Control the Frame, Control the Deal
The Sales Code – #23
You walk into the meeting room.
They’re already seated.
They offer you water.
They open with “So, what can you do for us?”
You’re already losing.
Why?
Because you accepted their frame.
Frames are invisible contracts. They define who’s leading, who’s reacting, who’s chasing.
In sales, the person who frames the conversation controls the terms, the tempo, and the truth.
Most salespeople think persuasion is about what you say.
Wrong.
Persuasion is what they believe the situation is.
And that belief is set in the first 60 seconds.
Ziglar knew this when he’d ask “May I show you how this helps your family?” before even mentioning the product.
Greene drilled it into our bones in The 48 Laws: “Reframe the narrative and you reframe the power.”
Rockefeller? He framed every meeting by showing up last—and making others wait. Not with arrogance, but with intention.
So here’s how to own the frame:
Start with a question, not a pitch: “Before I dive in—can I ask you a quick one to make sure this is relevant?”
Define the win condition early: “If this solves your X problem by Y timeframe—is that worth continuing the conversation?”
Control the setting when possible: Your turf, your tools, your tempo.
And if they try to hijack the frame? Don’t resist. Reframe.
Calmly. Casually. Like it was your idea all along.
“That’s fair. And I think it’ll be clearer if I show you this first…”
Takeaway:
Sales isn’t about pushing your product.
It’s about pulling them into your world.
Because when they play by your rules—you’ve already won.
Your move:
Before your next meeting, write the frame. Who’s in charge? Who’s chasing? Flip it before you enter.
“If you allow them to define the situation, you lose control. Define it yourself—and you dictate the terms.” — Robert Greene
Hold the frame.
Hold the power.
See you at the top.
– Ruggero