10 Important Insurance leads-Annuity leads Marketing Tips

Each of the following Ten Insurance leads-Annuity leads Marketing Tips is based on a highly effective - but often overlooked marketing tactic. How many are you using? How many have you overlooked?

Tip 1: Insulate yourself against the impact of change by increasing the number of Insurance products and services you offer ...and by using a variety of different marketing methods. For instance, you can use a postcard mailing to Senior Citizens from age 62 to 78 and income over $40,000. Every three weeks you would drip on them with another postcard. Also, you could do a quarterly newsletter. I like our "World Smallest Newsletter?" on a over sized postcard. Only a small portion of your total business will be affected if the sales of one product or marketing spoke on your marketing wheel declines or the response to one marketing method drops.

Tip 2: Insurance Clients are prospects too. Stay in contact with them. Find or develop other products or services you can offer them. It's easier to make a sale to a previous customer than to someone who never bought from you. Here's the ratio of marketing you should use. Front end marketing should be 25%. That's use postcards, letters, flyers and emotional type ads to generate business. You should be getting 25% of your business from "Critical Mass." That's by working your clients to offer more services and products to on annual review. Another 50% should come from using a systematic process of getting your clients to have their friends calling you. We go in depth on systems you can use to have a bundle of referrals.

Tip 3: Avoid making any claim that sounds exaggerated ...even if it is true. A bold claim creates doubt in your prospect's mind and jeopardizes the sale. Reduce any bold claims to a more believable level. Use third party articles to help make your claims hit home.

Tip 4: Express numerical claims as odd numbers with fractions or decimals. For example, "Our clients save 17.7 percent" sounds more believable than "Our clients save 20 percent" ...even if 20 percent is the accurate number.

Tip 5: Set up a Insurance leads-Annuity leads automatic mailing system that you can use weekly that will keep you in a steady flow of leads. We have developed a brand new "Ultimate Postcard System" that you can use that will do all your postcard mailings that will only take about 15 minutes a week. Thing of your business as a wagon wheel with spokes and the hub is the base. If you only have two spokes and one breaks your in trouble. However if you have at least 10 spokes and one breaks it won't be a problem. That's what you want your Insurance marketing business to have. You need to have systems in place for building referrals, current clients, center of influences, postcards, telemarketing, newspaper ads, etc. I highly recommend you start out 2005 with mailing out at least 1,000 postcards per week using our "3-Step Postcard Systems.?" www.ultimateinsurancesystem.com/specialreport.htm Tip 6: Develop a series of 4 or 5 different special Insurance leads-Annuity leads postcards. Use them one at a time on a quality lists. I also like to use income levels over $50,000. Our test show that 80% of these people have CD money. Continuously recycle through the same series of dripping of postcards. This enables you to keep using special postcards to generate sales without taking time to develop new ones.

Tip 7: If you're attracting many prospects who really don't have (or can't get) the money to buy your product or service ...you need to change your market. Target a market where prospects have an intense desire for the benefits produced by your product or service - AND the money to buy it.

Tip 8: Set yourself apart from competitors by offering an exclusive benefit your competitors cannot copy ...or one they're not willing to copy. One agent I know has positioned himself in the following way. He specialists in showing people how to have retirement money available from the 11 to the 20 year. People are out living their money.

Tip 9: Advertising Insurance leads-Annuity leads copy produces the biggest response when each reader can believe the message was written specifically for him or her. As you write any sales message, visualize you're writing to one person instead of to a large group of people. This will help you write in a less formal and more personal style. Personalize envelopes with head addressed and a real live stamp.

Tip 10: Most insurance sales are not made on the first contact. Develop a method to capture and save the names and contact information of prospects who don't buy from you. Follow up periodically. A little gentle coaching will eventually convert many of them into buyers. Develop a newsletter that you can send out on a monthly basis. It can only be a postcard or a 8.5" X 11" letter.

Each of these 10 Insurance leads-Annuity leads marketing tips implements a simple but highly effective marketing tactic. Take action now to apply those you overlooked. You'll be surprised by how much business it produces for you. Check out our "Lazy Agents Marketing System." I hope you enjoyed this article and you will apply some of the principals discussed. If you need marketing help just go to the following website Http://www.ultimateinsurancesystem.com/specialreport.com Yours for your success, Russ Jones Creator of the "3-Step Postcard System." www.Ultimateinsurancesystem.com

Creator of "The 3 Step Postcard System" Developer of "Annuity Pro Lead Capture Web Page System" http://www.pmrsystem.com

Annuity FAQ: Answers To Some Basic Annuity Investing Questions

* How much should I invest in an annuity?

The amount of money that you invest in an annuity will depend largely on your capability to pay the premiums offered by the assurance company. Things to consider when putting money to an annuity include:

- Your probable financial needs

- Type of investment portfolio

- Alternatives available

The most important thing to consider is your financial needs, especially at times when you really need cash to finance something like the birth of a child delivery or an unforeseen accident or illness. However, you must also consider the regulations on withdrawal against the annuity, because it can be a bad scenario if you find yourself being served a penalty just because you withdrew large amounts from your annuity account when it was not permitted on the plan you purchased.

* What is a deferred annuity?

A deferred annuity pays out to investors interested in getting an income from an annuity, but who want the payments to begin some time in the future, usually at retirement. Or, they may want the insurance company to invest the money for a few years to increase the payments. A tax deferred annuity allows income tax to be deferred until the money is withdrawn, and you can contribute as much money yearly as you like.

* What is an immediate annuity?

An immediate annuity is an investment policy usually purchased from an insurance company. Immediate Annuities are sometimes known as Single Premium Immediate Annuities. Immediate annuities are commonly purchased with a lump sum and used as a retirement investment. In an immediate annuity, the investor begins to receive lump sum pay-outs anywhere from immediately to one year from the date of purchase. Generally, payments begin one month after investing in the annuity.

Immediate annuities can be fixed or variable. While a fixed immediate annuity payment depends on the amount you contributed, your age, as well as the interest rate at the time or purchase; a variable immediate annuity depends on the type of investment purchased.

There are a variety of different options available to you when purchasing an immediate annuity. You can decide whether you would like a set period of payments or a lifetime of payments. You can also decide on whether the payments are solely for the person who holds the policy or also for a secondary person, such as a spouse.

* What are the advantages of annuities?

There are three principal advantages to an annuity:

1. Tax-deferred accumulation. This allows you to set aside the funds that you pay into the annuity for as long as you want, without worrying about exceeding federal tax limits.

2. Flexibility. An annuity can offer you a variable or a fixed return, unencumbered by federal tax limitations.

3. Security. An annuity offers a fixed-income payout option which would grant an income that cannot be outlived.

* How will I receive my annuity payments?

There are several pay-out methods available when you begin receiving annuity payments. With some options, you or your beneficiaries can select how you want to be paid. The following are some of these:

You can get income for your entire lifetime even when the money in your annuity account has been used up. This is advantageous if you live to an advanced age because it will maximize the income that you will receive. However, there is a risk involved: when you die, all the money cannot be claimed, even by your assigned beneficiaries. If you die young, you simply lose this money.

Another is the joint and survivor annuity where it pays you during your lifetime, and after your death your beneficiary (usually your spouse) will also be paid during his or her lifetime.

You can also refund your annuity, meaning you're gaining income for life. However, when you die, the portion if the income payments that you have not collected will be the only amount that your beneficiary receives.

Alex Trenor is editor of Annuity Yes, the online guide to Annuities. He also writes Annuity FAQ's for PrettyGreatAnswers.com.

First Rule In Annuity Seminars: Fill The Room

You need to fill the room because perception is everything. If you begin your Safe Money Seminar with empty tables and chairs in the room, those people who do show up will question whether they should have. The trick is to gauge attendance based on RSVPs. If you have 40 RSVPs for the event, figure 30 will show up. Then set the room up for 20 to 25. It sends a more prosperous message when you have to break out additional tables and chairs to accommodate the overflow. "Standing room only" is your perceived image. On the other hand, having empty seats at your meeting is just lame.

Holding your retirement planning seminar at the right restaurant will help fill the room. A safe bet is an Olive Garden style restaurant. Avoid Mexican food, Chinese food and pizza joints. Limit dinner choices to one: a salad with a single entr?e of general appeal. You can't go wrong with a chicken and pasta plate. Include a glass of ice water at each place setting. That's it; no iced tea or Coca Cola. Never pass out menus, and limit waitress involvement to serving the food then disappearing.

In choosing a restaurant, stop by several possibilities around 4:30 on any given afternoon. If you see a lot of Seniors there, it means they like that restaurant and are familiar with it. Just make sure your entree is a notch above the typical early bird special.

Always remember that a Safe Money Seminar is not a teaching event and not a sales event. It's a social event! Now that you've managed to fill the room, don't set it up like a classroom or like a horseshoe. Set the room up just like people sit in a restaurant - 2 per table or 4 per table at most. And don't think it's you they're coming to see. It's your food they're coming to eat. You are just the dinner show. Remember, you must get people to (a) like you and (b) respect you, if they are to give you that all-important appointment. Now that you've gone to so much trouble setting the stage, go out there and show them your star power!

The most effective form of advertising to fill the room is direct mail invitations. Direct mail allows you to target your demographic. You can sort your mailing list by several parameters, but age (60 plus) and address (within 5 miles of the restaurant and your office) are all that really matter. Wedding style invitations look nice and cost around 75? each. Simple post card invitations cost around 30? each and often wind up under a refrigerator magnet for future reference. Surprisingly, both wedding style and post card invitations pull about the same. But with post cards you can mail approximately 2 ? times the quantity for the same money.

Expect between a .75% and a 1% response on your mailings. By mailing 10,000 pieces, you'll get 75 to 100 RSVPs, of which around 50 to 70 will come out to your two seminars. This will fill the room with 25 to 35 attendees per night, which keeps it cozy and gets you up close and personal.

Another way to boost your response rate is to add emotional appeal to your invitation's headline. For example, which headline gets your attention better? (a) "You're Invited To Our Safe Money Seminar" or, (b) "Five Serious Mistakes That Wipe Out Retirement Savings, And Simple Ways To Avoid Them." The answer is B. Few people will show up to a Safe Money Seminar. We don't use our seminar's name in the invitation because it's not an emotional draw. But once the people are in their seats, stop teasing them and start rewarding them. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our Safe Money Seminar," is now music to their ears. Remember, people act on emotions then justify their actions with logic.

The seminar business is all about working the numbers and setting enough appointments so that if one or two should cancel (which they will) what you get is an unexpected but much needed break between eager, pre-sold prospects. As always, keep your eyes on the prize: This is a career objective leading to seven figures annually. Fill the room, set the stage, make a million. http://www.Free-Insurance-Leads.com Gary Le Mon is a wholesale distributor of fixed indexed annuities for Allianz, American Equity, Sun Life Financial, and ING. Author and developer of the Safe Money Seminar, a financial planning seminar for Seniors, Gary serves as guest.

Annuity Buyer Payments

An annuity is the ideal life planning tool for a senior citizen that comes up to him or her with all the advantages near the end of his life. It is a retirement planning tool and has two basic phases:

The accumulation phase and

(d) The annuitization phase.

It is during the accumulation phase that an annuity buyer has to make the payments. In an accumulation phase, a person invests money in an insurance company, a senior settlement plan or an investment company for a considerable period of time. The amount might vary from one investment company to the other, but it is invested in a lump sum. Eventually with the passage of time it earns a rate of return.

In the other phase, the annuitization phase, the person who had been investing money in the accumulation phase has the right to withdraw payments in a regular basis, whether it is in a monthly or annual basis. The person who buys such an annuity plan to secure their post-retirement phase is called the annuity buyer. This annuity buyer has to pay what are called basis points. These are basically the fees for the annuities. The annuity fees or the basis points show a percentage of one?s investment. Another important thing regarding the annuity buyer?s payments is the Mortality and expense (M&E).

Mortality and expense are those which are charged by the various insurance companies and agencies in order to provide an annuity buyer with a lifetime income. This fee is also charged to the beneficiaries with a death benefit of the annuity buyer.

There are three types of annuities that require three types of payment modes. They are:

(a) Fixed annuity, which incorporates the ""mortality and expense"" (or M&E) fee, the sub account fee, and the annual contract maintenance charge. The sub account fee covers the cost of one?s annuity investment account management. However, the annual fee is quite flatly charged and is on an average $30.

(b) Variable annuity

(c) Equity-indexed annuity

There are no up-front fees or charges for the latter two categories.

Annuity Buyer provides detailed information on Structured Settlement Annuity Buyer, Annuity Buyer, Annuity Buyer Payments, Annuity Buyer Guides and more. Annuity Buyer is affiliated with Condos For Sale.

Annuity Payments

Annuities are a series of payments made by an institution like an insurance company to the annuitant at regular intervals of time over a fixed time period. The payments are fixed and may be on a yearly, semi annual, quarterly or monthly basis. Generally, there are two types of annuity payments called ?ordinary annuities? and ?annuities due?.

Ordinary annuities require payments at the end of every period until the maturity period of the investment. For example, with bonds, usually the seller pays coupon interest payments to the buyer at the end of every six months. However, sometimes annuity payments will be made at the beginning of each period like a rent payment. These are called ?annuity due?. Depending on the frequency of annuity payments, annuities can be divided into deferred annuities and immediate annuities. In immediate annuities, annuity payments are made at much frequenter intervals. Deferred annuities will make the annuity holders receive payments depending on the nature of the annuity. If the deferred annuity is a fixed deferred, the holder will get the guaranteed rate of return at regular intervals over the life of the contract. If it is variable deferred annuity, the payments depend on the performance of the underlying investment. This means the annuitant will not receive any guaranteed amount. However, the payments under the variable annuities are tax-free or tax-deferred.

There are several types of annuity payments depending on the nature of the annuity. If the annuitant or the nominee receives payments after the fixed period in spite of any contingency, such payments are called ?annuity with period certain?. If an annuity payment continues after the death of the annuitant, it is called a ?life annuity? payment. If it continues over the annuitant?s life or for a fixed period (whichever is longer), it is called ?life with period certain?. The latest version for annuity payments is called ?equity-indexed annuity payments?.

It is not advisable for the annuitant to get cash value of the annuity by cashing out, unless the annuitant is under financial stress. The ultimate responsibility of cashing out an annuity and getting the payments rests on the shoulders of the annuitant.

Cash For Annuities Web provides detailed information on cash for annuities, annuity brokers, annuity buyers, annuity payments and more. Cash For Annuities Web is affiliated with Cash Out Refinancing Scams.

Annuity Appointment Setting: Super Sales Techniques

When it comes to annuity appointment setting, the most effective technique by far is the Drop-By System. However, if you've totaled your car, broken both legs and must resort to a phone call, I've always taught my agents that the best way to engage your prospect on the phone is to open with a statement that is anything but your typical warm fuzzy, "How are you today?" Your statement must (1) <u>make them sweat a little</u> and (2) <u>pose a problem</u> which is at the same time a benefit of owning an annuity (without saying the word 'annuity'). Note: This formula works with any product.

For example, "HELLO, MRS. JONES? MY NAME IS _______, FROM THE _____ AGENCY DOWN THE STREET, AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU BECAUSE I FIND THAT SOME OF MY RETIRED CLIENTS ARE PAYING INCOME TAXES ON THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY, AND THEY DON'T NEED TO. I'M A FINANCIAL ADVISOR IN THE AREA AND I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE INCOME TAXES ON YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY. I'LL SPEND 10 TO 15 MINUTES WITH YOU UNLESS YOU KEEP ME LONGER. THERE'S NO CHARGE. I'VE GOT WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 10:00 AVAILABLE, OR WOULD 2:00 ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON BE BETTER FOR YOU?"

Your prospect's responsibility at this point is to say, "No thanks, I'm not interested," or maybe something not so kindhearted. You've just interrupted her world. However, you'll do much better at annuity appointment setting if you understand that a 'No' is simply a latent reaction from childhood. In our formative years, the one word we heard more than any other was the dreaded, "No!" It's what we got almost every time we asked for something:

"Mommy, can I have a cookie?"

"No."

"Daddy, can I drive the car?"

"No."

Your job as a professional salesperson is to understand that humans are hardwired to respond to practically any proposition with the word, "No." It's how our circuits work. Negative responses can range from a simple 'no' to a blistering harangue. Your steadfast, automatic response must be to pull the plug, short-circuit the connection, neutralize the way your prospect's mind works.

Try the old 'feel, felt, found': "I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL, MRS. JONES. A LOT OF PEOPLE I TALK TO INCLUDING A FEW OF YOUR NEIGHBORS FELT THE SAME WAY AT FIRST. BUT AFTER THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PROBLEM AND HOW SIMPLE THE SOLUTION WAS, THEY FOUND THEY WERE SAVING HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN UNNECESSARY TAXES." By pouring water on your prospect's natural resistance, you weaken their response and, at the same time, maneuver the phone call into a back-and-forth conversation.

Now you've earned the right to continue: "...YOU SEE, WE FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE SIMPLY DON'T REALIZE THAT A PORTION OF THEIR ESTATE THAT THEY WANT TO LEAVE TO THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE EATEN UP IN PROBATE COURT, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. I'M A FINANCIAL ADVISOR IN THIS AREA AND I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO FIX THAT. I'LL SPEND 10 TO 15 MINUTES WITH YOU UNLESS YOU KEEP ME LONGER. THERE'S NO CHARGE. I'VE GOT WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 10:00 AVAILABLE, OR WOULD 2:00 THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON BE BETTER FOR YOU?"

Get ready for it. Here it comes again: "No thanks," she says, "we've already got a financial advisor who's been with us for years." Mrs. Jones is only playing her part in this annuity appointment setting rivalry. At the same time, she's telling you exactly how she wants you to get her to say yes. Pay attention to her words. This time you're going to, first, neutralize her objection, then use her exact words to identify "... THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM OUR SERVICES."

For example, "I CAN CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL, MRS. JONES (neutralize). HOWEVER, THE PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT THE MOST FROM OUR SERVICES ARE THE ONES WHO ALREADY HAVE FINANCIAL ADVISORS. SEE, A GOOD FINANCIAL ADVISOR, JUST LIKE A GOOD DOCTOR, WILL OFTEN ADVISE YOU TO GET A SECOND OPINION. I'M A SPECIALIST IN THIS AREA AND I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO AVOID THE EXPENSE AND DELAYS OF PROBATE. I'LL SPEND 10 TO 15 MINUTES WITH YOU UNLESS YOU KEEP ME LONGER. THERE'S NO CHARGE. I'VE GOT WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 10:00 AVAILABLE, OR WOULD 2:00 ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON BE BETTER FOR YOU?"

At this point, if you don't hear a click and a dial tone, you may hear a slight wavering in her voice. Her "We-already-have-a-financial-advisor" line worked with the last salesperson. What's up with you? Now she has to either think about her response or default to the old standby, "I'm not interested." If she responds with anything but "I'm not interested," she'll be telling you how she wants you to get her to say yes. These responses can include,

"I'm too busy right now."

"Our son-in-law takes care of those things."

"We've already got all the insurance we need."

"I don't have any money."

"I never accept telephone solicitations."

You must stay one step ahead of your opponent by preparing your script for all possible scenarios. Sit down and write them out in your own words. Use the above script as an outline and insert the gist of her response in the appropriate places. Then follow up with another problem for her to worry about which is also a benefit of owning an annuity. Don't be afraid to get creative. Annuity appointment setting is a game of wits and circular logic. The more you differentiate yourself from the last three telemarketers she sent to the insane asylum, the more successful you'll be at appointment setting and, ultimately, selling annuities.

Finally, if you're dealing with an indifferent, uncreative type who just can't come up with anything but, "I'm not interested," try this:

"MRS. JONES, IT'S OKAY IF YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED. I JUST WANT TO ASK YOU ONE QUESTION. WORK WITH ME HERE. IMAGINE THAT EVERYTHING YOU'RE WORTH - YOUR HOME, YOUR SAVINGS, YOUR INVESTMENTS, EVERYTHING - WAS GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU FIRST THING NEXT WEEK. AND LET'S SAY I CALLED YOU JUST LIKE I'M DOING TODAY, AND TOLD YOU I COULD PROTECT YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY SO THAT NONE OF THOSE BAD THINGS WOULD HAPPEN. WOULD YOU STILL TELL ME YOU'RE NOT INTERESTED, OR WOULD YOU LET ME SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND SHOW YOU HOW IT WORKS BEFORE ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS? YOU SEE, WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE, MAYBE EVEN YOU, HAVE A LOT OF THEIR LIFE'S SAVINGS SITTING IN THE BANK, OR IN STOCKS AND BONDS, OR IN REAL ESTATE, WHERE IT CAN BE ATTACHED BY A JUDGEMENT IN A CIVIL COURT OF LAW ... AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY. I'M A FINANCIAL ADVISOR IN THIS AREA AND I CAN SHOW YOU HOW TO FIX THAT. I'LL SPEND 10 TO 15 MINUTES WITH YOU UNLESS YOU KEEP ME LONGER. THERE'S NO CHARGE. I'VE GOT WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 10:00 AVAILABLE, OR WOULD 2:00 THIS THURSDAY AFTERNOON BE BETTER FOR YOU?"

Get the picture? You need to eat, sleep and breathe annuity appointment setting.

http://www.Free-Insurance-Leads.com Gary Le Mon is a wholesale distributor of fixed indexed annuities for Allianz, American Equity, Sun Life Financial, and ING. Author and developer of the Safe Money Seminar, a financial planning seminar for Seniors, Gary serves as guest speaker on behalf of agents and agencies nationwide