Cold Calling T65

[Guest]

This is and everything else I've heard about selling med supps is interesting:

• You can't buy internet leads because the lead companies sell them a million times.
• Seminars don't work either, who's gonna show up?
• Over 65 lists? Forget that, it's a cold call.
• Mailers? With postage costs and usually ending up in the trash can, what's the point?
• You can't one call close a senior
• You can't sell over the phone

Do you think sharing and/or telling yourselves all the reasons you can't sell (while others are successfully selling) is a good strategy for success?

According to Frank, calling T65s for Medicare is only slightly more effective than calling T55s.

 

[ksigmtsu]

You know what works really awesome to sell products?

Talking to people who want to buy a product but don't know what they want to buy yet or from who.

If you sit around talking about what doesn't work for someone or other, eventually you'll talk to enough people that you'll realize that nothing works. It's a wonder that anyone is successful, since no selling methods work. I wonder how the carriers keep the doors open...

 

[HealthGuy]

He is back....Who is going to take Liano to the woodshed today? Somebody, somewhere on the forum is bound to have an issue with his post. Simply because the magnum with which he wraps his rascal is larger than yours. Shrink links come forth!

 

[Guest]

If you sit around talking about what doesn't work for someone or other, eventually you'll talk to enough people that you'll realize that nothing works. It's a wonder that anyone is successful, since no selling methods work. I wonder how the carriers keep the doors open...

 

[Frank Stastny]

Case in point. Met a woman at a networking event and we got to talking. Her husband in turning 65 in November. The phone rings off the hook and his mailbox is stuffed full on material.

Would you like to guess who he is going to talk to about Medicare?

T65s are a pain in the a$$. Yes, I am not the most knowledgeable Medicare agent, but either they are confused silly by everything, or they think they know everything.

According to Frank, calling T65s for Medicare is only slightly more effective than calling T55s.

Everything you have said has also been my experience over the last seventeen years. I have tried numerous times to target T65 and each time I have done that I have sold insurance to them, some of them.

However, it takes so much more time and is so aggravating that in the time it takes me to find a T65 buyer I can have sold several policies to those over 65.

I could get on here and blow smoke at agents as others do and tell agents what they "want to hear" or I can share what happens in the real world. I'm not in the business of "blowing smoke".

As the Indian said, "Him talk lot but him not so hot, him heap big smoke but no fire."

 

[Guest]

Many seem to be forgetting that most people turning 65 whether inundated with calls or mailers, etc still BUY from someone, and if you're better than the rest, it will be you! It doesn't really take take longer and if it does, so what, get the sale, it's called earning your income!!

Can they buy from a postcard? No.

Will they buy from an agent who knows less than they do? No.

Will they buy from an expert who takes time with them, educates them and puts their needs first, most every time!

The sales process (and client's savvy) has changed a bit over the last decade or so, but if you adapt, and embrace change, you can increase your net worth. If you continue using archaic methods and mentalities, you will become extinct.

Just because someone doesn't do or won't do something, doesn't mean it doesn't work.

Just because you may have a nice residual doesn't mean everyone does. Some NEED to sell, every day, not meander about taking whatever comes their way, hoping they close sales.

 

[aheff]

Some agents are strong at selling over the phone. I am not one of them. In the short time that I have been selling medsups, I have found success with T65. As Rob said, they have to buy from someone. I've had success with postcards for T65 to attend seminars. I educate them at the seminar and then educate them more with the follow-up appointment. They are well informed and feel comfortable with their decision and purchase. My closing ratio is extremely strong.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Many seem to be forgetting that most people turning 65 whether inundated with calls or mailers, etc still BUY from someone, and if you're better than the rest, it will be you! It doesn't really take take longer and if it does, so what, get the sale, it's called earning your income!!

Can they buy from a postcard? No.

Will they buy from an agent who knows less than they do? No.

Will they buy from an expert who takes time with them, educates them and puts their needs first, most every time!

The sales process (and client's savvy) has changed a bit over the last decade or so, but if you adapt, and embrace change, you can increase your net worth. If you continue using archaic methods and mentalities, you will become extinct.

Just because someone doesn't do or won't do something, doesn't mean it doesn't work.

Just because you may have a nice residual doesn't mean everyone does. Some NEED to sell, every day, not meander about taking whatever comes their way, hoping they close sales.

I do understand what you are saying. It has nothing to do with my renewal or the fact that I have been doing this for so long.

T65' are "shopping". They are still going to spend time "shopping" and be less inclined to make a decision enabling the agent to make it a one call sale as opposed to selling to those over 65.

That means that in my experience, I will spend more time talking to a T65 educating them about Medicare and Med Supps then someone who has been on a Med Supp for several years.

You said, "if it does (take longer to sell them), so what". Don't think for one minute that it doesn't matter how long it takes to make the sale.

It is even more important that an agent new to Med Supps be able to write as much business as possible as quickly as possible. It will take an agent new to Med Supps a lot longer to sell a T65 and it will be more difficult for them than the experienced agent. They have to be much better educated and better with their presentation then if that same agent is selling to people over 65.

Selling to seniors T65 is only something an agent should attempt who has been selling Med Supps for a while and really knows their, ah, "stuff". Selling Med Supps is more about educating them then it is "selling" them, especially to seniors new to Medicare and Med Supps.

 

[aheff]

The T65 prospects that I have come across are looking to get educated, as opposed to shopping. I help them get educated. I leverage my time by getting in front of 15 seniors at a time,and for 2 hours educate them. I never sell them. They really appreciate that. When we meet (often times at my office to leverage my time further), I educate them some more. Then they buy from me. The time spent is not onerous. I am not writing a ton of apps conducting business in this fashion, but I am happy with my results and have grown my apps written each month. I can envision getting more referrals than I currently receive, doing more seminars than I currently do in order to achieve my ultimate goal- in 4 years have a nice renewal stream of income.

 

[HealthGuy]

aheff: The stream is nice until additional health reform tweaks knock the piss out of your commissions...I don't even think med sup renewal commission levels will eventually be safe. Somebody tell me I am wrong.