Needs Matter!

Over Spring Break, I had the opportunity to go along to Myrtle Beach and Jacksonville as the men’s lacrosse team manager. One instance on this trip made me think of sales in a unique way. We had stopped for dinner at Popeye’s and since I was close to the front of the line of 55 of us, I finished my food before others and had some time to kill. This led to me sitting on the sidewalk outside, enjoying the warm weather that I had not seen for some time. While I was sitting there a woman pulled up in a car, rolled down her window, and asked if I had any cash to spare. In many similar situations, I would have been inclined to give her some of the cash in my wallet and follow God’s command of being generous found in Deuteronomy 15. However, there was one looming factor that ultimately led to me not giving her any money. The car she drove up in was a 2021 Ford Focus, valued at around $30,000 dollars per Car Expert.

Immediately I was disinclined from giving her any money for food. In my opinion, there should be no reason why someone driving a $30,000 dollar car needs to ask for ten bucks off a broke college kid to buy Popeye’s. Interestingly enough, I left the scenario thinking about it as a failed sales pitch on her end.

Trust is the most important part of the sale, and I lost trust the second she asked the question. I simply did not trust that she needed the money for food if she had enough money for the car she was driving and for gas to fuel said car. I did not perceive a genuine need on her part and therefore felt no personal need to give. This applies directly to sales in the business setting. If there is no need from either party, then there is nothing to be exchanged. One of the definitions of selling we used involved getting your customer what they need to facilitate a mutually beneficial exchange. If there is no need, there is no sale.