Prospecting

[Bob_The_Insurance_Guy]

Lakshmi,

I like what you do.

I too am a straight forward caller. I don't believe in wasting their time, and get right to the heart of the matter.

I tend to work the grey collar market. Don't waste my time with following Docs and Attorneys. Every insurance agent does that, and I'm not going to waste my time. Concentrate on the businesses that no one wants to hit.

Franchisees
IT Business Owners
Service Industry, etc.

I use INFO USA and work a street by street system.

The key is to find the pain, rather than just lump them into the "money when you are not there" category. Like you mentioned with the "I'm set" response, I look for the "We've got ways to pay for that" response.

I usually respond with "Do you mind telling me, so I can share it with other business owners I know?" Let them talk. The more they talk, the better your chances of getting an appointment.

 

[Lakshmi]

Thanks Bob.

I guess I should add the first three years of my life as an agent was spent cold calling on the phone. THen I bought leads through Prospect Zone...some agents complained about PZ, but I had a good experience with health insurance, now it's been back to the phone now since about 2011.

This health insurance change sure has affected most all of us....have to change with the tides.

But, having said that, I've seen new people come into the business with zero knowledge of life before Obamacare, and I see the good ones succeeding just with accident, life, disability and critical illness. A good number of the agents I know have made the trip for Assurity, so they must be doing something right...I learned in the same company that these agents are now learning in.

I think it was Hvelocity asking a question about my ratios so here those are:

for about every 100 calls I get about two sales. I was told this years ago that's about right, and this still holds true.

I do happen to get about 5-6 'warm' leads of people to call on at a future date.

I get about two hang ups and complaints about how I got their number, why am I bothering them...lol

also, about a half a dozen disconnected numbers.

I also get a few who say, Please send me the info, and occasionally I will then follow up later, but I'm not big on sending out free info. I will though if I think they're a serious prospect.

Out of 100 I talk to an average of 20 people.

I literally use a notebook and 'stick' marks the old fashioned way. and have these categories in which to make the marks by: Dials, how many answered, hang-ups, disconnects, appointments set, warm lead.... I keep records of it all.

Occasionally I'll make a category for arseholes, beotches, and liars not buyers. hahaha. Depends on my mood, and honestly I only get one or two per session. Just for shits and giggles the other week I called on a guy in my arsehole category from 8 years ago from health leads...lol...he bought an accident plan with a disability rider HAHAHAHAHA, so I don't give up on them either.

Anyway, speaking of phone calls, I have to get back on it. Monday's always a call day. I rarely go on appointments this day.

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Adding to post later in the day here because I thought of a few things I do without even thinking...

Every time I'm out, I pick up small business owners business cards where ever I see them; Cork boards, in gas stations, restaurants, etc. I call all of these.

I also pick up and bring back to the office, those silly paper place mats, with business names and numbers on them...you know, the ones that are used for advertising in places like Big Boy. I also enlist my kids and hubby to grab those.

The reason I'm adding this in, because as silly as it seems, I do get business off those. The hubs brought me one the other day and tossed it on my desk, I called only three numbers (recognized I probably called most the others), and had two of those three interested...meeting with one of those on next Tuesday. And, of the one I'm meeting with on Tuesday, its a solid appointment for both the business owners.

Just saying....I guess I do do other things, just seems like the majority is spent cold calling out of yellow pages.