In talking with agents about leads the questions I am asked are all over the board. Questions such as “What are the returns I can expect,” “What is the closing ratio,” “What’s the cost,” and, believe or not, “How good are they?”

Any IMO, recruiter, upline manager who spits out an answer to these questions leaving you with the impression that their leads are the best around is lying to you. Let me explain taking on these questions one by one.

The most important part of Insurance selling is having leads. Regardless of how those are generated, having people to see each and every week is the difference between succeeding or not. The goal of every lead is getting an appointment…period.

The chief mistake I see agents make in appointment setting is over qualifying the lead.

As an independent life insurance agent, every time you sell a policy to one of your prospects you’re adding to your book of business. Over the years, you’ll add hundreds of clients to that list in your book. What you do with that list will determine your financial future as a life producer.

As an independent life producer starting in the final expense, or mortgage protection market, if you’re working hard, you’re adding on average of 200 clients a year. These two markets present themselves as one visit closes. The adage of “one-and-done” couldn’t be more wrong.

The single most important part of the sales process is choosing the right product and the right carrier to place your application. It is the difference that will either gain you a client or not. Achieve your prospects goal of a new life insurance policy or not.

Field underwriting life insurance applications is about assessing the prospects risk to the insurance carrier and it begins the second you walk up to the front door not during appointment setting. Read the article “The Number One Mistake in Appointment Setting” for why. As you walk up to the door look around noticing any ashtrays or medical equipment such as canes or walkers making a mental note for later.