Just for a little perspective
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  1. #1
    Senior Member Reputation points: 18667 jdlaw's Avatar
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    Just for a little perspective

    Some say this industry is hard. I haven't really found that true. Any semi-intelligent person, with a good work ethic and a little training can make money,
    maybe not get rich, but do fine.

    So to put things in perspective, what was your first job in sales.

    Mine: Sold cancer policies door to door in rural areas in the early '80's.
    You know the drill. Meet at the office, they put you in a van with others, drop you off at your corner,
    everyone meets back at the 7/11 at lunch.

    You?
    You either win or you learn. The only failure is in quitting.

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdlaw View Post
    Some say this industry is hard. I haven't really found that true. Any semi-intelligent person, with a good work ethic and a little training can make money,
    maybe not get rich, but do fine.

    So to put things in perspective, what was your first job in sales.

    Mine: Sold cancer policies door to door in rural areas in the early '80's.
    You know the drill. Meet at the office, they put you in a van with others, drop you off at your corner,
    everyone meets back at the 7/11 at lunch.

    You?
    Been in sales for some time like most on this forum - college nightlife events, promotional products, smart home/alarm systems, etc. The smart home/alarm systems were by far the most difficult but the experience was the most rewarding. We would drive/fly to a random city during the summer for 4 months and knock door-to-door 6 days a week 10-12 hours per day. Very similar to you we'd be in a car group, get dropped off, and get picked up later that night, could be midnight sometimes before we all got back home. It was definitely one of the hardest things I did in sales but I finished top in my region that year, propelled my life and career forward, and got started in MCA/commercial finance right after. I more than likely wouldn't have been approached with the opportunity to get into the finance industry if it wasn't for the hustle, grind, and success during my door-to-door days.
    Last edited by rdgllc; 09-27-2018 at 01:33 PM.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Reputation points: 18667 jdlaw's Avatar
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    I call them my trial by fire days. Galvanizing. Knock on a door. Take them to a memory of someone in the family or friends that died of cancer. Get a signature and a check before leaving. If you can do that, you can do just about anything in sales.
    You either win or you learn. The only failure is in quitting.

  4. #4
    Karen37a
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    I started with girl scout cookies door to door. I had a mother who was a real estate agent for Harry Helmsley ( Helmsley -Spear) who owned most of Manhattan back then. My father was an international banker so I heard Finance my whole life.

    80s Ballys jackla lanne total fitness then off to wall st as a stockbroker


    Back then If you wanted to recruit people you took people in that same van ...dropped them off in a mall flea market or even a bar restaurant and said you have 15 minutes to introduce yourself to 5 people and get their business cards and a phone number ...if you can't do it ..this business is not for you....readddyyy go.

    Or phone sales someone threw a telephone book across the room almost hitting you in the head saying ....find clients by the end of the week or you are fired

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdlaw View Post
    I call them my trial by fire days. Galvanizing. Knock on a door. Take them to a memory of someone in the family or friends that died of cancer. Get a signature and a check before leaving. If you can do that, you can do just about anything in sales.
    Yep. Transitioning into a stranger's home within 5 minutes and an alarm being installed literally 30-60 minutes later - what an experience.

  6. #6
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    I’ve honestly never been in sales. Not in any real way, at least.

  7. #7
    Karen37a
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdlaw View Post
    I call them my trial by fire days. Galvanizing. Knock on a door. Take them to a memory of someone in the family or friends that died of cancer. Get a signature and a check before leaving. If you can do that, you can do just about anything in sales.
    "Kitchen tables"5-6 pm, 6-7pm . 7-8pm

    you set up 3 appointments back to back because oen is going to cancel, you have your sales trainer on the sit and he/she( me) closes and you get 20% for watching( and you do not speak), then you go out on your own close 5 sales in a month and you make it to 50% commission

    10 sales you can be a trainer

    when you recruit 100 people and 100 sales in the same month you can have an area

    500-500 same month with 3-5 people on your team who went min 10-10 , 2 100 by 100... Master General Agent Nationally
    Last edited by Karen37a; 09-27-2018 at 01:49 PM.

  8. #8
    That is pretty much exactly like my first sales job JD. It was for a direct marketing company called DS Max back in 2001. A credit card processor named Innovative Merchant Solutions hired that firm to sell their processing business to business. So we would all get a map in the morning, load up into vans and cars and get dropped off in our territory. I sold processing for years with them until that company went under because of all the MLM hysteria at the time. SO I went on to work for First Data after that, transitioned into cash advances shortly after and here we are today still in it. Those first years of sales were pretty crazy. We would even make "road trips" to other states, stay in some trailer for a couple nights and pound pavement all day. I learned so much about sales from it I wouldn't change a thing.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Reputation points: 18667 jdlaw's Avatar
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    Our deal was, get in, emotional breakdown, get deal signed, get a $35 check (that was ours. $35 a clip).
    I was doing 3-5 a day, as a young guy in the early 80's. Not bad pay. but had to get out cause I didn't want
    to be the "cancer guy".

    Never was into the recruiting deal.
    You either win or you learn. The only failure is in quitting.

  10. #10
    Karen37a
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    Quote Originally Posted by Advance Smart View Post
    That is pretty much exactly like my first sales job JD. It was for a direct marketing company called DS Max back in 2001. A credit card processor named Innovative Merchant Solutions hired that firm to sell their processing business to business. So we would all get a map in the morning, load up into vans and cars and get dropped off in our territory. I sold processing for years with them until that company went under because of all the MLM hysteria at the time. SO I went on to work for First Data after that, transitioned into cash advances shortly after and here we are today still in it. Those first years of sales were pretty crazy. We would even make "road trips" to other states, stay in some trailer for a couple nights and pound pavement all day. I learned so much about sales from it I wouldn't change a thing.

    thats why I said to people that they have to "make their bones" its ridiculous to me that new people think they can get an llc and compete with some people. The worst part is the new brokers lipping off to the experienced ones. Like we have to wear a name badge " million dollar producer" for people to be nice.

  11. #11
    Karen37a
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdlaw View Post
    Our deal was, get in, emotional breakdown, get deal signed, get a $35 check (that was ours. $35 a clip).
    I was doing 3-5 a day, as a young guy in the early 80's. Not bad pay. but had to get out cause I didn't want
    to be the "cancer guy".

    Never was into the recruiting deal.

    I created a multi-level company with cross-selling of products....loans, insurance, investments


    1099 Primerica style just with Aig and loans and other products. ( some people were asking me why the dates overlap on my resume they never realized i was signed onto multiple companies and products like an independent iiso)

    And it is very hard to deal with smart mouth newbies who cant make sales yet have all the answers then they quit or go bankrupt
    Last edited by Karen37a; 09-27-2018 at 02:04 PM.

  12. #12
    Senior Member Reputation points: 18667 jdlaw's Avatar
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    You either win or you learn. The only failure is in quitting.

  13. #13
    I absolutely hear you and agree Karen. There is no replacement for experience and hard earned decades of success in direct sales. It really speaks volumes. Anyone who has gone through it knows we lost a piece of ourselves along the way but we wouldn't be as strong as we are in an industry as tough as this one if we didn't sacrifice and put in the work. Oh the stories we all have.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Karen37a View Post
    I started with girl scout cookies door to door. I had a mother who was a real estate agent for Harry Helmsley ( Helmsley -Spear) who owned most of Manhattan back then. My father was an international banker so I heard Finance my whole life.

    80s Ballys jackla lanne total fitness then off to wall st as a stockbroker


    Back then If you wanted to recruit people you took people in that same van ...dropped them off in a mall flea market or even a bar restaurant and said you have 15 minutes to introduce yourself to 5 people and get their business cards and a phone number ...if you can't do it ..this business is not for you....readddyyy go.

    Or phone sales someone threw a telephone book across the room almost hitting you in the head saying ....find clients by the end of the week or you are fired
    If you want to go WAY back then let's include chocolate bars from school, candles, popcorn sets, and random items out of catalogs to my local dentist et al, or beanie babies on my front stoop (killin it!) lol

  15. #15
    Senior Member Reputation points: 18667 jdlaw's Avatar
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    Ok, fine. My first real sales job was I would by blow pops for a nickel each on the way to school and sell them at recess
    for a dime. got away with it for almost a couple of months til some kid narced to his mom.
    You either win or you learn. The only failure is in quitting.

  16. #16
    Karen37a
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgllc View Post
    if you want to go way back then let's include chocolate bars from school, candles, popcorn sets, and random items out of catalogs to my local dentist et al, or beanie babies on my front stoop (killin it!) lol
    lol

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdlaw View Post
    Ok, fine. My first real sales job was I would by blow pops for a nickel each on the way to school and sell them at recess
    for a dime. got away with it for almost a couple of months til some kid narced to his mom.
    that kid is still narcing somewhere today

  18. #18
    Karen37a
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB_v5w9NwUU

    Look at this crazy thing. They had kids in Ny selling comics door to door to get a sticker i think this was the 50s thru 70s

    Shows you what people will do ( for free) if they are motivated by the product and the "cause"

    That's the key....you have to crusade against something

    I choose the banks and fico lol

    Some isos just want to have the title Ceo, even if they are backdoored...Ive been trying not to laugh


    Singing ...you belong you belong to the merry marvel society ......the merry marvel marching society...be an early riser ..
    Last edited by Karen37a; 09-27-2018 at 02:13 PM.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by rdgllc View Post
    that kid is still narcing somewhere today
    Or buried in a shallow grave close to the Verrazano bridge

  20. #20
    Karen37a
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    Quote Originally Posted by WestCoastFunding View Post
    Or buried in a shallow grave close to the Verrazano bridge
    And you have been a salesperson and other things....I just won't out you no matter how mean you were to me

    when i first met you on the df it was like you tried to waterboard me and I stayed silent lol

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