Question from newbie about situation

[somarco]

When you call and your "lead" died, it is challenging to establish credibility at that point. I suppose you can blame it on the USPS and say you just got their request card a few days ago . . .

Some will say a lead is a lead and that is true to a point.

I spent a little bit of time in the senior market in my journey back . . . looking for a good fit since I was burned out on insurance and in particular the large group market. I had some success in buying leads and also in calling on senior centers, leaving brochures and offering to do an informational seminar.

If you like that market, and I didn't, you can get referrals if you do a good job and don't pressure folks into buying. Come on too strong and you are dead in the water.

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I highly doubt 25% of the people were dead. Maybe 25% of the ones you actually worked. YOu probably found the dead one 1st and then only went to 3 more.

I would complain too if I was promised 40 leads and got those. Actually I complained on here alot about a captive company who didn't provide me with the leads they said they would. If I have to sit here and call off of a list or buy my own leads I am definetly not going to work for anyone but myself and niether should you unless you need the training. If you were here in IN I would help you out.
I have been with 3 captive places that all promised TONS of leads. Usually (except in your case Cheech) they do feed you with new leads for the first couple months and then all the leads and marketing support seem to drift away. Sooner or later no matter where you are at, you will have to generate your own through calling list, buying leads, or referrals.

If your leads truely are that bad then I would look else where. Unless you feel the training is good.

 

[Cheech]

senior,

I worked all the 40 leads I had and yes 25% out of the 40 had actually died. Like I said before I have no problem working old leads, or reworks but I think 4 years old is very difficult to get a closing ratio on.
Anyone I couldnt get I hold of I door knocked. And still manged to only write one policy.

I never thought of the do not call law, I guess I could bring that up to my manager.

The training they provide was ok, but eneded up doing most of it on my own. And I wasnt getting paid for it.

Do you have any suggestions where not to be a captive agent or where to be one?

 

[senior-advisor-indiana]

I got good training form Senior Solutions and GReat American Senior Benefits.

 

[HomeService]

Basically, the re-works are most likely free, and the hot fresh leads, you may be paying $10, $30, or more, per lead. Correct? Some of these insurance companies are in the "lead selling" business, selling to the agents, that is.

 

[Cheech]

Thats correct, reworks free, new leads $25 a piece.

New= within 4 months.

 

[James]

Surely a lead is a lead, yet if you go captive and as in my case with Sterling, with a promised of XX amount of leads or at least a percentage of fresh leads coming in from either DM or TV that is what I expect. If they then hand me old leads as they did, I inform them that these didn't count and I expected more. This dance went on for a short time before it became old, hold the company too what they promise. If they can not provide their share they have to be informed its a two way street. Of course, be prepared to walk!

Just remember its all good, best thing that I ever did was walk away, of course going with them was the worst thing I ever did!

Ps, okay the second worst thing I ever did, the worst was going with NAA!

 

[Alston]

Thats correct, reworks free, new leads $25 a piece.

New= within 4 months.

I can't believe that final expense leads go for $25 in the open market. Twenty five bucks is a lot of money to pay for a lead when purchased through your own company.

That is probably more than they pay for the lead.

You should be paying less than the market for the lead, not more. At the very least, they should be passing their volume discount along to you.

An agent's got to make money for his or her company, but it should be win-win. The company needs to help the agent make a good living as well.

According to Zig Ziglar "you can't make a good deal with a bad guy" [or company]. They misled you about the 40 leads. What else have they misled you about?