Apply These Timeless Techniques From Sales Legends to Your Career
How the greatest salesmen of all time cracked the code—and how you can too
Success leaves clues. And if you're trying to level up your career, there’s no better place to look than the strategies of the best salesmen in history. These are the trailblazers who mastered persuasion, built empires from scratch, and redefined what it means to sell with impact.
Whether you’re booking your first appointment or closing six-figure policies weekly, modeling your skills after the top salesmen of all time will fast-track your growth. Let’s break down five legends—past and present—and extract the exact techniques you can steal, sharpen, and use to win in today’s insurance game.
The Best Salesman of All Time? Let’s Start with Zig Ziglar
What Zig was a master of: Selling with sincerity, storytelling, and conviction
Zig Ziglar wasn’t just a salesman; he was a movement. Rising from humble beginnings in small-town Mississippi, Zig became one of the most iconic sales trainers in the world. His superpower? Making you feel like the hero of your own story.
Zig taught that people don’t buy products—they buy transformation. For insurance agents, this is gold. You’re not just selling a policy. You’re helping a family stay afloat. You’re giving someone peace of mind. That emotional layer is where Zig lived.
Apply it: Master the art of storytelling. When explaining coverage, weave in real-life examples of how your clients have been protected. Zig’s entire philosophy ties directly into the emotional intelligence and human connection we discuss in The Five Essentials of Leadership in Insurance.
Jordan Belfort: The Wolf of Wall Street and the Science of the Close
What Belfort was a master of: Tonality, certainty, and structured selling
Say what you want about his ethics—Jordan Belfort is a closing machine. His "Straight Line System" isn’t about scripts. It’s about structure. Confidence. Direction. And that’s where most insurance agents fall flat: they’re talking, but not leading.
Belfort teaches that sales is a transfer of certainty. You need to believe so strongly in your product that it becomes contagious. His obsession with tonality and body language is what separated him from the average peddler.
Apply it: Audit your voice, your energy, your delivery. Do you sound like someone people trust with their future? If you want to dive deeper into developing that level of polish, revisit our blog on Essential Skills and Traits for a Thriving Life Insurance Agent. Belfort’s structured approach complements those skills perfectly.
Mary Kay Ash: Building a Sales Empire with Purpose and People
What Mary Kay was a master of: Recognition, empowerment, and scalable sales culture
Mary Kay Ash didn’t just build a company. She built an army of sales leaders driven by vision and purpose. What set her apart was her ability to turn ordinary people into extraordinary performers—by believing in them before they believed in themselves.
She knew how to create a culture of recognition, where people felt seen and celebrated. In today’s agency world, that’s your secret weapon. People crave purpose and community, not just commission checks.
Apply it: Build your team culture with intentionality. Celebrate every win. Mentor your agents like future CEOs. This ties directly into what we talk about in Why Every Successful Agent Needs a Mentor to Scale Their Insurance Business.
Grant Cardone: The 10X King of Relentless Sales Drive
What Grant was a master of: Follow-up, massive action, and mental domination
Grant Cardone is unapologetic. Loud. Intense. But under the surface, his brilliance lies in simplicity: follow up more, ask bigger, and take 10X more action than you think you need. His pitch style is aggressive, but his mindset game is lethal.
Most agents fail because they dabble. Grant doesn't dabble—he dominates. He pushes urgency, speed, and clarity. And in insurance sales, where timing kills deals, this is your unfair advantage.
Apply it: Increase your touchpoints. Triple your follow-ups. Go from passive to assertive. If you want to reinforce this work ethic with stronger daily habits, check out Mastering Time Management for Insurance Agents: Strategies for Peak Productivity and Life Balance.
Dale Carnegie: The Godfather of Influence
What Carnegie was a master of: Listening, empathy, and genuine connection
Dale Carnegie didn’t teach sales tactics—he taught human behavior. His book, How to Win Friends and Influence People, is practically scripture in any top closer’s library. Carnegie understood that influence starts by making others feel important.
This is crucial in life insurance. You’re not just solving problems—you’re navigating fears, doubts, and deeply personal decisions. The more empathy you bring to the table, the more likely you are to earn lasting trust (and referrals).
Apply it: Get obsessively curious about your clients. Ask more than you talk. Make people feel like VIPs. For more ways to sharpen your mindset and emotional intelligence, dig into Must-Read Books to Build a Winning Mindset and Dominate as an Insurance Agent in 2025.
Sales Mastery Is a Skillset, Not a Personality Trait
None of these icons started with superpowers. They trained. They failed. They evolved. The same blueprint is available to you right now—if you're willing to work it.
If you’re ready to stop selling like everyone else and start building a legacy like the greats, apply now to join the Insurance Elevated team. We’ll give you the tools, mentorship, and momentum to 10X your career the right way.
