I Taught 115+ Salesmen My Closing Framework Ep 306

Alex Hormozi shares his extensive experience in sales and business growth, detailing his journey from struggling with self-doubt to achieving massive success with his companies, Gym Launch, Prestige Labs, and a software company. He emphasizes the importance of sales in business expansion, boasting a staggering 36-to-1 return on ad spend. Hormozi's approach to sales centers on simplicity, conviction, and a deep belief in one's product, which he argues is more persuasive than any script. He introduces the "CLOSER" framework for sales calls, focusing on clarifying client issues, leveraging past pains, outlining solutions, explaining away concerns, and reinforcing decisions post-sale. Hormozi also stresses the importance of tonality and conviction in communication, suggesting that true belief in a product can naturally correct tone and enhance sales performance. For those new to sales or looking to improve, he recommends internalizing this conviction and continuously improving the product to maintain integrity and efficacy in sales.

• Alex opens by addressing common fears and doubts experienced by salespeople regarding their success and financial goals.
• He reassures the audience that such concerns are normal and shares his own past insecurities.
• Alex transitions to discussing the success of his companies and how sales play a significant role.

"But hopefully, in this presentation, I will put some of those fears to rest of, like, what if I never make it? What if I never turn this corner and become the salesperson I want?"

This quote highlights the emotional aspect of sales, focusing on personal growth and overcoming self-doubt.

• Alex mentions the success of his three companies: Gym Launch, Prestige Labs, and a software company called Allen.
• He emphasizes the importance of sales and mentions an impressive return on ad spend (ROAS) that his companies have achieved.
• The conversation shifts to sales strategies and scaling sales teams.

"My wife and I own three companies. We own gym launch, which has done, I think, 60 or 70 million in sales in the last three years."

This quote demonstrates Alex's credibility and success in sales, providing a foundation for the sales strategies he is about to share.

• Alex recounts his extensive experience in sales, from face-to-face consultations to managing remote sales teams.
• He discusses his approach to sales, which values simplicity and effectiveness over complexity.
• Alex prepares to share the sales frameworks that have yielded outsized returns for his companies.

"And so what I'm going to do is because I do have a presentation, which is just how I think about sales."

This quote sets the stage for Alex to share his sales philosophy, indicating that the presentation will be focused on his personal insights.

• Alex reflects on his ability to donate to causes that are important to him, tying success in sales to the opportunity to give back.
• He shares a personal story about his gym teacher, which led to his passion for fitness and success in the industry.
• Alex's story underscores the importance of personal motivation and the impact of mentorship.

"And so it's been a great privilege to be able to give back. And we've donated 1.4 million just in the last three years."

This quote connects financial success to philanthropy and personal fulfillment, highlighting an often-overlooked aspect of business success.

• Alex differentiates the sales strategies for those making under $100,000 a month from those making over $100,000 a month.
• He explains the necessity of scaling sales teams to achieve higher revenue thresholds.
• The focus is on both the act of selling and the process of scaling sales operations.

"And if you guys are over $100,000 a month, I'll show you exactly what we did to scale a team to get to a million a month and beyond."

This quote indicates that Alex will provide actionable advice for scaling sales, tailored to different levels of revenue.

• Alex introduces three sales frameworks that have been effective across various niches.
• He assures the audience that the frameworks are versatile and can be applied to their specific situations.
• The conversation aims to transform underperforming sales funnels into profitable ventures.

"And these are the free frameworks that I kind of discovered to scale high ticket, all right?"

This quote reveals that Alex will share foundational strategies for scaling high-ticket sales, emphasizing their broad applicability.

• Asking the right questions can lead prospects towards affirming the sale.
• Tailoring the sales funnel process with these questions increases profitability.
• There are only three types of statements to use on a sales call: questions, restatements, and anecdotal stories.

"these are the questions that get prospects to say yes."

This quote emphasizes the importance of asking strategic questions that guide prospects towards a positive response, leading to a successful sale.

"And so adding this to any funnel process is going to instantly make it more profitable."

Alex suggests that incorporating specific questions into the sales funnel process can significantly enhance its effectiveness and profitability.

"I'm going to walk through the questions that we ask and specifically, what only three things that you can say on a sales call, period."

Alex introduces the concept that there are only three types of statements that should be used in a sales call, which he will explain in detail.

• The Conviction Framework is a strategy to outperform seasoned sales reps by controlling tone.
• It is applicable to both newcomers and experienced professionals in high ticket sales.
• Alex emphasizes the importance of belief and tone control over experience in sales.

"the second thing is the conviction framework. So anyone who believes can outperform a seasoned sales rep by simply learning to control their tone."

Alex introduces the Conviction Framework, highlighting that belief and tone control can be more effective than experience in sales.

• Scaling involves teaching sales skills to others, which is a higher level skill than selling itself.
• By duplicating sales skills in others, one can exponentially increase earnings.
• The ability to teach sales is framed as a means to overcome the limitations of individual time and effort.

"Because it's one level of the skill is learning to sell, another level of the skill is teaching to sell, and it's a more valuable skill."

Alex explains that teaching others to sell is a more advanced and valuable skill than selling itself.

• The 'Closer' acronym is a structured approach to sales calls that works across different industries and price points.
• It consists of several key steps: Clarify, Label, Overview, Sell the vacation, Explain away concerns, and Reinforce the decision.
• This framework is designed to address the client's needs and concerns systematically.

"So let's rock and roll. Close your framework. So after poring over hundreds of scripts, like, I mean it, hundreds of scripts, I realized that there was always, like, these minor differences in wording."

Alex introduces the 'Closer' framework, which he developed after analyzing hundreds of sales scripts.

"And the nice thing is that this process works for b to c and b to b."

Alex states that the 'Closer' framework is versatile and effective for both B2C (business-to-consumer) and B2B (business-to-business) sales.

"Even when I'm thinking through sales calls we use, we're like, closer."

The 'Closer' acronym is used as a mnemonic device to help remember the steps of the sales process during calls.

• The sales process is continuous and extends beyond the initial sale into the entire customer relationship.
• Sales professionals must consistently engage and re-engage clients to maintain their commitment and action.
• Each interaction with the client is an opportunity to reinforce their decision and address any new concerns.

"And this last r here is a point that I added years later because we realized that the sale just continues throughout the entire customer relationship."

Alex explains that the 'R' in the 'Closer' acronym, which stands for 'Reinforce the decision,' was added to acknowledge the ongoing nature of the sales process.

"You might have closed the card or closed the first payment, but their onboarding experience, they got to close them again."

This quote highlights the need for continuous engagement with the client, even after the initial sale, to ensure a successful onboarding experience and sustained commitment.

• The first step in the 'Closer' framework is to clarify why the prospect is engaging in the conversation.
• Understanding the prospect's problem or goal is crucial to tailoring the sales approach.
• Sales reps should get the prospect to acknowledge and own their problem before proposing solutions.

"The c is clarify why the person is on the phone with you."

Alex describes the first step of the 'Closer' framework, which focuses on understanding the reason behind the prospect's engagement.

"What are we trying to solve here after that?"

This question is part of the clarification process, aimed at identifying the prospect's problem that needs solving.

• The 'Overview' step involves discussing the prospect's past attempts to solve their problem.
• This conversation provides valuable information that can be used later in the sales process.
• Sales reps should empathize with the prospect's frustrations and present their product as the missing piece to the solution.

"Tell me a little bit about what you've done so far to try and get past this."

Alex suggests asking the prospect about their previous efforts to address their issue, which is part of the 'Overview' step in the 'Closer' framework.

"We call this the pain cycle, right? We consistently do this over and over again until we've exhausted all options."

The 'pain cycle' refers to the process of discussing all the prospect's past attempts and failures, which helps build a case for the presented solution.

• The sales process involves explaining the solution and how it addresses the prospect's specific problem.
• Sales reps should focus on the results and benefits of the solution rather than the technical details.
• Addressing concerns is about overcoming objections and reinforcing the prospect's decision to purchase.

"Okay, well, can I tell you about how I think we might be able to help solve your problem?"

Alex transitions to presenting the solution, indicating how it may help solve the prospect's problem.

"So they say yes. And then once they say yes, we reinforce the decision."

After the prospect agrees to the solution, the sales rep's role is to reinforce their decision to ensure commitment.

• Anecdotal stories are used to break the prospect's preexisting beliefs and objections.
• Stories should be short, relatable, and focused on the results rather than the process.
• Sales reps should avoid jargon and technical details that can lead to resistance or confusion.

"It has been my experience that we use stories, short anecdotal stories, to break the belief of the prospect around a topic."

Alex emphasizes the effectiveness of using short, anecdotal stories to change the prospect's beliefs and overcome objections.

"The more things you explain about the tactics of the program, the more details they're going to be able to use to pull the strings of an argument or find details that they don't like."

This quote warns against over-explaining the technical aspects of the solution, as it may lead to more objections from the prospect.

• Sales calls should only consist of questions, restatements, and anecdotal stories.
• The purpose of these elements is to keep the focus on the prospect and their needs.
• Sales reps must listen actively and use the information shared by the prospect to guide the conversation.

"There's only three things that are ever said on a sales call. Do you guys know what they are? There's only three things that ever come out of your mouth. Questions, restatements, and anecdotal stories."

Alex outlines the three core elements of a sales call, emphasizing the simplicity and focus required in communication.

"Therapists get paid hundreds of dollars an hour to simply shut the fuck up and sit there. Be like, tell me more about that. Interesting. How'd that make you feel?"

This analogy draws a parallel between the role of a therapist and a sales rep, highlighting the value of active listening and empathy in a sales context.

• Alex discusses the importance of selling the end result or "vacation" rather than the process or "plane."
• The focus should be on making the solution appealing and pain-free for the customer.
• Avoiding technical jargon and focusing on solving the problem is key.
• Alex emphasizes selling the same core product or service but with different levels of service to cater to customer preferences.

"And that's what we're explaining to them. So that's selling the vacation, right? And this is a saying that I've used for a long time, which is sell the vacation, not the plane, right?"

The quote underlines the strategy of selling the desirable outcome (the vacation) instead of the complicated process (the plane). This approach aims to make the product or service more appealing by highlighting the benefits and minimizing the perceived hassle.

• Alex outlines that memorizing stories and overcoming objections are critical for salespeople.
• He stresses the importance of understanding the customer's needs and pain points rather than focusing on the product features.
• Alex advises against asking for a sale unless the salesperson is confident the customer will say yes.
• He emphasizes the need for salespeople to be efficient with their words and targeted with their questions to move the sale forward.

"The two things that you need to memorize as a salesperson are the stories about what you sell and the obstacles that you're going to encounter when you're in the red zone."

This quote highlights the necessity for salespeople to be well-prepared with narratives about their offerings and strategies for handling potential objections. This preparation is crucial for successful sales conversations.

• Alex explains that if a customer objects to price, it often means the value was not effectively communicated.
• He illustrates that customers will find a way to afford something if they perceive the value to be greater than the cost.
• The ability to articulate the customer's problem accurately is crucial to demonstrating value.

"And value in a prospect's mind is how well articulated their problem was back to them."

This quote emphasizes that the perception of value is tied to how well a salesperson can articulate and reflect the customer's problem, reinforcing the importance of understanding and communication in sales.

• Alex introduces a three-step process to handle objections related to decision-making authority.
• He suggests using past agreements to persuade the customer and sometimes suggests taking action first and seeking forgiveness later.
• The approach varies depending on the situation and the customer's relationship with the decision-maker.

"Does your partner agree with how the business is working right now? [...] And so the key here is relying on past agreements that have already been made."

This quote suggests leveraging the customer's existing dissatisfaction, as agreed upon with their partner or decision-maker, to overcome objections related to decision-making authority.

• Alex addresses the common stall of needing to "think about it," which often stems from a fear of making mistakes.
• He recommends directly asking for the main concern and offering to think it through together.
• The goal is to guide the customer to a decision by confirming they believe the product can meet their needs, they align with the company's values, and they have or can obtain the necessary funds.

"Do you feel like what we're doing can meet your needs and solve the problem? [...] Well, then let's rock and roll, because those are the only things we know to meet the baked decision."

Alex's quote here is about simplifying the decision-making process for the customer by focusing on their needs, alignment with the company, and financial capability, encouraging them to proceed with the purchase.

• Sales objections often stem from a lack of perceived value or earlier mistakes in the sales process.
• Handling objections involves relying on past agreements and directly addressing concerns.
• It's critical to reassure the customer by explaining how their fears will not materialize.

They have an objection around price because they don't see the value because you didn't articulate it.

This quote highlights the importance of clearly articulating the value of a product or service to prevent price objections.

They have an objection around decision maker, usually because you fuck something up earlier in the sale.

This quote suggests that objections regarding decision-making authority often arise from earlier mistakes in the sales process.

• The first 48 hours after a sale are crucial for establishing long-term customer relationships.
• Overcommunication is vital post-sale to prevent customers from feeling neglected and to reassure them about their purchase.
• Personal touches like personalized videos and handwritten cards can significantly impact customer satisfaction.

People are making their decision about whether they believe in you as a company within the first 48 hours after the sale.

This quote emphasizes the significance of the immediate post-sale period in shaping customer perceptions and trust in a company.

That's where we need to overcommunicate because they don't want to scare away the sale when it's completely the opposite.

This quote advises against the common misconception that post-sale communication might scare away customers, arguing that it is, in fact, necessary for customer retention.

• Words in a sales script account for only 10% of the communication, while tonality constitutes the remaining 90%.
• Tonality provides emotional influence and can change the meaning of words significantly.
• Seasoned sales professionals learn to control their tone to enhance their sales effectiveness.

The words are not going to. Enough. They're just literally 10%.

This quote underscores that the actual words in a sales script are a small part of effective communication, highlighting the importance of how the words are delivered.

90% is how you say the words, right? Because how you say what you say is tonality.

This quote stresses that the majority of communication impact comes from tonality, not just the words themselves.

• Genuine belief in the product is crucial for successful sales.
• Conviction can correct tone and improve sales effectiveness.
• Sales professionals must manage their state and harness conviction to maintain performance.

Conviction will correct your tone. Conviction made real.

This quote suggests that a strong belief in the product naturally improves one's tonality during sales conversations.

If you believe in the product, you don't need to have all the sales skills.

This quote implies that genuine belief in a product can compensate for a lack of sales skills because it leads to more authentic and persuasive communication.

• Sales professionals should continuously strive to improve the product and the sales process.
• Ethical considerations are paramount; one should only sell products they truly believe in.
• Conviction and belief in the product's value are key to enduring success in sales.

And only you can know that. And the thing is, the reason salespeople get beat up is because they don't put the work in.

This quote emphasizes the importance of effort and self-awareness in ensuring that sales professionals can stand behind their products with conviction.

And that's how you hack conviction. That's how you get your tone to be unconsciously correct.

This quote encapsulates the main message that true belief in a product can naturally lead to the right tone of voice, which is essential for successful sales.

• Alex promotes his social media channels, YouTube, and podcast for further insights.
• He offers a book with sales training resources, emphasizing the value of the content provided.
• The promotion serves as an example of using conviction and belief in one's own products to drive sales.

I've got a book called Alex's book. It has 35 pages of obstacle overcomes in the appendix for each one of those obstacles.

This quote is an example of self-promotion, highlighting Alex's resources that can aid in overcoming sales obstacles.

If you guys want, I've got a book called Alex's book. It has 35 pages of obstacle overcomes in the appendix for each one of those obstacles.

This quote further promotes Alex's book as a valuable resource for sales training, emphasizing the thoroughness of the material.