PHP Coaching Agent

Overview

AI coaching bot for insurance sales agents using the "5 Levels of Conversation" framework (Anthony Spark methodology). Guides reps through relationship-building before pitching, validates messaging at each stage, and prevents premature selling.

What "PHP" Stands For

Personal Human Prospect — every person on your list is a potential client, but the framework treats them as a human first. Build the relationship, earn the right to discuss business, then serve their needs.

The bot coaches reps through this progression, one conversation at a time.

Core Principles

Never pitch before deepening the relationship
Stage-gate validation — can't skip levels
A/B/C classification drives messaging strategy
Coaching, not scripts — suggests direction, not exact words

Conversation Stages (Pipeline)

InitiateFirst contact

DeepenBuild rapport

MSAWAMake Someone Aware

QualifyNeed + fit

PODProof of Delivery

GNTGet Next Thing

MG1Meeting Gen 1

💡

Powered by n8n: The coaching agent runs as an n8n workflow. Reps interact via Telegram or SMS. The bot tracks each PHP's stage, validates messages, and coaches the rep on what to say next.

Framework

5 Levels of Conversation

Anthony Spark's methodology for turning any relationship into a business opportunity. Each level builds on the previous one — you cannot skip levels.

Level 1: Initiate

First point of contact. The goal is simply to open a line of communication. No business talk. Just be a human being reaching out to another human being.

A-List approach:

"Hey [name]! It's been a minute. How have you been? Saw your post about [topic] — that's awesome."

C-List approach:

"Hey [name], I came across your [profile/post] and wanted to connect. I'm in the insurance space — always looking to meet new people."

Level 2: Deepen

Build genuine rapport. Ask about their life, family, work, passions. Find common ground. This level may take multiple conversations over days or weeks.

⚠️

Critical gate: The agent will NOT allow progression past Deepen until genuine rapport is established. If the rep tries to jump to business topics, the bot redirects them back to relationship-building.

Level 3: MSAWA (Make Someone Aware Without Asking)

Casually mention what you do without asking for business. Plant the seed. Let them know you're in insurance — but frame it as helping people, not selling policies.

Example: "Yeah, I've been busy — just helped a family save $400/year on their auto policy. It's rewarding when you can actually make a difference for people."

Level 4: Qualify

Determine if there's a genuine need and fit. Ask discovery questions about their current situation. Are they happy with their coverage? When does their policy renew?

Level 5: POD → GNT → MG1

Final Stages
POD	Proof of Delivery — Share a success story, testimonial, or case study that's relevant to their situation
GNT	Get Next Thing — Secure a commitment: "Can I run a quick quote for you?" or "Let me see if I can beat your current rate"
MG1	Meeting Gen 1 — First formal meeting/call to review their needs and present options. This is the sale.

Strategy

A/B/C List System

Every PHP (prospect) is classified by relationship strength. This classification determines the pace of progression and the messaging style at each stage.

A-List: Friends & Close Network

People you already have a genuine relationship with. Family, close friends, people you see regularly.

A-List Strategy
Initiate	Natural, warm, casual. "Hey, it's been a while!"
Deepen	Often already done — you know them. Quick check-in suffices.
MSAWA	Very organic: "I just started doing insurance, actually loving it"
Pace	Can move through stages faster (days, not weeks)
Risk	Don't abuse the relationship. Still earn the right to sell.

B-List: Acquaintances

People you know but don't have a deep relationship with. Former coworkers, gym buddies, neighbors, social media connections you've actually met.

B-List Strategy
Initiate	Reference a shared connection point. "Hey, we met at [event]..."
Deepen	Invest 2-3 conversations before any business mention
MSAWA	Natural transition: "What do you do these days?" creates opening
Pace	Moderate — 1-2 weeks from Initiate to MSAWA
Risk	Coming on too strong. The relationship isn't established yet.

C-List: Cold Contacts

People you don't know at all. Social media connections, referrals you haven't met, cold outreach targets.

C-List Strategy
Initiate	Value-first: comment on their content, find common ground
Deepen	Requires the most investment. 3-5+ conversations minimum.
MSAWA	Only after genuine rapport. Patience is everything here.
Pace	Slow — 3-4 weeks minimum before business discussion
Risk	Pitching too early = instant block. You have zero goodwill banked.

🚨

The #1 mistake reps make: Treating C-List contacts like A-List. The bot aggressively prevents this. If a rep tries to pitch a C-List contact before completing Deepen, the agent blocks the message and explains why.

Coaching

Coaching Flow

How the bot interacts with the rep. The coaching loop: rep sends a message, bot evaluates it against the current stage requirements, then provides guidance.

Coaching Loop

Rep sends message"Response: Hey how are you"

→

Bot evaluatesStage + list type

→

Validates messagingOn-track or redirect

→

Coaches next stepWhat to say/do next

When Messaging is On-Track

Bot acknowledges the good approach and suggests how to build on it:

✅

Great approach! You're deepening the relationship naturally. They mentioned they have two kids — next time, ask about that. Build genuine connection before we transition to MSAWA.

When Messaging is Off-Track

Bot blocks premature advancement and explains why:

🚨

Hold on. You're trying to mention insurance but this is a C-List contact still in the Deepen stage. You've only had 1 conversation. You need at least 3 more before MSAWA. Try asking about their work or hobbies instead.

Stage Advancement Criteria

When Can You Move to the Next Stage?
Initiate → Deepen	They responded positively. Conversation is open.	Easy
Deepen → MSAWA	Genuine rapport established. Multiple exchanges. Common ground found.	Gated
MSAWA → Qualify	They know what you do and showed curiosity or openness.	Gated
Qualify → POD	Need identified. They have insurance or need coverage.	Natural
POD → GNT	Proof shared. They're interested in learning more.	Natural
GNT → MG1	Commitment secured. Meeting is scheduled.	Close

💡

The "Deepen → MSAWA" gate is the strictest. The bot requires evidence of genuine connection (multiple exchanges, personal topics discussed, common ground identified) before allowing any business mention. This is what separates the framework from typical cold selling.

Usage

Commands & Validation

How reps interact with the coaching bot. Simple text commands for managing PHPs and getting coaching feedback on messages.

Bot Commands

Available Commands
`New PHP`	Start tracking a new prospect. Bot asks for name and A/B/C classification.	Create
`List PHPs`	Show all active PHPs with their current stage, list type, and last activity.	Read
`Close [name]`	Mark a PHP as closed (won or lost). Removes from active tracking.	Close
`Response: [message]`	Submit a message you're about to send (or just sent) for coaching feedback.	Coach

Command Examples

# Create a new PHP
New PHP
Bot: "What's their name?"
John Martinez
Bot: "A, B, or C list?"
B
Bot: "Got it. John Martinez added as B-List.
       Current stage: Initiate. Here's how to start..."

# Get coaching on a message
Response: Hey John! I know we haven't
talked in a while but I wanted to let you know
I can save you money on insurance
Bot: "STOP. John is B-List, still in Deepen.
       You're jumping straight to a pitch.
       Try this instead: Ask about his family
       or reference something you have in common."

# View all PHPs
List PHPs
Bot: "You have 12 active PHPs:
       John Martinez (B) - Deepen - Last: 2 days ago
       Sarah Chen (A) - MSAWA - Last: today
       ..."
        

Validation Rules

Message Validation Logic
Business keywords detected	If "insurance", "policy", "quote", "save money" appear before MSAWA stage → block + redirect
Pitch language detected	If "I can help you", "let me show you", "sign up" appear before Qualify stage → block + redirect
Stage-appropriate	Bot checks if message tone matches the current stage requirements
List-type pacing	C-List contacts require more conversations before advancement than A-List
Engagement quality	Bot checks for genuine questions vs. one-sided talking. Coaching favors curiosity and listening.

Good Patterns the Bot Reinforces

Asking open-ended questions about their life
Referencing shared experiences or interests
Following up on things they mentioned before
Natural, conversational tone
Patience between stage advances

Patterns the Bot Catches & Blocks

Pitching before deepening the relationship
Copy-paste template messages
Jumping from Initiate to Qualify
Treating C-List like A-List (too fast)
Mentioning products before MSAWA

System

Architecture

How the coaching agent is built: n8n workflow orchestration, AI-powered message analysis, and persistent PHP tracking.

System Flow

Rep MessageTelegram / SMS

→

n8n WorkflowParse command

→

PHP LookupGet stage + list

→

AI AnalysisGPT-4o coaching

→

ResponseCoaching feedback

n8n Workflow Components

Workflow Nodes
Webhook trigger	Receives messages from Telegram bot
Command parser	Determines intent: New, List, Close, Response
PHP state manager	Reads/writes PHP data (stage, list, history)
Stage validator	Checks if message is appropriate for current stage
AI coaching node	GPT-4o with framework prompt for coaching
Response formatter	Structures coaching reply for Telegram

Data Model

PHP Record
name	Contact name
list_type	A, B, or C
current_stage	Initiate through MG1
conversation_count	Number of exchanges
last_activity	Timestamp of last interaction
notes	AI-generated context summary
status	Active, Won, Lost

AI Prompt Strategy

The GPT-4o coaching prompt is structured with:

System context: Full 5 Levels framework + A/B/C rules
PHP context: Current stage, list type, conversation history
Rep message: What they're about to send
Instruction: Evaluate, validate, and coach — never provide scripts, always explain the "why"

The AI acts as a mentor, not a copywriter. It teaches reps to think in the framework, not follow templates.

🎉

Walkthrough complete! You now understand the PHP Coaching Agent — the 5 Levels framework, A/B/C list strategy, stage-gate validation, bot commands, and system architecture. The key insight: relationships first, business second. Always.