Whenever someone has suggested that I sell their product, I would quickly make a change in conversation. I have always had the (mis)understanding that a person must be pushy, bold, without conscious or money hungry to be in sales. Let's face it, a sales position is not for someone with true integrity, Right? How on earth could you sell a product to someone KNOWING it is not beneficial or very overpriced? I sure couldn't. I needed to look at myself in the mirror each day, therefore sales was not for me.
Nothing has changed as far as my conviction of sales. What HAS changed is my understanding of selling.It all changed the day I received a phone call from an insurance company that stated they had seen my resume online and requested that I come in for an interview. After some serious thought coupled with questioning the whole 'me in sales' thing, I decided to go for the interview. Driving to the interview, I asked myself 'What am I doing? How could I possibly even think of selling something with my adamant dislike of direct sales?'. I decided that since I had given my word to appear, I would go through the interview process and then decline any offers in sales. After all, I didn't and couldn't be one of those pushy, bold sales people". It just wasnt my style.During the interview, it suddenly occurred to me, it was not SALES that I disliked but the peddling of a product that I did not support or believe in.  I was not interested in selling my soul in order to make a sale.  The day after my interview, it all fell into place for me. Call it an epiphany, but I knew I COULD sell. I had found the product. Having owned an Aflac policy when my first daughter was born, I had first hand experience of the fast payout and assistance the cash benefits provided to my family. I became a believer in Aflac then and have remained one for years. I have often said, "If I could sell anything..it would be Aflac...that's good stuff". Not a week goes by that I do not hear a testimony stating how Aflac came through in a time of need, or how someone's loved one needed Aflac but unfortunately did not have it. I become more passionate with each testimony.
So, what do I think of sales now?..... I know the greatness of our company and it's products, and assisting great people when they need it the most... makes me proud of what I do.  It is my duty to encourage all to be proactive in preventing a financial hardship should a major illness or sickness occur. You know you are in a career that feels right when "selling a product" translates to "preventing financial hardship"....and you do not have to sell your soul to sell a product.