What You Should Be Asking Clients

Are you prepared to ask the disturbing questions during your client interviews? How do you guide the conversation to the topics that you feel are important? You do this by asking the who, what, where, when and why questions — questions that make the clients think before they can answer.

Here are a few examples of the types of questions you should be asking.

Questions for family & life issues

-          When was the last time someone, not involved in your planning, gave you a second opinion as to whether or not you have covered all the bases?

-          What do you want to accomplish with your life? Why are you here? What is your purpose?

-          What does financial security mean to you?

-          What does financial freedom mean to you?

Questions for business issues

-          What is your exit strategy from your business?

-          If your business had to be sold after your death or disability, could it be sold for a profit?

-          Who will own your business when you retire or die?

-          Who will control your business when you retire or die?

-          Who will run your business when you retire or die?

-          Do you want your spouse to have control after your death?

Questions about life insurance

-          Most people do not seem to understand life insurance very well. Tell me, what do you know about life insurance?

-          What is your philosophy regarding life insurance?

-          What financial formula did you use to determine how much life insurance to buy?

-          What prompted your most recent purchase of life insurance?

-          How did you choose the company that you purchased life insurance from?

-          How did you select the agent?

-          What are your thoughts regarding term insurance and cash value life insurance?

-          If you were going to buy life insurance in the future, why would you buy it?

-          How do you feel about life insurance on your spouse?