Building a Medicare Book Without Prospecting

[DS4]

UHC has a large call center that enrolls people turning 65 directly with no agents....

I see those UHC/AARP ads on TV every day. No telling how many 10's of millions are spent on these ads. UnitedHealthcareAARP Medicare Supplement Plans TV Commercial, 'We Can Help' - iSpot.tv
There really isn't any "wrong" way to build a Medicare book of business. Depending on each agent, some ways are more cost effective than others

 

[GreenSky]

I see those UHC/AARP ads on TV every day.

Somebody needs to get a life.

You should get out. Maybe go to Reno and spend a bit of time in a casino.

Rick

 

[sman]

Somebody needs to get a life. You should get out. Maybe go to Reno and spend a bit of time in a casino. Rick

Speaking of that, I'll be in Vegas next week. If you're over that way give me a call. I fly in in Tuesday and back out on Friday.

 

[aheff]

To OP- Please let us know how you do 1 year from now. I think the OP's expectations are completely unrealistic-pie in the sky. He wants the book of business, without doing the hard work to build it. Wouldn't that be nice!? Advice to OP: This is a prospecting business. Pure and simple. Prospect hard and smart. Put the time and effort in and in a few years your book will be start to be respectable (and the referrals will flow as well.)

 

[kgmom219]

To OP- Please let us know how you do 1 year from now. I think the OP's expectations are completely unrealistic-pie in the sky. He wants the book of business, without doing the hard work to build it. Wouldn't that be nice!? Advice to OP: This is a prospecting business. Pure and simple. Prospect hard and smart. Put the time and effort in and in a few years your book will be start to be respectable (and the referrals will flow as well.)

No, they aren't unrealistic.

He wants 10 new apps a month. He's willing to spend the money for DM to get 10 a month. He has a strong track record and already has a healthy book with ACA, just wants to hedge his bets if ACA commissions blow up. He knows what he's doing and this is the prospecting path he's chosen. Whats the big deal? Plenty of people have built their book using DM. By this time next year, he'll be at 10/month, probably 70/30 DM vs. Referral. Then 2 years from now it will be 30/70 and 100% referral by year 3.

Just because its not your way, doesn't make it the wrong way

 

[Glen Shelton]

Just because its not your way, doesn't make it the wrong way

.... Well said. ^^

There are so many ways to do business.

 

[aheff]

No, they aren't unrealistic.

He wants 10 new apps a month. He's willing to spend the money for DM to get 10 a month. He has a strong track record and already has a healthy book with ACA, just wants to hedge his bets if ACA commissions blow up. He knows what he's doing and this is the prospecting path he's chosen. Whats the big deal? Plenty of people have built their book using DM. By this time next year, he'll be at 10/month, probably 70/30 DM vs. Referral. Then 2 years from now it will be 30/70 and 100% referral by year 3.

Just because its not your way, doesn't make it the wrong way

So, which one is it? Is he going to get to his 11 apps/month right away as OP stated, or as you state in a year he might get to his 10 apps/month? My point is that OP thinks he can turn a switch today and hit 11 apps/month immediately. I believe that is totally unrealistic for someone who has dabbled in Medicare. Perhaps in a year he will get to that number, but not now. If it were that easy...

 

[axeman462]

So, which one is it? Is he going to get to his 11 apps/month right away as OP stated, or as you state in a year he might get to his 10 apps/month? My point is that OP thinks he can turn a switch today and hit 11 apps/month immediately. I believe that is totally unrealistic for someone who has dabbled in Medicare. Perhaps in a year he will get to that number, but not now. If it were that easy...

if it were that easy, the insurance companies wouldn't contract any agents. They would only advertise on TV and do direct mail. No outside sales, no call centers.

 

[DS4]

It's a potentially real scenario, I've test my own direct mail to T65 with a personalized introductory letter with just a call back number and had some success (1 sale per 100-400 letters depending on the small test), I just wanted to see if there were any other ideas I've missed.

I had good success in the past with door hangers(plastic bag with fliers). Myself, a friend that owns a carpet cleaning business, and, a friend that owns a window washing business split the cost of the hangers. We paid a Boy Scout troop to deliver to the more affluent neighborhoods.

 

[GreenSky]

I had good success in the past with door hangers(plastic bag with fliers). Myself, a friend that owns a carpet cleaning business, and, a friend that owns a window washing business split the cost of the hangers. We paid a Boy Scout troop to deliver to the more affluent neighborhoods.

That's like 3 houses in Chico. What did they do the rest of the day?

Rick