Advice on getting new business

I've seen this topic discussed in regards to bail bondsman, but not so much for BEAs. I have been a BEA for two years, and doing investigations for almost six. I'm good at what I do, and have great references. I'm able to pick up criminal and immigration skips. But really getting a break through in this industry has been hard to say the least.

My main bondsman that I do most of my work for has her office two hours away from where I live. And sometimes I have missed work because when she needs someone right this second, she can't wait the two hours it takes me to get there.

I've tried everything I can think of to market myself. I've sent letters to every bondsman in Indiana and Ohio (which I'm sure get tossed with all the other ones). I've walked in personally and introduced myself to bondsman in my local area, and every time I'm booking someone in the jail if I see another bondsman I haven't met before I exchange cards. I've tried emails, referrals, anything I can get my hand on but its hard.

And when you do get a new bondsman willing to give you a chance, they generally give you their dead files which take more time and money than they are worth half the time.

Now I'm not complaining, I love this industry. I'm saving money to get my bonding license (in Indiana you have two diff lic, one BEA and one to write bonds). But its pretty hefty of a fee, and then on top of that add all other business start up expenses....it takes a little bit of money.

I guess I'm throwing my pride out the window for a little bit (which is a healthy thing to do every now and again) and saying....I don't have a clue what I need to be doing to get new clients. Tracking fugitives is what I do. It's what I'm good at. My very first file I had booked in jail within 12 hours of getting the paperwork, and the defendant was in another state. It was considered a dead file. I dont' give up, even if it takes me months on a single case. But when it comes to marketing myself...I'm lost...

From bondsman out there who get swamped with people looking for work...what is it you're looking for? Like I said I have good references and a good reputation...but what would set apart in your mind someone looking for work from the rest? Is it all about networking and building relationships and waiting several years for you to really get known, or is there anything you can do to speed up the process? The other day I was toying with the idea of offering first time pickups to new clients at the cost of expenses only...but I can see that as being taken advantage of, and that would be the only file I'd ever get from them.....any and all feedback would be greatly apprecaited. Thanks for your time.

...bump....hoping for a reply...

Most bail agents are writing tighter bail now. There are many more agents than there were even 10 years ago. Also, many States or Counties are offereing 10% pretrail pre release bail in competiton with surety bail agents. So, the bottom line is there is less bail written by many more agents.

Us bail agents are more careful and ask for collateral more often, even on smaller bail amounts. So we have fewer skips.

When we do use hunters, we pick and chose based on:

References from other bail agents,
References from our surety company
Certifications, if any is required,
MATURITY,
Knowledge of State laws,
Appearance,
Familarity with the AO,
Able to blend into environment, black, latino, asian, etc,
Gut instinct.

Once we have an agent that does good work, why change? If some one comes along and say they will do it for less money than our current agent, we have to think is this person going to cut corners and end up costing us more in a lawsuit? Do you buy your wifes's birthday present @ Wal Mart? Price is not always the most important factor!

Now thanks to the popularity of "bounty hunting" there are thousands of hunters out there. In some States where there is no regulation, hunters are a dime a dozen.

It may just be a matter of that there just is not that much business out there to support the number of recovery agents in the market today. We have had only 1 skip in the last 4 years that we had to go after. Part luck but, a big part of writing GOOD bail. We let the other agencies have the "problem" bonds and watch as they have to pay a SJ or spend time and money to pick up the skip.

I think you are doing a pretty good job there on the self marketing.

Personally I think a lot has to do with luck as well as who you know.

You seem to be in a pretty good area for skips in comparison to where I am. I haven't done a recovery in a while now and there is nothing local available. I really don't feel like driving down to tennesee or kentucky as the gas prices make doing those out of state recoveries too expensive and not worth the fee.

I have started doing ASP Basic Certifications again and just did a couple a few weeks ago.

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