Need Advice on IMOs Please

[tins]

.. Deasy you seem to be the class bully around these tough insurance blogs. Should I ASSume I will have about 10+ of your followers on my tail soon?

Now, I'm FULLY AWARE I'm not a part of the "LONGTIME FORUM PACK" and not w/ the "FLAVOR OF THE DAY" and will therefore get a blitz of negative comments, which I'm expecting

Nobody is after you, stop being so paranoid.

 

[jdeasy]

I don't promote any company or IMO. I share my opinions when asked. This thread was asking for opinions. I'm sure the op wanted to hear from agents and not self promoters of the IMO's he asked about.

I didn't even know you were part of the management at this IMO. You outed yourself on this one.

I've seen this "MY COMPANY IS BETTER THAN YOUR COMPANY" game played out MANY times on here. I don't like to get involved w/ all that back-n-forth non-sense, as I'll feel silly if I do. There are a few SOLID FE companies out there besides the ones JD promotes/joins.

P.S. our contracts don't go below 65% and I personally don't know anyone who is even close to that. So the Parker comparison is not really a comparison. Also, I'm not sure about the quality of Parker's leads, but I can vouch for the ones we have (my personal favorite might be our phone lead). I don't have to work nearly as many hours as I used to to get the same results.


Our top guy last year did about 400K


As of about 4 months ago:

We were #2 w/ Americo
We were #2 or 3 w/ Monumental

And that's because we spread our biz w/ many carriers like 5-Star, Aetna, Assurity, MoO, Oxford, Balt Life, Kemper, ect...and we've only been playing this game for 1 year. So it's not all that bad!


Now, I'm FULLY AWARE I'm not a part of the "LONGTIME FORUM PACK" and not w/ the "FLAVOR OF THE DAY" and will therefore get a blitz of negative comments, which I'm expecting


HOW BOUT THAT VANDY x OLE MISS game!!!

----------

Not a single good thing? Have you talked to anyone doing well there or just those that didn't quite cut the mustard?

Here is one positive on them, they put me in front of many interested people on a consistent basis so that I am able to work my magic w/ an array of carriers. Now you can no longer say you have NEVER heard any good about them.

OK, now I can say that the only good I have heard about came from a marketer for them. You win.

 

[houcoogster]

The problem for you is that you are in Texas. Your state has the worst direct mail responses in the country.

Sad but true. I would add to that the few responses you get are of such poor quality its maddening.

If your an established agent you can do a few mail drops a year and pick up a few deals but to use it for a mainstay is fool hardy.

Texas is the most brutal state for DM.

 

[Rearden]

Sad but true. I would add to that the few responses you get are of such poor quality its maddening.

If your an established agent you can do a few mail drops a year and pick up a few deals but to use it for a mainstay is fool hardy.

Texas is the most brutal state for DM.

Sounds like y'all have never dropped Atlanta, Georgia.

Worst response rates nationally.

 

[houcoogster]

Sounds like y'all have never dropped Atlanta, Georgia.

Worst response rates nationally.

Well, you have to be able to read to know to send the card in.

 

[SirKnight31]

Sounds like y'all have never dropped Atlanta, Georgia.

Worst response rates nationally.

I talked to Chris over at LC and he said that it's about 1.5%, of course I don't know cause I don't take on the risk of doing a per 1000.

What were you averaging? What zips?

 

[Guest]

Time to check out and find another career path then.

You either invest in leads at a *minimum* of $500 a week, or do 20 to 30 doorknocks a day asking for appointments to discuss final expense insurance.

Don't want to do either? Then go work somewhere else.

Thanks for your advice, but no. I am not going anywhere

----------

You could cold call off a dialer. I did that starting out. Only did it for 2 weeks lol. Used my commissions to start buying leads.

I'd never go back...

thanks for the advice, already started looking into call fire and mojo. Thanks a million!

----------

I talked to Chris over at LC and he said that it's about 1.5%, of course I don't know cause I don't take on the risk of doing a per 1000.

What were you averaging? What zips?

1.5% in Texas? isn't that above average? just asking

----------

1 contract a day! That's 4 to 6 contracts a week with little cash outlay. Many an agent would love that!

I just started the phone deal. I like door knocking, but my body doesn't. Since I started I had several injuries to the ankle and back. Plus its like steamy ugly hot here and I sweat like a pig on a cool day. I hate calling, but my 1st run at it yielded 3 appts in less than an hour. Just enough to keep me at it while smiling.

I'm by no means a pro at FE, closer to the other end of the scale. But the one lesson I've learned the hard way is that I'm not in the selling business, I'm in the prospecting business. No amount of contract %, product knowledge, or sells skills will do anyone any good if you can't get in front of people. I hate spending money on mailers, but

In FE, mailers are hard to ignore for finding prospects. Cold calling does work for some others not. Door knocking works for some but others not. Some love TM leads others hate them. It all depends on what you're comfortable with using, but you have to do something. And they all come with a price, whether it be time, cash, lost opportunity, or any combination of those.

sherd

I did door knocking a lot in my city not to long ago. I never made more than 3 sales a week, simply because people is not home during the day, and your prime time to find people is between 6.30 and 8.30. it's not bad, but same as you, I got to the point where my body can not take the over 100 F plus humidity. Maybe it would help to have 65+ list, so your chances of finding those that are retired and at home during the day are higher. Thanks so much for your advice, very positive.

 

[quackattack99]

Time to check out and find another career path then.

You either invest in leads at a *minimum* of $500 a week, or do 20 to 30 doorknocks a day asking for appointments to discuss final expense insurance.

Don't want to do either? Then go work somewhere else.

Thanks for your advice, but no. I am not going anywhere

----------


thanks for the advice, already started looking into call fire and mojo. Thanks a million!

----------



1.5% in Texas? isn't that above average? just asking

----------



I did door knocking a lot in my city not to long ago. I never made more than 3 sales a week, simply because people is not home during the day, and your prime time to find people is between 6.30 and 8.30. it's not bad, but same as you, I got to the point where my body can not take the over 100 F plus humidity. Maybe it would help to have 65+ list, so your chances of finding those that are retired and at home during the day are higher. Thanks so much for your advice, very positive.

I would say 3 sales a week just door knocking isn't too bad. Say an avg. of $450 AP per policy, minus gas, not all that shabby at the end of the day...as long as you don't have too many chargebacks.

 

[Guest]

I would say 3 sales a week just door knocking isn't too bad. Say an avg. of $450 AP per policy, minus gas, not all that shabby at the end of the day...as long as you don't have too many chargebacks.

Hmmm, the chargebacks where not many, but more than expected...

----------

Also, I was knocking long long hours, anyway I am not complaining, it worked at the time!

 

[Guest]

Get good contracts and walk door to door asking people if they want to buy insurance.
I'm not being a wise-azz...there is somebody on here that does just that and makes almost a sale a day. You could do it until you have the funds to buy leads...just keep investing in yourself and your career.

Hmmm, I just noticed the thumbs down, I tried actually to place a thumbs up. Yeah thanks, I am starting to think it is better for my career to go independent and as you say invest in myself and my career. What Cos would you recommend for going independent?