Agents ask me the same questions again and again: How do I get more appointments? How do I inspire people to take action? Why aren't people buying life insurance and annuities? Here are three ways to achieve better results.

First, be interesting. Don't tell people information; ask them great questions. One of my favorite questions to ask is, "Do you want to be rich, or do you absolutely, positively want to guarantee you will never be poor?" If they say they want to be rich, congratulate them, and say, "I have strategies that will help you achieve your goal faster."

Ninety percent of the time they want to guarantee they will never be poor. Then ask, "Would you like to know a strategy that guarantees that even if you run out of money you will never run out of income?" They always eagerly answer yes.

Second, be interested. Don't give your opinions. Ask for theirs and listen to their answers. If you ask 10 people, "What do you think will happen to Medicare?" you could get 10 different answers. If you give your opinion and it differs with nine (or possibly all 10), you have just put yourself in an adversarial position. Advisors must trust if they ask great questions, people will infer they have great knowledge. Author Michael Lovas says, "People believe what they say, not what you say."

Finally, help people understand the context of our products. Why and how are they
beneficial? Every sales presentation must have these questions as its foundation:

  • Will taxes be higher in the future?
  • Will benefits be lower in the future?
  • Will higher taxes and lower benefits solve the challenges our country faces? No.
  • Our government will have to print what? Money. What is that called? Inflation.
  • Will all this cause ever increasing volatility? Do you have a strategy that protects you from bad volatility and helps you take advantage of good volatility? Would you like one?

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Van Mueller has spent 37 years working in the insurance business and has held Top of the Table status with the Million Dollar Round Table for more than a decade. He is also Senior Market Advisor's 2010 Advisor of the Year. For more information, go to www.vanmueller.com.

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