Most insurance agents aren’t taught about higher-value negotiation techniques during licensing. Negotiating with high-value clients for big deals is a skill set in short supply with insurance agents today.
It’s one thing to close a $500 per month policy with a mom-and-pop bakery, but it’s another to walk into a multi-location HVAC company or a 200-employee law firm that will compare you to a benefits consultant from a national firm. Larger prospects expect strategy, confidence, and a sense of true understanding of their business.
So, how do you close a deal in this environment without selling your soul or racing to the bottom on price? Here are some ideas from agents who consistently land big accounts.
Price is Just One Piece of the Puzzle, And Usually Not the Biggest One
The lowest-price-wins mindset is small-deal thinking. Price matters, but there are other items to consider other than price to achieve in larger deals:
- Will this solution help them retain their best people?
- Will the employees understand the benefits offering?
- Can this plan scale up if they grow quickly next year?
- How much time will this save the client?
High-value clients care about value alignment, not just value. You win if you can help them save money and improve the employee experience.
If all you bring to the table is a spreadsheet with a few rate options, you’re just noise. So, come in with stories similar to the situation you’re seeing. Give examples like, “One of my clients with a similar setup improved their retention rates after we switched to this solution.”
Lead with Confidence
We’re human, so you’re going to be nervous. Don’t show the nerves, but show confidence in what you know and how you deliver the solution. Confidence closes deals, not arrogance, so avoid hedging in your statements. Avoid saying, “This might be an option,” or “I think this could work…” as this language kills deals.
Large clients want a guide to their best solution. They don’t want a pitch to them, so present solutions like this:
- “Here’s what I’d recommend based on what you told me.”
- “This setup gives you X, Y, and Z—and here’s why that matters.”
Even if you’re sweating inside, lead with confidence and conviction. People buy from people who show they know what they’re doing.
Ask Deeper Questions Because Surface Questions Get Surface Deals
Big deals demand more profound questions for the big deal solution to evolve. Don’t just ask, “How many employees?” or “When’s your renewal?” as this is the same stuff every other agent asks.
So, dig deeper with:
- “What’s your biggest challenge with your current benefits setup?”
- “If you can wave a magic wand and fix one thing about your current broker, what would it be?”
- “What are your company’s growth plans over the next 2–3 years? Is your current setup built to scale with that?”
Deep digs like these uncover pain points, allowing you to present real solutions.
Use Silence Like a Weapon In a Good Way
This tactic works like a charm: After you present your proposal or make your business ask, be quiet. Most agents get uncomfortable and start talking with, “…but if that’s too high, I can shop around,” or “…we can look at other options if this doesn’t work.”
Stop. If the solution is strong, let them sit with it.
Silence shows confidence in the solution and enables them to process it for their problems. You’d be amazed how often a decision-maker breaks the silence by saying, “Okay, let’s do it.”
Tailor Everything, But Be Smart with Your Time
Large clients want unique solutions that make them feel like agents are paying attention.
- Reference their website in your pitch deck.
- Quote back something they told you in your discovery call.
- Align your language with their goals: “You mentioned retaining top engineers, so this ICHRA setup supports that by…”
At the same time, don’t kill yourself building everything from scratch. Build templates and use reusable slide decks with “plug-in” opportunities for custom pieces where they count.
Create a “discovery summary” slide with their business name, industry, employee count, and three pain points. Use it in your proposal to show you heard what they shared with you.
Don’t Be Afraid to Walk Away as It Actually Gives You Power
If you’re chasing a high-maintenance client who is grinding you on price, ghosting your emails, or constantly asking for “just one more quote,” ask yourself if this is the kind of account you want?
Saying no shows strength and resets the tone with the prospect by shifting the power dynamic. Sometimes, the act of walking away wakes the client up to make a deal weeks later because the client realizes the agent isn’t begging for their business.
High-value clients respect strong, confident professionals who know what they want for themselves. These clients know this confidence will also work for them in any partnership.
Big Deals Are Closed on Trust, Not Just Tactics
Connection with the person across the table is the key to any deal. The person across the table wants a trusted advisor. A prospect doesn’t want a policy pusher, spreadsheet messenger, or slick-talking closer.
A prospect wants someone prepared who knows their stuff and asks the right questions. Silence is a tool for building the respect and trust the prospect needs.
The high-value deal and partnership are created with that trust and showing you heard their needs with the solution you present.
Do you need help prepping for a big pitch, or maybe you just want a second set of eyes on your proposal before you hit send? Agility market managers and product specialists are licensed insurance agents with personal experience developing these pitches.
They’re ready to share this expertise with each of you to raise your big deal pitch game to the next level. Contact the market manager near you or the Agility product specialist you need.
Contact Agility at (866) 590-9771 or email support@enrollinsurance.com to contact the agent support team for assistance on this subject or anything else you may need.
Let Agility use our sales peers’ experience on your behalf to develop your high-value sales pitch to deliver your first or next big deal and positively impact your bottom line.
