Fact Finder Vs. Final Wishes Book

[kwamster]

Fact Finder Vs. Final wishes and request book.

What do you guys think is a better use of time to go through with a client to generate referalls? I'm working 5-6 sales appointments each week and 5-6 customer reviews going through a fact finder which leads to referrals at the end of the meeting.

So, full fact finder or final wishes book??? end result is referrals

I don't necessarily think that there's anything wrong with getting referrals, if your client volunteers or sends them your way, but I think an agent's real focus should be on utilizing "Paid Direct Response" advertising methods like mailers, free reports etc. and then "Scaling Up".

If this is done correctly you will not really be worried about whether or not you get referrals, because you will be to busy working all the leads you are receiving from your paid advertising campaigns.

I feel that anytime you approach somebody "cold" whether it's a referral or not, you are placing yourself at a severe disadvantage due to the "positioning" ("you coming to them" or "approaching them first").

- Just some "food for thought".

 

[Guest]

I don't necessarily think that there's anything wrong with getting referrals, if your client volunteers or sends them your way, but I think an agent's real focus should be on utilizing "Paid Direct Response" advertising methods like mailers, free reports etc. and then "Scaling Up".

If this is done correctly you will not really be worried about whether or not you get referrals, because you will be to busy working all the leads you are receiving from your paid advertising campaigns.

I feel that anytime you approach somebody "cold" whether it's a referral or not, you are placing yourself at a severe disadvantage due to the "positioning" ("you coming to them" or "approaching them first").

- Just some "food for thought".

Did you really just say, that referrals are NOT the best source of finding new prospects/clients?

I hope you keep your resume fresh and up to date, because you won't last long in this business.

 

[donamese]

Referrals are free, mailers cost money...which is better?

Referrals come from a validated (friends/family) source, mail replies are often just fishing for info...many don't even remember sending the card in.

 

[jdeasy]

Did you really just say, that referrals are NOT the best source of finding new prospects/clients?

I hope you keep your resume fresh and up to date, because you won't last long in this business.

Referrals will not keep you in the FE business. They are gravy and I love gravy but they are not the lifeblood of the FE agent.

 

[kwamster]

Did you really just say, that referrals are NOT the best source of finding new prospects/clients?

I hope you keep your resume fresh and up to date, because you won't last long in this business.

That's not what I said - Once again... "Reading is Fundamental"!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Referrals will not keep you in the FE business. They are gravy and I love gravy but they are not the lifeblood of the FE agent.

I concur with your statement 100%!

 

[Todd King]

Kwamster, I don't think RBA was trying to quote you, but state what you were saying in a different way.

In essence, you did say that referrals are not the best source, simply by saying that an agent should be focusing in on something else.

Whether you believe an agent should be focusing in on referrals vs. "Paid Direct Response" (whatever), it's irrelevant to my question, which is...Shouldn't an agent be doing both? Why would it have to be one OR the other?

 

[theinsuranceman]

Referrals will not keep you in the FE business. They are gravy and I love gravy but they are not the lifeblood of the FE agent.

I agree 100% with you on this JD.

 

[rousemark]

I agree 100% with you on this JD.

Uh Oh! 120 degrees outside and snowing heavily..

 

[kwamster]

Referrals are free, mailers cost money...which is better?

Referrals come from a validated (friends/family) source, mail replies are often just fishing for info...many don't even remember sending the card in.

Spending money is not a bad thing when you are getting a return on your investment, then it's just "part of the cost of doing business"; and while what you're saying is true, in regards to referrals, the operative word is quality referrals.

If you ask a client, for example, to "go and get their phone book and give you the names and numbers of 10 family members or friends that you can call", etc., while those leads will generally be better than cold calling; I don't feel they will consistently yield better results than leads that are generated (and eventually "scaled up") from TV ads, radio ads, or mailers that are "targeted" towards a specific demographics on a regular basis.

I have gotten plenty of referrals from clients in the past by asking for them directly and about 90% of them amounted to nothing.

You hear the same excuses and objections that you get when cold calling ("I already have life insurance, "I can't afford it right now", "Call me back next month" etc.).

On the other hand, whenever I have had one of my client's call me up "out of the blue" to tell me that one of their friends would be giving me a call or to tell me to give "so and so a call", I've have had over a 90% closing ratio.

 

[theinsuranceman]

Spending money is not a bad thing when you are getting a return on your investment, then it's just "part of the cost of doing business"; and while what you're saying is true, in regards to referrals, the operative word is quality referrals.

If you ask a client, for example, to "go and get their phone book and give you the names and numbers of 10 family members or friends that you can call", etc., while those leads will generally be better than cold calling; I don't feel they will consistently yield better results than leads that are generated (and eventually "scaled up") from TV ads, radio ads, or mailers that are "targeted" towards a specific demographics on a regular basis.

I have gotten plenty of referrals from clients in the past by asking for them directly and about 90% of them amounted to nothing.

You hear the same excuses and objections that you get when cold calling ("I already have life insurance, "I can't afford it right now", "Call me back next month" etc.).

On the other hand, whenever I have had one of my client's call me up "out of the blue" to tell me that one of their friends would be giving me a call or to tell me to give "so and so a call", I've have had over a 90% closing ratio.

And I agree 100% with you on this too.