Whether you’re meeting a prospect for the first time or you’re having your tenth renewal appointment with a loyal client, sometimes the conversation can get stuck.
You don’t want to start talking insurance right away, but you’re drawing a blank on conversation starters. Fear not!
We have 8 questions you can use to light up a good conversation every time.
1. What are the grandkids up to?
Every grandparent can’t resist talking about their grandkids. You know it’s true – especially if you’re a grandparent yourself.
Before you know it, they’ll be telling you about what sports their grandkids are playing, the musical their granddaughter just sang in, the scholarship that the grandson just got…
You’ll be having a “grand” ‘ole time! Pun intended.
2. Have you seen that viral [insert topic here] YouTube video?
In years past, there’s no way this question could’ve been a good conversation starter – especially with the senior population.
But nowadays, seniors are often the subject of viral videos!
This can be a lighthearted and fun way to start off your meeting – perhaps the video in question was in the news, on the Ellen show, all over Facebook, etc.
If they haven’t seen it, it can always be fun to pull it up on your phone and show them.
3. Do you have any upcoming travel plans?
When you’re dealing with clients who are 65+, the majority of them are probably retired or are retiring soon. And what do people do in retirement? They travel.
But most of all, they love to talk about their travel plans.
Find out where they’re going, what they have scheduled, what hotel they’re staying at, how long they’re staying, what they’re most looking forward to…
Get ready for a good 15-20 minutes of small talk – just what the doctor ordered!
4. Have you been to any good restaurants lately?
There’s a reason why the majority of images posted on social media are of food. We all love food. And we don’t mind talking about it either.
This question makes for some great banter. You get some great feedback about places to eat, and you can give them some feedback, too. Everyone wins!
5. What do you think about [insert popular news story here]?
If you’re able to turn on NPR in the morning or browse the hot topics on Facebook, make sure to take note of the popular news stories.
Everyone loves to share their own opinion, so ask your client what they think! For example, a big story right now is that Amazon just raised the minimum wage for their employees to $15 per hour.
You could ask your client: “Hey, did you hear about Amazon raising their minimum wage? Crazy, right?”
The conversation should take off from there. Just be careful that you keep away from anything too political. Those kinds of conversations can get awkward pretty quickly.
6. Are you watching any good television shows these days?
If I told you I was looking to start a new television show and needed some suggestions, what would you say?
I bet you just got pretty excited and had a specific show or two in mind.
This question can also lead to a good debate about whether or not cable television is a must-have anymore, which can be a great topic for the baby boomer generation.
7. What have you been up to lately?
This is one of the easiest fallback questions if you’re totally tongue-tied. While some people might pin you in a corner by saying “Oh, nothing,” most people will have something to say about what they’ve been doing.
It might be a gardening project, a show they just went to, or a highlight of their week. In any case, their response will clearly be about something they’re interested in, so it’s a win-win!
They’ll love talking about it, and you’ve opened up a natural conversation.
8. What are your plans for [insert holiday here]?
If a holiday is coming up soon, this is a great way to get to know your client and their family. Are they visiting family, having family over, keeping things simple?
Then, the conversation can lead to a series of natural follow-up questions, like what food are you cooking? Are you going to watch any of the big sports games? Are you going to shop any of the holiday sales?
BONUS: Be Facebook Friends With Your Clients
One of the best parts of being Facebook friends with a client is that you now have something to talk about!
You can now say something like “Hey! I saw you went on a cruise a little while back. How was it?” Developing talking points becomes so much more natural and less forced.
You got a conversation going, it’s something your client wants to talk about, and they appreciate you for remembering something about their life.
[Read the Rest: Why You Should Be Facebook Friends With Your Clients]
At the end of the day, being a great agent is about more than just selling insurance and providing solutions for your client's needs.
It’s also about being caring, showing kindness, and building a relationship with your clients.
We hope these questions give you some ideas so that each interaction with your clients can go beyond the sales speak.
Do you have any good conversation starters? Throw ‘em in the comment section below.
Related Articles:
