Find prospects with help of courthouse

Finding potential clients in the courthouse is no different from looking through the local newspaper for wedding or birth announcements. The key is knowing where to look.

I concentrate on the charter book, partnership book and grantee book.

All an agent need do is go to the clerk’s office and ask for one book, or all three if the agent plans to stay all day.

When I use the charter book or partnership book, I seldom use records more than five years old. The charter book gives me all corporations that were formed during a specific year. This enables me to work the annuity market. Individuals often form corporations to save on taxes.

The partnership book enables me to work on buy-sell agreements.

I use the grantee book for homeowner’s expiration dates and mortgage protection. The grantee book gives me the closing date, so the insured obviously had to have insurance at that time. I mark my calendar 30 days ahead of the anniversary of the purchase date, so I can quote on homeowner’s protection.

Now what do I do with those names? First, I mail a pre-notification letter introducing myself, explaining whom I represent, and telling how I might assist the prospect. I mention tax-deferred annuities, buy-sell agreements, homeowner’s insurance, etc.

I wait about three days before I call, then simply say, “I’m following up on my letter and would appreciate setting a convenient time we could get together.”