The S.U.N. (Sell. Underwrite. Negotiate.) Program is an insurance-specific workshop that helps professionals be more effective from the first conversation through the moment the deal is closed.
COMPANIES THAT HAVE LEARNED HOW TO SELL MORE AT HIGHER MARGINS USING S.U.N. CONCEPTS:
Insurance Deals Have Three Stages
The SUN Program strengthens two of them & helps you align with the third
Stage 1: Sale
Everything begins with selling. You uncover needs, ask strong questions, prepare presentations, and differentiate against competitors. This is where you build the foundation that protects value later.
Stage 2: Underwriting
Underwriting shouldn’t be limited to setting terms, conditions, and pricing for a deal. Instead, underwriting should be seen as a way to build relationships and develop customized alternatives to aid in future negotiations.
Stage 3: Negotiation
After underwriting, negotiation closes the deal. This is where teams lose margin, give unnecessary concessions, or strain relationships. Effective negotiation protects your position and builds loyalty.
What are your people struggling with?
Deal Flow? Creative Solutions? Achieving Margins?
Differentiate From the Competition
Increase deal flow by clearly demonstrating your Value Proposition
Sell to Set Up the Negotiation
Build the foundation that protects value when terms get tested later.
Separate Underwriting from Negotiation
Understand the difference between underwriting the risk and negotiating the deal.
Trade Outside the Deal
Find ways to create value and build relationships without defaulting to price concessions
Reduce Late-Stage Surprises
Surface constraints earlier and avoid last-minute scramble.
Negotiate Under Pressure
Push back effectively and hold the line, without damaging long-term relationships.
Close Cleaner and Faster
Create clarity so agreements stick and renewals start stronger.
The Result??
More Deals. Faster. Higher Margins
Justin Hoffman
- Hilb Group
As the owner or operator of an insurance brokerage, you are negotiating every day—with clients, producers, managers, service teams, carriers, wholesalers, TPAs, software partners, and more. If you believe in building healthy, long‑term relationships, you also know that great negotiations aren’t about winner‑take‑all outcomes or leverage for leverage’s sake. They’re not “I win, you lose.”
If the game you’re playing is how do we go bigger so everyone wins, Mark is the partner you want at the table. Mark helps shift the conversation away from fighting over the last slice of the pie and toward making the pie meaningfully bigger—so everyone eats well. That mindset isn’t always easy to establish or sustain across multiple stakeholders, but it’s exactly where Mark excels.
If you’re looking to move beyond zero‑sum thinking and build a smarter, more collaborative, and more durable approach to negotiation, Mark brings both the philosophy and the practical ability to make it happen.
Results Clients Have Seen
15%
Increase in Bind Ratio
Control group improved 5% over the same period
8.5%
Retention Improvement
Achieved over a two-year period
7%
Year-over-Year Rate Increases
Achieved by trained teams
