I have no formal sales background. I started selling security alarms door to door in Utah and Alabama, 12 hour days in small towns, for very little money.
Six years later I had done over $115M in sales and built a sales team to about $2M a month. The lesson: most sales trainers make this way more complicated than it needs to be.
Three factors decide most of your closes. Then a simple call structure and four objection frameworks handle the rest.
What door to door taught me
Early on I pitched alarm features. Police response, sensor placement, the warranty. Nobody cared. Buyers care about outcomes, not features.
I also learned not to over complicate it. Going deep on tiny details is like jumping into advanced math before you understand the basics. Focus on the big picture.
Factor 1: Only sell to people who want what you sell
Door to door is inefficient because most people you talk to aren’t interested. Beginners pitch everyone. Experienced sellers focus on the interested ones.
When I moved from doors to online sales, I went from one deal a day paying me $500 to three deals a week at about $3,200, with far fewer hours worked.
Three ways to qualify before the call:
- A low price entry offer. Someone who buys something small is more likely to buy something bigger.
- Tight DM conversations. Find out fast, in fewer messages, whether they’re interested.
- A pre call application.
Think of dating. Your odds are better asking single people than married ones. If someone doesn’t care about the problem you solve, move on.
Factor 2: Actually try to help
Most salespeople are focused on closing and getting paid. Prospects feel it. Ask yourself: what would I tell this person if I weren’t getting paid?
Then do the opposite of what most salespeople and competitors do. Being different gets noticed.
Early on I took every call and got frustrated when they didn’t close. Once I stopped caring so much about each sale, my close rate went up. People want what seems less needy. That’s easier once you have some financial stability, which is exactly why it’s hard at the start.
Factor 3: Be confident, never desperate
Desperation is a turnoff. The prospect starts wondering why you need this sale so badly.
Confidence works as a loop. You act, you get results, and confidence follows. Beginners usually have to act before they feel ready.
I once told a frustrated prospect I honestly didn’t mind either way. He bought.
The call structure
- Pre frame. Tell them what the call covers, what they’ll get and that no is a fine answer. Like telling a date the plan for the night.
- Discovery. Their goal, struggles, past attempts, experience and support system. Care about the answers. Quantify what the current situation is costing them. Let them reach their own conclusions, because people resist being told they’re wrong.
- Identify the gaps. Summarize their main issues and confirm that solving them would get them to move forward. Collect small yeses.
- Pitch. Teach them what bad looks like, like a perfume clerk who explains what to avoid. Contrast what most people do with what you do, using your three strongest differences. Never name a competitor. Then give a program overview of five minutes max.
- Build certainty. Ask them to rate it 1 to 10, then ask what would make it a 10. Sophisticated B2B buyers hate hard selling. Less sophisticated buyers may need more of a push.
- Close. State the price plainly and confidently. No padding.
The four objections, in order of how often they show up
1. Price
Isolate it and double tie down: if price is solved, will you move forward today? Ask about cash on hand, meaning checking, savings and available credit, not net worth or investments. Ask casually what they earn and spend each month.
Know your floor in advance. If they can’t meet it, let them go gracefully. Only offer a lower option in exchange for a commitment today. Never discount without getting something back. Start at the highest price and work down, and never raise a price after you’ve quoted it.
A cheaper program still helps your cash flow and builds trust. Trying to raise perceived value at that point is a lot of effort for very little return.
2. Belief
Ask what the worst case is. Walk through success, a money back guarantee if your offer has one, or staying stuck. Then ask: do you want to be someone who invests in growth, or someone who spends on short term comfort?
3. Spouse or partner
Check whether it’s really price. If so, go back to price. If not, ask whether their partner knows about the struggle and whether they would support their partner if the roles were reversed.
4. Time
“I need to think about it” is a decision to stay where they are. Ask: are you more likely to reach your goal with this, do you trust us to deliver, and do you have access to the funds? Then push for a yes or no.
Quick answers to common questions
- How hard do I push? About three times, max. Then stop before you damage rapport. If they’re still unsure, take a refundable deposit and book a follow up for the next day. Avoid long follow up sequences.
- Competitors? Don’t name them. Talk about what “most people” do.
- Multiple offers? Lead with the premium one, then step down based on cash on hand.
- Payment plans? Longer plans default more. Get bigger upfront payments when you can.
- Financing? I’m skeptical of most providers. They tend to serve the customers who need it least.
- Prospect disagrees? Ask questions instead of arguing, so they reach the conclusion themselves.
The takeaway
Talk to interested people, genuinely try to help and don’t act like you need the deal. Get those three right and the structure and objection handling become easy.
Want to know what’s capping your business right now? Take my free 90 Day Ceiling Plan. Answer 18 questions and get a written plan, built on your own numbers, that names the one thing holding you back and what to fix first.
