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I closed 3 deals this month, adding $18,000 in MRR to my business.
I’ve never had any sales training, I dress like a skateboarder, I’m covered in tattoos, and I hardly brush my hair.
Yet my biggest strength as an entrepreneur has always been my ability to generate business and close deals.
Today, I will teach you how to do it.
LFG. 🔥
Lesson 1: Work To Become The Authority In Your Space
People love to debate whether you should be a generalist or a specialist. I have taken part in that conversation many times, but let me simplify it for you.
There are pros and cons to both sides, but being a specialist gives you the gift of focus. When it comes to closing deals and building a reputation, nothing fast-tracks your brand like focus.
Your goal is to become the authority in your industry.
I realize this might sound trite, but nothing in business is more valuable than your reputation. I don’t have to grind constantly to generate business anymore because I have a network referring clients to me and an entire industry discussing my work.
I have been 100% focused on being the best lead generation expert in the behavioral health field since I was 24. I just turned 40.
Becoming an authority cost me thousands of unpaid hours. Every meeting taken, article written, free audit completed, and solid result delivered contributed to where I am today.
Most people look for a quick hack or a 12 step framework. The reality is that I built this business by focusing all my efforts on being the best in the world at one specific thing.
It paid off.
Lesson 2: Have Conversations With People
Now let’s get to the tactical side.
Most people start a business by building a website and posting on social media. They say they are doing “marketing” and assume that if they post enough on Instagram, people will hand them money.
That is not how it works.
My personal brand has brought me massive success, so I fully support posting content online. However, real trust, connection, and empathy rarely translate through a screen alone.
Worry less about likes and shares, and focus more on real conversations.
During the first 5 years of Stodzy, I spoke to anyone who would listen. I went to conferences, sent DMs, commented on Reddit and Quora, drove across Florida for face-to-face meetings, collected business cards, and grabbed endless coffees.
Understand the distinction: a social media impression just means you projected your ideas onto someone. A conversation is a genuine human interaction. It creates an emotional bond, which gives you a real place to start.
Building those early connections required real sacrifice. I gave never went out on weekends, I got dumped by every girlfriend who would date me, and I hardly had fun at all.
My life was about …
eating healthy
reading books
working out
staying sober
working on my business
I knew I wanted to build a successful business, and so everything else was secondary. But it was worth it because I had so many conversations with people that I was able to get my name out there.
Keep in mind that I am naturally shy and awkward. I dealt with a speech impediment as a kid, and given the choice, I would rather sit in a corner with my coffee and people watch. But I forced myself to get out there, meet people, and build genuine relationships.
Real success is simply a byproduct of your relationships. You truly are the average of the people in your network.
Lesson 3: Collect Leads And Work Them
People will not hunt you down to hand you money.
Your success in sales depends on your ability to generate leads, track them in a CRM, provide genuine value, and close the deal.
The biggest mistake novice salespeople make is walking away after the first rejection.
Sales is a cumulative process dependent on your brand, your trust level, your touchpoints, and the value you bring to the market. Think of sales like a game where you collect contacts and stay active with them. The more shots you take, the higher your odds.
I use close.com as my CRM (no affiliation). I generate leads through my websites, referrals, and SEO, and I track every single one. I log detailed notes on our conversations and set clear tasks to follow up.
It is completely normal for a deal to take months or even years to move from first contact to a signed contract. Stay in the game. You cannot lose if you do not quit.
The best metaphor I ever heard on this concept is a Hormozi story about the 200 sided dye. I highly recommend you list to it.
Lesson 4: Write Great Proposals
One of my secret weapons has always been my proposal process.
Most agencies build flashy slide decks. I write my proposals in Google Docs after spending a few hours thoroughly analyzing the project, the required work, and the total cost.
My philosophy is simple: give away the entire strategy upfront.
I outline exactly what we plan to do and how we will execute it. There are no secrets or hidden frameworks. I lay out the full plan on paper and hand it to the client.
Some people think this is crazy because it gives away the secret sauce.
That perspective is outdated. Anyone can find information online for free. Clients pay for results, saved time, and the freedom to focus on their own business while you handle the heavy lifting.
I work in lead generation, so my proposals feature clear strategies, timelines, and projected outcomes. You may have a different business model than me, but you can adapt this approach to fit your model.
Whatever your structure, customize every proposal to the specific customer. Research their business, pinpoint their unique selling points, and present the scope as if they are your only client.
You will spend extra hours on proposals that do not close, but your conversion rate and overall revenue will soar over time.
Lesson 5: Ask For The Sale
You sourced a lead, worked it for weeks, delivered a custom proposal, and booked another Google meet in order to review the proposal and try to get the contract signed.
You sit through a 45 minute call. What comes next?
Ask for the sale. You have to close the deal.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DO NOT GET OFF THE MEETING UNTIL YOU HAVE ASKED FOR THE SALE!!!
I’m fascinated with those Ironman triathletes who go through the entire race and collapse from exhaustion right when they can see the finish line. The analogy is apt, as you spend weeks or month working your ass off to get to this point, just to collapse at the end.
Don’t do that.
Build the emotional fortitude to ask for the deal directly. You need to communicate that it is time for the customer to sign the contract and pay you.
If you get stuck, use this exact line: “Are you ready to get started?”
It is simple, direct, and easy to say. As you gain experience, you can practice advanced closing techniques and handle objections with ease. That confidence comes naturally when you know your industry, your proposal, and your business inside and out.
Do not spend weeks cultivating new business only to shrink back at the final moment. You owe it to yourself and the customer to close the deal.
In Conclusion: It’s Not That Complicated
Plenty of sales experts exist, but I am not one of them. I do not carry a cheat sheet of rebuttals. I simply know my industry better than anyone else.
Stop making sales harder than it needs to be. Do exceptional work, treat people right, keep providing your value, and the deals will follow.
I have proven this model repeatedly in my agency and through my personal brand. I know it works.
The hard part is showing up every day without immediate gratification. Master the discipline of working hard for an uncertain short-term outcome, and you will build a sustainable sales engine.
Love you guys. Talk to you next week.
Tim