Sales closing frameworks

From: alexhormozi

Alex Hormozi, described as the “all-time biggest internet marketer for fitness” by the host and called “the best sales guy” by Russell Brunson of ClickFunnels, attributes his success in sales to a simple yet effective approach [00:00:26]. His companies have generated over $100millioninsaleswithalifetimereturnonadvertisingspend(ROAS)of36to1,havingspentjustunder$3 million in advertising [00:02:12]. He emphasizes that simplicity is key to scaling [00:04:58].

Hormozi believes that while many make sales processes fancy, the core elements that drive growth are straightforward [00:06:49]. He has trained thousands of clients, with over a thousand hitting $100,000 a year using his sales framework, demonstrating its effectiveness regardless of natural talent [00:08:48].

The “Closer” Framework

Alex Hormozi developed the “Closer” framework, an acronym for the questions and steps that guide prospects to a “yes” [00:11:40]. This framework works for both B2C and B2B sales, and for tickets ranging from $500to$100,000 [00:13:22].

The three things that are ever said on a sales call are questions, restatements, and anecdotal stories [00:19:50].

The Stages of CLOSER

1. C - Clarify why the person is on the phone with you [00:13:42]:

   • Ask: “What made you come in today?”, “What made you reach out?”, “What’s your goal right now?”, “Why is that important to you?” [00:15:26].
   • Insist on understanding the problem they are trying to solve, as people don’t just collect information [00:15:46].

2. L - Label them with a problem [00:13:58]:

   • Restate their goal or problem to confirm understanding: “So, just so I’m hearing you right, it sounds like this is your goal, correct?” [00:15:55].
   • It is crucial for the prospect to acknowledge and own their problem [00:16:00].

3. O - Overview their past efforts/pain [00:14:00]:

   • Ask: “What have you tried so far to accomplish this?”, “How long did you do it for?”, “How long ago?”, “How did that work for you?”, “What else have you tried?” [00:16:10].
   • This “pain cycle” helps exhaust all previous options and provides “ammo” for later in the close [00:16:18].
   • Crucially, explain that it’s not their fault they failed, often by identifying a missing piece in their previous attempts, which your solution provides [00:16:29].

4. S - Sell the vacation/solution [00:14:23]:

   • Introduce how your solution can solve their problem.
   • Focus on the desired result (the “vacation”), not the arduous process (the “plane flight”) [00:21:37].
   • The pitch part should be no longer than three minutes [00:19:25].
   • Use short, anecdotal stories to break existing beliefs and explain the benefits, rather than jargon or technical details [00:18:14]. Prospects buy because they feel understood [00:19:32].
   • Frame your solution around typically three core pillars [00:17:16].
   • Always focus on the prospect’s needs and problems, not how great your product is [00:24:10].

5. E - Explain away their concerns/obstacles [00:14:27]:

   • Address common obstacles like price, needing to talk to a partner, or needing to “think about it” [00:22:49].
   • Memorize obstacle overcomes and anecdotal stories, as these are “red zone” situations where quick, pre-planned responses are necessary [00:22:56].
   • Rely on past agreements they’ve already made about their problem and their desire for a solution [00:25:01].
   • If a stall occurs, help them confront the decision by asking “What’s your main concern?” or “What are you most afraid of happening?” [00:26:11].
   • The fundamental questions are: “Do you feel like what we’re doing can meet your needs and solve the problem?”, “Do you want to work with us?”, and “Do you have access to funds or know someone who does?” [00:26:22].

6. R - Reinforce the decision [00:14:40]:

   • The sale continues throughout the entire customer relationship [00:14:47].
   • After closing, reinforce their decision with personalized videos, special gifts, or handwritten cards [00:27:38].
   • The first 48 hours after they pay are critical for their long-term belief in the company [00:27:54].

Key Takeaways for Improving Sales Techniques

• Always keep the prospect talking at the beginning to fully understand their problem [00:19:47].
• Sales scripting process should prioritize questions, restatements, and anecdotal stories over excessive product details [00:19:50].
• Avoid talking too much about the product; train salespeople on the prospect’s pains [00:24:10].

The Conviction Framework

This framework helps newer salespeople outperform seasoned reps by focusing on conviction and tonality [00:28:22].

• Words vs. Tonality: Words account for only 10% of a sales message; 90% is how you say them [00:29:14].
• Conviction Corrects Tone: If you deeply believe in the product, your tone will naturally convey confidence and desire to help [00:29:59]. This means the most important part of the sale is the product itself [00:31:03].
• The Power of Belief: The only way to sell hard and close deals ethically is to believe “through and through, balls to bones” in what you’re selling [00:31:23]. The most convicted person will always win [00:33:53].

Tactics for Building Conviction

1. Read Testimonials Out Loud Daily: If the business lacks testimonials, find another business with a good product you believe in [00:32:05].
2. Fix Product Issues (for business owners): Continually improve the product and never blame a customer for lack of success. This demonstrates commitment to the product and allows salespeople to have genuine conviction [00:32:31]. This aligns with sales_and_product_development.
3. Put in the Work: Conviction comes from knowing you’ve put in the effort that merits the price charged [00:32:58]. Salespeople burn out not from rejection, but from feeling they haven’t earned their closes [00:33:11].

Sales Training Schedule

Hormozi’s team conducts 60 minutes of world-class sales training five days a week [00:34:37]:

• First 25 minutes: Read the script out loud [00:34:45].
• Next 5 minutes: Practice handling obstacles (e.g., “I need to think about it,” “I need to talk to my partner,” “This is expensive”) [00:34:48].
• Second half: Listen to call recordings to identify what went right, what went wrong, and plan for next time, then drill it as a team [00:35:03]. This trains both talking (tone and sequence) and listening skills [00:34:58].

Scaling Sales Teams

Hormozi mentions that for businesses generating over $100,000 per month, the challenge shifts from personal closing to duplicating the sales skill in others [00:07:24]. Teaching others to sell is a more valuable skill than selling personally, as it removes the constraint of one’s own time [00:12:53]. He advises that if you know a specific niche well, you will know their pains, which is crucial for training new salespeople [00:24:34].

Note: While introduced as a third framework, the provided transcript focuses primarily on the “Closer” and “Conviction” frameworks.

You can find more resources from Alex Hormozi on Instagram, YouTube, and his podcast by searching “Alex Hormozi” [00:35:24]. He also offers a book, alexsbook.com, which includes 35 pages of obstacle overcomes [00:35:34].