Always be closing

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The phrase became famous after Alec Baldwin’s 1992 monologue in ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’, where he barked, “A-B-C. Always Be Closing.” In the movie, it symbolized the high-pressure, coffee-is-for-closers mindset of old-school sales culture.

But in today’s SaaS world, ABC means that sales reps must always be guiding their customers.

How does ABC apply to SaaS today

Modern SaaS sales has evolved from aggressive closing to continuous alignment. “Always Be Closing” today means:

• Always Be Clarifying: Make sure you and the buyer agree on the real problem.
• Always Be Communicating: Keep stakeholders informed and confident.
• Always Be Creating value: Every touchpoint should help the buyer progress.

Instead of “close or die,” it’s about earning micro-commitments, small yeses that lead naturally to the big one.

Why ABC still matters 

Even in consultative or customer-centric models, momentum matters. Deals stall when sellers stop asking for next steps.

A modern interpretation of ABC helps reps:

• Maintain forward motion in long SaaS cycles.
• Turn interest into action with confidence, not coercion.
• Build credibility by driving structured progress, not endless “checking in.”

Mistakes to avoid when it comes to ABC

1. Treating ABC literally: Constantly pushing for signatures alienates modern buyers.
2. Skipping discovery: You can’t close a problem you don’t understand.
3. Neglecting follow-up: Closing isn’t an event; it’s a process.
4. Ignoring post-sale alignment: In SaaS, the real close happens at renewal.

How AI can modernize “Always Be Closing”

AI gives reps real-time data to guide buyers more intelligently:

• Deal scoring: Predict which opportunities are most likely to close this quarter.
• Next-best-action suggestions: AI analyzes engagement patterns to prompt the right follow-up.
• Conversation intelligence: Tools flag buying signals and help reps phrase closing questions naturally.
• Pipeline analytics: Track where deals consistently stall and why.