My boat is not that much different than yours. Just starting out and will quickly exhaust the friends and family front. I'm not captive and that's a big plus.
I'm doing a coin toss on online leads. There's a ton of bad posts on how they are garbage, BUT you can at least establish a baseline on ROI. Then (and I'm making this up) put an ad on craigslist "free stuff" category for offering a month Netflix gift certificate for quoting someone or do a banner ad with the same thing... That will create a low quality lead right? but can that really be worse than what some are getting for online leads? At least then those people are calling you -or even better, filling out your web form--- and not the time you are wasting calling the online leads. This is down in the desperation category of moves, but it sounds like that's where you are because long time agencies don't screw around with those gimmicks.
For the non-captive, you can consider reaching out to the captives and getting their rejects...presuming you can place them...maybe you can, maybe you can't, but that was a lead that cost you nothing. Those other agents in town don't HAVE to be your competition. I've been hearing some stories of people getting non-renewed for crazy reasons at captives.
Don't believe the hate on Term policies. I am a Dave Ramsey fanatic and Term is the only Life product I plan on selling. Even the cert training will tell you Term is the best buy for the dollar. Serve yourself with the best commissions and you'll have a limited customer base. Serve other people well and the referrals and revenue will follow.
For the business customers, find out who is starting a NEW business and meet them, get to know what it is they do. Let them know what you sell and give them a card, but be in the "helping them" business and see how you get THEM referrals. Don't think that door won't swing both ways- cuz I guarantee it will. I've even thought about starting a youtube channel and FB to talk about the start ups in my area---the channel is sponsored by MY COMPANY, but is about other people....That costs time- but not one red cent. Don't think that free promotion will go unnoticed by those businesses. They are struggling just like you.
I'm doing a coin toss on online leads. There's a ton of bad posts on how they are garbage, BUT you can at least establish a baseline on ROI. Then (and I'm making this up) put an ad on craigslist "free stuff" category for offering a month Netflix gift certificate for quoting someone or do a banner ad with the same thing... That will create a low quality lead right? but can that really be worse than what some are getting for online leads? At least then those people are calling you -or even better, filling out your web form--- and not the time you are wasting calling the online leads. This is down in the desperation category of moves, but it sounds like that's where you are because long time agencies don't screw around with those gimmicks.
For the non-captive, you can consider reaching out to the captives and getting their rejects...presuming you can place them...maybe you can, maybe you can't, but that was a lead that cost you nothing. Those other agents in town don't HAVE to be your competition. I've been hearing some stories of people getting non-renewed for crazy reasons at captives.
Don't believe the hate on Term policies. I am a Dave Ramsey fanatic and Term is the only Life product I plan on selling. Even the cert training will tell you Term is the best buy for the dollar. Serve yourself with the best commissions and you'll have a limited customer base. Serve other people well and the referrals and revenue will follow.
For the business customers, find out who is starting a NEW business and meet them, get to know what it is they do. Let them know what you sell and give them a card, but be in the "helping them" business and see how you get THEM referrals. Don't think that door won't swing both ways- cuz I guarantee it will. I've even thought about starting a youtube channel and FB to talk about the start ups in my area---the channel is sponsored by MY COMPANY, but is about other people....That costs time- but not one red cent. Don't think that free promotion will go unnoticed by those businesses. They are struggling just like you.
