You’ve presented your pitch—now it’s time to see if it lands and successfully close the sale. Asking, “Are you ready to sign up for this plan?” might feel straightforward, but if your client hesitates and responds with, “Not today,” you may wonder if there was a better way to approach it.
Closing can be challenging, especially for newer agents. The goal is to project confidence and expertise without coming across as overly pushy. Mastering effective closing techniques can help you find the right balance, boosting client trust and ultimately securing more clients and commissions.
Before exploring specific strategies to close the deal, let’s start by discussing the essential foundation you need to establish first.
Before You Try to Sell a Policy
Ever wonder why the stereotypical car salesperson often gets a bad rap? It’s because they rarely take the time to build a relationship before diving into the sale. Sure, selling insurance policies is your job and how you earn a living, but forming genuine connections with your clients first can make the process more enjoyable, natural, and ultimately successful. Your clients don’t care about what you know until they know that you care about them.
To effectively close a sale, your client relationships should rest on three essential pillars: trust, interest, and identification of needs.
Trust
Clients are unlikely to buy from someone they don’t trust. Here are some authentic ways to build trust in your client relationships:
- Maintain positive, enthusiastic, engaged facial expressions and open body language.
- Show genuine interest by asking questions about their work, hobbies, family, pets, etc. Talk to them like you’ve always known them.
- Reflect back on what they share to demonstrate active listening.
- Acknowledge and validate their concerns (e.g., “It’s totally understandable to worry about rising costs.”).
- Share a bit about yourself as well—trust grows both ways!
- Offer helpful information that extends beyond just the product you’re selling.
- Give clients ample time and undivided attention during interactions.
- In follow-up conversations, refer back to details they previously shared (e.g., “How did your grandson’s baseball game go?”).
- Stay engaged even after the sale by following up a month post-enrollment, scheduling annual reviews, or providing additional value like newsletters or classes on related products.
Building trust takes time, but these efforts will strengthen your relationship and increase referral potential.
Making a Positive First Impression
Your client’s initial impression of you can impact their sense of trustworthiness, so start off on the right foot with these tips:
- Most of your clients will be older than you, show your respect when you address them.
- Speak confidently, project your words clearly without stuttering. Talk like you know your industry. Practice this.
- Take care of your appearance. How can you tell someone that you’re going to take care of them if you can’t take care of yourself. Look like you make right decisions.
- Be approachable and likable. You’re human just like them.
- Bring a positive, confident, and helpful attitude.
- Actively engage by focusing on the other person and asking open-ended questions.
- Find common ground.
- Keep your body language relaxed.
Laying a solid foundation of trust and rapport will not only improve the chances of closing the sale but also create long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Before you sell them on the plan, sell them on you.
Interest
It might seem basic, but ensuring your client is genuinely interested in what you’re presenting is crucial before diving into the details.
If you’re selling Medicare products and your client has completed a Scope of Appointment (SOA) and scheduled a meeting, you can safely assume they’re interested in Medicare options. But which specific options? This is where a “mini pitch” can help.
Start by briefly introducing Medicare Supplements (Med Supps), Medicare Advantage (MA), and Part D plans. Ask which products catch their interest the most. The completed SOA will provide insights into which products they want to learn more about, making it easier to tailor your presentation to their needs.
If you’re offering other insurance products, walk them through each option and gauge their interest level. Clients will appreciate that you’re taking the time to understand their preferences rather than overwhelming them with plans they may not want to hear about.
Note: Be mindful of CMS rules around health and non-health product appointments. Only discuss what’s listed on the SOA during health-related meetings. For non-health products, such as annuities or life insurance, plan a separate follow-up meeting.
Identify the Need
While exploring your client’s interests, delve deeper to uncover their specific insurance needs. Are they on a fixed income? In this case, the stability of a Medicare Supplement (Med Supp) premium and lower out-of-pocket costs might be ideal. Or, if they have a fixed income but also a small emergency fund, the lower premiums of a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan could be more appealing.
Sometimes, discovering your client’s needs involves a bit of fact-finding, especially if they’re unsure of their options. You might introduce this by saying, “I’d like to ask you a few questions to help determine what you need in a health plan.” Then, inquire about their financial situation, health conditions, preferred providers, frequency of doctor visits, past hospitalizations, prescription needs, and travel habits. Listen closely and take notes!
It’s also helpful to ask directly, “What do you think you need from a health plan?” This empowers clients to share their thoughts, giving you valuable insights.
Once you’ve built trust, established interest, and identified their needs, you’re ready to introduce a tailored product pitch. Laying this groundwork with your client can make the sales process smoother, minimizing potential objections later on.
Confidence Is Key
To succeed in insurance sales, one essential quality to cultivate is confidence! Sit up straight, make eye contact, smile, and speak in a clear, steady tone. However, remember there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, which is why building a solid foundation of trust and rapport is so important.
Your confidence should be rooted in trust, genuine connection, and attentive listening. Without these, confidence can easily be perceived as pushiness. The goal is to strike a balanced tone—professional yet approachable, knowledgeable but not overbearing.
4 Ways to Close the Deal
After guiding your client through the sales presentation, consider using one of these effective closing techniques.
1. The Assumptive Close
Take another look at the closing question used at the start of this post: “So, would you like to sign up for Carrier A’s plan?”
While it might seem polite to ask directly, it also opens the door for a quick “No.” Instead, try an assumptive close, where you proceed as if the client has already agreed. This subtle shift can be very powerful and works well alongside other closing techniques.
Here are some examples of assumptive closes:
- “Thank you for helping me see that this plan is a great fit for you. Let’s go ahead and get you enrolled.”
- “I can guide you through the application now. Do you have your Original Medicare card ready?”
- “How would you prefer to enroll—using this paper application or applying online? I can help with either!”
Before using an assumptive close, read your client’s signals. If they seem uncertain or uninterested, this approach may feel too forward. Instead, focus on finding a product that better matches their needs. Pushing forward with an assumptive close when they’re showing resistance won’t foster trust.
2. The Modified Puppy Dog Close
This classic closing technique, commonly used in car sales, allows buyers to “try before they buy.” Companies like Carvana, for example, offer a true “test drive” by letting buyers keep the car for seven days with up to 400 miles to decide. This approach, called the “puppy dog” close, banks on the idea that once you’ve taken something home—like an adorable puppy—you’ll likely fall in love with it and want to keep it.
While insurance agents can’t offer a literal “test drive” of products, they can create a similar effect by emphasizing the benefits and encouraging clients to imagine how they’ll enjoy their new plan. Here are a few ways to use this modified puppy dog close:
- “Once you try this plan, I’m sure you’re going to love it!”
- “This plan is an excellent fit because of all the added perks, like prescription savings—I think you’ll enjoy ‘test driving’ those benefits!”
And remember, certain Medicare products do allow a trial period, such as Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Make sure your clients know they have the option to try an MA plan with the ability to switch plans or return to Original Medicare during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period if they’re not satisfied. Just be sure to follow all CMS guidelines for MA OEP!
3. The Alternate Choice Close
Everyone appreciates having options. With an alternate choice close, you offer clients two or more choices, all leading to a favorable outcome. This approach works well with the assumptive close (can you spot the example here that does both?). Be mindful to avoid trivial options that may feel belittling, like, “Would you like to sign with a blue or black pen?” The aim is to truly involve your client in the decision-making process, not to create an illusion of choice.
Here are some effective alternate choice close examples:
- “This Medicare Supplement looks like a strong fit. Would it be easier for you to pay the premium annually or monthly?”
- “It sounds like you’re interested in both this MA and hospital indemnity plan. That’s great! Which application would you like to start with?”
- “I’m hearing that you like aspects of both this MA plan and the Medicare Supplement. Would you prefer a lower monthly premium with potentially higher out-of-pocket costs, or a higher monthly premium with lower, more predictable out-of-pocket costs?” (Once they respond, you can follow up with an assumptive closing statement.)
Notice how these examples range from small choices, like which application to start with, to bigger ones that involve more consideration, such as comparing premiums and out-of-pocket costs.
If you favor the alternate choice close, especially within a single appointment, consider varying between small and significant choices. This keeps clients engaged without overwhelming them with major decisions.
4. The Summary Close
The summary close is an excellent technique that works well with the assumptive close. In this approach, you briefly recap the key benefits you’ve discussed, then follow up with an assumptive statement (or directly ask for the sale if you feel confident).
Clients appreciate the summary close because it shows you’ve been attentive to their needs and thoughtfully selected a fitting solution. Before highlighting the plan’s benefits, remind them of the pain points they’ve mentioned—this makes the benefits even more relevant.
Examples of a summary close might look like this:
- “I know your current MA plan created a lot of hassle during your last trip. This Medicare Supplement will give you the flexibility to visit any doctor who accepts Medicare with more predictable costs. Let’s get started on the underwriting process—I’ll guide you through it.”
- “Covering out-of-pocket costs for eye exams and new glasses was definitely higher than you anticipated. This MA plan’s dental, vision, and hearing benefits will be a great help. Let’s start the application; it’ll only take about 10 minutes.”
- “That last hospital bill gave you quite a shock. This hospital indemnity plan will really lower those out-of-pocket costs. Do you have your personal information ready so we can begin the application?”
The summary close reassures clients that you understand their concerns and have found a solution tailored to their needs, building both trust and enthusiasm for the next steps.
Remember, before you present any products, focus on building a strong foundation with your client by establishing trust, understanding their interests, and identifying their specific needs. Once you’ve laid this groundwork, use one (or more!) of these closing techniques to help finalize the sale. Before long, you’ll master the art of closing! Not only will you earn a sale and commission, but you’ll also gain your client’s trust, showing them you genuinely have their best interests in mind. This trust can lead to referrals and a growing client base!
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