How a Simple Shift Can 10x Your Real Estate Conversions

SMART Talk: How Alex Hormozi’s Reframing Technique Can Transform Your Sales Conversations

In real estate, conversations are currency. And for many agents, objection handling is where the deal is either made or lost. If you’re like most agents, you’ve probably experienced that moment where a client says, “I need to think about it,” or “We’re not ready yet,” and the energy shifts. What you do in that moment determines everything.

That’s why for this first edition of SMART Talk, we’re diving into one of the most practical, repeatable, and powerful sales skills I’ve ever seen: Reframing, a technique taught by entrepreneur and sales leader Alex Hormozi. This isn’t fluff. It’s a muscle you build. It’s a strategy that works — and yes, it works in real estate, even though Hormozi isn’t speaking directly to our industry.

I chose this topic for the first SMART Talk because I’ve seen over and over again that objection handling is where most agents struggle the most. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because no one ever gave them a clear, ethical framework for what to do when a buyer or seller throws up a wall.

Throughout my career, I found myself naturally defusing objections and redirecting conversations. But I didn’t fully understand why what I was doing worked — I just knew it helped. When I came across Hormozi’s reframing strategy, it gave me the pattern, the rationale, and the structure. And once you see the pattern, you can use it on purpose. That’s where real influence begins.

Agents don’t need more hype. They need relatable strategies, stripped of fluff, that they can actually use. That’s the mission of SMART Talk: Cut through the noise and give you tactical, practical tools to help you grow faster, work smarter, and live better.

And working smarter? Let’s define that:

We all have 3 currencies: money, time, and energy. We all have two choices: to invest or waste those currencies. But you can only make one decision. Working smarter is the decision to invest your 3 currencies every day for a positive return on investment.

Reframing is one of those high-ROI strategies. Let’s break it down.

In Hormozi’s words, reframing is:

“The one to three sentences that you say after a prospect says anything but yes that increases the likelihood that whatever your next thing you say gets them to buy.”

That’s it. It’s what you say when someone gives you an objection — and how you redirect that moment from resistance to forward momentum.

But reframing isn’t about tricking people. In fact, Hormozi is clear:

“Used the right way, it helps lots of people make good decisions. Used the wrong way, you become a very bad person and give a bad reputation for sales.”

Ethical influence matters. That’s what we’re here for.

Hormozi breaks reframing into 3 parts — what he calls the 3A Framework:

1. Acknowledge – Repeat what the prospect said. This shows active listening and buys you time to think.
2. Associate – Link their concern to something positive: a trait or behavior that successful clients also had.
3. Ask – Follow with a better question to keep the conversation moving forward.

Let’s look at what this looks like in action — but from a real estate perspective.

Objection: “We want to wait for rates to drop.”

• Acknowledge: “That’s a really common concern right now.”
• Associate: “A lot of smart buyers I work with are actually buying now and refinancing later — they see the bigger picture.”
• Ask: “Are you more concerned about your monthly payment or your long-term equity growth?”

Objection: “We’re just browsing.”

• Acknowledge: “Totally understand — that’s how most people start.”
• Associate: “Funny enough, some of our best clients started that way and found their dream home faster than expected.”
• Ask: “What would have to happen for you to feel ready to take the next step?”

Objection: “I need to talk to my spouse.”

• Acknowledge: “Of course — this is a team decision.”
• Associate: “That shows you’re thoughtful — most of our clients who succeed long-term value alignment with their partner.”
• Ask: “Out of curiosity, what part do you think they might be unsure about?”

Do you see the rhythm? You stay calm. You keep control. And you keep the conversation moving.

And remember:

“The person asking the questions is the one who’s in control.” — Alex Hormozi

To use reframing effectively (and responsibly), Hormozi gives us 5 rules:

1. Ask, don’t tell. Let prospects talk themselves into the sale. Guide them, don’t push.
2. Never disagree directly. You can’t win a sale by winning an argument. Agree and redirect.
3. Tell them what their question means. Label it positively — “That’s a great question; it shows you’re serious.”
4. Use Straw Men for hard truths. Talk about another client or expert’s perspective to make tough points without offending.
5. Stay curious. Keep the tone light, open, and genuinely interested. Ask questions like, “Huh, that’s interesting — can I ask more about that?”

This is why I believe reframing is such a smart strategy: it’s not just about skill — it’s about ethics, mindset, and mastery.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “This sounds great, but I’m not sure I could actually pull that off…” — good. That means you’re ready to grow.

Let me tell you something I believe:

Work works. Doing hard things takes work. Changing our patterns and changing our mindset changes our outcomes.

Reframing is a skill. It takes repetition. Trying it once isn’t enough. You’ve got to do it over and over again — until you stop thinking about it and start doing it instinctively.

You can’t get proficient if you’re not first willing to get consistent.

If you only walk away from this blog with one action:

Ask more questions.

Seriously. Ask more questions in your next conversation. When someone gives you a hesitation, don’t convince — get curious. Use the 3A Framework: Acknowledge, Associate, Ask.

It might feel clunky at first. That’s okay. It means you’re working the muscle.

Because in real estate — and in life — we grow by doing.

If you want to grow your business, protect your energy, and increase your ROI on time, money, and energy — reframing is one of the smartest moves you can make.

This isn’t about hype. This is about investing your 3 currencies wisely.

Reframing won’t just make you a better closer. It’ll make you a better communicator. A better listener. A better leader.

So, here’s your SMART Talk challenge:

Try the 3A Framework in your next sales conversation. Use your words to reframe the moment. Then ask another question.

Let’s grow faster. Let’s work smarter. And let’s live better.

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Need a quick-reference tool? Check out the Real Estate Reframing Cheat Sheet and Team Worksheet I created to help you practice.

SMART Talk is just getting started. And we’re just getting warmed up. #BuildingSMARTAgents