Telling Stories to Sell Life Insurance

By taking this approach, you have surfaced a concern that they may have been unwilling to confront, or perhaps had not before considered.

At the same time, you have also established credibility by demonstrating that you’ve spoken with a lot of people on this topic, and have meaningful, relevant experience that aligns with the client’s situation.

Share stories of others and explain that because a lot of people have raised this concern, your client is not alone in beginning this important process of purchasing life insurance.

Step 2: Make sure to ask your client two questions.

The questions:

Question 1: “Let’s imagine that, for whatever reason, you didn’t make it home yesterday, will your family struggle financially?”

Question 2: “If there was something we could put into your plan today that could secure your loved ones’ future, you’d probably want to know what that is, wouldn’t you?”

People will rarely buy life insurance simply because they understand it’s a practical measure.

They’re more likely to buy life insurance when they realize it can solve a challenge they’re currently facing or a problem they need solved, and that they’ll have guidance from a professional like yourself for any complexities along the way.

These questions will help them envision how exactly life insurance can support their families in the face of an unfortunate event through storytelling tactics that help them imagine a few different scenarios.

Step 3: Break down the benefits clearly.

In this final step, take all the knowledge you have gathered and shared with your client and use that insight to recommend specific life insurance policies that are applicable to their individual situations.

To avoid causing any confusion or misinterpretations, break down the basics of each policy you are recommending.

Rather than using industry jargon, explain key terms in an understandable manner to build your client’s understanding of important insurance concepts related to the policies they may purchase.

Explain clearly and tangibly how each policy will help address the specific issues your client is looking to prepare for or remedy.

For example, you can say, “This policy is designed to make sure your surviving spouse remains financially secure if you enter a nursing home, and this policy is designed to make sure that your kids can go to college and your family can continue living the same lifestyle after you’re gone.”

While storytelling tactics are key for setting the stage, this final step allows you to apply the product as a solution to fulfill your client’s needs.

Joe Ross is vice president for sales productivity and business development at Corebridge Financial.