In Sales, the More You Prepare, the Luckier You Get 

The straight-talk summary 

Preparation is the sales advantage most people overlook. Buyers come in with doubts, emotions, and objections; your job is to respect their time by being ready with insight, intent, and empathy. Use the PACT framework, anticipate objections, and run through a pre-call checklist so you never lose because someone else showed up better prepared.

If you sell for a living, you know that opportunities are too rare to show up unprepared. Preparation doesn’t guarantee you’ll win, but lack of preparation almost guarantees you’ll lose. And worse, you’ll lose not because the competition was better, but because they were better prepared.

The challenges you face 

Every sales conversation starts uphill. Buyers come in with assumptions and emotions that stack the deck against you: 

• “Brokers are all alike.” If you don’t prepare to prove otherwise, you’ll only reinforce this belief. 

• Buying is emotional. If you don’t quickly connect on an emotional level, you’re in separate lanes before the conversation even starts. 

• Big decisions are scary. Fear drives procrastination. Without breaking things into micro-commitments, buyers freeze in place. 

• They don’t know how to choose an advisor. Most have been taught to see you as a package deal with the insurance plan. 

The surest way to overcome these challenges is a commitment to intentional and relentless preparation.  

Preparation is a responsibility, not an option 

When someone gives you their time and attention, you owe them the best version of yourself. Preparation shows respect, credibility, and professionalism. It communicates, “I value you enough not to waste your time.” 

Think about first impressions; they happen in seven seconds. By then, the buyer has already judged whether you’re “just another broker” or maybe something different. You may not even have seven seconds in today’s online world. Thanks to social media, that impression often forms before you even walk in the room. 

Preparation unlocks opportunity by allowing you to: 

• Control the conversation - Top performers guide 70–80% of the conversation, not by talking nonstop, but by steering it toward clarity and better decisions. 

• Maximize their scarce attention - Every unprepared minute wastes a portion of this meeting and makes the next meeting less likely. On the flip side, every prepared question makes the meeting more productive and helps ensure you’ll be invited back.  

• Anticipate and neutralize objections - If you know the prospect’s industry, pain points, and decision process, you won’t be blindsided with unexpected objections. (HubSpot says 44% of salespeople give up after the first objection. Don’t be one of them!) 
  

The PACT Framework for quality prospects 

A good prospect isn’t just someone willing to meet. They need to pass four tests: 

• Pain: Do they have a real problem (beyond the cost of the insurance product) or opportunity? If they aren’t aware of other problems, have you prepared in such a way as to create awareness?  

• Authority: Can they say “yes”? If not, can you get to the decision maker? 

• Consequences: What happens if they don’t act? The pain of not changing must outweigh the pain of change. 

• Target-profile: Do you want them as a client? A willing buyer may still be a bad fit. 

If you miss even one of these criteria, your odds of success will plummet. Be sure to revisit these questions before and after every interaction. 

What buyers are really asking about you 

Buying is an emotional game, which means your buyers are constantly asking themselves five questions about you: 

1. Do I like you? Likability influences openness. 
2. Do you listen to me? Connection isn’t earned by what you say, it’s earned by what you hear. Listening builds connections faster than talking ever could. 
3. Do you make me feel important? Genuine curiosity and respect go a long way. 
4. Do you understand me and my problem? Show situational empathy for the buyer and their situation, not a thinly veiled pursuit of your own agenda.  
5. Do I trust and believe you? Without trust, even the strongest product fails. 

If the answer to any of these is “no,” once again, the chance of closing drops dramatically. 

A simple pre-call checklist 

Proper preparation makes you more effective and efficient. Before every call, ask yourself: 

1. What do I already know? Arrive informed, credible, and committed to not wasting time by revisiting questions you already have the answer to. 
2. What do I need to learn? Stay curious and uncover gaps that could keep you from closing the deal. 
3. What is the purpose of this meeting? Establish mutual intent as to what will make the meeting successful.  
4. What is the targeted next step? Guide the sales process forward. This includes asking for the next micro-commitment.  
5. What is my targeted timeline? Build on their sense of urgency by scheduling the next interaction. 

Objections are inevitable, but also predictable 

Objections aren’t personal. Most are nothing more than an auto-response, like saying “just looking” on a car lot. They usually fall into one of six categories and, because they’re predictable, you can prepare for them: 

• Price/Budget: This objection is usually about perceived value, not dollars. Be prepared to demonstrate their potential ROI and/or quantify the cost of inaction. 

• Value/Need: “We’re happy with our current broker.” Rarely are they committed to this statement, but it is a sign they don’t understand how you can deliver more value. Respond by giving them permission to have higher expectations than what is delivered by the typical, traditional broker. 

• Timing: “Our renewal isn’t until X.” Teach them about the need to separate their selection of an advisor from the selection of the insurance plan.  

• Trust/Credibility: “Aren’t you too small to handle us?” Use proof, case studies, and the strength of your peer community to demonstrate that you’re not just capable, but the logical choice. 

• Authority: “I need to check with my boss.” Ask early how these decisions get made in their organization. 

• Stalls: “Send me information.” Push for a micro-commitment instead of letting momentum die. 

If you know what’s coming, objections stop being roadblocks and become opportunities to educate and differentiate. 

To the prepared go the spoils 

To consistently win sales conversations, make preparation your unfair advantage: 

1. Use the checklist. What do I know? What do I need to learn? What is the purpose of this meeting? What is the desired next step? What is the targeted timeline?  
2. Prepare with intent. Walk in with clear goals, meaningful questions, and a focused agenda. 
3. Anticipate objections. Neutralize them in advance or address them with confidence. 
4. Practice and role play. The basics never stop mattering. 

In sales, you’re going to lose sometimes; it’s part of the game. However, you should never lose because your competition showed up better prepared than you.  

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Content originally provided by Q4intelligence

Photo by opolja