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Assumption Testing: Challenge What They "Know" to Be True
What Will Your Retirement Look Like?
Planning for retirement raises many questions. Have you considered how much it will cost, and how you’ll generate the income you’ll need to pay for it? For many, these questions can feel overwhelming, but answering them is a crucial step forward for a comfortable future.
Start by understanding your goals, estimating your expenses and identifying potential income streams. The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income can help you navigate these essential questions. If you have $1,000,000 or more saved for retirement, download your free guide today to learn how to build a clear and effective retirement income plan. Discover ways to align your portfolio with your long-term goals, so you can reach the future you deserve.
Your prospects have invisible constraints—assumptions about what's possible, what they need, or how things "must" be done.
Your job? Illuminate them.
Your Framework:
Listen for absolute statements: "We have to..." "The only way is..." "It's impossible to..." These signal unexamined assumptions.
Then, gently test them with curiosity-driven questions:
"What makes you believe that's the only option?"
"What would need to be true for a different approach to work here?"
"Where did that constraint originate?"
"If you could start fresh, would you still do it this way?"
These questions aren't confrontational—they're exploratory. You're not telling them they're wrong; you're inviting them to reconsider.
Why This Works:
Most prospects operate within self-imposed boundaries they've never questioned. When you help them examine these assumptions, you expand the solution space. Suddenly, alternatives emerge.
More importantly, you've shifted from vendor to strategic advisor—someone who challenges their thinking and opens new possibilities.
Action Step:
In your next three conversations, identify one assumption each prospect makes. Ask one testing question before proposing anything. Notice how it changes the dynamic and deepens trust.
The best salespeople don't just solve problems—they reframe them.