The Thread to End All Internet Lead Threads

[Tomfromtheshade]

If I knew how to set up a lead website like that and push traffic to it and have it generate 50 leads per day in the state or whatever it would do, I would hoard them all to myself and just make the sales.

 

[Josh]

If I knew how to set up a lead website like that and push traffic to it and have it generate 50 leads per day in the state or whatever it would do, I would hoard them all to myself and just make the sales.

That's a part of why I'm skeptical of any lead company. If they have a cost effective way of generating leads, why aren't they pocketing the cash from the deals themselves? I think the answer is it's not profitable for them to make the sales. That being said, if they can sell the same lead to 5 agents at $10/each, that's $100 for every two leads they generate. That sounds profitable.

 

[somarco]

If you want to make money in this industry, sell leads or become a trainer. There are quite a few suckers willing to pony up money for both.

 

[Hunter]

After several months of back & forth we finally parted ways. I don't see much of them any more and they are never discussed on this forum. One of their officers left the company a few months ago and I asked him why he left and what had changed at Hometown Quotes.

He declined to comment.

Do you have any insight?

Bob you know if you ever have any questions about HTQ you can always call me. Nothing else organizationally has really changed. The guy you are speaking of is doing quite well in another industry. I spoke to him recently. I will tell him you said "hi".

I've posted this before but if you want to run an honest lead company:

Say you want to sell only the leads you generate (no swapping) and sell to a maximum of 4 agents in a given state:

Agent 1: Only wants 10 leads for the week - he's a newbie, untrained a broke so he cancels at week 2 and needs to be replaced

Agent 2: Only wants leads from 9am to 6pm Mon - Fri (what's the vendor going to do with the leads that come before or after those times?)

Agent 3: 5 leads on Monday, then account on pause for 11 days. Account off pause, 3 leads then account on pause at 1pm - has stuff to do. Account active agent on Thursday but on pause after the 4th lead.

Agent 4: Lots of cash, solid training and wants a ton of leads.....of course, only families between the ages of 30 and 55 non-smokers and filtered for health

Sure...go try to run a legit lead company. Those 4 agents, by contract, have that state locked up and you're bleeding money. Now you need 10 or so agents in that state but can only sell to 4 at any given time. So when one agent's account goes on pause another starts getting leads - but that agent's bitching because they "got no leads" until 3pm that day.

Great insight HealthAgent! I have been on both sides of the game (agent and lead business) and you nailed it on the head. Lead companies pay for leads regardless if the agent does or not. From my perspective the relationship is broken...well...not broken but could be improved. Agents look at lead companies as a commodity and lead companies either don't know or forget what it is like to be an agent.

Sorry everyone but if you actually want this to work; no swapping, no trickery every agent would have to sign a contract, commit to say 6 months worth of leads at at $300/wk minimum and you get leads 24/7 until you hit your weekly max.

How do others feel about this idea? If I promised the above would you guys try this? I suppose I would have but only with a company I felt was reputable. I am always open to ideas. Feel free to PM with thoughts about ways we and/or others can improve. One advantage we have is that we can be a bit more nimble with things. If it makes sense to both parties I am willing to test anything.

Frankly, I was impressed with the people behind the organization and their commitment to serving the agent.

Thanks Bob! Your not too bad yourself.

You can't just have a system that automatically refunds without question, and you can only afford so many man-hours of reviewing each refund request.Agents are at least somewhat to blame for that;LOTS of them are less than genuine in their requests.

Isn't that the truth. I need to see if I can share stats with you guys on the number of bogus credit requests we get. I mean we actually take the time to call a consumer or two. And it blows me away when we talk to a consumer who says something like "Oh yea...I got what I was looking for. I bought my policy from: THE GUY WHO ASKED FOR CREDIT!" Seriously?

Sadly, a few months later quality started to diminish and their credit policy changed dramatically in their favor. That was one thing that always separated them from the pack. They were fair and reasonably quick to credit bum leads.

After several months of back & forth we finally parted ways. I don't see much of them any more and they are never discussed on this forum. One of their officers left the company a few months ago and I asked him why he left and what had changed at Hometown Quotes.

Well...as we all know quality fluctuates for all the reasons you guys mentioned. Sure we get rouge affiliates. Sure sometimes we mess up. Things happen and we try to correct them when they do. That is why we brought you and other agents to Nashville...we need to keep our ear to the ground.

Bob...we are still fair but I think you know that. The question I have for you and anyone else who would like to offer advice: How do you have a liberal credit policy, not get completely taken advantage of (see above) and still be an extension of your agency and get good leads for you?

The best answer we have right now is that it is a balancing game. We do our best to be sympathetic and empathetic, weed out the abusers and use whatever money is left over (after expenses) to go get more leads.


whatyouwantfinally,

Hope things work out for you. Hate that things ended badly for you and your former employer. I have a few friends in the lead business (not insurance) if you need an introduction. I am sure they would be interested in hearing from someone with the experience and success it appears that you have had.

 

[FL P&C Broker]

Hunter do you resell leads to other Vendors?

 

[tuscaloosabum]

I'm brand new to this forum but not to the data selling industry. Y'all are correct, there is no new information in these posts unless it's new to you. The place I worked at had a very complicated means of distributing applications to the clients. The whole premise of the new algorithm was based on a sharing between sites concept. Although I helped implement that system and 'felt bad about it' the whole time. I did my job anyway, mostly because it gave the sales crew more firepower with the numbers they could send out daily. Watery leads are nothing new. After I quit working there, I helped a buddy of mine build a site that did make him good money. I do seo and coding. He would give me a cut on the money he made on the site and I 'felt good about it'. It would seem that the real value in buying leads is in the relationship. My buddy no longer sells insurance and is back in school. (yeah we're young too 34) I miss having him sell insurance to the leads because I miss the money coming in. But I do not miss finding more and more creative ways to repackage leads so the business can make a ton of dough.
My recommendation is to find a friend who does seo, pay them on a regular basis, continue the relationship forever and make your money that way.

 

[budfox7]

So all in all, Whos tried HometownQuotes and would you recommend it ?? I am looking @ HTQ for Annuity and Life leads.

I am looking for a good lead source, I am FL too so I know theres potential around me

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Somarco would be a good one to talk to. He has dealt with them in the past and will give you good insight.

Weblead used in this post.

 

[insurance0707]

I thought his post....."We went as far as knowingly billing people incorrectly figuring the % that wouldn't notice/complain far outweighed those that would. And we were right. Snuff trailer over"

I always thought some of the internet lead companies weren't billing correctly....some of them make the billing so confusing, it's hard to figure out what they're doing.

Thanks for the post, I'll be looking more closely at my bills

 

[Tom Highway]

Just out of curiosity, whatyouwantfinally, what is your end game? Say we take this discussion through and conclude that internet leads are a profit center, and we agree with you.

Now what happens?