How do I put my client's real interests ahead of making the sale?

You feel the tug every time you sit across from someone. There is the sale, which is easy to measure, and there is their real good, which is harder to see. The fact that you notice the difference already sets you apart. Most people stop noticing. Start with honesty about what you do not know. Clients often want you to promise certainty, and it is tempting to give it because it closes the deal and calms the room. But false certainty is a quiet kind of harm. When you say plainly what is likely, what is unknown, and what could go wrong, you trade a little comfort for real trust. Before each recommendation, ask one question: would I do this if the commission were the same either way? Let that be your test. You will lose some sales that way. You will also become the advisor people keep for life, because they can feel who is actually on their side.