Most sales training teaches people what to pitch. This one teaches people how to think — and what to say instead.
Sales is the service of helping others balance where they are at and where they want to be.
▶ Watch first · 1 min
I. Intentional Awareness
There are three kinds of awareness. Tap each to open it.
The 5-3-2 framework
🧭
Internal Awareness
Know for Yourself
How clear are you on what's important and why?
Before every call, email, or handoff.
Open ▾
Clarity
- What exposure or cost are they really carrying?
- What would make this conversation worth their time?
- What do I want to be true when this conversation ends?
Motive
- Why does this matter — cost, risk, people, or compliance?
- Why now? What changed — renewal, a claim, growth, a rate hike?
- Why should they trust me / MMA to help?
People
- Who has a say — Economic, Impact Owner, Guardian, Coach?
- Who lives with it day to day — HR, ops, the people managing claims?
- Who haven’t I accounted for — finance, legal, current broker?
Measure
- How will they know it’s working — cost down, fewer claims, better terms?
- How are they handling it today — what broker, in-house, or both?
- What are they judged on — premium, loss ratio, employee satisfaction?
Movement
- What’s the next step — a benchmarking review, a risk assessment, an intro?
- What’s the smallest commitment that moves this forward?
- What do I owe them when we hang up?
CreatesClarity→Focus→Action
👁️
External Awareness
Read the Room
Who has a say & what role do they play?
What mode are they in & what's their win?
Open ▾
Identify — who has a say
Economic — Owner / CFO / CEOImpact Owner — HR / Benefits / OpsGuardian — Risk Manager / LegalCoach — Controller / champion
Uncover — what matters most
What they thinkHow they feel
Let’s stop asking “What question gets me a meeting?” & start asking “What question uncovers their Mode?”
The best questions are simple, conversational, and easy to answer — the kind that don’t feel like discovery. Work them in this order, and each answer opens the door to the next:
Situation→Mode→Improvement→Hook
Establish context without sounding like discovery.
- How are you handling your insurance / benefits program today?
- Who’s your current broker or advisor?
- When does your program renew?
- Has anything changed — growth, a new location, a claim?
- What’s hardest about your program right now?
- What lines or benefits matter most to you?
- What are you focused on this year?
Where most of us struggle. Instead of asking about facts, ask about experience — these seven tell you almost everything about their Mode.
- How’s that been working for you?
- How do you feel about where things stand today?
- What’s been the biggest challenge?
- What’s been the most frustrating part?
- What’s taking more time than it should?
- Where do you feel the most pressure?
- If you could change one thing, what would it be?
People don’t buy insurance. They buy protection, savings, and peace of mind.
- What would a great renewal look like?
- What’s most important to improve — cost, coverage, or service?
- If your program worked perfectly, what changes?
- What would make the biggest impact for your people?
- What’s costing you the most today — premium, claims, admin?
- What would free your team up?
- Where’s the greatest opportunity to reduce total cost of risk?
Timing separates a real opportunity from a someday. Renewals, claims, and rate hikes create it.
- When does your program renew?
- What’s driving the timing — a rate increase, a claim, growth?
- What happens if nothing changes this renewal?
- How far out do you usually start the renewal process?
- What made this move to the top of your list?
Know who matters before you go further.
- Besides yourself, who else is involved in the decision?
- Who ultimately signs off — owner, CFO, board?
- Who manages it day to day — HR, operations?
- Who else weighs in — finance, legal, a committee?
- What does a win look like for each of them?
🪝 The HookOnce you’ve heard their Situation, Mode, and Improvement — the hook writes itself. Offer a next step that fits what they just told you, and turn it into a warm, informed next conversation.
Build the Hook
“It sounds like [Situation] is creating [Impact]. If there were a way to [Improvement], would it be helpful to see how?”
“It sounds like last renewal’s increase caught everyone off guard. If there were a way to get ahead of it with data and a real market strategy this year, would it be helpful to see how we might help?”
Mode detection shapes how you ask — to gain their permission:
- Growth “It sounds like you’re looking to…” → improvement
- Trouble “It sounds like this is creating…” → relief
- Even Keel “It sounds like things are working, but…” → possibility
- Overconfident “It sounds like you’re comfortable with where things are…” → curiosity
Align — before end of conversation
Decision Maker phrasing shown. Tap any question to see how it changes for the Guardian, Impact Owner & Coach.
Defines the outcome — clarity
GuardianCompliance / Risk
What coverage standards or compliance requirements matter most?
Ex: Limits, exclusions, carrier ratings, regulatory, contracts
Impact OwnerExecution / Experience
What are you trying to improve operationally?
Ex: Claims handling, enrollment, admin time, employee experience
CoachInfluencer / Alignment
What’s most important internally for this to accomplish?
Ex: Leadership buy-in, employee satisfaction, retention, alignment
Reveals the process — reality
GuardianCompliance / Risk
How are coverage decisions and approvals handled today?
Ex: Broker, carriers, renewal process, documentation
Impact OwnerExecution / Experience
How are you managing the program today?
Ex: Current broker, in-house HR, systems, spreadsheets, time
CoachInfluencer / Alignment
How are decisions made and communicated internally?
Ex: Leadership, finance, benefits committee, board
Identifies friction — truth
GuardianCompliance / Risk
Where does risk or exposure typically show up?
Ex: Coverage gaps, claims, liabilities, compliance, contracts
Impact OwnerExecution / Experience
Where do things get stuck or off track?
Ex: Claims delays, enrollment issues, service gaps, renewals
CoachInfluencer / Alignment
Where do priorities or perspectives conflict?
Ex: Cost vs. coverage, budget vs. benefits, competing goals
Tests commitment — decision
GuardianCompliance / Risk
If this reduced risk while controlling cost, what changes?
Ex: Confidence, fewer surprises, stronger protection, better renewals
Impact OwnerExecution / Experience
If this were easier or fixed, what improves for your team and employees?
Ex: Less admin, happier employees, better coverage, more time
CoachInfluencer / Alignment
If this succeeded, what would be possible for your organization?
Ex: Stronger benefits, retention, leadership confidence, growth
CreatesIdentify→Uncover→Align
🎯
Situational Awareness
Solve for Improvement
Is this account worth pursuing?
The right account — and a real reason to reach out today.
Open ▾
Right Fit
Is this account ours to help?
- A real exposure or cost exists.
- It's a line or benefit we handle.
- There's a genuine need behind it.
- Multiple lines, or a benefits + P&C need.
- Their size and industry fit what we do.
- It's a market we serve.
- I can reach the owner or CFO.
- We have the carrier access and expertise.
- There's a relationship, referral, or way in.
Right Now
Is there a reason to reach out today?
- Growth, a new location, or an acquisition.
- A claim, a rate hike, or a renewal coming.
- A pressure story in their industry.
- Which team is carrying the cost or risk.
- Who's handling claims and renewals.
- Who has to answer for it.
- A renewal date is set.
- A claim or increase is already being felt.
- They're already shopping.
Right Fit+Right Now=A Qualified Opportunity
II. Simple Shifts
Change the word. Change the answer.
Same question. Different door. Tap any swap to open it.
Select a swap above to open it.
✕ Instead of
“Why are you using that broker?”
✓ Try
“What led you to that broker?”
“What went into that decision?”
Why it works
“Why” asks people to defend a decision. “What” asks them to describe one. Same information — without the wall going up.✕ Instead of
“Tell me about your coverage gaps.”
✓ Try
“Help me understand where the gaps are.”
“Help me get up to speed on your current program.”
Why it works
“Tell me” is a command — it puts you above them. “Help me” makes them the expert and you the student. People are wired to help.✕ Instead of
“Why do you say that?”
✓ Try
“What makes you say that?”
Why it works
You get the story behind the statement instead of a defense of it. Use it any time they say something you don't understand yet — it never sounds like a challenge.✕ Instead of
“Why did you go with them instead of us?”
✓ Try
“Help me understand — what made that the better fit vs. this?”
Why it works
Asks about the choice, not the person. You learn the actual criteria they buy on — which is exactly what you need to move forward.You're not softening the question. You're removing the reason to guard the answer.
Curiosity + Empathy = Context
How you show up before the conversation earns you the right to ask.
Belief + Trust = Content
What you say only lands when belief and trust are already in the room.
Role + Mindset = Reality
Role = how they see the problem. Mindset = how they feel about the problem.
III. Gold for Ghosting
A Communication Framework
Awareness earns the meeting. This earns the reply.