I work where my leads send me. I prefer getting 25 leads that are close to one another because I always get 4 or 5 out of 25 that never answer the phone and its easier to drop in on them if you don't have to drive 40 minutes to get there.

 

[donamese]

I don't think it has so much to do with who is better, it is how you target them that makes the difference.

I believe the return rate on mailers are typically better in rural areas because they are not targeted by as much crap in the mail box as the cities are. Door to door is easier in a city but you better have some good shoes if you plan on doing it in a rural setting.

 

[WinoBlues]

I have a question also. What do you guys consider Urban.

I hear urban and I think high rise building. I live in a city of 500,000 people. it is mostly just a bunch of neighborhoods. More suburban.

Rural to me is 5 to 10 acres lots or 1000s acres farm land. How do you walk that?


Lee

 

[jdeasy]

I have a question also. What do you guys consider Urban.

I hear urban and I think high rise building. I live in a city of 500,000 people. it is mostly just a bunch of neighborhoods. More suburban.

Rural to me is 5 to 10 acres lots or 1000s acres farm land. How do you walk that?


Lee

That city is urban. The largest city within a 100 miles of me is 100,000 people. That's the big city around these parts.

Rual is everywhere else almost. The nearest town to me is about 20,000 people. That's not what I consider rural when running appointments. Probably would be for you city folk.

 

[WinoBlues]

That city is urban. The largest city within a 100 miles of me is 100,000 people. That's the big city around these parts.

Rual is everywhere else almost. The nearest town to me is about 20,000 people. That's not what I consider rural when running appointments. Probably would be for you city folk.

Got it. I am in an Ag based valley so we have lots of smaller towns also. That makes a lot more sense. I am imagining you guys walking up a mile long drive fighting off the damn farm dogs.