7 Tips New Agents Should Know About Writing Applications

Congratulations! You’ve done it—you’re now a licensed insurance agent and landed your first appointment. So, what’s next? How do you turn that meeting into a successful sale? Here at Empower Brokerage, we are committed to helping agents like you thrive. Here are seven tips to make writing applications easier and set you on the path to success.

1. Take Your Time and Relax

It’s normal to feel nervous during your first few appointments. Remember, the focus of this initial meeting is to learn about your client. Learn about their needs, ask questions, and take notes. If you’re unsure about anything, let them know you’ll review the information and follow up with the best plan for their situation. The key here is relationship-building, not rushing. Schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure that you will set them up with the right plan. The money is in gathering the information. This first meeting plants the seed for a long-term client relationship. The idea is to plant a seed to harvest later.

2. Do Your Research

When it’s time for the follow-up, make sure that you’ve done your research beforehand. Between appointments, use the time to find the best plan for your client. Not every plan fits every person, so make sure to consider their unique needs—whether it’s an HMO, PPO, hospital indemnity, or something else. You are here to provide a solution to their problem.

Pro tip: Familiarize yourself with the available carriers and their products on the Empower Brokerage Tools Portal for quick and reliable information.

3. Keep it Conversational

Insurance is personal, so keep the conversation friendly and natural. Use the notes you took during the initial meeting to ask meaningful follow-up questions. For example, “How’s everything going with [specific topic they mentioned last time]?” Small talk is important here. This helps build trust and rapport. Show them that you want to build a relationship.

Even when you’re walking them through application questions, maintain a conversational tone. You’re not just selling insurance—you’re solving problems and building a lasting connection.

4. Go Through the Summary of Benefits

Understanding every detail of an insurance plan can be overwhelming for both you and the client. The summary of benefits is your go-to tool during the application process. Use it to walk your client through the key features of their chosen plan, focusing on the benefits that matter most to them.

Make sure your client fully understands the plan they’re enrolling in. For example, if they’re concerned about prescription costs, spend extra time explaining the plan’s drug coverage. By tailoring the conversation to their priorities, you’ll help them feel confident about their decision and reduce the chance of buyer’s remorse. This ensures you build confidence and reduces the chances of confusion or dissatisfaction later.

5. Use Double Affirmatives

Double affirmatives are a simple yet powerful communication tool to build confidence in your recommendations. For instance, instead of just stating a fact, reinforce it with a follow-up question:

“This plan includes dental coverage, which is important for you, right?”

By affirming your statements, you’re not only educating your clients but also making it easier for them to trust your expertise. It’s a subtle technique that makes a big impact.

This technique reinforces your points and ensures clarity while building trust in your expertise.

If you get some pushback, you can learn about how to deal with objections here.

6. Writing Applications: Start with Paper

In today’s digital age, many people prefer electronic applications but don’t underestimate the value of paper—especially for Medicare clients or older demographics. Having paper materials on hand gives clients something tangible to review, making the process feel more personal and grounded. People enjoy tangible things. They like to feel and touch. Insurance can be difficult to sell because it is not a physical product. Paper gives tangibility to an intangible product.

You can bring along printed brochures, plan summaries, and paper applications to your meetings. Even if you ultimately submit the application online, the act of reviewing physical documents can help clients feel more connected to the process.

7. Stay Focused

Selling insurance can be difficult and disappointing. You’ll face rejections, cancellations, and tough questions—but don’t let setbacks derail you. Remember your purpose and why you started. Set small, actionable goals, like meeting three new people daily or scheduling two follow-ups per week.

Once you find a process that works—whether it’s your script, presentation style, or marketing strategy—stick with it and refine it over time. Empower Brokerage is here to help you develop and scale your approach through webinars, training, and personalized coaching.

Agents

We hope that this information on writing applications is useful to you. This article was updated in January of 2025.

Empower Brokerage is dedicated to helping you make informed decisions about your health and finances. Whether it’s through webinar training, one-on-one calls, seminars, or marketing plans, we want you to be successful!

Give us a call at 888-539-1633 or leave a comment below if you have any questions.

Quick links:

This article was updated on 1/16/2025.