What is Always Be Closing?

"Always Be Closing." An antiquated sales strategy that says everything a sales rep does throughout the sales process is in pursuit of the singular goal of closing a deal. The implication is that, if a sales rep doesn't close the deal, then everything they did regarding that opportunity was a failure. In the inbound methodology, the preferred ABCs of selling are: Always Be Connecting.

Always Be Closing is like a mantra used in the sales world meaning a seller must always be in the mindset of closing deals, using whatever tactics are necessary. The phrase's origins are the 1992 David Mamet-scripted film "Glengarry Glen Ross," which is based on his Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name.

The term has become a catchall example of a few of the pithy quotations that sales managers often use to motivate their sales staff and to drive home the importance of being tenacious with prospects. It serves as a reminder that every action a salesperson takes with a client prospect should be done with the intention of moving the sale toward a close.