Hope is Not a Strategy: 3 Simple Changes That Can Transform Your Protection Sales

Far too many advisers are stuck in a dangerous cycle when it comes to protection sales.

They sit with client after client, ask the same questions, deliver the same advice in the same way… And when the client says “I’ll think about it” or “I can’t afford it right now,” they cross their fingers and hope the next one will be different.

But here’s the brutal truth: If your approach isn’t working, doing more of it won’t suddenly make it work.

Protection is too important to be left to chance — and deep down, you already know that.

So, if you’re ready to break the cycle and start getting better results, here are three simple but powerful changes you can make right now:

1. Change the Interview, Change the Outcome

Most advisers are running interviews that are built for mortgages, not protection. They’re great at uncovering income, deposit amounts, loan-to-value…

But when it comes to protection, the conversation is often flat, formulaic and forgettable.

Instead, shift the focus:

• Ask meaningful, open questions about what matters most to the client.
• Don’t just “fact-find” — emotion-find.
• Make the discussion about people, not products.

You’re not just building a case. You’re building a reason to care.

2. Rethink How You Present the Advice

Most advisers present protection as a bolt-on. An afterthought. Something to tick off once the mortgage is sorted.

No wonder clients say no.

Change the format:

• Present protection face-to-face or on video, never over email.
• Give it the space and seriousness it deserves.
• Position it as part of the core solution, not a nice-to-have.

Your presentation is the difference between “meh” and meaningful.

3. Stop Relying on Willpower — Start Building Skillpower

Hoping you’ll be more persuasive next time isn’t a strategy.

Clients don’t say no because you don’t care. They say no because your current approach isn’t cutting through.

If you want different results, you need a different skillset:

• Learn how to handle objections without sounding pushy.
• Understand the psychology behind why people buy protection.
• Get coached. Get feedback. Get better.

Improvement isn’t magic — it’s a choice.

Final Thought:

You’re already doing the hard work. You’re sitting in front of clients who trust you. You care deeply about helping them make the right decision.

Now it’s time to make sure your process does you justice.

Because hope might feel comforting… But real change? That’s what grows your business — and protects more families along the way.