Ask The Expert

How Many Times Should I Follow Up With Shared Leads?

Q: Hello, I currently purchase shared leads from Norvax.  My question is how often and how many times should I follow up on the phone?  What are brokers currently doing in this area?  — John Conner, Conner Healt

When you’re purchasing shared leads there’s always the chance you’ll be competing with other agents for the business, so my first suggestion is to get on each new lead fast. Some agents check their email every few minutes to catch leads while they’re the freshest.

Marketing research firm Marketing Sherpa recently issued a report that touches on the importance of following up with leads fast. Let me quote what they shared about the competitive automotive industry:

“[The auto industry has] determined that for every 30 minute lag after a car buying prospect submits his or her info on an online form, the resulting quality lags. If you get back to a lead in less than ½ an hour, you’ll reach far more people and you’ll have far greater success in ultimately closing the deal. If you wait for an hour, you’ll reach fewer people, close fewer deals.”

So we know calling early is good. But how often should you call? You should expect to call a lead one to two times the first day you get it. Some larger call centers will call 3 - 6 times per day. Don’t let that number discourage you. You might not have the manpower to pound the phones that hard — and keep in mind calling too much can actually irritate prospects and turn them off from your offer. An effective strategy is to leave a compelling message if you can’t get hold of them on your first attempt.

You can make your message stand out by avoiding the “I’m following up with your inquiry, please call me at…” route that a lot of people take. Why not email them a quote and tell them you’ve already whipped up a quick proposal for them to look at? Then the next time you call you can be following up on “that proposal I sent.”

Build the time in to make about 6 attempts at calling a lead during the first two weeks after you’ve received it.

All that follow-up can seem daunting. A lot of our agents have success with our email autoresponders. This program shoots out a personalized email the second your lead comes in, making it easier to be the first to get in front of the person. Plus, the autoresponder keeps touching them with emails on a schedule you set. Just set it up once and walk away — the autoresponder keeps your offer in front of leads for you.

I know it can be like walking a tightrope. But keep testing different combinations of phone calls and emails until you strike it right.

The type of lead you buy can also affect your contact ratio. I’d also recommend checking out a new lead program that has been tailored for individual agents. Smart Leads Select gives you the chance to be one of 5 agents in your state with access to pre-filtered, branded leads that are warmed up for your phone call.

Jeremiah Desmarais and his team have won 3 awards for their marketing initiatives that touch Norvax' client base and carrier relationships on a daily basis. He is author of several white papers and has been a contributor to the Agent’s Sales Journal, Health Insurance Underwriter as well as a guest speaker at various carrier events and workshops. He is a member of the Society of Industry Leaders. He welcomes feedback at jdesmarais@norvax.com.

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