How To Increase Production With Decreased Lead Flow | 7 Figure Annuity Sales Podcast | Ep. 309

Welcome back to the Seven Figure Annuity Sales Podcast. Caleb north here. Chad. I'm excited for today. We're talking a little bit about what's worked for you. I mean, just looking at the year, right? I mean, you're off to. And here we are almost coming up to the end of the year, and I'm saying we're off to a great start. But all year you've kind of ramped up and ramped up and ramped up, and you actually ended up passing last year's production. And it's just been this, this kind of acceleration throughout the year to where now we're getting toward the end, and it might end up being your best year ever, simultaneously having one of the worst years for lead flow on record. Like, it's been, it's been bone dry on the lead side and been extremely productive on the, on the production side. And so I, I just wanted to take some time today and talk through what's been working really well for you.

Yeah, you know, how I treat my clients has been working really well because a lot of them are reaching back out to me with new situations, new money that's coming available, and obviously, if I've been really good to them and they trust me, then moving more money isn't complicated. You know, I've had a couple clients pass away this year and the heirs are using me for the transfer of it. And so that's a big deal. That says that. That to me just is. It's kind of like when you have kids and your kids go back to you and say, hey, you know what? You were right. You know, I need some more advice. You know, that's like, wow, I did something right there. Well, when your clients come back to you, it's one thing when your clients kids come back to you, like, hey, you know what you've done my dad, right? And I, I want to use you. So that's been a huge part of the success. I would say the leads have been challenging. And part of that's because I moved from Texas to Colorado, and Colorado is already an established territory. No matter, you know, with my name or not. It was hard to get them to the same lead systems I had in Texas to move to Colorado. I mean, there's one lead system that I've been with for 15 years that I can't get in Colorado because the guy who's doing it right now has an entire state and he's had it for 17 years. And I a hundred percent agree with their concept because this guy's Always bought all the leads and he's been consistent. You know, he's getting older, so hopefully he's retiring soon. But you know, when I look at that, I'm going a radio has been challenging, but that was even challenging in Texas. I mean, even when we go back to halfway through last year, radio just became a massive challenge and we're trying everything we can to get that fixed. I did just get off the phone with someone though, and I'm not, as you guys know, I do not ever do tell where we're getting leads. Tell number one, you're contracted with us, but actually not number one, that's number two. Number one is that I have tested them and they said they have a surplus of leads in Colorado and it's a very well known known organization. Organization that I actually trust and they have a good reputation.

Awesome.

It's just I didn't want to do virtual appointments because they said you have to take the entire state. So I just had this epiphany go, wait a second, I haven't talked to them a while and of course I'll take the entire state. So they told me on average they have 11 surplus leads per month.

That's fantastic.

Well, if that's the case, yeah, that's, you know, two to three a week. And I told them, I said, hey, I got $5,000 a month budget. If you find that we're hitting that, I'll increase that budget. And so who knows, I'll let you know, you know, in probably a few weeks how these are going because supposedly they'll start in the next week or two and that's a big deal. And then of course we're working on our own lead system and then we have the other partnership that we have. So leads I actually expect to not be a problem from here. Right. I do wish the radio would get fixed, but yeah, man, it has been, it's been a challenge. So what's working would definitely be the potential for new lead systems. The high interest rate environment has been really nice. But you know what? It's, it's, it isn't. It isn't. Because I actually think a high interest rate environment is more challenging for annuities in a low interest rate environment. And here's what I mean by that. There are a lot of clients right now that have their money parked in a 5% high yield savings.

Right.

If that was like three years ago, whereas 1%.

I get people moving money all the time. But right now they're going, hey, it's completely liquid I have it and I'm getting paid 5% and it's fully accessible. And I can't argue with that. If their incomes. Right, you know, if their income's met, then you know, that, that doesn't become an issue. I mean, I have millions and millions and millions of dollars sitting out there right now and those type accounts that if we were in a low interest rate environment, I'd actually do better. So I would say working for me is not the high interest rates, it's not the higher payout percentage. We do have a product as of April 1 that has a 25% bonus, 7% roll up rate, and the benefit base. But the index strategies are actually pretty awesome as well. And the payout percentages are high. So I could say that's definitely been working for me.

Support network, of course. I mean, I have an awesome team moving to Colorado and relaxing more. That's been working for me this year. Now, when I'm saying relaxing, I still. It's not uncommon for me to pull a 60 hour work week.

Right.

But it's also not uncommon for me to pull a 40 hour work week. Yeah. And this week, unfortunately, I probably only did a 35 hour work week. And that's because I literally, my to do list was completely gone. Done my calls, I went through my entire, you know, lead. I did everything, I did everything I could for retirement. Realize, you know, I literally was sitting there going, this isn't right. I mean, I should never be to where I don't have something to do. That's why retirement, retirement to me. I don't know if I'm gonna be. I'm gonna retire at 60 and I, I love what I do and I like to stay busy. Will we travel more? Yes. But that doesn't mean I'm, I'm just gonna stop working. I plan on working. One of my mentors, he actually is 77 years old and he still helps all his existing clients. But he did say my client list is getting smaller.

Well, I'm sure a lot have passed away.

Yeah, they have. And so that is, that is the challenge. But I mean, you, you talk to me all the time. What do you think's working for me? Well, I, I will say it's definitely not. The, the looks are going, the looks, looks are going down a little bit and get more gray. No, the gray is money though.

Yeah. I will say you, you have definitely. I've got a few things I think. Number one, I think that the, the joyful you is the real you. And that applies to everybody, right? Not just Chad, not just Caleb, but to everybody, right? The joyful you is the real you. I heard a pastor say that one time, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. And myself, who I am when I'm lacking in joy, I don't like that guy, to be honest.

I agree.

But when I am full of joy, I'm like, holy smokes. Yeah. That's the me that I was created to be. But I think another piece to that, aside from the joyful you, is the real you. It.

I don't know, though. The. The joyful you gets a little wild at times. It's like you can't shut up. The joyful you.

It'S like, hey, you know what? Take it downer a little bit, man. Calm down a little bit. Because it's like. It's like trying. Trying to wrangle a squirrel, you know, just all. There's a nut, there's a nut, there's a nut, there's a tree, there's a tree, there's a tree. You know, that's the joyful me.

Might be the real me, but the, like, 75 joyful me is the best me.

Yeah, there you go.

There you go.

That I. I would agree with that.

Gotta have a little depression.

Oh, that's crazy. But I do think, too, that there's a. An element too, that, you know, the rested you, the energized you, is also the real you. Right? And so if you're run. Trying to run on fumes, you know, needles on empty, it's like you are never going to operate in that place as effectively or efficiently as you could if you were rested. So, you know, you look at this year, Chad, you might. You might have a record year in less working hours than you. Your previous record year. So it's like, well, that's. That's efficiency, and that's what we want across the board. That's what we want for our agents, writing more business in less time. But.

But you know what, though? There's. There's this guilt thing that actually, you fight, too, because I've been in sales literally my entire life, and you and I have talked about this a lot. Who cares what you did last week? What are you doing now? You know, I don't care if it's a record. You still push every single week. And that's. That's a hard thing to combat, you know? And, you know, people that are just getting into the business and they don't have a sales background may not understand that, but there's no coasting when you're a good salesperson. And let me obviously preface this, I'm not a salesperson. I basically present information, a solution to the problem that they have, and they decide what they want to do. But there's still that drive to earn. Always, always, always do more than the previous week. You know, me having a zero week is. Just kills me. Well, unless, of course, I'm in Europe or, you know, on a vacation. Because, I mean, literally, if I'm on a vacation, I'm not thinking about anything, honestly. But I. We can't take big vacations right now because we're building a good sized home. And I mean, every single time I go out there, you know, probably one out of five times, I'm walking through the house and I'm going, oh, we need something here. We need. I just an example. I was driving around the driveway and I go to make the turn and I'm like, I can't make this turn in my truck. We need to make this driveway wider. And, you know, so things like that. So I don't get to do that thing. But we live in Colorado. I mean, it's beautiful. We go up and. You know, you're right. I mean, that's. That's a good point. Caleb rested when. When my wife and I went up to the mountains, just the two of us, on Saturday, that was one of the things I was talking to her about. And she's always good in the balance because I'm going, I don't even. When I was incredibly busy, I felt okay, you know, I felt I had passion, I had drive. And she goes, yeah, but you were exhausted all the time. I'm like, no, I was doing good. If my wife says I was exhausted all the time, I was exhausted. The problem is you feel the drive and adrenaline and so you don't feel the exhaust.

Right. You almost numb the exhaustion away. But it is having an impact. I guarantee you your client presentations, your appointments are far and away better when you're rested and energized than when you're doing them out of ambition and drive. But not fully rested, not fully energized. I notice it on my agent calls. If I'm like, if I've had just a tear of a week and it's Friday afternoon and I'm on the phone with an agent, it's like I can feel that call is not as good as when I am joyful and energized. It just isn't.

You know, the other thing that's kind of Nice, too, with what we do. We're not desperate for.

It's true.

We're not desperate for agents. We're not desperate for clients. It's like, you know, when you. A client today, I literally just told him. He said, you know, I don't think I'm the right fit for you because we're talking about $50,000 here. I've already helped you with multiple things, and every single time, it's drawn out over five, six, seven months for this. I said, if you can't trust me by now, then I think you just need to find somebody. Goes, no, no, I trust you. I said. I said, it doesn't appear that way. You know, I don't need to chase money, and I never have felt that, like, I don't chase deals. If. If you know this by the third appointment, if you're not ready to move, every once in a while, a fourth or fifth appointment. But if you're not ready to move by the third appointment, I just say, I'm sorry, I'm not the person for you. I'm not trying to convince you to protect your own money. I'm not begging you to convince to protect your own money. So when you're rested, you kind of got that.

Just relaxed. It's all right, brah. It's okay. You know, no problem. Kind of like. What's his name? The turtle on.

Oh, Crush.

Crush. Yeah. He's just like, you know, that's the kind of guy I want to be like to a certain, you know, he's just like, I'm going with flow. You know, it's okay. You know, here's a world problem. It's all right. You know, and he seems. He seems. Now I'm using a animated turtle to explain something, but when you have chaos going on around you and you can be that relaxed clients.

Oh, yeah.

You know, I. My pastor told me one time, he goes, chad, we had this weird discussion in our board meeting the other day, and your name came up, and we decided, we picked, if apocalypse happened, who would you want there? And every single person said, chad. And I was like, why? And they said, because you in crazy situations are the calmest person. Like, it doesn't matter. In a crisis situation, you speak peace, you live that peace. When it. It doesn't matter what's going on, you're just like, hey, this is going to. Hey, it'll be okay. We're fine. We'll get through this. And I think when our clients come to the. To come to us in their crisis situation, or not realizing they're in a crisis because a lot of them don't. Right. I mean, when you show someone you're retired at 62 years old, you could easily live 25 years. They're going, wow, I never really thought of that.

Yep.

You know, I could live that long. And so when we're dealing with that, they say, wow, you're pretty calm about that. Well, I have a solution, right. I mean, I have a solution now to any craziness. I'm in a weapons room right now. Literally. I mean, I could pick 100 different ways to hurt someone right now in this room. So, you know, it's like I keep all my magazines loaded. I don't keep my guns loaded. I keep my magazines loaded. And if it needed to go, I mean, you know, Caleb. Oh, yeah, you've been in my office. Yeah.

I don't know very many people that have a 50 pound warhammer just, just sitting within arm's reach of their.

Yeah. And, and I'll. And I'll choose. I'll choose which one based off of the threat level or how much I don't like you. There's. Sometimes it will be. Sometimes there will be worth.

Picking one that takes a little bit of time. Yeah, it's true.

Well, Chad, and hearing you say those things, there's, there's a few things that stand out. It's kind of like the recipe is a calm confidence with no desperation. It's like, it's like there's this, this calm confidence that you carry in your appointments with your clients that now they're able to find security in and kind of buy into that same confidence. Right. So they kind of derive confidence themselves from kind of that confidence that you exude about what you've put together for them, the way that it solves their problems and then also doing that in a way that it doesn't reek of desperation like so many agents, appointment processes do.

Yeah.

You know, the way that they talk with clients, it's like, it makes people run because they, they like this. Oh, it just, it's icky. But you don't have that desperation about it. So it's a pretty sweet recipe there.

Did you just use the word?

I did. Well, you used a green animated sea turtle for an illustration today, so I imagine I can say icky.

Well, as always, guys, I hope this helps you. And as you can tell, I've been getting away with not asking Caleb if he has anything else to say because we're not going to allow it. So I hope you Have a great day, and happy selling.

Sam.