Bill RiceYou're paying $50 per real-time lead. Three other agents get the same lead. The prospect's phone rings non-stop. Even when you connect, they're confused and overwhelmed. Sound familiar? There's a better way. Learning how to work aged leads transforms this broken economics into a system that actually favors you—the persistent professional who knows how to follow up. Aged leads cost $0.50 to $5 instead of $50+, face zero competition when you call, and convert at rates that deliver dramatically better ROI when you work them correctly.
Get pricing for aged leads in your industry and see the cost difference yourself.
Why Aged Leads Work (Despite What You've Heard)
Here's the math that changes everything: Real-time insurance leads cost $25-$75 each. Aged leads from the same source? $2-$5. Even if aged leads convert at half the rate of fresh leads, you can afford to work 10X the volume for the same budget. That's not just cost savings—it's a strategic advantage.
The dirty secret of lead generation is that 30-50% of leads are never actually worked by agents. They get one call, maybe two, then nothing. When you pick up an aged lead 60-90 days later, you're often the first person to have a real conversation with that prospect in months. The competition walked away. You're showing up.
Industry-specific aged lead economics look like this:
Insurance agents: Real-time life insurance leads run $50-$85. Aged life insurance leads cost $2-$8. At 90% cost savings, you can build a consistent pipeline for $500/month that would cost $5,000 in real-time leads.
Mortgage loan officers: Real-time exclusive mortgage leads cost $40-$80. Aged mortgage leads run $0.75-$3. The buying cycle for mortgage is 3-6 months anyway—catching someone after 60 days often means better timing than the first day.
Solar sales reps: Real-time solar leads cost $60-$150. Aged solar leads cost $3-$12. Solar has a 6-12 month education cycle. Aged leads have had time to research, get past sticker shock, and actually be ready for a conversation.
How to Prepare Your Aged Leads Before Making Contact
Working aged leads starts before you pick up the phone. The agents who crush it with aged leads spend 20% of their time on preparation. Here's the system:
Clean your list first. Remove duplicates, obvious bad data (555 phone numbers), and leads you've already worked in the past 90 days. Use a service like NeverBounce for emails or simply mark records as you work them in your CRM.
Segment by age and interest. Separate 30-90 day leads from 90-180 day leads from 180+ day leads. Each segment needs a different approach. A 45-day-old life insurance lead gets "following up on your recent quote request." A 180-day-old lead gets "checking in to see if your situation has changed."
Score leads by engagement signals. Not all aged leads are equal. Prioritize leads where the prospect:
- Requested a callback (not just clicked for information)
- Downloaded a guide or spent time on educational content
- Started but didn't complete an application
- Came from a higher-intent source (typed in their address vs. clicked a banner ad)
Research before you call. Spend 30 seconds scanning what you know. Did they request a quote for term or whole life? Were they shopping for themselves or a parent? Are they a homeowner (life insurance) or renter (usually lower priority)? This context turns a cold call into a warm follow-up.
Set up your CRM to tag aged leads by source, age, and prior contact attempts. You should know instantly if this is touch 1 or touch 5 when the phone rings.
The 7-Touch Follow-Up Framework That Converts Aged Leads
Most agents give up after one or two attempts. The data shows that most conversions happen after 5-8 touches. Here's the complete framework for how to work aged leads with consistent follow-up:
Day 1 – First Call Attempt: Call between 8-9am or 4-6pm local time (highest connect rates). If no answer, leave this voicemail:
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company]. You requested information about [specific product] back in [month], and I wanted to follow up in case your situation has changed or you still have questions. My direct number is [number]—I'm typically available until 6pm. I'll also send you a quick email so you have my contact info. Talk soon."
Day 2 – Email Follow-Up: Subject: "Following up: Your [product] quote request"
Hi [Name],
I tried reaching you yesterday about the [product] quote you requested in [month]. Things get busy—I get it.
I wanted to make sure you had my direct contact info in case your needs have changed or you want to revisit options:
[Your name]
[Direct phone]
[Email]
Would a quick 10-minute call this week work? I'm available [days/times].
Best,
[Your name]
Day 4 – Second Call Attempt: Call at a different time than Day 1. If no answer, leave a different voicemail or skip voicemail and send SMS instead:
SMS: "Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Company] here. Still happy to discuss your [product] request from [month]. Text back or call [number] if you want to chat—no pressure."
Day 7 – Value Email: Don't pitch. Share something useful related to their original interest. For life insurance: "3 questions to ask before buying life insurance." For mortgage: "How rate changes affect refinancing decisions." For solar: "What financing options actually save money."
Day 10 – Third Call + SMS Combo: Morning call attempt. Afternoon SMS if no contact. Acknowledge you've tried a few times:
"Hi [Name], I've reached out a couple times about your [product] inquiry. Just want to make sure you have what you need. Reply 'info' if you want details or 'done' if I should close your file. Either way is fine—just want to be respectful of your time."
Book a 15-minute strategy call to design a customized follow-up sequence for your specific industry and leads.
Day 14 – Final Email (Break-Up Sequence): Subject: "Should I close your file?"
Hi [Name],
I've tried reaching you a few times about your [product] inquiry from [month]. I don't want to be a pest, so I'm planning to close your file by end of week.
If your situation changed and you'd like to revisit this, just hit reply and let me know. Otherwise, best of luck with your search.
[Your name]
This "break-up" email often gets responses from prospects who went silent. People don't like unfinished business.
The Multi-Channel Principle: Notice this sequence mixes phone, voicemail, email, and SMS. Different people respond to different channels. Your job is to give them multiple ways to engage.
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Watch this complete walkthrough of the aged lead conversion system in action.
Proven Scripts for Working Aged Leads
The biggest mistake agents make with aged leads is pretending they're fresh. Acknowledge the time gap. Make it normal. Here are scripts that work:
First Contact Phone Script
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Company]. You reached out about [product] back in [month]—I know that was a while ago. Has your situation changed at all, or are you still looking into [product type]?"
If they say yes, still interested: "Great. Let me ask you a couple quick questions so I don't waste your time. [Qualify based on your process]."
If they say they don't remember: "No problem—things get busy. You came to us through [source] looking at [product specifics]. Does any of that ring a bell? Even if your needs have changed, I might be able to point you in the right direction."
If they're annoyed or cold: "I totally understand. Just wanted to make sure I followed up properly. If anything changes down the road, my direct number is [number]. Have a good day."
The key is permission-based language. You're checking in, not pushing.
Voicemail Script That Gets Callbacks
Keep it under 30 seconds. State your purpose, offer value, give multiple contact options:
"Hi [Name], [Your name] from [Company]. You requested [product] information in [month]. I'm getting ready to send you an email with more details on [benefit related to their inquiry]. If you'd like to discuss options, call me at [number] or just reply to my email. Looking forward to helping."
Why this works: You're promising to send something (creates expectation), referencing their specific interest (establishes context), and offering two response options (reduces friction).
Email Templates
Template 1 – Reintroduction:
Subject: Your [product] request – still relevant?
Hi [Name],
Quick check-in. You requested information about [product] in [month]. I know priorities shift, so I wanted to see if this is still on your radar.
If yes: I can answer questions over email or schedule a quick call.
If no: Just let me know and I'll close out your inquiry.
Either way—no hard feelings.
[Your name]
[Contact info]
Template 2 – Value-Add:
Subject: [Helpful resource title]
Hi [Name],
Since you were looking into [product], I thought you might find this helpful: [link to guide/article/calculator].
Even if you've moved on from your original inquiry, this might answer some questions.
Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss your specific situation.
[Your name]
Template 3 – Break-Up:
Subject: Closing your file
Hi [Name],
I've reached out a few times about your [product] inquiry. Since I haven't heard back, I'm assuming you either went with another option or your needs changed.
I'm planning to close your file this week. If that's not the case and you do want to revisit this, just reply to this email.
Otherwise, I wish you the best with your [product] needs.
[Your name]
How to Handle the "I Don't Remember" Objection
This is THE most common objection when working aged leads. How you handle it determines everything.
What NOT to say: "Well, you filled out a form on our website 90 days ago requesting life insurance quotes for..."
Why it fails: Sounds robotic, defensive, and like you're reading from a script. Makes them feel like a number.
What TO say: "That's completely understandable—it's been a few months and I'm sure you've gotten a ton of calls. You reached out looking at [broad category, like life insurance coverage], and I wanted to make sure someone actually followed up properly. Even if your situation's changed, I might be able to help point you in the right direction. Fair enough?"
Why it works: Acknowledges the reality, doesn't make them feel stupid, offers help without pressure, asks for permission to continue.
If they're still resistant: "No worries at all. Let me ask one quick question—are you still looking at [product category], or has that changed for you?"
If they say it changed, ask: "What changed, if you don't mind me asking?"
Half the time they'll tell you they already bought (respect that and end the call). The other half they'll say "We just haven't gotten around to it" or "Still researching"—that's your opening.
When to walk away vs. persist:
Walk away if:
- They explicitly ask to be removed from your list
- They've already purchased (respect that)
- They're hostile or abusive
- After 3 attempts and zero response over 30 days
Persist if:
- They're vague ("Not right now" or "I'll think about it")
- They ask questions even while saying no
- They give you a specific timeline ("Call me in 3 months")
- They respond to any touchpoint (even to say no—at least they're engaging)
Measuring Success: The Right Metrics for Aged Leads
Most agents measure aged lead success wrong. They compare aged lead conversion rates directly to real-time conversion rates and get discouraged. Here's what actually matters:
Wrong Metric: Conversion rate in isolation "My aged leads only convert at 5% vs. 15% for fresh leads—aged leads suck!"
Right Metric: Cost per acquisition "Aged leads convert at 5% at $2 per lead = $40 cost per acquisition. Fresh leads convert at 15% at $50 per lead = $333 cost per acquisition. Aged leads win by 8X."
Track these numbers:
- Cost per lead by age segment: 30-90 days, 90-180 days, 180+ days
- Contact rate: Percentage you actually reach by phone
- Conversion rate by touch: What % convert on touch 1 vs. touch 5
- Time to conversion: How long from first contact to close (often longer for aged)
- ROI by source: Which aged lead vendors/sources actually convert
Segment your tracking. Don't lump all aged leads together. A 45-day-old lead from a high-intent source performs very differently than a 200-day-old lead from a banner ad campaign.
When to archive vs. re-engage:
Archive after:
- Clear opt-out or DNC request
- 8+ touch attempts over 60 days with zero response
- Confirmed they purchased elsewhere
Re-engage after 6-12 months if:
- They were responsive but timing was off
- Life insurance during open enrollment season
- Mortgage when rates drop significantly
- Solar when new incentives launch
The beauty of aged leads is the database compounds. Leads you "failed" to convert in Q1 can become conversions in Q4 when circumstances change.
Start Working Aged Leads the Right Way
The complete system for how to work aged leads comes down to three principles:
Economics over ego. Aged leads aren't "better" than fresh leads—they're more profitable when you work them consistently. Focus on cost per acquisition, not conversion rate.
System over hustle. The 7-touch framework beats random activity every time. Set it up once, then execute consistently.
Persistence over pressure. Multiple touches with value beats single aggressive pushes. You're playing the long game.
Most agents won't do this. They'll buy aged leads, make 10 calls, get frustrated by low connect rates, and quit. That's your competitive advantage. The agents who master aged lead conversion build pipelines that produce regardless of what real-time lead costs do.
Get a custom quote for aged leads in your industry and see exactly what volume you can work within your budget.
For additional scripts, templates, and industry-specific strategies, check out the complete aged leads resource guide at Aged Lead Store.
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