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December 2001
So You’re Thinking of Becoming an Agent!
by Bert Holtje
Personal Freedom
The goal of personal freedom looms large in most conversations we have with agents. Many of them either see that they can go no further in the company that employs them, or they see that the company is not doing
things the way they feel they should be done.
In the latter case, an agent who has only recently started his firm said, “The company that employed me for many years was acquired by a holding company with ideas that were not in my opinion right, or even
effective. They were a completely bottom-line company, one that had no feel whatsoever for customer relations. The rules that they issued would, I knew, sooner or later kill off enough sales so that the company
would be in trouble. And I knew that when this happened, it wouldn’t be the rules, but the failure of us in marketing to use them effectively that would be blamed. In short, the handwriting was on the wall. Who
wants to be part of something like that? Not me!
“So, here I am, the proud and somewhat scared owner of a new agency. But at least I know that control is mine. If I mess up, I have no one to blame. When I succeed, I can take the credit. But, it’s more than a
question of credit. It’s a question of not having to rely on other people. I know this sounds a bit paranoid, but there have been times in my corporate career when my work and ideas have been scotched by others
mainly for personal reasons. Now, I don’t have to deal with that.”
Many of the agents we talked with had similar feelings. They all agreed that money was important, but most felt that it wasn’t the most important thing in their life. As one agent put it, “I have always been able to
make good money in my life; when I was starting out and during my growth. And even today, if I wanted to, I could probably make more in salary than I’m taking out of the agency. But, I want more than that. I guess
you can call it personal growth, or whatever.”
Next month, read about the future of the agency business.
Age
by Ken Benjamin
The next consideration to evaluate is your present age. I know there are times you think age is a barrier, but in our business it certainly is not, to a point.
I confess to a personal philosophy, however, that an individual is not ready to become a sales captain of industry until he or she is approximately 35 years of age, give or take a couple of years. I’m now old enough
to have spent a substantial amount of time observing my own progress and the business progress of my successful contemporaries.
I base this bias on the fact that after you wrap up all the education you have received, both formal and informal, plus the variety of work experiences, the relationships, cruelties, responsibilities, surprises,
successes and the joys of life, along with a mountain of obligation and frustration, it seems to me that at about 35 years of age a level of maturity and self-confidence sets in that allows you to increase your
positive judgment factor tenfold. Where do you fit into the age bracket? Are you in your early 20s, just out of school? Are you an individual about 35 who thinks he or she is at a career dead end, or perhaps someone
who is 50+ whose current employer thinks you’re over the hill? Even after suggesting that 35 is a neat age, I’ve helped all age groups and can assure you that there is no problem once you identify what your sales
career goal is and where you fit into the pattern of entry.
Given a lot of hard work, good principals to represent, proper timing, and some luck, you can anticipate approximately 23 years from your current age to begin to enjoy true financial success.
Starting your sales agency from scratch assures there is no easy or quick way to expedite the process of selling on a straight commission basis. Do you want to drop out here or keep going? Again, if you stop and
proceed no further, this guide has been worth both our time and effort.
Next month, read about the financial concerns involved in starting a manufacturers’ agency.
This article is excerpted from Make Your Future Happen, Ken Benjamin’s definitive guide to starting an agency. To order your copy, call MANA toll-free at (877) 626-2776 today!
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