Instagram Ad "Secure Agent Mentor"

[Todd King]

Alot has changed since "back in the day." People are bombarded with information so they screen more. Tons of mailers, commercials, phone calls, etc. Not to mention the Internet, which leads to people feeling like they can Google this stuff when they are ready.

That's why the days of a lead being a name and number in the phone book are long gone. Schucks we don't even have a phone book anymore! Ask some millennials what's the yellow pages and watch the blank look on their face.

I remember their was a thread, if I remember correctly, where an agent was talking about surviving in this business and how he worked with teachers and their retirement. I remember one of his tips was that the s business is a business of opportunity. Simply put time and chance. Be at the right place at the right time and jump on the right opportunity when it comes along.

I wish someone told me this when I first started and was trained. I learned the old way: walk and talk, cold call, and referrals. I did all of that before I decided to search for the right opportunity and landed on this forum and learned about leads. I ate many days because I bought some leads.

And even though they are warm I still have to sell them because people are people and one day they can be interested and the next day they are not so I don't see myself as less of a salesman.

I knew an agent who was bringing in 150k easy his first two years doing it the old way with referrals and working his warm market and by his third, let's just say the well ran dry. All that being said when I hear people talk about yesteryear in insurance I feel like it's apple and oranges.

My point is not about the particular way to market, but more about the effect of it on the ability of the salesman, or at least our idea of what a salesman is. Because of today's agent to be able to market to the masses (at least a bigger mass than ever before), it seems to be bringing more potential clients. Enough to where the agent can start pre-selecting before they even have real contact with them? What about the ones that just didn't know the right way to answer and just need help? How about the ones that just aren't sure if they need something or not? Put them through enough questions that aren't relevent to their situation and they'll end it right there. No sale, but there might have been. But the agent doesn't have time to ask questions and drill down to the real problem because he's just too busy taking those orders without a lot of effort.

As I type this I'm realizing this is becoming the way of the world, not just insurance.

 

[RookieAgent2018]

Since there is alot of talk about sales people vs. order takers.

Lets me ask Veteran Agents this.. Honestly do you think time have changed. DO people still answer the phone and a Knock on there door like they use to "back in the day". In terms of clients having there "guard up" during a sales presentation is it the same as it was 20 years ago. In terms of inflation in cost of gas, cost to live, maybe i am just "still young" but I can understand how agents these days want to make sure it's an actually interested client, or someone who just entered to win a $50 Home Depot Card.

Oh i almost forgot... do you find certain states more friendlier then others.

 

[CALTCAgent]

There are so many things I could say here........Where is JD now to say "if this dude walked up to my door". Gotta respect a fellow red head though.

Has anybody tried these Secure Agent Mentor Leads ? I have but a small sample and I am not a FE guy so won't comment. They were on the young side for my preference. I know I can't sell and all that jazz.

Contracts were lower than street. I guess because you get a discount on leads.

 

[FinalExpenseDojo.com]

My point is not about the particular way to market, but more about the effect of it on the ability of the salesman, or at least our idea of what a salesman is. Because of today's agent to be able to market to the masses (at least a bigger mass than ever before), it seems to be bringing more potential clients. Enough to where the agent can start pre-selecting before they even have real contact with them? What about the ones that just didn't know the right way to answer and just need help? How about the ones that just aren't sure if they need something or not? Put them through enough questions that aren't relevent to their situation and they'll end it right there. No sale, but there might have been. But the agent doesn't have time to ask questions and drill down to the real problem because he's just too busy taking those orders without a lot of effort.

As I type this I'm realizing this is becoming the way of the world, not just insurance.

If continually innovating to sell more insurance in less time is being an order taker then I'm guilty as charged.

 

[myinsurebiz]

Lead cost means nothing. I can throw up an ad right now that says "fill this out for a free Walmart gift card & you also get a quote for life insurance!" & I would get leads for dirt cheap.

But is that really a lead? I'd rather pay $20+ for someone who knows exactly what it is & is actively searching for our product. That way I don't have to sift through all the crap & get burned out in the process. Not fun.

Here's a video where I outline all the hoops I make them jump through to make sure it's a quality lead. (No I'm not selling leads.) I also filter out certain demographics which increases quality but also increases cost.

Very nice - saved and will use for training

 

[myinsurebiz]

There's no long game in the lead business, and most of your time is spent talking to nonselling agents trying to figure out how to help them rub two pennies together. I found this to be true when I had a downline of brokers as well.

That is exactly why I run my operation the way I do. Captive with free leads. There are no excuses as to why you cant money.

Exactly . . .

Especially with TV Ads. Well - hopefully since we havent done any TV yet. But - seriously - run 5 - 30 second spots @ $3 each over-night, or run one $20 spot on Maury - one lead pays for the expense + creates Premiums . . . I'm excited . . .

 

[BIG one]

Tesla, I'll start there....there stock is up somewhere around 1600% since its IPO. That is really impressive for a company that has never posted a single year of profit, lost 700 million in 4Q 2017, 2 billion in 2017, over 3 billion since 2016. I don't know why they only offer 8 year warranties, seriously why not 10, cmon if you don't make money soon your going to be owned my Mercedes anyways.

 

[BIG one]

I have been in Insurance for almost 20 years, my father retired out of it after almost 40 years. We sometimes have to remember that there has always been change and it always comes down to face to face. Me personally I always get a good laugh at hearing these agents talk about leads and demographics, level of interest, wal mart gift card...whatever. I don't care how a lead is generated, I just want the name number and address, and a card that gives me a reason to initiate a relationship. People will always appreciate face to face sales, maybe more in the future than ever. They want a relationship with their advisor, even if it's just final expense. As far as burning out, here's an idea.... sell something different every now and then. Burning out in this business comes from busting your butt and being broke or not pushing yourself outside of your 1 trick pony comfort level.

 

[FinalExpenseDojo.com]

I have been in Insurance for almost 20 years, my father retired out of it after almost 40 years. We sometimes have to remember that there has always been change and it always comes down to face to face. Me personally I always get a good laugh at hearing these agents talk about leads and demographics, level of interest, wal mart gift card...whatever. I don't care how a lead is generated, I just want the name number and address, and a card that gives me a reason to initiate a relationship. People will always appreciate face to face sales, maybe more in the future than ever. They want a relationship with their advisor, even if it's just final expense. As far as burning out, here's an idea.... sell something different every now and then. Burning out in this business comes from busting your butt and being broke or not pushing yourself outside of your 1 trick pony comfort level.

All I can say is that my marketing decisions are based upon many split tests. I never want to be like most Fortune 500 companies in the 60s that are now out of business due to lack of innovation.

While I can appreciate your way of doing business, I choose to do it in a way that I feel is more efficient. What's great is neither way is wrong. There's no this or that. We are both helping families. We just have a different process!



.

 

[Tothetop]

My point is not about the particular way to market, but more about the effect of it on the ability of the salesman, or at least our idea of what a salesman is. Because of today's agent to be able to market to the masses (at least a bigger mass than ever before), it seems to be bringing more potential clients. Enough to where the agent can start pre-selecting before they even have real contact with them? What about the ones that just didn't know the right way to answer and just need help? How about the ones that just aren't sure if they need something or not? Put them through enough questions that aren't relevent to their situation and they'll end it right there. No sale, but there might have been. But the agent doesn't have time to ask questions and drill down to the real problem because he's just too busy taking those orders without a lot of effort.

As I type this I'm realizing this is becoming the way of the world, not just insurance.

I get what you are saying. People don't "sell" anymore. Not answering objections not leading folks to see the need etc. But what I'm saying is what you concluded that it's not so much the salesman as it's the world is changing.

I'm not talking about lazy or not even real sales people who quit after one objection. I'm talking about folks who have a few years under their belt. The sales process is more disrupted because people have too much access to the product and information; constant marketing and the internet.

Most people buy cars now knowing what cars they want and the price they go for before they meet the car salesman due to autotrader, cars.com, etc. When's the last time you seen a vacuum salesman? Why when I could just go on Amazon read reviews and shop for prices. Why is the mechanic trying to sell me on getting my brakes changed with him? I will just go on YouTube and find a diy video and do it myself. Sales in general is disrupted.

That's why FE is such a special niche because it still has that old time feel. But even then it could be a bit of order taking because some of them know what insurance is and know they need it.

I think salesman who may be adapting are not weeding out nonbuyers but may be integrating the sales process into their marketing process. So weed out objections through marketing before I even meet you. Answer questions you may have before I meet with you. Qualify you before I meet with you. I think that's why guys like Jroot are having success with SEO content marketing.

They are walking people through parts of the sales process while marketing to them at the same time. I didn't watch broker4evers video so I don't know what' in it but I definitely ain't knocking someone who is adapting to the times and this is coming from a guy who enjoys a good face to face sale over a good phone sale.