Almost at the end of my internet lead freebie program. I'm sorry I ever said yes - 100% total frustration. Any deal I did submit would have been effort better spent on other marketing activities. Just hearing about other agents and how they operate simply puts me in a bad mood. I really like to stay positive and just can't spend defending myself or what I recommend. I really give it to agents who live off of shared leads - more power to ya.
I love the "but internet leads work" agents. No...calling a lot of people works. If you went to a bus stop and pitched 20 people you'd sell a plan - that doesn't mean you should canvass bus stops for business.
This was a classic - got the lead, called and left a very nice message - shot out an email. That was three weeks ago. Well - she called me. It's a mom looking for coverage for her divorced daughter.
So what did she get roped into? A discount plan - Beechstreet PPO. Daughter (now living with her mother) went to get her meds filled - Wellbutrin and Ambien, and you can finish that story.
So another pesky agent bugging her three times a day finally got his claws in her. Of course, that's Golden Rule after the mother expressly told him she wanted all the meds and doctor visits covered REGARDLESS of the cost! The mom makes fantastic money, she's paying and she just wants the damned condition covered.
Obviously you can finish this story although Golden Rule actually declined her. Now she's out the money she spent on the discount plan, she's out one money for the Golden Rule premium until they can refund her and her daughter still doesn't have any coverage. GR would have been the last place I'd have put her.
So we just did an Assurant Max plan - showed copay vs no copay rates and the mom went with no copay. She'll be approved and issued tomorrow.
If anyone's out there on shared leads battling this endless sea of bullshit, go for it. The agent who lies the most wins. If you think you're getting a majority of the business by being ethical and taking your time with people you're in denial.
2 comments:
Your absolutely right. Internet leads are over-hyped and even more over-worked. 100% frustration because when you try and work them you've suddenly left the office and fallen into a civil war battle field......kill or be killed. Ethics??? Doesn't exist in that realm. Sorry for your loss.
One of the largest reasons for the failure of health insurance agents is shared leads. Once upon a time they were all key-word driven. That was "bearable" quality.
They are now affiliate driven and I PROMISE you the lead companies have no clue as to how their affiliates generate the leads. I actually know that for a fact.
Most leads now are spam driven promising guaranteed issue plans for "$49.95." They are then whored out to 3 to 5 agents, then re-sold to lead warehousing sites.
What they are is a piss poor way to get business, frustrating and if you think you're bugging people by telemarketing - multiply that by 5 when you call a shared lead.
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