Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission when you click on them, but this is at no extra cost to you. Read our privacy policy for more information.
I remember years ago when I was taking a college business class, the instructor had a representative from Aflac talk to the students.
His sales pitch consisted of trying to convince as many people as possible to sell Aflac from home.
Back then, I thought it was more than a little scammy.
I had visions of unscrupulous agents preying on the naïve, trying to soak them for every penny they’re worth.
But now, I know it’s a reputable company and isn’t a pyramid scheme.
I also know that what they sell are reliable financial products that’ll help people get through rough patches in their lives.
Aflac pioneered an innovative form of insurance known as supplemental insurance and a creative way of selling it.
They’re true trailblazers!
If you’ve considered selling insurance for “THE DUCK,” read on to find out more about what that’s like.
I’ll take you on a guided tour of the lucrative opportunity being an independent contractor for this company can be.
I’m SURE you’ve seen their commercials, because, at one time, they were EVERYWHERE on television.
There was no apparent way to escape them unless you pulled a Matt Damon and got yourself stranded on Mars.
Wherever you went, there the company was, incessantly hawking their supplemental insurance service to people from Bangor, Maine to Sacramento, California.
And although they seem to be advertising less these days, the relentless blitz of the duck commercials has paid off handsomely for them.
This means they continue to be the biggest supplemental health insurance company in the entire country.
Supplemental health insurance, if you’re not familiar with it, offers services that an employee’s regular insurance company doesn’t.
Some of these benefits might include:
- Emergency room visits
- Short-term disability
- Cancer treatments
- Dental treatments and exams
- Hospital stays
- Chronic illnesses
These are expenses that primary insurance doesn’t cover—expenses that include deductibles and copayments, and all the other expenses that quickly add up after an unfortunate personal event.
Also, supplemental insurance ensures that the employee doesn’t go without necessities such as groceries, gasoline, money to make car payments, and money for rent.
What it all boils down to is that Aflac works closely with companies to close gaps in employees’ insurance coverage.
Aflac has a reputation for paying out these kinds of claims quickly, and one-day processing of them isn’t unheard of.
If you decide to sell Aflac, you, too, can become this kind of strategic advisor to companies and their employees.
Always keep in mind that you’re in business to provide solutions and meet the needs of local business owners.
You should never ever think, not even for a nanosecond, that what you’re doing is a scam.
This mindset keeps the focus of your efforts on problem-solving for your fellow human beings, and you’ll feel so much better about what you’re doing.
Table of Contents
A Brief History of the Company
November 17, 1955, was a momentous occasion in the history of insurance companies.
That’s because that was the day three brothers—Bill, John, and Paul Amos—opened the doors for the first time for their newly incorporated business.
They saw that people were left destitute due to a lack of insurance.
They wanted to help people avoid that nightmare scenario, and in the process, have a lucrative business.
In 1964, the brothers changed the name of their corporation to the “American Family Life Assurance Policy of Columbus,” more famously known as “Aflac.”
The company has met the brothers’ expectations and then some.
It has been wildly profitable, paying out dividends every year for a mind-boggling 34 straight years in a row.
This makes it an elite member of the Dividend Aristocrat Club.
This is an S&P company that has been able to accomplish the extraordinary feat of increasing its dividend at least once per year for a quarter of a century or more.
This is exceedingly difficult to do, and few companies ever manage to pull it off.
Their current shares currently yield 2.3%, which is substantially better than the S&P’s average of 1.9%.
Aflac Japan
Today, Aflac does a tremendous business in the United States, with skyrocketing profits and ever-increasing brand recognition.
However, it’s nothing compared to the business they do in Japan, where sales constitute more than 60% of the company’s total revenue.
Aflac’s Japanese empire is built on cancer, a disease so taboo that even today, many are afraid to utter the very word.
That’s because, for decades now, cancer has been the number one cause of death in Japan.
No one really knows why, but the incidence of the disease exploded in the fifties.
Some say the rise can be attributed to the popularity of Western-style diets after World War II.
Others blame an out-of-control epidemic of amphetamine addiction that swept the country as stockpiles meant for military use found their way into the general populace.
On-duty sentries and kamikaze pilots were regularly provided with this drug so that they could more easily do their jobs.
And, if you didn’t know, amphetamine use is linked to cancer because it allegedly weakens the immune system, allowing cancer to gain a foothold in the body.
Also, smoking skyrocketed after the war, increasing the incidence of lung cancer.
And, as poverty-related diseases were eradicated, people started to live longer.
It’s a well-known fact that the older a person gets, the higher his cancer risk.
So, because the rate of cancer increased at a prodigious rate in such a short amount of time in Japan, fear about cancer ran rampant.
It was both something that was greatly feared, and also something that was taboo to talk about.
In 1974, when Aflac was just starting to explore the possibilities of the Japanese market, the word “cancer” was barely vocalized.
There was an almost superstitious aversion to it.
Even today, many Japanese doctors won’t tell their own patients they have cancer because they don’t want their patients succumbing to hopelessness.
They feel that their patients shouldn’t know.
Cancer is such a taboo subject in Japan that there are even some compelling reasons for people not to tell another living soul about their diagnosis.
For example, horrible as it sounds, lots of Japanese employees got fired over the years for telling their bosses they had cancer.
That’s because there’s a common misconception (and not just in Japan) that people who have this dreaded disease are too weak to work.
Which, of course, is no longer the case—if it even was the case at one time.
The reason why cancer insurance is so prevalent in Japan is that it’s something universally dreaded to the point of it being a bit of a dark obsession for the entire culture.
Also, even though they have national healthcare, this coverage doesn’t cover everything.
So, the circumstances that force people in the United States to get supplemental insurance exist in Japan as well.
These are things like losing wages when an individual cannot work, money to make a rent or mortgage payment, and at-home nursing care.
The Duck Makes Its First Appearance
Before Aflac started plastering the airwaves with cute duck commercials, the company was a little-known player in the world of supplemental insurance.
But all of that changed when, on January 1, 2000, the world was introduced to the Aflac duck.
This adorable commercial was called “Park Bench,” and was broadcast during a college football game.
Since then, the corporate mascot has appeared in more than 75 commercials, helping to make the company a household name instead of an unknown quantity.
These commercials are among the most successful in advertising history.
And since Aflac does most of its business in Japan, it was inevitable that the duck would become as big there as he is in the States.
He was introduced in that country in 2003, making the Aflac brand even more popular there than it was before.
And that’s saying a lot because Aflac has been insanely in demand in Japan since around 1974.
The squawking Aflac duck moved on from his burgeoning fame in the US and Japan to become one of the biggest corporate mascots in the world.
And in 2004, he was even was inducted into the Advertising Walk of Fame.
In 2011, the mascot attained the only kind of lasting fame that truly matters–becoming a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
The runaway popularity of this advertising character caused Aflac’s brand recognition to soar from 11 to an incredible 94 percent in a mere 14 years!
Your Role Within the Company
If you decide to sell Aflac, you won’t work directly for them.
Instead, you’ll be an independent contractor, and your official title with be “Benefits Advisor.”
As one, you’ll have the knowledge you need to help people of all ages, backgrounds, and income levels choose the coverage that’s best for them.
Because you’re an independent contractor, the company won’t (which is ironic considering your title) pay for any of your employee benefits, and you’ll have to foot these costs yourself.
These are things like sick days, health insurance, paid time off, and maternity leave.
But there’s a tremendous upside to this because as long as you adhere to their corporate policies, you’ll be able to run your business any way you see fit.
This gives you a tremendous amount of creative latitude.
And every year, Aflac comes up with ever more ways to make your life as an independent contractor better.
One of these ways is national marketing campaigns.
This puts the Aflac brand at the forefront of the minds of prospects, making it easier to sell to them.
Virtually Nonexistent Start-Up Costs
You’re working from the comfort of your own home, so you won’t have to shell out so much as a dime to rent office space.
Also, because you’re not selling a physical product, you won’t have to purchase any inventory.
Since you are your only employee, you won’t have to cough up any money to pay for staff salaries either.
All of this means as a new business owner, your start-up costs will be virtually nonexistent.
A Plethora of Perks
There are also a TON of perks, such as earning lavish bonuses and being rewarded with exciting trips to exotic locales.
And, an incredibly generous stock contribution of up to 3.5% of your annualized residuals.
You’re probably starting to get the idea that Aflac is incredibly invested in making sure you’re a resounding success at being an independent contractor.
To that end, they’ll also provide you with lots of assistance in setting goals, managing your accounts, and putting together a business plan.
And, they can help you powerfully build your brand by giving you invaluable tips on using social media to establish credibility.
They can also help you generate leads and promote your business so that you have a steady stream of customers.
They’ll also teach you how to prospect like a champ, so you can go into a neighborhood and target those businesses that’ll need you the most.
After a while, this becomes almost a sixth sense—an uncanny ability to figure out where you’ll make the most money.
They’ll also teach you how to forge strong relationships with corporate decision-makers.
This will help make sure your message gets heard loud and clear at the company.
One of the most important things they’ll do for you is to help you navigate the ever-fluctuating waters of the healthcare sea, so you don’t drown.
This means quickly getting you up to speed on every single detail of supplemental insurance.
Then, you can explain it in such a way that prospects fully understand what it’s all about.
This completely obliterates the mind-deadening fog that was an obstacle to you closing the deal.
Your customer will be eternally grateful that you were able to do this for them!
This increases their receptivity to your selling methods.
Everything that Aflac does helps you to more fully embrace your entrepreneurial spirit so that you can live the life you always dreamed of living.
This makes it so much easier to build a business that’s going to stand the test of time.
You’ll find out that with Aflac, hard work really does pay off.
You’ll make an impact on the lives of policyholders by being there for them when they need you the most.
So, prepare to unleash the power of Aflac and the strength of a Fortune 500 company to help you provide your customers with the service they expect—especially during the time of their need.
If you’re a natural-born seller and live for making cold calls, this might be the perfect job for you.
You might even be able to scale to the very top echelon of earners and retire in ten years!
Doesn’t that sound TERRIFIC?
Working from Home—Not Working at Home
You can work where and when you want, as long as you secure a minimum of two accounts each month.
This means you’ll have the exquisite freedom of choosing your own schedule, and when you want to go on vacation without having to run it by your boss.
That’s something you don’t have the luxury to do in a traditional job.
And, if you want to take a week off to volunteer your time at your local food bank, you’ll be able to make that decision on your own as well.
However, you’re not working AT home.
You’re working FROM home.
This means you’ll be doing some of your work tasks within the reassuring confines of your own residence.
However, there will be times where you’ll need to hop in your car to meet with executives in their own offices.
You’ll also be spending a lot of time on the phone cold calling businesses explaining to them how their employees can benefit from the services AFLAC provides.
With cold calling, you’ll get lots of “noes” before you get any “yeses.”
But eventually, you’ll come across businesses receptive to your sales pitches, and eager to buy what you’re selling.
This is immensely gratifying.
Even better, the glorious day will arrive when you do a presentation for their employees.
It helps if you have public speaking skills, and lots of Aflac agents hone this ability by attending “Toastmasters” meetings.
A small percentage of them will end up getting insurance, and at the end of the day, you’ll submit what are called “transmittals.”
Within 24 to 48 hours, you’ll have some of this money in your bank account.
What other job can you just walk in somewhere, enroll a bunch of people, and just like that, make $10,000?
With Aflac, this isn’t just a fantasy—it’s a real possibility!
All Income is Commission Based
As a benefits advisor, the only way you’ll make any money is by commission.
So, if you’re not able to make any sales, your income will be ZERO.
If the thought of surviving that way freaks you out, this is probably not the job for you.
However, if you’ve honed your salesmanship skills to a razor-sharp point at other jobs, you’ll have the skills you need for unlimited earning potential.
You earn commission not only on the initial enrollment but on premiums paid if the policy continues to be active.
You get a certain commission upfront, and the rest is residual, which means you get it monthly.
This means you could be getting residual income years or even decades after making a sale.
When you sell an insurance policy for Aflac, they take the first year’s payments from the sale.
To make it easy, let’s say it’s $100 a month.
They take that $100 a month that a person is going to be paying and times it by twelve.
So, that’s $1,200 per year.
Now, your commission is a percentage of that first year’s annualized premium.
Aflac gives you two options for getting paid.
You can either collect your money upfront, which is kind of like the company loaning you money.
So, if your commission is 30%, that’s going to be a nice chunk of change.
The second choice is to take it as it’s earned.
This means you won’t see any money until the person who owns that policy pays the premium.
You’ll get a percentage of this every time it’s paid.
The second option is the safer route to go, because with the first, if the person cancels his policy, you’ll have to pay back a portion of that money.
The company keeps track of any money you owe in a monthly statement, which can be either positive or negative.
You don’t want your statement to get too negative because you’ll not only have to pay back a ton of cash, you’ll stop getting certain perks.
But before you take a job with the company, you really should have three to six months’ worth of savings.
This will get you through the lean times you’ll invariably have at the beginning of your career.
Why A Successful District Sales Coordinator is Essential
Aflac mainly markets to businesses.
As a benefits advisor, you’ll flit from one to another like some sort of profit-seeking butterfly hoping to get an appointment with an executive able to make decisions.
Getting an appointment to speak to an executive decision-maker is super easy.
However, closing the deal by actually getting to speak to the employees isn’t.
A successful district sales coordinator will help you close that deal after you get that appointment.
He’s an essential component of your success with the company, especially when you’re just starting out.
So, before you accept a position as a benefits advisor in a particular sales region, ask a lot of questions of the district sales coordinator.
Make sure you feel confident you’ll get the support you’ll need from this guy to build a successful business that’ll really bring in some serious money.
Sometimes, it’s quite a professional jump from merely setting up a preliminary appointment to speak to an executive decision-maker to getting that same person to schedule an employee presentation.
An excellent district sales coordinator has been around the block a time or two and will know exactly what to do to bridge that gap.
And then, you can walk across that bridge and into the door of a business.
And once inside that door, you’ll be able to meet with the employees to talk about all the incredible benefits offered by Aflac supplemental insurance.
So, a district sales coordinator is kind of like your wingman or back-up man, and his expertise will be indispensable when you’re having trouble closing a deal.
He can also teach you how to identify those prospective business clients that are diamonds in the rough and, therefore, show the most promise.
Expect the Best and Plan for the Worst
With Aflac, go out there and work hard every day without stopping—even when you think things are going great.
That’s because appearances can be deceiving, and things are never quite as wonderful as you think they are.
You’re going to painstakingly set up an appointment, only to have the executive cancel that appointment the very next day.
And, you’ll have people in an HR department promise that they’ll schedule an employee presentation.
Then, when you show up for it, you find out it never was scheduled.
They could also tell you to come back next month.
And when you do this, they put you off yet another month.
Then, in the end, they forgot they talked to you and sign with another agent.
If this happens to you, you just lost thousands of dollars in commissions.
The point is, you’re going to have to make a lot more appointments than you think you’ll need because a fair portion of them are going to get pushed off or canceled.
You’ll Earn Company Stock Every Year
After one full year of being employed with Aflac, they’ll celebrate this milestone by rewarding you with company stock.
And every year after that, you’ll earn even more stock!
If you ask me, that’s an AWESOME perk.
How Much Money Can You Make?
Some people make up to $100,000 or even more as an Aflac independent contractor, and the average earnings for the top 5,000 Aflac agents are $118,000.
And, you’ll always have cash on hand, since Aflac’s Advance System provides you with a portion of your monthly commission upfront.
However, your own earning potential depends on lots of factors including your geographical location, how many other agents are working in your area, and how finely honed your salesmanship skills are.
If you’re living in an urban area with lots of businesses to target, you’ll make a whole lot more than someone doing her selling in a sparsely populated rural area.
Before you take the plunge and apply, you might want to check to see how many other independent contractors are in the area you’re planning on doing your selling in.
If you have too many agents to compete with, it’s not going to be worth your while.
You can quickly uncover this information by using Aflac’s agent locator tool on their website.
I hope you’ll find that your future territory won’t be overrun with half-crazed salespeople trying to sell everybody and their brother insurance.
If that’s the case, and Aflac insurance is something you want to sell, you can go ahead and apply for the job right at their website.
After you’ve applied, you’ll soon be contacted by a company representative.
She’ll let you know when and where the informational meeting where you can learn more about the job will be held.
Aflac holds these events periodically throughout the year in cities all over the country.
So, you should easily be able to find one that’s within reasonable traveling distance of your home.
These events usually last an hour but can go on a bit longer if there are a lot of audience questions.
During the meeting, you’ll learn all about the company.
They’ll try to entice you to work for them by telling you about all the beautiful things that will come your way when you decide to sell Aflac.
When the meeting concludes, you’ll give them your resume.
So, if you don’t have one, you should start putting one together ASAP.
After they review it and if they happen to think you’re a good fit, they’ll call you back to set up a time for a formal interview.
Keep in mind that they’re looking for someone with superb communication skills.
So, make sure you WOW them with yours.
You’ll also have to convince them that you’re just the person to powerfully communicate Aflac’s brand messaging to prospective customers.
If you have previous sales experience, this will make you more desirable in their eyes.
You’ll Need an Insurance License
If you want to join the elite ranks of Aflac independent contractors, you’re going to have to jump through a few hoops.
One of these is getting licensed to sell insurance.
There are two different licenses you’re going to want to get-health and life.
It’s mandatory in every state in the country for any person who wants to sell insurance to have a state-issued license.
One bright light on the insurance licensing horizon is the industry is moving ever closer towards uniform state licensing laws and reciprocal licensing.
This means when that day comes, it’ll be a whole lot easier for an agent who earned a license in one state to get licensed in another one.
However, even though we’re not quite there yet, getting an insurance license isn’t that difficult.
You just need to know what the requirements are and then fulfill each one of them.
One prerequisite is completing a comprehensive pre-licensing training course.
You can do this in a couple of different ways.
One way to do that is the old school way–by taking this course by attending a brick-and-mortar institution out there in the real world.
Here, they’ll get you ready for the big day with 20-40 hours of general insurance courses, 6-12 hours of ethics courses, and a whole slew of practice quizzes.
This overview of actuarial intricacies usually takes a few days to complete, and it covers every single topic on the state licensing examination.
If you want to go the non-traditional route, you can take an online class.
You’ll take all your licensing courses right on the Internet, which means you can go at your own pace.
However, you’ll still have access to an instructor should you get stuck.
When you finish whichever course you decide to take, it’s time to take the test.
Course topics range from insurance ethics to all the different types of insurance policies to the insurance laws particular to your state.
Just so you know, approximately 50% of people fail their state licensing test the first time.
But no big whoop—if you fail, just retake it.
Most people pass it on their second attempt, so failure is but a momentary blip on the road to your lucrative Aflac career.
The cost of filling your brain full of knowledge and then running you through a rigorous battery of questions to see how much of it you retain?
$400 or more.
This is money that’ll have to come out of your pocket, as Aflac doesn’t pay for it.
Also, after you get your license, you’re still going to have to take continuing education courses to keep it active.
Most state licensing boards have mandatory continuing education standards a would-be insurance agent has to meet.
Having A Robust Professional Network in Place
It also helps if you already have a robust professional network you can tap into.
This way, you’ll have people who’ll be more likely to buy what you’re selling than total strangers would.
This is something that’s going to be especially important when you’re starting out, because you’re going to need an easy way to get clients so you have an income coming in.
Eight Weeks of Classroom Instruction
If they decide to go ahead and hire you, the next step is a little classroom instruction.
You sign your contract, you meet the district team, and then, you’re sent to sales school for two days.
You’ll stay in a hotel while you’re away at school.
They even pay for your meals.
In school, you’ll learn everything you need to know to become a consummate seller.
It’s like basic training for salespeople!
After your two days of sales training, your RSC, or Regional Sales Coordinator, will sit down with you.
He’ll go over a typical day to show you what selling financial products for the duck will look like.
He’ll go over the minutiae of every single policy with you.
After this is done, it’s time for a little experiential learning by doing some door-to-door prospecting with your DSC.
Prospecting, for the uninitiated, means setting up appointments with business owners.
Make it a point to ask a lot of questions when you’re out there.
This will not only help you internalize what you need to know about the job, but it will also impress your DSC.
Essential Skills and Characteristics You’ll Need to Succeed
As an Aflac independent contractor, you’ll be launching an exciting and rewarding career with an almost unlimited earning potential.
But for that to happen, you’ll need to have certain finely honed skills already in your professional arsenal.
However, even if you don’t have these skills, you can still be an Aflac independent contractor if you make a point to acquire them.
Impeccable Salesmanship
One of these skills is excellent salesmanship.
Some of you reading this might think you won’t need anything as crass as this.
After all, this is a business that helps people when they invariably hit a rough patch, and their life skids out of control.
But even though this is true, you’re still selling them a financial product.
If you have zero sales ability, there are always training programs or seminars that’ll help you to cultivate this essential expertise.
You’ll also need to know how to forge quality relationships with every customer, so they trust you and therefore are willing to buy from you.
A Finely Honed Work Ethic
Another characteristic of the very best insurance agents is an excellent work ethic.
Look—this is a highly competitive industry that’s even cutthroat at times.
This means you’re going to need to work your butt off to stay one step ahead of your competitors.
And one of the most challenging, time-intensive things you’ll be doing is trying to continually drum up new customers.
This is INCREDIBLY exhausting.
Do you think you’re up for the challenge?
A Solid Understanding of Human Motivation
You also must be very good at understanding what your customers need so you can give it to them.
So, perhaps a course or two in human motivation might be in order.
Be Willing to Use High Tech Tools
And for crying out loud, keep up with the times.
You might be the most talented salesperson in the galaxy.
However, if you’re not using cutting-edge technological tools to connect with prospects, you’re going to lose out on all kinds of sales opportunities.
That’s because the savviest of salespeople use them to improve work efficiency, keep on top of all their sales activity, and to stay connected with customers.
Nurture the Relationship
Even if a prospect says “no,” touch base with them in a month or so.
Sometimes “no” doesn’t really mean “no.”
It could mean, “It all sounds good, but I have to think about it.”
So, give the employer time to think about it, and then check up on them.
Always Be Nice
Be nice, because you don’t want to burn any bridges.
So, leave your bad attitude at home.
Today’s prospecting might not be immediately fruitful.
However, you could be laying the groundwork for future business relationships.
But if you’re not nice, this work won’t pay off for you.
Be a Good Listener
People want to be valued by being heard.
So, learn how to listen to people, and you’ll be rewarded.
These aren’t only monetary benefits I’m talking about, but emotional ones too.
Be Compassionate
The people who take out the most coverage are the ones that tend to live paycheck to paycheck.
In essence, these are people like waitresses, bartenders, and hairdressers.
Most of these workers are searching for decent short-term disability policies.
Which, due to the nature of their work, they sorely need.
However, there’s a fine line between wanting to help and trying to sell a mom with two kids struggling to make ends meet every policy in the book.
Don’t be THAT person!
Don’t Overstay Your Welcome
Try to be informative, but keep it short and sweet when you meet with an employer.
You don’t want to come across as too pushy, because this will do more harm than good.
Be Energetic and Enthusiastic
As an Aflac agent, you’ve got to be ready to set the world on fire.
And one way to do that is to be energetic and enthusiastic.
Enthusiasm is contagious, and when you exhibit this quality in spades, people will want to buy what you’re selling.
That’s because if you’re excited about what you have to offer, everyone else cannot help but to get excited.
The power of enthusiasm is such that it can even help to compensate for less than stellar sales abilities.
Meet With Other Members of the Local Team
It helps to meet with other members of the local sales team to talk about any challenges you might be experiencing.
Never underestimate the powerful benefits of professional camaraderie!
So, invite a few of your colleagues out to your local Friday’s or some such similar place, and have a little power lunch over drinks to regroup.
Suddenly, that problem you had with a customer won’t seem quite so overwhelming!
Try Getting a Mentor
You also might want to think about getting a mentor.
This is a fantastic way to get the guidance you’ll need to take your selling ability from merely average to transforming it into an almost superhuman skill.
So, find someone who’s already working in a job like what you’ll be doing at Aflac and see if they’ll take you under their wing.
This will help you gain keen insights into the industry and strategies for overcoming the toughest challenges you’ll face as a newbie.
Make Sure You Have A Good Work/Life Balance
But no matter how hardworking you are, you need to strike somewhat of a balance between your work and the rest of your life, so you don’t burn out.
There’s no question that the high-intensity, dizzyingly fast-paced world of selling can be exciting.
However, you can’t devote every second of your existence to your career.
So, make time for your family, hobbies, and other personal pursuits.
This way, anxiety and high-stress levels won’t make your life a living hell.
The Downside
Now, it’s not going to be all lollipops and unicorns when you decide to sell Aflac.
So, in the interests of letting you know what all the things that suck about this job are, I’ve put them all in this one section.
The first thing you need to know is that selling insurance is INCREDIBLY difficult, and the turnover rate is sky-high.
Nearly 90% of agents never make it to their first anniversary because it’s so hard to do this job.
One of the things that make this job so difficult is you’re going to be hearing the word “NO” a lot.
For every twenty-five “noes,” you’re going to get one “yes.”
So, if you don’t already have a thick skin, prepare to grow one.
Also, this job isn’t for those who take a more lackadaisical approach to life.
If you don’t have an intense drive to make things happen and would rather stay home and be a couch potato, this isn’t the job for you.
You’re going to have to hustle to get sales.
You’re also going to be driving countless hours each week, so hopefully, this isn’t something you won’t mind doing.
Often, it’ll feel like you’re living in your automobile, because you’re spending SO much time in it.
You’re also going to making multiple trips back to the same clients, sometimes making 5-6 trips before you close a deal.
This means you’re going to have to have OODLES of patience.
In fact, more patience than you’ve ever mustered for anything in your entire life.
And even if you get an appointment with an employer, it doesn’t mean the account is in the bag.
That’s because even though you might convince the executives of the company that it’s worth it to do a presentation for their employees, you’ll still have to meet with HR to overcome their objections.
And then, you’ll have to convince the employees that it’s in their best interests to sign up.
Often, these employees are living paycheck to paycheck and might not think it’s worth their while to get the insurance.
But luckily, depending on their circumstances, these employees can get insurance for a mere five bucks a month, and an employer will even magnanimously pay half of this measly amount.
So, the insurance you’re selling suddenly becomes immensely affordable for them.
But even this might not be enough to get people to sign up, and you end up with nobody buying what you’re selling.
It’s been known to happen!
And, there are complaints that sometimes Aflac does things that aren’t entirely above board.
One thing I’ve heard is that sometimes, you start out as an exclusive agent for a particular sales region.
And then, later on, the company reneges on the deal and allows others to muscle in on your turf.
Others say the only ones who make any money are management.
So, if you too want to have a lucrative career, you’re going to have to become a boss.
Now, I don’t know if these complaints are legitimate, or merely the grumblings of people who couldn’t make money no matter how hard they tried.
So, they assumed that this would be the same for all the others who gave it a go.
Which, of course, isn’t necessarily the case.
Myself, I don’t think that these complaints have much merit.
However, I’ve never worked for Aflac, so I thought I would let you know what others are saying about the job.
Final Thoughts
Aflac is a terrific company to work for because they offer a solid product that helps people out in times of financial distress.
And no matter how horrendous economic conditions get, people still need insurance to protect themselves when personal tragedy invariably hits.
This means you can fully commit yourself to working for Aflac without having to worry whether you’re going to be out of a job in a few short years.
However, if you want to reach the uppermost echelons of success as an independent contractor with this company, you’re really going to have to work your butt off.
But it’ll be so worth it!
That’s because, as an Aflac benefits advisor, you’ll have the freedom to set income goals that’ll skyrocket you way past every one of your self-imposed limitations.
By doing this, you’ll be creating a glorious future for yourself—and doing it in your own inimitable way.
Also, you’ll be working for a Fortune 500 company that’s in robust financial health, which should give you great peace of mind.
Being an Aflac independent contractor also gives you the time and financial resources to travel the world to enjoy exciting adventures in exotic locales.
There’s also the tremendous personal satisfaction you’ll enjoy by helping people get the insurance they need to weather life’s tumultuous storms.
These are things like people suddenly losing their jobs because the company they worked for downsized and didn’t need them anymore.
Or suffering from a devasting illness that put them out of work for months.
These are things that happen to even the best of us.
You can also be proud of working for a company that contributes millions of dollars to charity.
For example, since 1995, Aflac has raised over $130 million for childhood cancer treatment and research.
They’re also conscientious environmental stewards, embracing sustainability initiatives that’ll make the planet a better place for all.
Ethisphere Magazine has named Aflac one if its World’s Most Ethical Companies every year since the award’s inception in 2007.
It’s the only insurance company on the planet that can make that claim.
Although selling for Aflac is going to be difficult at times, there’s so much inherent opportunity in it that I definitely think it’s worth checking out.
If you have any other thoughts about whether to sell aflac or not, let us know in the comments below.
