New Recruit with the Duck

[xrac]

American Income life?
Are you kidding? Am I misunderstanding you?

I am not recommending American Income (seen my post else where) but having dabbled with them and AFLAC I think I could generate some income quicker with AIL. That's all I am saying. They seem to think they have no other alternative but AFLAC.

 

[Labman]

I'm a relatively new agent, going on seven months. Voluntary is a very hard sell. If I were in your shoes I would definately find an experienced broker that will teach you how to sell health insurance and also do voluntary benefits.

The benefit to you is several things. First, business owners are much more apt to talk with you about saving them money on their health insurance which a huge burden on their budget. If a owner is happy with their health insurance then you inquire about voluntary benefits. So in essence you can kill two birds with one stone. My limited experience has shown without doubt that health should be a part of your package. I would even think more about Colonial Life or another carrier than the Duck. The Duck has about the worst reputation that I've ran into. Certainly Colonial doesn't have the name recognition the Duck does, but they do have a much better reputation.

Good luck in which ever direction you go!

 

[legendrider]

Thanks for the post regarding the duck, I have allready made my escape no feathers in tow!

 

[VaDwayne]

Greetings to all, never thought I would be in this business but here I go. I am studying to pass the health,life,accident in texas. Our office is in a rural area with just a handfull of agents. I have tried to find the bad and the only thing I can find is that it will be hard work. My first choice was NYL but they will not hire me because I was disabled and had no income and my credit suffered and we are facing bankruptcy. I was not dishonest but I told them if I had a job that I could pay these people back but it has been hard. any thought

If you are up against it financially, workplace benefits is not the place to be. I started out selling workplace and its a lot of hours for not nearly enough pay. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't have 3 months of expenses in the bank. Checkout AFLAC at ripoffreport.com. Go with a company where you can sell individual Life or Health, you can make as much on 1 policy as you do running all over the planet trying to find a company that doesn't already have the duck.
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I am currently in roughly the same situation as you. I take the exam next Friday, and will start working with the District manager shortly thereafter. I'm not sure I will make money with AFLAC, but I look at it as more of a stepping-stone to something else – a way of deciding whether this is for me or not… because if working for Aflac doesn't make me quit, then I bet nothing will. If I heed the advise on this forum, anyway (and who am I to argue at this point?).

Look at it like this, you will at least get your health and life license out of this arrangement. Aflac has at least helped you in this way.

My credit is not superb either, and this is making my life very difficult. That said, not impossible: I am sure some insurer will appoint me. Until then I will work hard selling what I can.

I would suggest Colonial Life instead of AFLAC. I am licensed with them even though I don't do workplace everday. Ifyou have any questions.

 

[joeboy]

I am not recommending American Income (seem my post else where) but having dabbled with them and AFLAC I think I could generate some income quicker with AIL. That's all I am saying. They seem to think they have no other alternative but AFLAC.

You're probably accurate on that.
Like I'm sure they've done with a gazillion others, Aflac did everything but break into my house in an attempt to recruit. Already busy with others we didn't add them to the portfolio. I believe there are other carriers that offer a better value when it comes to supplemental benies?
With A.I.L I actually began this insurance broker journey with them. My best friend and I were working construction, he finds an add in the newspaper, gets his ins. lic. and then did that for 3 years. He worked himself up to a " co regional manager (or whatever the heck they called him) and, as he is a good "salesman," eventually brought in 1000 - $1500 weekly. Remember, at that point he has office and other expenses to deal with as he tries to recruit others. I came into it with him for the last 6 mos. of his tenure, coded under him with a couple of other guys. We are talking, Sept. 98. He now hocks timeshare. The other friend of ours wasn't made for sales and now is a "computer guy," which I could never do. Again, "Mr. timeshare," as he is affable, is hanging on in these "economically challanging" times.
Maybe if you have a friend or family member that will allow you to drive their car all over the place free of charge ... I don't know. Personally, in this internet age I can't see a whole lot of folks jumping at their offerings. Whole life combined with 10 year term? And not at the best rates either. A.I.L is another one of these companies that recruits newbies, uses the ol "get rich sure, not get rich quick" rant and then tries to get as much out of them (and their car) as possible before they crap out or wake up one day realizing that the carrot they've been chasing is actually plastic and probably made in Japan.
Back in the day, we didn't have these blogs around so, newbies, listen up and take advantage? No one is gonna tell you exactly what to do or hand you over a blue print of their hard earned (by way of experience) current business model, BUT some of us will try to help you not waste time by letting you in on situations such as this.
When I left, I told "BOB" that 6 mos. was just about the right amount of time for a person to deal with his A.I.L. outfit. "Bob," as upper management made over $900,000 that year; we saw his 10-99. He responded by saying, "Did you learn how to sell?" I had to admit to myself later that if you could walk up to a stranger's front door, and pitch to someone 3 - 4 times an evening who probably told "the phone appointment girls" not to send anyone out to his house, but when you got there let you in out of couriousity or awkwardness, and still "pay the bills" under those circumstances, that maybe a career in sales was the right way to go. So, as good a way as any to "make your bones," but as far as long term ...

 

[xrac]

..... A.I.L is another one of these companies that recruits newbies, uses the ol "get rich sure, not get rich quick" rant and then tries to get as much out of them (and their car) as possible before they crap out or wake up one day realizing that the carrot they've been chasing is actually plastic and probably made in Japan.
....

How far did they send you on appointments? They ran me up to 125 miles one way. Finding some of the rural appointments was a lot of fun.

 

[maximas]

If you are up against it financially, workplace benefits is not the place to be. I started out selling workplace and its a lot of hours for not nearly enough pay. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't have 3 months of expenses in the bank. Checkout AFLAC at ripoffreport.com. Go with a company where you can sell individual Life or Health, you can make as much on 1 policy as you do running all over the planet trying to find a company that doesn't already have the duck.
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I would suggest Colonial Life instead of AFLAC. I am licensed with them even though I don't do workplace everday. Ifyou have any questions.

Why do you think Colonial is better? Is it because they do not have the overexposure that aflac has? This could be as much a curse as it is a blessing.

I guess at least if I am appointed to sell Colonial, I won't get the "You are the twentieth aflac agent that has called this week" speil that I have gotten on more than one occasion. Instead, I'll get "Colonial Life, Who the heck are they"?

Still, thanks for the suggestion, I will check on them.

 

[joeboy]

How far did they send you on appointments? They ran me up to 125 miles one way. Finding some of the rural appointments was a lot of fun.

Oh yeah, I remember going maybe 75 mls., but that doesn't surprise me. The rural areas actually, were some of the best days. Probably because, at the time they had not been bombarded, at least to the degree of more populated areas. Again, this was back in 98 for me. So, possibly as your more local areas became saturated ...
It was what it was. There were "nice" experiences with a lot of different folks at the kitchen table. One does comes to terms with whether or not sales is for them or not through such an experience. Looking back, at the time, I didn't know whole life from a mid life crisis; a few times the people knew more about life insurance than I did. I'd recommend someone really doing their research / homework before going out if possible. To me, what happens is; agents are in such a dat gum hurry to get into a house and sell that when they get into one they can't take full advantage because they don't know all that they should know as far as additional product options; whole vrs. different forms of term and Universal, etc. If your gonna go door to flip'n door to try and sell life insurance, have a full box of tools to work with?
Then again, those are basically cold calls; with not so savy blue collar clients who probably wouldn't have the patience to actually try and learn about additional options anyway. And of course, if you aren't moving those substandard A.I.L products, those not so perfect "association" leads will dry up in a hurry and they will send you on to "bigger and better things." Marketing; what a b*stard in a basket huh?
Ya gotta be creative in this. Just put yourself in the shoes of the other guy and figure out a way to communicate what will be in his best interest. Sales will follow. Peace.

 

[stuy119]

Why do you think Colonial is better? Is it because they do not have the overexposure that aflac has? This could be as much a curse as it is a blessing.

I guess at least if I am appointed to sell Colonial, I won't get the "You are the twentieth aflac agent that has called this week" speil that I have gotten on more than one occasion. Instead, I'll get "Colonial Life, Who the heck are they"?

Still, thanks for the suggestion, I will check on them.

Less exposure.

Better training.

Better support.

Better products.

Better "value-added" offerings.

Better broker rapport.

Fewer agents.

More long-term agents.

 

[patch36]

The Duck is a mlm/pyramid scam at best. The only way to make real money is to convince a bunch of other people that they can make real money selling the Duck's products and then have them convince even more people they can make real money, and on and on.

As agents wash out you get to keep their business. One of the favorite tricks is to get the agent to write themselves policies so they get a quick commission check and think they are making money while going door to door selling the Duck.