Id Like Your Opinions on This Lead Issue?

[funeraldirector]

I believe in the advice, "Never let'em see you sweat." I care that I get the app, but not too much. Also, I recommend that after the presentation, or the burn off at the door, you do a six pack. Hit the nearest six doors and see what happens. After that, get in the car, you've done your job...Next lead...

 

[Rearden]

TD -- hit FD up on a ride-along -- old man Rouse took me on some door knocks and I'm just shocked you don't need to spend $25 a crutch, I mean lead, to actually initiate a conversation with them about life insurance.
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Remember... prospecting is EVERYTHING.

You will fail if you don't have enough people to see.

Right now you DON'T have enough people to see.

Whether through cold knocks or cold calls or buying more leads, you need to do whatever you can to bump that lead count up from 12-15 a week to 20-25 a week.

Your success depends on it.

 

[Tearmann]

Let me ask what is your closing ratio of the people you do see? I do agree that in FE you need to have 25 to 35 leads a week to be successful.
There are telemarketed leades available at cost that will help reduce your overhead on lead expense. PM me and I'll tell you more about it.

 

[jdeasy]

I don't get very many mailer leads per month, only 40 + 10 tele leads. I started exclusively on old mailer leads back in Feb, then a begin to get new leads in April (only 30/mo), then added the tele leads & by the end of May I was up to my current flow above.

I intentionally started like this so as to not get overwhelmed with a lead bill, and my plan was to go to 60 mailer leads this month & ultimately going to 60 + 20 tele leads a month. But Ive hit a stretch where I cant afford to do so yet cause my appt cancellation or no-show ratio is thru the roof now. On top of that I cant get ahold of several other ppl due to various reason (avoiding me after initial contact, vacations, busy, or just NEVER got ahold of them) plus all the other nonsense all of us FE agents run into...just tenfold!

My upline has advised me to get MORE leads cause I dont have enough to give myself a chance...and while I agree the amount Im getting isnt enough to make what I wanna make in this biz. Where Im having a problem understanding this logic is, if Im closing a much lower % then I'd like (and used to in the beginning), then how does having more increase my %?? It increases the # of ppl to see, yes, and I should get more apps with more leads...I got that! But how does more leads increase my %?? If Im not closing 25%+ now, I dont see how more leads helps....it just increases my app count at the expense of a much higher lead bill.

I feel I need to increase my closing % before I take on more leads, but he feels more leads will increase my %. Im also scared more of the same kinda leads Im getting now will just mean more frustration (cancellations, no-shows, never home, never answers phone, etc).

But, Im open to whatever makes me better....so am I missing something here??

Thanks in advance....

I want to think like you do and the closing % should be up before spending money on leads but the numbers just don't back up that thought line. I would hate to think I needed 20 to 30 leads per week to meet my goals but if that's what it took I would do it.

Everyone starts looking from the wrong end when trying to figure it out. There is no average, your numbers are your numbers. First decide what you need/want for a weekly production goal. $1500, $2000, $2500, $3000, $4000 or whatever it is. Second, figure out how many applications it takes to reach that goal. Third, figure out how many appointments it takes to write that many applications.

Then you will have to figure out how many leads you need to get that many appointments. If it's 30 leads then get 30 leads. You can take the last number down as you get better at this job.

I've had the same weekly production goal for almost 4 years now. It takes less than half as many leads now to reach that goal than it did 4 years ago.

Over time you get to where you can have too many leads. I got 21 leads last Sat because I wanted to load up a bit because I'm on vacation next week and won't get any leads this Sat. I shouldn't have done that as I now have way too many people to see this week. That's a good problem to have but you don't get those problems overnight.

Some have said to go doorknocking to get in front of more people. If you don't have an aversion to that go after it. I do have an aversion to that and it wouild a last resort for me to go cold doorknocking. I probably would do it while I was sending out resumes in the evening.

This job takes a lot of hard work and there are some terrible lows. Try to take those in stride and the same fdor the highs. It is a business. Be businesslike.

When I think the going is tough I remember back to 18 years as a tirebuilder for a major tire company. That is hot, hard, backbreaking work. This is a piece of cake by comparison.

 

[TDFnCali]

I want to think like you do and the closing % should be up before spending money on leads but the numbers just don't back up that thought line. I would hate to think I needed 20 to 30 leads per week to meet my goals but if that's what it took I would do it.

Everyone starts looking from the wrong end when trying to figure it out. There is no average, your numbers are your numbers. First decide what you need/want for a weekly production goal. $1500, $2000, $2500, $3000, $4000 or whatever it is. Second, figure out how many applications it takes to reach that goal. Third, figure out how many appointments it takes to write that many applications.

Then you will have to figure out how many leads you need to get that many appointments. If it's 30 leads then get 30 leads. You can take the last number down as you get better at this job.

Ok sounds like from what JD, Readon & others are saying is my upline has much more knowledge then me (DUH!) and that I dont have enough to give myself a chance to get to a respectable closing ratio. I need to do whateva it takes...and while that's easier said then done...when that bill starts to come every week, itll be tough to swallow if the results (closing %) dont change immediately!

But based on the advice here, I need to do something & fast, so thanks...I will get on it somehow!!

 

[GeminiGroup]

Ok sounds like from what JD, Readon & others are saying is my upline has much more knowledge then me (DUH!) and that I dont have enough to give myself a chance to get to a respectable closing ratio. I need to do whateva it takes...and while that's easier said then done...when that bill starts to come every week, itll be tough to swallow if the results (closing %) dont change immediately!

But based on the advice here, I need to do something & fast, so thanks...I will get on it somehow!!

TDF...Keep your head up, you come across as a decent person, since you starting posting and I just wanted to say hang in there.

Remember Albert Pujols started this season sucking... but ..
A hitter gets out of a slump by taking MORE at bats not sitting on the bench waiting for better pitches to hit or 'working' on his swing......so I agree with the advice given.

Keep swinging but.... TRY YOUR BEST NOT to be a guy 'trying' to get a hit....focus on 'making contact' your homers will come but you can't NEED IT so bad that you're pressing.

(And trust me, I know that's ...Easier said than done when $$ in low and bills are due)

 

[theinsuranceman]

Why doesn't your immediate mgr. go ride with you for a full day and see if your presentation is missing something?

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Reardon, you are starting to sound like mr. Blaine lol

 

[pbbaseball]

as long as your leads are less than what you are making, keep buying them. if you can spend 200 to make 1000, why not spend 400 to make 2000? and the more leads you get the more referrals, cross sells, and future business you'll have down the road.

yeah you can cold call, and knock on 20 doors a day to make 1 sale, but if you can afford the leads (and really can you afford not to have them), why not have several pre-qualified people at least with some interest than 19 with none whatsoever to find one guy looking.

your time and effort is much better spent in front of prospects, pay a un/underemployed friend to cold call for you on the phone, where they can speak with 20 an hour, not 20 a day

 

[TDFnCali]

Why doesn't your immediate mgr. go ride with you for a full day and see if your presentation is missing something?

Apparently u didnt really read my post....its not about my presentations, its about me not getting to do very many presentations!!