As today’s investors face rising interest rates, lingering volatility, and growing uncertainty about retirement income, annuities are gaining renewed attention—and rightfully so. They offer something few financial instruments can: guarantees. But unlocking their full potential takes more than knowing the products. It takes a shift in mindset, a strategy rooted in education, and a long-term approach to trust-building.
Start With the Client’s Concerns, Not the Contract
Top producers don’t lead with rates or product specs. They lead with empathy. Before offering a solution, they uncover the problem. Is your client worried about market losses? Concerned they’ll outlive their savings? Looking for tax deferral or legacy options? When you ask the right questions, the annuity becomes a natural part of the solution, not a pitch.
Advisors who elevate their discovery process consistently report better engagement, faster closes, and stronger client relationships. It’s not about selling annuities. It’s about solving for confidence.
Reframe the Role of Annuities in the Plan
Annuities suffer from outdated perceptions – perceived as too complex, too limiting, or reserved only for the risk-averse. It’s your role to reframe those narratives. Today’s annuities are more flexible and competitive than ever, with options tailored to a wide range of client goals.
Instead of explaining riders and technical terms, focus on what the annuity does. For example:
- Guarantees income regardless of market performance
- Shield principal from downside risk
- Offers growth potential through fixed indexed or multi-year strategies
- Provides tax-deferred growth for clients not currently drawing income
- Supports legacy and beneficiary planning with streamlined payout options
This outcome-oriented language resonates far more than product jargon. You’re not just offering a contract—you’re offering peace of mind, predictability, and control.
Capitalize on Timing
We are in one of the most favorable annuity environments in recent memory. Rising interest rates have made many products more attractive, with better income payouts, improved caps, and competitive renewal strategies. This gives you a natural reason to reach out to clients and prospects with relevant, timely insights.
Even simple outreach like, “Have you reviewed your guaranteed income options since rates changed?” can open the door to productive conversations. Advisors who communicate proactively—especially during rate shifts—tend to win trust and grow faster than those who wait for clients to ask.
Build a Scalable, Repeatable Process
Annuity sales shouldn’t be one-off transactions. They should be part of a repeatable, scalable process that integrates discovery, education, and follow-up. Advisors who have a defined annuity process close more business, not because they’re luckier, but because they’re more consistent.
This includes:
- Using a structured fact finder to uncover annuity needs
- Following up with educational content or proposal illustrations
- Leveraging prebuilt marketing materials from your FMO or IMO
- Creating a simple 3-touch follow-up campaign for undecided prospects
Great advisors don’t rely on guesswork—they rely on systems. And great systems produce consistent, scalable results.
Annuities Aren’t Just Products—They’re Promises
They represent a commitment to security, to income clients can’t outlive, and to protection against the unknown. When positioned correctly, annuities become more than a line item in a portfolio—they become the foundation of a client’s financial confidence. They’re what allow retirees to spend without fear, to give without hesitation, and to sleep without worry.
For advisors, annuities offer something equally valuable: an opportunity to build deeper relationships rooted in long-term trust. They can differentiate your practice, open doors to multigenerational planning, and provide a steady stream of value in an industry often driven by short-term performance. When you lead with purpose and clarity, annuities can do more than enhance your sales—they can elevate your impact.
Lead the Annuity Conversation in Your Market
Every annuity conversation is an opportunity—not just to educate, but to listen, empathize, and elevate. When you approach objections with curiosity rather than combat, you shift the dynamic. Ask the right questions. Hear the real concerns. And then respond with tailored solutions, not just products. That’s how you build trust. That’s how you create long-term value.
But even the strongest conversations need the right tools behind them.
To support your outreach during Annuity Awareness Month – and beyond – IAMS has reintroduced one of our most requested resources: the IAMS 2025 Annuity Awareness Sales Kit. It’s been fully updated to help you respond with confidence, clarity, and credibility at every stage of the sales process.
Inside, you’ll find:
- The top annuity solutions for today’s market
- Client-facing fact-finders and data collection forms
- Prewritten social media posts to spark interest and engagement
- A turnkey PowerPoint presentation for client or seminar use
- A Volatility Risk flyer to reframe the safety conversation
- Exclusive consumer market studies
- Concept pages, email templates, and more
Whether you’re reconnecting with current clients or opening the door to new relationships, this kit gives you the resources to lead with insight and overcome objections with ease.
