The first question every founder asks us is some version of 'what does a good closer actually cost me?' The honest answer is: it depends on how you pay them and how you find them. The wrong structure costs 3-4x the right one for the same output.
This is the breakdown we walk founders through before they hire — salary bands, commission splits, recruiter fees, platform costs, and the one number nearly everyone forgets to budget for.
Commission-only closers (the UK norm for high-ticket)
A UK high-ticket closer working commission-only typically takes 10-15% of cash collected. On a £5k offer that's £500-£750 per close. On a £15k offer it's £1,500-£2,250. There is no base — you only pay when they close.
For an offer above £3k with a proven pipeline, commission-only is nearly always the right structure. Your risk is zero on payroll and the closer's incentive is perfectly aligned with cash in the door.
Base + commission (setter-to-closer teams, mid-ticket)
For offers between £1k-£3k or where you need a closer to also handle pipeline management, expect a base of £24k-£40k plus 5-10% commission. Total realistic OTE lands £55k-£90k for a strong performer.
This structure is right when the volume of calls per week is high but AOV is lower — the closer needs stability to run 25+ calls a week without cash-flow anxiety.
Recruiter and placement fees
Traditional sales recruiters charge 15-25% of first-year OTE — that's £8k-£20k for a single hire before the closer earns a penny. Most founders don't realise they've locked themselves out of hiring a second closer for six months.
PrimeClosers charges a flat £249 finder's fee (founding rate — £497 after the first ten placements) for self-serve hiring, or a fixed £2,000 placement fee + 15% cash-collected retainer for managed placement. Both are dramatically below the recruiter norm.
The number nearly nobody budgets for
Wrong-hire cost. Industry data puts a bad sales hire at 2-3x their first-year OTE once you factor in wasted leads, ramp time, morale drag, and the second recruitment cycle. That's £30k-£60k for one wrong hire on a mid-ticket team.
The reason PrimeClosers vets every closer before they enter the network is exactly this — the placement fee is trivial compared to the wrong-hire cost. Vetting isn't gatekeeping, it's insurance.