Let’s get brutally honest for a second.
By the time most agents show up, the prospect already thinks they know what they need. They’ve Googled. They’ve asked ChatGPT. They’ve skimmed Reddit, read reviews, talked to friends—and guess what?
Most of what they think is wrong.
So here’s your wake-up call:
If you walk into a meeting thinking your job is to “pitch the solution,” you’ve already lost.
Because prospects don’t follow a nice, neat, linear path anymore. They come in halfway down the rabbit hole—usually misinformed—and if you just go along with their script?
You’re toast.
So what do you do?
You lead the prospect journey.
Here’s how:
1. Diagnose before you deliver.
Instead of jumping into your big, fancy proposal, pause.
Propose a discovery session instead. Use it to ask smart questions:
- “Why are you exploring this now?”
- “What’s changed recently that triggered this?”
- “How are you defining success here?”
This doesn’t just buy you time. It buys you influence.
2. Challenge assumptions.
If the prospect thinks they need a shiny insurance policy with all the bells and whistles…
…but what they really need is risk mitigation and a Total Cost of Risk (TCOR) review?
Call it out.
Because the agent who redefines the problem? Becomes the trusted advisor.
3. Rewind the journey.
Start with risk identification. Take them back to the real problem. Real goals. Real risks.
Why? Because now you’re not quoting. You’re using Step 1 of the risk management process.
And that’s what today’s top risk advisors do.
The reality?
58% of prospects say insurance agents don’t understand their needs. That’s your opening.
In 2025, prospects—especially Millennials and Gen Z—want more than a policy. They want expertise, insight, empathy.
So don’t just show up and pitch.
Educate. Reframe. Guide.