Omar Kange has worked in sales all his life. From 2010 to 2021 he was working at Rocket Mortgage, then Quicken Loans. He had no choice but to go on a medical leave in 2021, and when he returned to work, there was no open position for him to fill. That’s when he decided to become an insurance agent.
Since 2021, Omar has been a captive agent with AAA. He sells P&C insurance products, which are inexpensive for teachers, and very well priced in the market overall.
Selling insurance comes naturally to Omar, who’s quickly gone on to owning his own agency, a big milestone that gives him more financial freedom and more flexibility. He started buying leads from day one.
“There’s no perfect way of buying leads,” he says. “At the end of the day, each lead is a gamble. I just set my budget each month, based on what I'm willing to spend, to win over business and beat the AAA office down the street. I educate shoppers and sell as many policies as I can.”
Omar knows that the most important time frame is 30 to 60 seconds after a lead comes in. During that time, he or one of his agents will verify the lead with a series of questions. “We then dig deep to see what the agency can offer them, if they qualify.”
Omar mostly buys live transfers these days, but data leads have also been profitable for the agency. One of his agents was at one point closing $30,000 a month from data leads, which are a fraction of the cost of live transfers.
“She is very well organized, though,” Omar explains. “Her calendar is booked with time blocks for follow-ups from 8 am to 7 pm. She also sends 20 to 50 texts a day.”
Omar always tells his agents that to do well you must sell yourself more than anything. “We have to help customers save money in order for them to switch,” he says. “It has to make sense too, so it’s important to educate them.
“I recommend explaining to customers why liability limits and full coverage matter,” he says. “We understand if added coverage is more than they want to pay, but they have to consider if something does happen.They need to know what to expect. After doing all that and following up, we aim to win them over.”
Omar’s formula seems to be working because his agency has a close ratio of 30 to 35% with live transfers each month. He’s getting his money’s worth, too, considering that he’s investing over $20,000 a month on leads.
“I set our goals really high,” Omar says. “We’ve exceeded them for the most part. There were people who doubted me at first, though, but I’m the type of person who likes to say ‘I told you so.’ I say it humbly.”
A long-term goal Omar has is to grow his business. “I’d like to add maybe a second location or a bigger office,” he says. “I have 2 years left before I begin that journey. I want to first build a book of business worth $10 million by the end of my third year.”
5 Golden Tips From Omar Kange of AAA
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Don’t be afraid to spend money. Otherwise, you may fail and wonder what would’ve happened if you spent more and did more. It takes money to make money, which is a cliche but it’s true.
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Focus on making everything personal. Make the lead feel like you genuinely care for them. They should feel like they can call you at any time and have your attention.
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Call people back if the lead is unavailable. Most agents don’t call back or don’t answer their phone when prospects call.
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Never assume the lead won’t close. Always do your best and keep following up.
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Educate your customers. Don’t just sell them. Break down the coverages and let them know what they’re paying for. Don’t just give them a price for each coverage.