What Makes a Trustworthy Lead Vendor? (+ The KPIs That Actually Matter)
Short answer: A trustworthy vendor shows you exactly where leads come from, proves consent, stands behind the data with a clear refund/replacement policy, and plays nicely with your CRM & compliance. You measure the relationship with a tight set of KPIs—contact rate, appointment rate, CPA/ROI—and improve weekly.
🧭 The Trustworthy Vendor Checklist (copy/paste)
Must-haves
- Source transparency: URL/form, funnel, ad network, and opt-in language.
- Consent proof: timestamp, IP (or device), page, and checkbox text saved per record.
- DNC & litigant scrub options: pre-scrub or provide fields so you can scrub.
- Refund/replacement policy: written, specific (e.g., bad numbers, dupes, DNC).
- Data format & integrations: CSV fields mapped for GoHighLevel / HubSpot / AgencyBloc / Redtail, etc.
- Filtering: geography, language, product (Life/FE/MP, Medicare MA/Med Supp, ACA/STM), age bands, smoker, T65, subsidy flags, etc.
- Delivery speed & cadence: when files drop, how often, age bracket definition (e.g., 7–30, 31–90, 90+).
- Support & SLAs: named rep, response time, replacement turnaround.
- Compliance posture: TCPA statement, opt-out handling, and record retention.
- Trial friendly: small starter pack, sample row before purchase.
Red flags
- Vague “proprietary sources,” no opt-in copy, no timestamp/IP.
- Only WhatsApp/Telegram support, no company address.
- “Unlimited replacements,” but replaces with questionable data.
- Won’t share a sample row or contract terms in writing.
📊 KPIs That Matter (definitions, targets & quick math)
Track weekly. Improve one lever at a time.
- Contact Rate = unique contacts ÷ total leads
- Starting target (aged): 25–40%.
- Appointment Rate (from contacts) = appointments ÷ contacts
- Target: 20–30%.
- Quote Rate (from contacts) = quotes ÷ contacts
- Target: 30–50% depending on line.
- Bind Rate (from quotes) = issued policies ÷ quotes
- Target: 20–40% (higher with FE/MP).
- CPA = total spend ÷ policies
- Drive this down weekly. For many agents on aged leads, $20–$80 CPA is achievable with good process.
- ROI = (commission − spend) ÷ spend
- Attempts per Contact = (calls+SMS+emails) ÷ contacts
- Healthy range: 4–8 in the 7-day sprint.
- Time-to-First-Attempt = minutes from file drop → first touch
- Aim for same-day, ideally <2 hours.
Quick $200 example (aged mix):
CPL $0.75 → 267 leads → 30% contact (~80) → 30% quote (~24) → 25% bind (~6) → CPA ≈ $33.
If your first-year commission averages $300, the model works.
🗣️ What Do Prospects Ask Most? (and how to answer fast)
Works across lines
- “How did you get my info?”
“You requested {Line} info on {Source} on {Date}. I can text the consent details if you like. If this isn’t helpful, I’ll close your file.” - “What will this cost me each month?”
“Two quick options: lower monthly vs lower out-of-pocket. Which should I price first?”. - “Can I keep my doctor / will my meds be covered?” (Medicare/ACA)
“That’s the first thing I check. Tell me your doctor and a couple of meds and I’ll confirm in-network + formularies.”
Life / Final Expense / Mortgage Protection
- “Will my family be protected if something happens?” → “Yes—let’s align benefit amount + budget so there are no surprises.”
- “Do I need a medical exam?” → “Many carriers offer simplified issue; a few health questions may be enough.”
Medicare (AEP/OEP, T65)
- “Advantage or Med Supp?” → “Depends on doctors, meds, travel, and budget. I’ll compare your top 2 side-by-side.”
Health / ACA
- “Do I qualify for a subsidy?” → “Let’s verify household size & income—I’ll estimate your credit in 60 seconds.”
Keep answers short, offer two choices, and move to an appointment.
🧪 How to Test a Vendor in 14 Days (field playbook)
- Buy a small starter pack (clearly aged bracketed).
- Load with clean fields (consent, source, language, state, tags).
- Run a 7-day sprint:
- Day 0: SMS → Call AM → Call PM (VM if no answer)
- Day 1: Email (2 options) → SMS nudge
- Day 2: Call + VM
- Day 3: SMS “1 = lower monthly, 2 = lower out-of-pocket”
- Day 4–7: One touch/day; set appt or move to nurture
- Score every record (Bad #, DNC, Duplicate, Contacted, Appt, Quote, Bound).
- Calculate KPIs + CPA; request replacements per contract.
- Decide: scale, pause, or switch filters/vendor.
🛡️ Compliance Snapshot (don’t skip)
- Keep TCPA proof attached to the lead.
- DNC & litigant scrubs before dialing/texting.
- Include opt-out in every SMS; honor STOP immediately.
- Respect local time windows and log outcomes in your CRM.
🎯 Bottom Line
A trustworthy vendor is transparent + compliant + accountable. Your success comes from a repeatable cadence and weekly KPI review. Start small, measure, then scale what works.
🎯 Ready to work with a vendor that checks every box?
Grab a starter pack, follow the cadence, and judge us by your KPIs.
👉 Get access to high-quality aged insurance leads starting at just $0.25 per lead.
Let us show you how to work them the right way.
Click here to See our LEAD PACKAGES
