Guide
Annuity leads vs annuity appointments: what agents are really paying for
A plain-English guide to annuity leads, live transfers, booked annuity appointments and pay-per-show annuity appointments, and how to judge which one is right for you.
The short answer
An annuity lead is a prospect’s contact details. You still have to call them, qualify them and get them to agree to a meeting. An annuity appointment is a meeting that has already been booked with a prospect for you. A pay-per-show annuity appointment (SeatedX calls it a “seated” appointment) is billed only if the prospect actually attends and meets the agreed criteria.
SeatedX sells pay-per-seated annuity appointments to licensed annuity and retirement-income producers for a flat $1,000 per seated appointment. Prospects have $250K+ in investable or rollover assets, are aged 55–75, and are retired or within about 5 years of retiring. A SeatedX setter calls every prospect and records the call on video, and the agent receives that recording.
The options
The main ways agents buy annuity prospects
Each model moves a different amount of work, and risk, from the vendor to you.
| Model | What you receive | Who calls and qualifies | You pay when | Main risk to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged leads | Older contact records, often sold before | You | You buy the list | Low contact rates, stale interest |
| Exclusive real-time leads | A fresh form fill, sold to you only | You | The lead is delivered | Unanswered calls and unqualified prospects |
| Live transfers | A prospect connected to you by phone | Vendor screens briefly; you qualify | The call connects | Short or unqualified calls |
| Booked annuity appointments | A meeting on your calendar | Vendor | The meeting is booked | No-shows you still pay for |
| Pay-per-show annuity appointments | A meeting the prospect attends | Vendor | The prospect shows up (and qualifies) | Depends on how “show” and “qualified” are defined |
Leads vs appointments
The real comparison is cost per conversation
Leads look cheaper per unit, but a lead is not a conversation. Before you meet anyone, you have to dial, leave voicemails, qualify, book and remind, and every one of those steps loses people. Appointments cost more per unit because the vendor has already done that work.
A fair way to compare any two options:
Use your own numbers. With pay-per-show annuity appointments, the cost of a no-show stays with the vendor rather than with you.
Worth it?
Are pay-per-show annuity appointments worth it?
That depends on your own close rate, typical case size, commission and how much your time is worth. Pay-per-show appointments tend to suit producers who:
- are licensed, contracted and actively writing annuities;
- would rather spend their hours in meetings than on the phone prospecting;
- can take appointments every week;
- have a consistent process for turning a first meeting into a case.
If you’re still building your sales process, or you can’t reliably take meetings, cheaper leads that you work yourself may be the better fit. To test the economics with your own figures, use the calculator on our how-it-works page.
Buyer’s checklist
What to ask before buying booked or pay-per-show annuity appointments
- What counts as a “show”? Is there a minimum time on the call, and who decides?
- What are the qualification criteria? Ask about asset floor, age, retirement timeline and intent, and how each one is checked.
- Is there evidence? Can you see or hear the qualifying call before you meet the prospect?
- Is it exclusive? Is the appointment sold to one agent only, or shared or resold?
- What happens with no-shows and unqualified prospects? Are they billed, credited or replaced?
- How do disputes work? What’s the window, and what evidence is reviewed?
- Who handles booking and reminders? Do you have to run a CRM, or does the vendor?
- Where do prospects come from, and did they consent? Ask about the ad source, opt-in to be contacted and TCPA compliance.
- What are the commitments? Ask about minimums, contracts and how you pay.
How SeatedX answers them
Qualified annuity appointments for agents, billed only when seated
- Seated means the prospect attends and meets the criteria. You pay nothing otherwise.
- Criteria: $250K+ in investable or rollover assets, aged 55–75, retired or within about 5 years of retiring, with genuine intent.
- Evidence: a SeatedX setter calls every lead and records the call on video, and you get the recording.
- Exclusive: each appointment goes to one agent and is never shared or resold.
- Booking, reminders and tracking run on SeatedX’s own software, so you don’t need to do any CRM work.
- Price: $1,000 flat per seated appointment, whatever the asset level (CORE $250K–$499K, PLUS $500K–$999K, PREMIER $1M+).
FAQ
Annuity appointment questions
What is an annuity appointment?
An annuity appointment is a scheduled meeting, usually by phone or video, between a licensed producer and a prospect who has agreed to discuss annuities or retirement income. Unlike a lead, the vendor has already contacted the prospect and booked the time.
What is the difference between annuity leads and annuity appointments?
A lead is contact information that you still have to call, qualify and book. An appointment is a meeting that has already been arranged. Leads cost less per unit but need your time; appointments cost more per unit because that work has already been done.
What does pay-per-show mean for annuity appointments?
You are billed only when the prospect actually attends, and usually only if they meet the agreed criteria. With SeatedX, no-shows and prospects who don’t qualify cost $0.
How much do annuity appointments cost?
Prices vary by provider, asset level and billing model, so compare what you are actually paying for: a lead, a booking or a seated meeting. SeatedX charges a flat $1,000 per seated appointment for prospects with $250K+ in investable or rollover assets.
Who are SeatedX annuity appointments for?
Licensed annuity agents, producers and retirement-income advisors who want booked, qualified appointments with retirement savers instead of prospecting themselves.
Want seated annuity appointments instead of leads?
Book a short call. We’ll check you’re a fit and walk you through how it works.
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