Securus Raises Platinum Lead Prices By $4.00 (Nearly 20 Percent)

[VolAgent]

They are popular now. Just design a program right now with free leads and 50% contracts. You better hire someone to answer the phone.

JMO, truly free leads with 50% contract is a huge boon for new agents. All the risk is on the IMO supplying the leads. They have to be paid for regardless, but there is no guarantee the agent produces. Now, if they keep a lead bill and go after you, not so much.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

JMO, truly free leads with 50% contract is a huge boon for new agents. All the risk is on the IMO supplying the leads.

Agreed, but these types of deals tend to not get you anywhere near the number of leads you need to survive, never mind thrive.

 

[VolAgent]

Agreed, but these types of deals tend to not get you anywhere near the number of leads you need to survive, never mind thrive.

There almost always is a catch. Usually because the IMO doesn't have deep enough pockets and is afraid to take the risk. Also, greed gets in the way.

 

[GMDM100k]

They are popular now. Just design a program right now with free leads and 50% contracts. You better hire someone to answer the phone.

I couldn't afford too!! My agency purchases 30k a month in leads. Even if I put all my agents on 50% contracts it wouldn't net me an extra 30k every month to cover the leads.

I don't know how these companies can stay in business. For very long anyway

 

[VolAgent]

I couldn't afford too!! My agency purchases 30k a month in leads. Even if I put all my agents on 50% contracts it wouldn't net me an extra 30k every month to cover the leads.

I don't know how these companies can stay in business. For very long anyway

How are your agents surviving then? Assuming they are on 100% contracts, they are living on less than 50% commission.

 

[gordon112]

I couldn't afford too!! My agency purchases 30k a month in leads. Even if I put all my agents on 50% contracts it wouldn't net me an extra 30k every month to cover the leads.

I don't know how these companies can stay in business. For very long anyway

There is a catch, the catch is they really don't mail out strong leads through the best mail houses. Most likely the are also recycled with there inhouse system much like crappy NJ operations like Securus. I doubt they get a nice steady flow of fresh exclusive leads. If they do, they run them like LH.. and we all know how crappy those leads are. They also will give them the old ra ra dance and hype show and say work your own Dk's and phone calls. You will have no renewals and be subject to production requirements.

The only positive I see is a nice training ground for new agents that simply don't have a budget to buy leads and want an easy way into the FE market.

 

[WinoBlues]

There is a catch, the catch is they really don't mail out strong leads through the best mail houses. Most likely the are also recycled with there inhouse system much like crappy NJ operations like Securus. I doubt they get a nice steady flow of fresh exclusive leads. If they do, they run them like LH.. and we all know how crappy those leads are. They also will give them the old ra ra dance and hype show and say work your own Dk's and phone calls. You will have no renewals and be subject to production requirements.

The only positive I see is a nice training ground for new agents that simply don't have a budget to buy leads and want an easy way into the FE market.

That has always puzzled me. The leads I have seen are not much more than a name. address and phone number on a card. Maybe DOB. If JD is running pretty much the same type of lead and killing it why would that be a crappy lead?

If I were brand new today I would not make it. I had a book to run, a manager that did ride alongs and did not even know you could buy leads. I also had the comradery of a group to share the pain with. But most importantly I was taught to prospect.

 

[gordon112]

That has always puzzled me. The leads I have seen are not much more than a name. address and phone number on a card. Maybe DOB. If JD is running pretty much the same type of lead and killing it why would that be a crappy lead?

If I were brand new today I would not make it. I had a book to run, a manager that did ride alongs and did not even know you could buy leads. I also had the comradery of a group to share the pain with. But most importantly I was taught to prospect.

LH leads are notorious for being old, recycled, and not worth the paper it is printed on. JD is getting proven fresh exclusive leads. I am not exactly sure what is printed on those leads, you might want to ask him.

As far as building clients relationships, I couldn't agree more. You are one of those that still do it. It has become a lost art. I have a mix of different clients and I tend to do both. I work leads and not worry about the relationship building. However, if I am talking to a retired CEO that owned a company, its a different story. I will establish a relationship in greater detail. Matter of fact, the biggest term case I did this year we ended up being quite good friends. I email him every other week. I sent him a book just a couple weeks ago that I highly recommended. The title of that book is "Unbroken" about a WW2 pilot. One of the best books I have ever read. This could lead into other sales by building a relationship and I tend to agree with everything you are doing in your business. It's too bad its almost a lost art.

By the way, that term case did go through and approved at standard plus. 1M policy, 70 year old.

 

[rousemark]

That has always puzzled me. The leads I have seen are not much more than a name. address and phone number on a card. Maybe DOB. If JD is running pretty much the same type of lead and killing it why would that be a crappy lead?

If I were brand new today I would not make it. I had a book to run, a manager that did ride alongs and did not even know you could buy leads. I also had the comradery of a group to share the pain with. But most importantly I was taught to prospect.

Must say I was blessed with the same when I started.. Just didn't make as good of use of it as I should have.. I would hate to start brand new with nothing more than a few training meetings conducted by telephone calls or webinars..

 

[GMDM100k]

How are your agents surviving then? Assuming they are on 100% contracts, they are living on less than 50% commission.

My agents are surviving just fine. I have 22 agents. As a group we average 150k a month now and purchase about 30k in leads. My agents average about 5k ap for every $1000 in leads they purchase. Even a new agent on an 80% contract with 75% advance would still clear 2k after lead costs for every 1k they purchase in leads.

That's all on the average though some do better some do worse.