Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-28
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
A Story 81 Salesnrunship by
Harold Whitehead
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UIELL, I certainly am all up in the
w air tonight! thought that selling
life In surance would be cinch. Per-
haps II is for the fellow who knows how.
and have to admit that I don't know
how. ] trotted into the offices Of the
Magnitude Life Insurance Company this
| morning expecting to be handed bunch
OF instructions and then to be shot out
on the Job. Was shot out? Mike!
! reported to Perkins as Mr.. Goldman
told me to. Perkins is what they call
sales instructor. When l met him I
asked where I was to start work.
Mr.. Goldman will tell you that" he
said, "as soon as you are ready for
work.
Il am all ready now" said.
| Then came the bump!
That Is splendid" Perkins resumed,
with twinkle In his eye. Just to make
me as sure as you are, What Is life
insurance."
Why, life insurance is--well. YOU
well, you sell fellow some life insur-
ance and then you----"
| Don't let me stop you." said Per-
| kins
Well, it's like this You pay me some
money and insure your life--and that
Is life insurance" finished desperately.
HIN! You are quite right-life in
surance is life insurance. Never mind
that for a minute. What do you under
stand by 'pre-approach'?"
] didn't even attempt to answer that.
| "Oh, well. Let's try another tack. -
How would you go about seeking pros
pects?"
We'll. I am assigned a territory and
all that"
You may have some leads given to
you. but a successful insurance agent
doesn't wait for inquiries. Don't believe
In the old adage Everything comes to
him who waits 1t is better to believe
that Everything comes to him who
goes after it
me--wanted to know IL I understood
how to present policy; what was
meant by switching; II I understood
the difference between straight life
and twenty payment life; what ! would
! say to a prospect when he said he would
buy some insurance later on, and so on
without end.
When he had finished felt like some
thing the cat had dragged in.
II am afraid I can't be as confident
of your preparedness for selling life in
surance as you are. and think you had
better GO along into the classroom"
Classroom" I asked. Gee. Do
have to 60 to school to sell insurance. p
"Why-have you left SCHOOL," with
a raise Of his eyebrows.
Years ago.
Him. haven't. The business world
itself Is a school in which you learn
something every day. II you cease going
to school-the school OF the business
world-and cease to learn something
every day of your life in that school
then you are on the toboggan slide to
down and out. Get me?'
Believe me. | got him
Then we entered the classroom where
about eight. other fellows were seated
For two solid hours we were given a
talk on how life insurance rates are
fixed. We were told how the actuary
fixed the rates by studying the mortal
ity tables. I never knew there was
such a thing as mortality table be.
fore.
We were given some printed instruc.
tions when we left, and / have besr
reading mine over. My head Is full and
overfiowing with such words as nc,uary
vital statistics. premiums. reserve. load.
ing-phew! l have some respect for
life insurance statesmen tonight. Believe
me. they have to be on to their jobs
from A to lizard!
Just before we were dismissed Mr.
Goldman, the agents manager, came
into the classroom. He told US tina,
when you are selling an article such as
a hammer or a roll-top desk, you car
show 1t to people, and they can see and
feel IT, 1t is tangible! When you are
selling life insurance you are selling
something intangible. The prospect foi
buying hammer or roll-top desk car
get very definite idea of what he Is
buying. Since the life insurance agent
Is selling something intangible. all his
sales talk must be vivid enough to en-.
able the prospect to get as clear an i'm,
preston of what he Is buying as he
does when purchasing hammer CIR a
roll-top desk. ...
Later, in his talk, he said: "Giver
the equipment mental and physical ther,
Is only one way by which you can make
a success Of selling life insurance. Does
any one know what it is?"
We all looked wise and made a noise
like clam. As Mr.. Goldman looked
at us In turn. each fellow gave an ex
pectant glance at the next fellow.
never saw such a bunch Of dubs doint
an :'after-you- -Alphonse" stunt!
Goldman continued: WELL I will II
lustrate what l mean by little story.
Graham has just dropped into m!
room and wants me to go for wall
before we turn in for the night. so
will tell you Goldman's story, How I,
Be Success" tomorrow.