abc always be closing

"i'm not in sales." yes, you are. you just don't know it yet.

everyone sells

every time you ask for a raise, you're selling your value. every job interview is a sales call where you're the product. every time you convince a friend to try a restaurant, you're closing a deal.

persuasion gets you in the door. closing gets you the result. and there's a massive difference between the two.

persuasion changes how someone thinks. closing changes what someone does. you can persuade someone all day long that your idea is good, but if you never ask them to act on it, nothing happens.

closing techniques that work

there are hundreds of documented closing techniques. here are a few worth studying:

the assumptive close — act as if they've already decided. "so should we start on monday or wednesday?" instead of "so, what do you think?"

the summary close — recap all the benefits before asking for the commitment. "so you'd get X, Y, and Z — shall we move forward?"

the urgency close — create legitimate time pressure. "this offer is available until friday." (note: fake urgency is manipulative. real urgency is information.)

the puppy dog close — let them try it first. "take it home for a week. if you don't love it, bring it back." works because once people have something, they rarely give it up.

finding your style

not every closing technique fits every personality. the aggressive "always be closing" approach from Glengarry Glen Ross makes most people cringe. good.

find the techniques that feel authentic to you. the best closers don't feel like closers — they feel like people who make it easy to say yes.

practice everywhere

next time you have a conversation where you want a specific outcome — a sale, a decision, a commitment — don't leave without explicitly asking for it. most people hint and hope. closers ask.

the ask is everything. start making it.

if this resonated, share it with someone who needs to hear it.