Leads...when to let go

[goillini52]

To be honest, it may have been me. I have told agents for many years how I used to do it. I always carried my card box with me each day when I went out. It was a rare occasion that I couldn't find someone else to see if I was no showed. I might even save a lead for months and then one day, I'll find myself right there and door knock them. Many were surprised that I still tried to get hold of them. This is why I always said that I would work a lead until they either told me no, or I found out they had died! It didn't cost me a dime to hold on to those leads and it actually made money for me.

I also used a box for my appointment calls and call backs. I had a tab for each month and tabs numbered 1-31 for the particular days. So, if I had someone to call back even a few months later, it was filed right there under that month. At the beginning of each month you just break all of those out to the days you are supposed to call them. Of course, nowadays you can keep all this info in your phone or tablet.

Being old fashioned and bad with technology, I still use the recipe card system and have the monthly tabs like you mentioned.

I was always the same way about saving leads, and have sold some that were 15 years old(or older). I've accumulated so many over the years, that they were more trouble than they were worth, when you consider that some were over 30 years old and have probably been dead for many years. I just went through and pitched anything older than 6 years that I hadn't had a positive contact within that time. Threw out thousands. I've still got plenty to keep me busy. I might have thrown a few possible sales away, but in the time I spent finding them, I could've worked a lot of fresh leads.

 

[rousemark]

Talked with a guy last week that works leads a little different than most agents. He is an old guy, calls himself a General Agent... Has two sub agents. Works direct mail leads by appointment only. Doesn't use an appointment setter because he wants to have had some personal contact with the prospect before meeting them in their home or at his office. If he cannot set an appointment or cannot contact the prospect, he passes the leads on to his sub agents free of charge and they door knock .. His agents are happy to get the free leads; make a good living and his overwrite more than covers the costs. He said the reason he only has two agents (who have worked with him for several years) is that his system will not produce enough leads for more. Their primary offering is FE but they cross sell other products, especially cancer.

 

[LostDollar]

Being old fashioned and bad with technology, I still use the recipe card system and have the monthly tabs like you mentioned.

I was always the same way about saving leads, and have sold some that were 15 years old(or older). I've accumulated so many over the years, that they were more trouble than they were worth, when you consider that some were over 30 years old and have probably been dead for many years. I just went through and pitched anything older than 6 years that I hadn't had a positive contact within that time. Threw out thousands. I've still got plenty to keep me busy. I might have thrown a few possible sales away, but in the time I spent finding them, I could've worked a lot of fresh leads.

With "thousands", I think you may have missed another business opportunity. You could have started a C Lead sales company.

(Or would those have been D leads?)

 

[goillini52]

With "thousands", I think you may have missed another business opportunity. You could have started a C Lead sales company.

(Or would those have been D leads?)

They'd be "D" leads. D for Dead.

 

[KRobby]

If they're still interested in receiving the benefit information, won't they just send in another card with the next mailing?

 

[KRobby]

Being old fashioned and bad with technology, I still use the recipe card system and have the monthly tabs like you mentioned.

I was always the same way about saving leads, and have sold some that were 15 years old(or older). I've accumulated so many over the years, that they were more trouble than they were worth, when you consider that some were over 30 years old and have probably been dead for many years. I just went through and pitched anything older than 6 years that I hadn't had a positive contact within that time. Threw out thousands. I've still got plenty to keep me busy. I might have thrown a few possible sales away, but in the time I spent finding them, I could've worked a lot of fresh leads.

Are those direct mail medicare leads that you buy?

 

[LostDollar]

They'd be "D" leads. D for Dead.

very nice. I just caught the double meaning there!

 

[goillini52]

Are those direct mail medicare leads that you buy?

The ones I pitched were a variety of leads(door knocking and telemarketing created by me and DM leads from Globe Life/United American?

I kept the DM, TM and ListShack leads that I've purchased in the past 6 years.