Sales training and frameworks

From: alexhormozi

This article summarizes a presentation on effective sales strategies, focusing on frameworks for scripting calls, developing conviction in sales teams, and scaling sales operations. The presenter shared insights from his experience growing multiple sales teams, including a company that scaled from 14 to nearly 30 sales representatives using these methods [00:00:46]. His portfolio of six companies achieved $85 million per year at the time of the presentation [00:01:03].

The Three Frameworks for Sales Success

The presentation introduces three core frameworks designed to transform “losing funnels into cash machines” [00:02:14]:

1. Closer Framework: How to ask questions that encourage prospects to say “yes” [00:02:24].
2. Conviction Framework: How belief can enable anyone to outperform a seasoned sales representative by controlling their tone [00:02:33].
3. Scaling Framework: How to easily duplicate the sales process across various niches in seven days or less [00:02:43].

1. The Closer Framework

This framework simplifies the sales scripting process into a question-based approach that is applicable to B2C or B2B sales, and for products ranging from $500to$100,000 [00:03:17]. The acronym “CLOSER” stands for:

• C - Clarify why they are there [00:03:30]
  • Ask questions like: “What made you come in today?” [00:03:46], “What’s your goal right now?” [00:03:48], “Why is that important to you?” [00:03:49].
• L - Label them with a problem [00:03:42]
  • This ensures the prospect admits they have a problem that can be solved [00:03:44]. Example: “I’m assuming you’re not hopping on sales calls all day just for information, is there a problem you’re trying to solve?” [00:03:53].
  • Confirm their problem: “So what I’m hearing is XYZ, does that sound about right?” [00:04:57].
• O - Overview of their past attempts to solve the problem [00:04:07]
  • This is known as the “pain cycle” and involves asking: “What have you tried so far to accomplish that?” [00:05:34], “How long did you do that for?” [00:05:41], “How long ago had that worked for you?” <a class=“yt=“yt-timestamp” data-t=“00:05:43”>[00:05:43], “What else have you tried?” [00:05:44].
  • The goal is for the prospect to realize they’ve “tried everything under the sun” [00:05:50].
• S - Sell them the vacation (not the plane flight) [00:04:11]
  • The sales pitch should be under three minutes [00:06:12].
  • Focus on what they will experience, not how they will experience it [00:06:28].
  • Sell three key benefits, which can be found in any industry (e.g., for fitness: fitness, nutrition, accountability) [00:06:33].
  • For each benefit, have a memorized 30-second anecdotal story to address hesitation [00:07:15].
  • The aim is to make the product sound like something they’ll look forward to, rather than work [00:08:12].
  • Every customer gets to “Maui” (the final destination/desired outcome); the variables are the “speed and quality of the journey” [00:10:17].
• E - Explain away their concerns [00:04:14]
  • Address common objections:
    • “I can’t afford it”: This usually means they don’t understand the value [00:11:13]. If they believed it was valuable (like a Ferrari for $5k), they’d find the money [00:11:05].
    • “I need to talk to a decision-maker”:
      1. Circumvent: Ask “What if they say no?” [00:11:47]—one third will say they’d do it anyway [00:11:49].
      2. Divert: If they say no, ask “What do you think their biggest objection would be?” [00:12:01] to address the underlying issue [00:12:10].
      3. Past Agreements: Remind them of current struggles that the decision-maker already “doesn’t approve of” [00:12:21].
      4. Forgiveness: Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission [00:12:41], by asking for a card down and delaying payment to allow them to “justify” it [00:13:49].
    • “Stall/I need to think about it”: Teach them how to make decisions on the call, considering if the product meets their needs, if they’d enjoy working with you, and if they have access to funds [00:13:04].
• R - Reinforce the decision [00:04:27]
  • This transitions into the onboarding process, leading to higher customer lifetime value (LTV), lower churn, and fewer refunds/chargebacks [00:04:31].
  • Send a personalized video from the CEO welcoming them and thanking them for their trust [00:14:30]. This is crucial as customers often decide if they like the business within the first 48 hours after the sale [00:14:44].

2. The Conviction Framework

This framework focuses on how tone influences sales, often more than logical arguments [00:15:13].

• The Hidden Dialogue: The words used speak to the logical brain, but how they are said speaks to the emotional brain, which makes decisions [00:16:03]. Therefore, “how you say what you say is what you say” [00:16:19].
• Controlling Tone: Seasoned sales professionals learn to control their tone on purpose, for example, raising their voice at the end of a statement to imply a question, or lowering it to emphasize importance [00:17:07].
• The Hack: Conviction Corrects Tone: The easiest way to ensure correct tone is through genuine conviction [00:17:50]. If sales representatives truly believe in the product they are selling, they will naturally use the right tone [00:17:53]. A lack of belief, perhaps due to negative customer feedback, can lead to a drop in performance [00:18:02].

Actions to Build Conviction in Sales Teams:

• Read Testimonials Aloud Daily: Regularly read fresh testimonials to the sales team to remind them of their positive impact [00:20:01]. This boosts morale and reminds them they are “doing good in the world” [00:20:19].
• Fix Everything You Can About the Product: Continuously improve the product to maintain belief [00:20:24]. Take ownership of product issues rather than blaming customers for lack of success [00:20:28].
• Never Stop Improving the Product: Ensure the sales team is always up-to-date on product improvements [00:20:35]. If sales dip, bring in customer support or product development leads to explain the value and care provided to customers, reigniting enthusiasm [00:20:41]. This connects sales and product development.

3. The Scaling Framework

This framework outlines six “C’s” to consistently duplicate sales success and achieve financial growth across a sales team [00:21:25]. The focus of sales training should be on understanding the prospect rather than solely the product [00:22:22].

The Six C’s are:

1. Closer Sequence (Closer Framework): Already covered. Ensure the sales script is a question-based framework [00:23:14].
2. Consistent Daily Training and Conviction:
   • Train 60 minutes a day, five days a week [00:23:47].
   • Talking (25 mins): Have sales reps read the script and questions aloud with correct tonality; if they “mess up,” they start again [00:24:06].
   • Obstacle Overcomes (5 mins): Drill common objections (e.g., “I need to think about it,” “I don’t have the money,” “I gotta talk to my partner”) so responses are memorized and automatic in the “red zone” [00:24:16].
   • Listening (30 mins): Listen to a 30-minute call recording daily and discuss: “What went right in this call?” [00:24:42], “What went wrong?” [00:24:48], and “What do you do next time?” [00:24:50].
3. Call Recordings: Essential for studying “game film” and training the team [00:25:20]. Gong is highly recommended for its AI-powered insights into talk time, questions asked, etc. [00:25:41].
4. Communication Cycles:
   • When providing feedback, focus on one key improvement at a time for maximum effectiveness [00:26:35].
   • Weekly team meetings: Group feedback.
   • Daily wrap-up: A quick session to pump up the team and acknowledge their efforts, especially after a tough day [00:26:53].
   • One-on-ones: Weekly for new reps, bi-weekly for experienced ones [00:27:16].
5. Cuts (Cut the Fat Fast):
   • In sales, it’s often “sink or swim” [00:27:38]. If a sales representative cannot close within the first one to two weeks (unless the product is highly complex), they likely won’t [00:27:40].
   • It is generally easier to improve a moderately performing individual (a “six” to a “nine”) than to significantly improve a poor performer (a “two” to a “five”) [00:27:56].
6. Competition and Career Path:
   • Competition: Salespeople are naturally competitive [00:28:27]. Run competitions on six-week cycles—long enough to feel achievable, short enough to maintain urgency [00:28:34]. Group goals (10-15% increase) or team-based competitions can foster both competitiveness and camaraderie [00:28:54].
   • Career Path: Establish clear milestones (e.g., 50, 100, 150 deals closed) with minor pay increases or title advancements (e.g., from $500to$525 per deal) [00:29:22]. This roadmap provides progress and reduces anxiety in a repetitive role [00:29:36].
   • Segmentation: Separate outbound and inbound sales teams, and further divide them into setters and closers. Different lead types (e.g., outbound vs. inbound) should go to different people for higher conversion rates [00:30:07].