Prospecting for Small Businesses: The Alex Hormozi Method Explained

Alex Hormozi turned €150,000 in debt into €100 million net. Not through YouTube videos, but through one thing: knowing how to find and convince his first clients.

His prospecting method works particularly well for small businesses. Why? Because it relies on personalization and authenticity — exactly what small businesses do better than large ones.

Today, we break down his strategy step by step. And we show you how to apply it to your business, no matter your size.

Why Classic Prospecting Fails for Small Businesses

Before discussing the Hormozi method, we need to understand why "standard" approaches don't work for small structures.

The numbers speak for themselves: - 73% of small businesses struggle with their sales prospecting - Average response rate for cold emails: 2-4% - Average response rate for cold calling: 1-2% - Average customer acquisition cost: €200-500 for a small business

And the problem? Small businesses often apply methods designed for large companies with million-euro budgets. Sending 500 generic emails doesn't work. It's just noise.

What small businesses forget: Their biggest advantage is their size. You can personalize. You can create authentic connections. A prospect receives a generic message from Salesforce, then an ultra-personalized message from you. Guess which one they'll read?

That's exactly what Alex Hormozi understood. And it's on this principle that his method is based.

The 4 Pillars of Prospecting According to Alex Hormozi

Alex Hormozi divides sales prospecting into 4 distinct channels. Understanding this separation changes everything.

1. Warm Prospecting 1v1

This is when you contact someone you already know or who has been recommended to you. Conversion rate: 15-30%.

Examples: - A former client who says, "Hey, I have a friend who needs this" - A LinkedIn contact who liked 3 of your posts - A prospect who sent you a DM

For a small business, this is the easiest to manage. The problem? It's limited. How many warm contacts do you have? 50? 100 max?

2. Cold Prospecting 1v1

You contact someone who doesn't know you. Conversion rate: 2-8% if done well, 0.1% if you spam.

This is where the Hormozi method makes a difference. We're not talking about mass, we're talking about quality and personalization.

3. Free Content

Articles, videos, podcasts, newsletters. People discover your expertise, then come back to you. It's slower, but it's warm leads.

Conversion rate: 5-15% (because people arrive already interested).

4. Advertising

Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads. You pay for impressions, then convert.

Conversion rate: 1-5% depending on your niche.

For a small business just starting out, pillars 1 and 2 are the most important. They are quick to set up, cost little, and work.

Free content (pillar 3) comes second — it's a long-term investment.

What is a Lead? (And Why It Changes Everything)

Before thriving, we need to clarify one basic thing: what is a lead?

A lead is simply a person we can contact. That's it. Not more complicated.

But there is a crucial difference:

• Cold lead: you don't know them
• Warm lead: they have shown interest (clicked on an ad, commented on a post, etc.)
• Qualified lead: they have the budget and need to buy

Alex Hormozi says something brilliant: "You already have a list of leads even without knowing it." Your contacts, your followers, your former clients. They're all leads.

The problem for small businesses: If you contact 100 people a day as Hormozi recommends, you'll quickly deplete your personal list. After 2-3 weeks, you have no one left.

Hence the need to source external leads — and that's where Google Maps comes into play.

How to Build a Prospect List: The Role of Google Maps

Google Maps is not just for finding a pizzeria. It's a database of 50 million+ establishments in France.

Every business, every service, every office has a Google Maps listing with: - Name and address - Phone number - Website - Reviews and ratings - Photos - Hours - Categories

Why it's perfect for prospecting small businesses:

1. Ultra-precise targeting — Searching for "plumbers in Lyon"? You get the 200 plumbers in the area with their contact details
2. Updated data — Google updates in real-time
3. Easy segmentation — You can filter by rating (4+ stars), number of reviews, location
4. Contact information — Direct phone, often an email, sometimes social media

Concrete example: You're an SEO agency. You want to prospect restaurants in Bordeaux to offer them Google Maps optimization. On Google Maps, you find: - 450 restaurants in Bordeaux - Their direct phone number - Their website - Their Google rating (poorly rated ones are priority prospects) - Their reviews (you can read them to personalize your message)

That's targeted prospecting. Not spam.

Sourcing Leads: Tools and Process

Now, how do you extract this data from Google Maps? There are several approaches.

Option 1: Manually (Free, But Slow)

You go to Google Maps, search for your category, your area, and then note the information by hand.

Time for 50 leads: 3-4 hours.

It's feasible for a first test campaign, but it's not scalable.

Option 2: Chrome Extension (Free, Limited)

Extensions like "Google Maps Extractor" allow you to export data directly from Google Maps.

Advantages: - Free - Fast for small lists (50-200 leads)

Disadvantages: - Limited to what Google Maps displays (120 results max per search) - No data enrichment (emails, social media) - No advanced filters (rating, number of reviews, etc.)

Option 3: Specialized Platform (Paid, But Complete)

Tools like IBLead allow you to: - Search by entire country (not just 120 results) - Filter by Google rating, number of reviews, claimed listing - Enrich with emails from the website - Detect 160+ technologies used by the business - Access complete Google reviews (text, date, author) - Obtain SIRET data in France

Time for 5,000 leads: 5 minutes.

Cost: Starting at €44/month for 10,000 credits (1 credit = 1 business exported).

For a small business just starting out, I recommend: - Week 1-2: Manual test or Chrome extension. Costs nothing, you learn - Week 3+: Switch to a platform if you want to scale

Personalization: The Secret of Alex Hormozi

Now that we have our leads, comes the critical part: the message.

And this is where most small businesses fail. They send this:

"Hello,

I sell digital marketing services. Interested?

Best regards"

Copy-pasted to 200 people.

Response rate: 0-1%.

Alex Hormozi preaches something simple: "Better 10 personalized messages than 100 generic ones."

It's better to send 10 ultra-personalized messages than 100 generic ones.

Here's how to personalize:

Step 1: Basic Research (2 minutes per prospect)

Before contacting, do a quick search:

• Google: "business name" — find articles, reviews, news
• Website: browse 2-3 pages to understand their business
• Google Maps: read recent reviews — they give you insights into customer issues
• Social Media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram — see their latest activity

Example: You want to contact "Boulangerie Le Fournil" in Marseille. - Google → "Boulangerie Le Fournil Marseille" → you discover they just opened a second store - Website → they have also been selling online for 3 months - Google Maps → 4.2 stars, but reviews say "hard to find", "not enough parking" - Instagram → 2,000 followers, regular posts

Now you have personalization hooks: - "Congratulations on the opening of your second store" - "I saw you were selling online, how's that going?" - "Several reviews mention parking, is that a real issue?"

Step 2: Adapt the Message to Their Situation

Instead of talking about yourself, talk about THEIR situation.

Bad: "We are an SEO agency. We help businesses increase their visibility."

Good: "I noticed your website doesn't appear for 'bakery Marseille' on Google. Are you looking to increase online orders?"

Do you see the difference? In the second case, you show that you've done your homework.

Step 3: Create a Unique Angle

Not "I have a solution for you", but "I've noticed something that no one else sees".

Examples of angles:

If you're an SEO agency: - "I've seen that your 3 main competitors appear for 'services' but not you" - "You have 4.8 stars but you're not in the local top 3"

If you sell management software: - "You seem to be managing everything manually — how much time are you losing each week?"

If you're a sales consultant: - "Your reviews are excellent (4.6⭐), but you have few regular customers"

These angles come from your prior research. Hence the importance of taking 2 minutes per prospect.

The AK-ACC Method: How to Respond to Prospects

OK, let's say your message worked. The prospect responds. Now what?

This is where Alex Hormozi proposes the AK-ACC method. It's a framework for structuring your response.

A = Acknowledge

You acknowledge a specific fact about the prospect. Something you discovered in your research.

Examples: - "I saw that you launched a second store 2 months ago" - "You seem to be one of the few in the industry to offer a lifetime guarantee" - "Your customer reviews speak highly of your responsiveness"

K = Komplement (Compliment)

You give a sincere compliment related to the fact you just acknowledged.

Important: This is not empty flattery. It's a genuine compliment.

Examples: - "It's brave to take that risk in this time" - "It shows real confidence in your service" - "It's rare to see a company so customer-focused"

A = Ask

You ask a question that creates a transition to your offer.

Examples: - "Is online visibility your priority right now?" - "Do you have specific challenges with this new store?" - "Are you looking to increase your customer volume?"

C = Call-to-action

You propose the next step. Not selling directly, but suggesting a conversation.

Examples: - "I have an idea that could help you — can we talk for 15 minutes?" - "Are you interested in discussing this?" - "I can show you what I found in 10 minutes"

Complete AK-ACC example:

"Hi Jean,

I noticed that you just launched your second store in Marseille — that's a great expansion! It shows real confidence in your model.

One question: with two stores now, online visibility becomes critical, right? How are you managing that currently?

I might have an idea to help you. Can we talk for 15 minutes this week?"

Notice how it: - Acknowledges a specific fact - Sincerely compliments - Asks a relevant question - Proposes a clear action

Why it works: It shows that you've done your homework. That you genuinely care about their situation. Not just spam.

Indirect Selling: The Counter-Intuitive Approach of Alex Hormozi

Now comes the counter-intuitive part. When you really need to sell.

Instead of saying "Buy my product", Alex Hormozi suggests asking:

"Do you know someone who is facing [PROBLEM] and looking to achieve [RESULT] in [TIMEFRAME]?"

Why it's brilliant:

1. Zero pressure — You're just asking if they know someone
2. Free social proof — If they know someone, you have a referral
3. Qualification — If the answer is "yes", you know the prospect recognizes the problem
4. Double conversion — Either they self-qualify ("I'm the problem"), or they give you a referral

Example:

You're an SEO agency. Instead of saying: "We offer SEO services starting at €500/month"

You say: "Do you know any restaurants or local businesses struggling to be found on Google and looking to increase their revenue?"

If the answer is "yes, it's me": Boom, you have a warm prospect. If the answer is "yes, my friend Paul": You have a referral. Paul will be much more receptive. If the answer is "no": At least you have a clear answer.

It's subtle, but it's powerful.

Multi-Channel: Why One Channel Is Not Enough

Alex Hormozi does not recommend limiting yourself to one channel. On the contrary.

Why: - Some respond better to email - Others to phone - Others to social media - Others to postal mail (yes, really)

An effective multi-channel strategy:

Day 1: Personalized email (AK-ACC) Day 3: Phone call (if no response) Day 5: LinkedIn message (if still nothing) Day 7: Second email with a different angle Day 10: Abandon or follow-up depending on the situation

Multi-channel response rates: - Email only: 3-5% - Email + phone: 12-18% - Email + phone + LinkedIn: 18-25%

It's not that we're "spamming" more. It's that we're diversifying.