Final expense sales can be an incredible business—when you have the right leads. Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been in the game for a while but feel frustrated with your current lead sources, this guide will help you understand the best and worst options out there.

By the end of this, you’ll know exactly where to focus your efforts to maximize your success. Because let’s be real—leads are the lifeblood of this business, and without a steady flow of quality prospects, you’re dead in the water. Let’s break it all down.

What Exactly Is a Lead? (And What It’s NOT)

This might seem like a simple question, but sometimes the basics are the most important. A lead is just someone who has expressed some level of interest in your product. That’s it. It could be a high level of interest, or it could be the bare minimum—just enough for them to fill out a form or click on an ad.

What a lead isn’t is a guaranteed sale. That’s where you come in. Your job is to take that small spark of interest and turn it into a closed deal. And that takes skill.

You need to answer their questions: Who are you? What’s the company? What are the premiums? Why should they buy from you? The better you are at handling those objections and building trust, the more leads you’ll convert.

The Key to Long-Term Success: Fresh, High-Quality Leads

At The DIG Agency, we often start new agents with aged leads. There’s money to be made in working aged leads, and they’re great for getting your reps in without spending a fortune. But let’s be clear—long-term success comes from fresh, high-quality leads.

A lead that expressed interest today is far more valuable than a lead from five years ago. That doesn’t mean old leads can’t be converted, but your best shot at making money consistently is to focus on fresh leads.

Why You NEED Leads to Succeed in This Business

This business is not built on referrals, friends, or family. It’s a lead-driven industry, plain and simple. And cold calling? Forget it. Nobody picks up unknown numbers anymore, and almost every household is on the Do Not Call (DNC) list.

If you don’t have leads, you don’t have a business. It’s that simple.

Outbound vs. Inbound Leads: Which One Wins?

Let’s define these quickly:

• Inbound leads: The prospect calls you. They see an ad on TV or online, pick up the phone, and call you directly.

• Outbound leads: You call the prospect. They weren’t necessarily expecting your call, but you engage them and start the sales process.

A lot of people assume inbound leads are better because the prospect is making the first move. But here’s the catch—you have way less control over the flow of inbound leads. They’re more expensive, and you don’t control the pace at which they come in.

Outbound leads, on the other hand, give you full control. You dictate how many calls you make, how many people you contact, and ultimately how much money you make. If you can master outbound sales, you will NEVER go hungry.

What’s WORKING in Final Expense Lead Generation (As of 2024)

Let’s talk about what’s actually working in today’s market.

1. Internet Leads (Including Social Media Leads)

This is the dominant strategy right now, and it’s what we focus on at The DIG Agency.

• Facebook ads are huge and work well when done correctly.

• Google ads can work but tend to be more expensive.

• TikTok ads are an emerging opportunity we’re starting to test.

The key is having a solid ad and a strong funnel to collect and process the leads efficiently. Done right, internet leads are gold.

2. TV Leads

TV leads work, but they come with a catch: they’re expensive.

We’ve seen agents have success with them, but the pain of spending $80 on a lead that doesn’t convert can be brutal—especially when a Facebook lead costs $7–$8.

The intent might be slightly better, but you still have to do the same work to close the deal. If you’re going to spend big money, you’re probably better off going all-in on digital marketing.

What’s NOT Working in Final Expense Leads (Avoid These!)

1. Telemarketed Leads (Just Don’t Do It)

Telemarketed leads are a lawsuit waiting to happen. Here’s why:

• Most are generated by overseas call centers that ignore DNC laws.

• If you buy these, you could end up getting sued by a professional plaintiff in a class action lawsuit.

• They’re low quality. Even if you avoid the legal trouble, the conversion rates are terrible.

Bottom line: NEVER buy telemarketed leads.

2. Direct Mail (Too Expensive to Be Worth It)

Direct mail used to be the gold standard, but times have changed.

• A good direct mail lead costs $50+.

• About 25% of them won’t even have a phone number, making them useless for telesales.

• If you’re spending that much per lead, you might as well buy TV leads or scale up your Facebook ads.

It’s just not worth the money anymore.

3. Non-TV Live Transfers (Another Bad Idea)

These are live transfer leads that don’t come from TV ads.

• They’re typically generated overseas (again, DNC violations everywhere).

• The call centers don’t follow regulations, putting you at risk.

• You’ll end up dealing with the same lawsuit issues as with telemarketed leads.

Just avoid them.

Should You Buy Leads or Get Them Free? The Big Debate

At The DIG Agency, we provide free leads to our agents, and here’s why:

• Most agents struggle emotionally with buying leads. They freak out when they lose money, and it messes with their mindset.

• With free leads, you eliminate the stress of financial risk. You start at zero every week, meaning you can only go up.

• You can just focus on selling instead of worrying about wasting money.

Now, if you know how to self-generate high-quality leads (like running your own Facebook ads), then buying leads can work. But most agents aren’t marketers—they’re salespeople.

If you’re new, stick with free leads until you’ve built your skills and confidence.

Final Thoughts: The Key to Winning in Final Expense Sales

Leads are everything in this business. If you’re working with bad leads, you’ll struggle. If you have a consistent flow of high-quality leads, you’ll thrive.

Stick with fresh, high-quality internet leads, focus on outbound sales, and avoid the traps of bad lead sources. Do that, and you’ll be well on your way to success in final expense sales.

Thank You For Reading

Thank you for reading. In addition to growing our team, my company also offers products and services to help independent insurance agents increase their production and profitability.

If You’re Looking to Join an Agency

The DIG Agency specializes in helping agents become top producers selling final expense life insurance 100% from home using our free lead system. We provide high-quality training, expert coaching, and the technology tools you need to succeed — whether you want to work part-time or build a full-time career.

As your skills grow, you’ll have the option to transition into a broker role, where you can buy your own leads, earn higher commissions, and even build your own team — all without any forced recruiting or MLM gimmicks.

If you’re serious about building a real career in final expense sales, visit https://www.davidduford.com to learn more. Watch the Overview Video on the homepage to see exactly how our system works.

If You’re Already an Agent and Want Better Leads and Tools

Whether you’re independent or already working with another agency, we can help you get more high-quality leads and streamline your sales process. Here’s what we offer:

• FE Leads Direct
  Order exclusive final expense leads at wholesale pricing through our done-for-you lead management system. These are the same leads our top producers work every day. Learn more at https://www.GetFELeads.com.

• DIG Dialer
  Designed for insurance agents selling any product, the DIG Dialer helps maximize your calling efforts. It’s the same dialer we use at The DIG Agency and has boosted our presentation rate by up to 300% compared to other dialers. If you want more presentations and more sales, visit https://www.digdialer.com for details.

• Final Expense CRM
  If you’re a final expense agent looking for a field-tested CRM to manage your leads and clients, check out Final Expense CRM. Designed specifically for remote sales, it features Grace AI to help pre-set appointments and automate follow-ups to increase your sales opportunities. Try it for free for 14 days at https://www.finalexpensecrm.com.

Wherever you are in your career — new agent, experienced producer, or independent broker — we’ve got the tools, training, and resources to help you sell more, earn more, and build the business you want.