Subject: Re: Re: Re: AFLAC - to be or not to be an agent, that is the ?

Comments:
: I think that servicing AFLAC accounts, rather than being a negative, will only open you up to more opportunities to sell annuities, health, rollovers, etc. A lot of leads! : : CC: : : From an outsiders prospective, I personally would not jump right into AFLAC (esp. after just getting my license). Get your feet wet with individual health, disability and life plans before going onto corporate / group sales which is how AFLAC is sold. : : I have looked at the AFLAC product closely, and because of "insurance downsizing," I think it would not be wise for me at this time to market this product. : : During the booming 90's when companies had alot more $ to put into employee benefits, it would have been something to consider. Of course back then, I thought it was "too supplemental" and getting the intial sale of a group plan was hard enough. : : Since the product is sold as supplemental to a group plan, you will have to have knowledge of the more complex group health insurance sale. : : The market is very competitive and the plans don't stay on the books like ind. life or health plans, from what I have seen. : : It's tough to build renewals and you have to service more and more customers as your book grows, taking more and more of your time away from prospecting and selling to new clients. : : And agents are always contacting the clients you do get, trying to poison them on your product. : : Agent : : : : : I have scanned this board looking for information on AFLAC, but have not found the specifics I desire. So, I have hijacked another poster's message and supplemented it will some of my additional question. Hopefully, this will help anyone considering this opportunity. : : : I have recently been downsized out of my job and I am considering becoming an agent of AFLAC. I was hoping to get some help on how one starts out in this field. I hope you can take a moment and answer some questions that I have. : : : Assuming you pass the exam and have a successful prior sales experience: : : : 1. What are the major skills you need to get started? : : : 2. What up-front costs are there? : : : 3. How many months should you plan on for living expenses be before you make money? : : : 4. In your experience, what is the best way to market the products? : : : 5. I noticed you offer other companies besides AFLAC, would you recommend this for someone getting started? : : : 6. How does AFLAC’s commissions compare to others in the industry? : : : 7. On average, what percentage of leads are provided by AFLAC? : : : 8. What is the length of a typical sales cycle when selling to a small (1-10 employees), medium (10-50), or large (50+) company? : : : 9. What type of obstacle does a lack of insurance background offer? : : : 10. What level of support do you receive from district/regional sales coordinators? : : : 11. Describe a typical day : : : 12. How has the current economy impacted AFLAC's products? : : : 13. Any other help you can offer would help me tremendously. : : : Thanks for any and all assistance.

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