Tuesday, September 8, 2009

The Real First Post.

So, I've decided on what I want my blog to be about. Not too long ago I was contacted by Aflac to come in for an interview. They wanted me to be an agent for them. This is going to be my blog on my entire experience with Aflac. This will be valuable for all those out there who think that this might be for them and also to put to rest any  nay-sayers who have negative opinions about the whole thing.

First off, let me back up and give you some background information on what led me up to this point.

I was working with a security company called Platinum Protection. I was recruited initially by one of my friend's husbands to be a technician. I was the guy who'd be installing the security systems in people's homes.

Platinum operates mainly on a Summer Season model, work REAL hard from May through August and then take it easy for the rest of the year. Sounded nice, the idea of making $20k in a 4 month span of time, and it was! Yeah it was hard work, started the day off with a 9:00 am meeting and finished some times as late as 2:00 in the morning or later!

The job became routine and much easier, I was eventually to the point where I could put in a wireless Simon XT system from GE in 40 minutes or so, but the only thing I couldn't control were the number of sales that were coming in that had to be installed, so I was still out late every night.

I began thinking, "Man, those sales reps work less hours, make WAY more money, and always do all kinds of cool stuff. I want that!" I started to become resentful more and more as they made it clear that we were definitely not to be included among their circle.

After the summer I signed on for the "off season" to service existing accounts when they have problems and install sales from call-ins. It was great! I was living in a $1,300 month apartment right smack in the best possible location in Sunrise, FL. I was pulling in a minimum of $600 a week on top of that, often times making near $1,000 per week. Life was great!

Until mid-February when some idiot rammed into the back of me at 50 miles an hour or so after I just finished up for one evening. I was at a complete stop waiting for the ding dong driver in front of me to make up his mind on what he wanted to do when I saw the head lights come flying at me in the rear view mirror.

Needless to say, I was put out of commission. I suffered a broken rib, sheared a joint in my neck, and a compressed disk in my lower back. It sucked.

I couldn't do my job, I had ridiculous bills to pay with no income coming in, I quickly racked up some major debt and ended up moving into my in-law's house 6 hours north. There I sat until April when I was able to get up and moving around.

Geico can suck it.

I got in contact with a sales manager I knew in the Tampa Office which was about 90 minutes south of me and asked him if he would consider me to join his sales team. He's was great and loved my enthusiasm and said sure come right on ahead. I was given a sales script, told to use it word for word, got a couple hours of shadowing in with my sales manager (who sold the only two doors he knocked on making it look SUPER easy), and then was on my own the very next day.

It was rough! I had never done anything akin to door-to-door sales before and I was extremely nervous. Eventually later that day, either from luck or pity, I managed to make a sale. I couldn't believe it went through as nervously fidgety and unknowledged I was. I was walking on air!

I didn't have the same luck every day though. In fact, I think I only made 5 sales that entire month. They said it wasn't so bad for a newbie and things would eventually "click" and I'd have no trouble making one a day.

Never happened. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get the sales like everyone else it seemed. I wanted to be one of the ones pulling over $100k a year. My manager was rumored to be looking at between $700k - $1M with all his over-rides and personal sales. I started to feel sick about the whole thing.

To cut this story short, I couldn't live on what I was selling and it got to the point where I had just enough money to move from the Summer Office to my parent's house over in Ohio.

There my dad agreed to let me do his estimates for his concrete business (johnnysconcrete.com, I made the website from scratch! :-) ) and that became my short term income as I blasted the web with my resume.

Cutting the story short again, I unexpectedly got a call from Aflac inviting me to an interview with Michael Reber, the RSC in the area. I was told that they had viewed my resume and thought I had enough of a qualification to join the team.

I truly had fallen in love with sales when I was studying Brian Tracy, and enjoyed the thrill of cold calling when doing door-to-door, the personal relationships made when completing estimates for my dad's business and watching their yard be transformed by a new patio or driveway. Sales was for me. I knew it. I couldn't explain it, but it felt like my calling.

I immediately accepted the interview offer. To be honest, I had no idea what Aflac actually did when I decided to go for it, I just knew it was some kind of insurance.

Michael Reber is probably the coolest guy I know. Charismatic, killer suits, and he could probably sell me anything i wouldn't ever want or need.

During my second interview with him he told me about how well he had managed to do with as young as he was when he first started with Aflac. He talked about how tough it was, how people begged him to quit and get a "real job", and how at one point he had to either decide between a couple gallons of gas for the car or food. Then he told me about because of his persistence and hard hard work he was finally able to tell all the faces telling him to quit to SHUT UP because he was then making more money than they, and how he set many company records, for his age. He began his Aflac career at age 23. I'm age 22. In my brain something sparked a competitive fuse in awe of this man. I had to beat this guy's records. If he could do it, I can do it. I would learn everything I possibly could from him and those around me and use every advantage I could find to put my mark out there.

It was go time. He told me later that my age concerned him but he was willing to give me the chance because of my enthusiasm and determination. He gave me a list of things to do before I could actually start working, even though he was hiring me.

Step one: Get finger printed for a background check. Done, $40.

Step two: Register and participate in a pre-licensing course. Done, $245.

Step three: Take state exam for Life, Accident and Health. Done, scored 90 90 88 76. $74

Step four: Submit application to the state. Done, $5.

Total amount spent in licensing for the state: $364
Keep in mind, not a penny of this went towards Aflac, it was all required for the state license.

So where am I at right now? I just met with my DSC today to put together my calendar with necessary training by Aflac and by Michael, my RSC. Then we set up a schedule to go out tomorrow and do some of my first Aflac prospecting. I'm hoping to pick up a lot to use for myself when I'm out there rockin' it.

Wish me luck!

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