Should I be a salesman?
I've been pondering a career change.
For twenty five years, ever since I broke in with old Bay State Health Care, I've been a claims guy. I've done it all, from head-down data processing, to customer service, running teams, overseeing transactions, managing for a while, leading to the EDI Analyst role that I recently was separated from. It's been great, I have a ton of contacts throughout the industry.....but I've always been working for "the man".
In the past two weeks, I've been to a couple of remarkable sales presentations for AFLAC and Health Markets. One you know, one you probably don't. It's a huge market here in Massachusetts...both companies have about a 6% penetration rate at this time, so that translates into a 94% potential market. One company stated they're overwhelmed with business and can't keep up right now.
It strikes me as a good time to leap. The income potential is there of course...but there's a downside. Both places are comsission only. I've been told we can continue to collect uninsurance until I start seeing some money come it, but for how long? UI is only a safety net; it's not meant to be lived on. Can we do it for 30, 60, 90 days until I see things start to come in?
Even more importantly, can I do it? Several people who I trust implicitly have told me recently that they think I have the personality and the wherewithal to give it an honest try. But this is the thing I worry most about. I don't have any issue cold-calling after all (I thought that would be my big hangup), but after reading some of the prepared scripts, it strikes me as something I could easily do. It's actually the "walk on" that's giving me pause this evening. Can I just walk into a business, hand over my card, and get an appointment? I don't know.
I've conned some people into being Scout Leaders (a hard sell if there ever was one), and I've been fortunate to gain vast experience is presenting to VIPs and potential clients at my last job, but I wasn't dependent on making the sale; we were just part of a vast team helping the sales guys.
I have to approach this as if my life depended on it, because it does. If I don't sell, we don't eat; it's that simple. I'm reading and pondering much about this. I've done the intellectual exercises and I believe I can do this. I need to follow my heart.
But Friday afternoon, I got a strong lead at Dana Farber; and perhaps that's where my heart lies. I've already told Maria that the allure of working for one of the Big Five downtown would make me back out of sales.
I don't know what the future will bring....but I hope to have something decided by the end of next week.
For twenty five years, ever since I broke in with old Bay State Health Care, I've been a claims guy. I've done it all, from head-down data processing, to customer service, running teams, overseeing transactions, managing for a while, leading to the EDI Analyst role that I recently was separated from. It's been great, I have a ton of contacts throughout the industry.....but I've always been working for "the man".
In the past two weeks, I've been to a couple of remarkable sales presentations for AFLAC and Health Markets. One you know, one you probably don't. It's a huge market here in Massachusetts...both companies have about a 6% penetration rate at this time, so that translates into a 94% potential market. One company stated they're overwhelmed with business and can't keep up right now.
It strikes me as a good time to leap. The income potential is there of course...but there's a downside. Both places are comsission only. I've been told we can continue to collect uninsurance until I start seeing some money come it, but for how long? UI is only a safety net; it's not meant to be lived on. Can we do it for 30, 60, 90 days until I see things start to come in?
Even more importantly, can I do it? Several people who I trust implicitly have told me recently that they think I have the personality and the wherewithal to give it an honest try. But this is the thing I worry most about. I don't have any issue cold-calling after all (I thought that would be my big hangup), but after reading some of the prepared scripts, it strikes me as something I could easily do. It's actually the "walk on" that's giving me pause this evening. Can I just walk into a business, hand over my card, and get an appointment? I don't know.
I've conned some people into being Scout Leaders (a hard sell if there ever was one), and I've been fortunate to gain vast experience is presenting to VIPs and potential clients at my last job, but I wasn't dependent on making the sale; we were just part of a vast team helping the sales guys.
I have to approach this as if my life depended on it, because it does. If I don't sell, we don't eat; it's that simple. I'm reading and pondering much about this. I've done the intellectual exercises and I believe I can do this. I need to follow my heart.
But Friday afternoon, I got a strong lead at Dana Farber; and perhaps that's where my heart lies. I've already told Maria that the allure of working for one of the Big Five downtown would make me back out of sales.
I don't know what the future will bring....but I hope to have something decided by the end of next week.
posted by Unknown at
21:43
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