"Are the leads good?" is the wrong question. The right one is: *which type of lead fits my budget, my product, and my skill?* Here's an honest comparison of the main options.
Exclusive leads
Sold to one agent only — you. No competition, highest contact and close rates, and the prospect isn't getting called by five other agents.
- Cost: highest per lead.
- Best for: agents who can work leads fast and close well, and want the best shot per contact.
- Watch for: "exclusive" claims that aren't — buy from sources that truly sell once.
Shared leads
Sold to multiple agents (often 3–5). Cheaper, but you're racing competitors, so speed-to-lead is everything — the first agent to call usually wins.
- Cost: lower per lead.
- Best for: agents with a dialer and the discipline to call within minutes.
- Watch for: lower contact rates and prospects annoyed by repeated calls.
Aged leads
Leads that are weeks or months old, sold cheaply in bulk. Contact rates are lower and interest has cooled, but the price is so low that volume can make the math work.
- Cost: lowest per lead.
- Best for: high-activity agents who'll dial big volume and don't mind a lower hit rate.
- Watch for: you'll dial a lot to find the buyers — this is a numbers game.
Live transfers
A call center pre-qualifies the prospect and transfers a live, interested person to your phone. The highest-intent option — you're talking to someone ready to discuss coverage right now.
- Cost: high (you're paying for the qualification work).
- Best for: closers who want maximum selling time and minimum dialing.
- Watch for: transfer quality varies by vendor; a bad transfer partner wastes money fast.
So which should you buy?
- New and building skill? A mix of shared and aged leads gives you reps without breaking the bank — you'll talk to a lot of people and learn fast.
- Strong closer, limited time? Exclusive leads and live transfers maximize your return per hour.
- Everyone: whatever you buy, work it fast. Speed-to-lead beats lead type more often than agents admit.
The hidden cost: no system
The cheapest leads are expensive if you can't work them. Without a dialer and CRM, you'll dial slowly, forget follow-ups, and let paid leads go cold. A good agency solves this by pairing affordable leads with the tools (and often live inbound calls) to work them.
The takeaway
There's no "best" lead type — there's the best fit for your budget and skill. Buy the type you can actually work, work it fast, and pair it with a dialer and CRM so no paid lead dies in a spreadsheet.
Want cheaper leads *and* live inbound calls *and* the dialer to work them? Apply to Bridgepoint. Go deeper in best insurance leads for agents.