Yeah, it is one of my favorite films, but the line "Always be closing" from Glengarry Glen Ross is a crock.

And it is why most sales people struggle. And why they hate their job. And why they dread making sales calls. And why they think their sales manager is worthless.

Always be closing. Bad.
Always be learning. Good.
Every day I learn something new about my prospect. Especially if I am actually listening to them. Always be seeking to find out more. To understand. To clarify. They are constantly reading, observing, and studying.

Always be closing. Bad.
Always be serving. Good.
Every day, looks for ways to help. To provide knowledge. To provide them something to help them advance the ball, even if it is just the little things.

Always be closing. Bad.
Always be creating. Good.
Every day, partner with your prospects to help co-create unique solutions, to brainstorm, to try things, to test things, to mind map.

Always be closing. Bad.
Always be extending. Good.
Closers watch the clock. They play not to lose. True salesmen extend...they aren't in a rush to meet their numbers, to placate management, the satisfy a database. They play to win. They keep working and creating with their prospects to keep improving, innovating, learning, serving.

Closers want to move to the next deal to win the trip to the islands. Real salesmen look at their work and interactions with the long-term play in mind.

Closers fight for the Glengarry leads. Real salesmen make their own luck.

If you are closing, you are scheming. Conniving. Pushing. Harassing. Broadcasting. Telling. Insisting. Waiting.

If you are closing, you are focusing on quota...not serving your prospects and customers. You certainly aren't listening.

Yeah, always be closing is a crock. What are you doing? Closing? Or serving?