Terms, A to Z
Aged lead
A lead that is past the first few days after the person asked about coverage and never got a real conversation. Cheaper than a fresh lead and harder to reach.
AI appointment setter
Software with an AI voice that calls leads, qualifies them, handles first objections and books an appointment with a licensed agent. It does not sell. See Ava.
AI dialer
A dialer that uses AI to place calls, detect voicemail, or speak to the lead. The term is used loosely; ask whether the AI talks or only dials.
Artificial voice
Under the TCPA, a voice that isn't a live person, which the FCC ruled includes AI-generated voices (FCC 24-17).
Booking rate
Appointments booked divided by conversations, or by dials. Say which: the two differ by a factor of 40 or more on aged lists (data).
Branded caller ID
The caller's registered business name shown on the recipient's phone, where the carrier and phone support it.
Callback
An inbound call from a lead to a number that called them.
Contact rate (pickup rate)
Dials that reach a live person, divided by all dials. It varies widely by lead source and age, so measure it per source next to bookings per 1,000 dials.
Disposition
The result an agent or AI records for a call: booked, not interested, call back, wrong number, and so on.
Do Not Call Registry
The national list of numbers telemarketers must not call without consent or an exemption (telemarketing.donotcall.gov).
Established business relationship (EBR)
A DNC exemption that lasts 18 months after a purchase or transaction and 3 months after an inquiry (47 CFR § 64.1200(f)(5)).
Exclusive lead
A lead sold to one agent or agency only. A shared lead is sold to several.
Final expense
Small whole life policies sold to cover funeral and end-of-life costs, usually to older buyers. See AI for final expense agents.
Fresh lead
A lead that has just come in, usually from a form or a reply card.
Internal do-not-call list
A company's own list of people who asked not to be called. Telemarketers must keep one and honor it.
IUL
Indexed universal life insurance. See AI for IUL agents.
Live transfer
Passing a call from a setter or AI to a licensed agent while the lead is still on the line.
Mortgage protection
Life insurance sold to homeowners to pay the mortgage if they die. See AI for mortgage protection agents.
No-show
A booked appointment the lead didn't attend.
Number pool
A set of phone numbers a dialer rotates through so no single number carries too many calls.
Opt-out (revocation)
A lead withdrawing consent to calls or texts, which they can do by any reasonable means (FCC 24-24).
Power dialer
A dialer that calls one lead at a time for a rep and moves to the next automatically. See the Polca Power Dialer.
Predictive dialer
A dialer that calls several numbers per rep and connects whoever answers. Abandoned calls are limited to 3% of answered calls per campaign over 30 days (47 CFR § 64.1200(a)(7)).
Prior express written consent (PEWC)
A signed written agreement, electronic signatures included, in which a person agrees to telemarketing calls using an artificial or prerecorded voice or an autodialer from a named seller (47 CFR § 64.1200(f)(9)).
Reassigned number
A phone number that has moved to a new person since the lead gave it. The FCC runs a Reassigned Numbers Database.
Show rate
Appointments kept, divided by appointments booked.
Speed to lead
Time from a lead coming in to the first call. See speed to lead for life insurance.
STIR/SHAKEN
The caller-ID authentication framework US carriers use to sign calls, with attestation levels A (full), B (partial) and C (gateway).
TCPA
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the federal law on telemarketing calls, autodialers, artificial voices and texts (47 U.S.C. § 227).
Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR)
The FTC's rule on telemarketing, including the Do Not Call Registry and calling hours (16 CFR Part 310).
Voicemail drop
Leaving a prerecorded voicemail message. A prerecorded message is an artificial-voice call under the TCPA, with the same consent rules.
Common questions
What is PEWC in life insurance calling?
Prior express written consent: a signed written agreement, electronic signatures included, to receive telemarketing calls using an artificial or prerecorded voice or an autodialer from a named seller. AI voice calls need it for telemarketing to cell phones.
What is the difference between a power dialer and a predictive dialer?
A power dialer calls one lead at a time for a rep who is ready. A predictive dialer calls several at once and connects whoever answers, which risks abandoned calls.
What is a good contact rate for life insurance leads?
It depends on the list, and fresh leads answer far more often than aged ones. Measure it per lead source and per caller ID number, and judge a list by bookings per 1,000 dials, not pickups.
Sources
- 47 U.S.C. § 227 (Telephone Consumer Protection Act)
- 47 CFR § 64.1200 (FCC telemarketing and robocall rules)
- 16 CFR Part 310 (FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule)
- FCC Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17 (AI-generated voices are “artificial” voices under the TCPA), released Feb. 8, 2024
- FCC Report and Order FCC 24-24 (revoking consent by any reasonable means), Feb. 16, 2024
- National Do Not Call Registry for telemarketers
- FCC Reassigned Numbers Database
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and rules change; check the sources and talk to your own counsel.
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