insurance journal interview with Joe Pichardo C.E.O OF Quotes4U

Joe what's the difference between your Web Leads and other lead referral companies?
We understand that it can be difficult to find a good lead provider, one that has types of leads, the filters, and the terms you are searching for. At Bestinsurancequotes4u.com we offer a wide range of leads and filters to help you target your market, and our , No Minimums, No Commitment system makes it easy for you to try us out.
How does your system work?
Start by creating an account with us. During the sign up process you will select the types of leads, filters, and geographic areas you are interested in.
After confirming your configuration online, simply enter your credit card information on our secure site and confirm your email address. You are now ready to start receiving real-time leads delivered to your online account and email address. If you ever need to make an adjustment to your account settings, our online system makes it easy with 24-7 access.
How are the leads generated?
Because we have no minimum number of leads to purchase and no long-term commitments, we believe the best way to keep our customers coming back for more leads is to produce a quality product. That's why the majority of our leads are generated from consumers looking for insurance on major internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and MSN. This is the most effective way to generate high-quality leads from serious insurance shoppers.
We operate a network of websites where consumers actively shopping for insurance request quotes. After submitting a quote request on our website, the prospect is sent an email reminding them they will soon be contacted by an agent. In the meantime, the prospect may be redirected to a trusted partner, where they can browse an instant quote while waiting for your call. This process keeps the prospect occupied and less likely to visit other sites.
To diversify our lead acquisition a small percentage of our leads come from carefully selected partners, all of whom are closely monitored for quality and only approved after a thorough screening process. We do not use or tolerate any incentive-based methods to generate leads.
Do I have to pay up front for my leads?
No. There is no setup fee and no deposit. Credit limits for new agents with quotes4u.com are set at anything you like . After signing up, we will charge your credit card on the 1st and 16th of each month, or when your credit limit is reached, for leads you have already received.
What happens if I get an invalid lead?
We make returning leads a simple, no-hassle process. If you get an invalid lead, you can return it online within 30 days if it meets any of the following conditions: a) all phone numbers provided are disconnected or fax, b) the lead is a duplicate already received from quotes4u.com, the contact is another agent testing the system, d) the contact is a student researching a school project, e) the contact information is obviously incorrect upon initial inspection, or f) there is a language barrier with the prospect.
Each lead returned for credit will be independently verified to ensure it meets the return criteria. For more detailed information about our return policy, click here.
Do I have to sign a contract?
When you sign up, we do require that you agree to our terms and conditions but we do not require any long term commitment from you. There is no minimum number of leads to buy. If at any time you decide that you want to cancel, just notify us and we will close your account.
How many leads can you provide me each month?
Since internet traffic varies, it is difficult to guarantee an exact number of leads per month. However, our agents can generally receive the number they require by expanding or reducing their geographic areas and/or lead types. Create an account now and select the leads, filters, and areas you are looking for.
Can I limit the number of leads I receive per day?
Yes, you can specify different geographic areas as well as a daily maximum for each type of lead you want to receive with our online system. You may receive as few as 2 lead per day, and leads are distributed 5 days a week. All of this is configurable under your control, 24-7, through our website. We give you the power to make changes to your account, as necessary.
How much do your insurance leads cost? Nothing if you don't need them or don't like them you don't have to pay for them,

Joe Pichardo
(877)290-0536 Phone
(866)346-3106 Fax

Higher closing ratio definitely

#2: Defining Success Through ROI

Get out your calculators! Too often agents use "gut feeling" to make business decisions, when their own data is all they need to determine what marketing initiatives are making them money.

• To know how successful your marketing effort are, it's important to track your return on investment (ROI) - that is, how much you make vs. how much you spend.
• To calculate your ROI, add your own data into this formula:

  Commissions $ from Policy Sales (Cost of Leads * # of Leads Purchased)

  =

  ROI

  Now let's see that same formula with example data:

  $800 in Commissions ($7.95 * 30 leads)

  =

  ROI

• Another way to look at the above return-on-investment example: if you have a $3.35 ROI - then for every $1 in marketing dollars, you receive $3.35 in commissions. That like earning a 235% return on your money!
• There is no "right" ROI number - try a variety of tactics to get an idea of what a good ROI is for you. However, if you have a ROI that is less than $1, then you're losing money and should re-evaluate your marketing strategy.
• Agents often incorrectly focus purely on closing ratio and contact ratio. While these metrics do demonstrate the relative quality of leads, it does not take into the consideration the cost of attaining those leads in the first place. A higher closing ratio definitely helps and saves you time, but the chart below demonstrates a scenario where a lower closing rate lead can actually out-perform when viewing ROI as your metric for success:

  	Lead Qty	Contact Rate	Conv Rate	Cost per Lead	Sales	Total Cost	Return	ROI
  Company A	30	50%	15%	$9.50	5	$285.00	$1,800	6.32
  Company B	30	30%	12%	$7.00	4	$210.00	$1,440	6.86
  Company C	30	45%	18%	$13.50	5	$405.00	$2,160	5.33

• That being said, agents are also making a mistake if they only consider price when choosing an online lead company. Price is only part of the equation when determining if leads are profitable. After all, it's no good to get a lot of cheap leads if not enough are converting into sales. Price AND quality AND return (commissions) work together to determine the best value.
• Don't get discouraged because your initial leads didn't convert - look at the big picture! Before calculating your ROI you need to have statistically significant data. We recommend at least 30 leads to really get an accurate representation of how a company's leads will work for you.
• During an interview with top agent MR Janese, with state farm reported buying 4,200 leads per year, and converting 1 in 11 leads into a sale. The commission earned from a 9% conversion rate is not only profitable for Chuck - web leads are the best deal for his money. Remember that having a 9% conversion rate could mean that an agent can work 10 leads and not close a sale until lead #11. Too often agents give up too soon, potentially missing out on a great source of new business because they don't have enough data to realize their actual long-term return.

The most important advice we can offer insurance agents

Tip #1: The Early Bird Gets the Insurance Commission

The most important advice we can offer insurance agents is to ACT FAST! Once you get a lead, it's crucial that you make contact quickly.

• Because web leads are delivered in real-time, prompt agents can speak with consumers while they're still sitting in front of their computers.
• We're talking minutes, not hours here. 2 hours = Too Late! A delayed response means a consumer may have gotten impatient and filled out other quote request forms, become busy with another task, or already began speaking with another agent.
• According to a popular lead management system, leads convert 22 times more often when contacted within 5 minutes and 78% of prospects convert with the company that contacted them first.
• Ask to receive leads via email AND text message. Many agents don't opt-in to text message notification of leads, but by doing so you'll gain the ability to make fast contact while away from your desk - at lunch, in meetings, during off-hours, and while visiting other customers. Best of all, it's free!
• If you receive a lead when you aren't able to provide a quote, send an email or place a quick call to introduce yourself in a timely manner and request a mutually-beneficial time to speak further. The consumer will associate you with prompt customer service and will be less likely to make a purchase until they have received all quotes available to them.
• Have the ability to email from your cell phone? Perfect - keep an introductory email draft on your phone for quick customer acknowledgment while you're on the go. Here's an example email to use when you want to make initial contact but don't have time for a full conversation: