INSURANCE ON THE INTERNET

Are B Leads Bad?

I found an interesting post on Insurance Lead Site about the average age of insurance sales leads that convert into sales. I think a lot of new agents are handed a few leads with the mission to go out that week and bring back a bunch of applications. A dozen new leads may only lead to 1 sale, and then the agent is frustrated with the process. That insurance agent is told, by his prospects, that they need to think about it. Of course, the agent is chastised by his manager for not being good at closing a sale.

Or new agents may be handed a bunch of leads that have been turned back by other agents because they did not close the first week. These are called B leads.  Everybody considers them awful leads and is sure they could be selling if they only had brand new, fresh leads!

I believe this approach is a bit old fashioned and un productive. What the agent should be trained to do is to set up a contact system. According to this report on the age of insurance leads when sales are made, many conversions hapen when leads are a month old or more! Prospects really do want to consider options, and want time to think. If you are the agent who gets back to them to answer their questions after a month, or even longer have passed, you will be the person on their mind when they are ready to decide!

I would suggest using the initial contact with a couple of goals in mind. Of course, cherry pick the easy ones. But if you cannot write that application the next day, go for contact information like an email address or physical address. Use that to return more information, a detailed quote, and of course, your newsletter! Then go ahead and call back in a week or 2 weeks or a month or whatever it takes until they either tell you they are just not interested, or until they buy!

And of course, be sure the prospect has your phone and email address for contact information. There is nothing like a prospect who contacts you!

[tag]b leads, insurance sales leads, old leads[tag]