In Sales, trust is the foundation of of long term success. But in a world where many prioritize quick wins over building lasting relationships, how can faith-driven sales professionals stand out?
Trust is the foundation of success because customers buy from people they trust, and often times, this trust goes beyond just the product or service that’s offered. Being a salesperson who builds genuine relationships – where honesty, reliability, and integrity and evident are more likely to turn one-time buyers into loyal clients.
The Bible is full of wisdom especially on honesty and integrity in relationships. For example, Proverbs 11:1 says “The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him.” God values truthfulness in all business dealings. Aligning your sales profession with biblical values, you ensure that you are not just focusing on closing deals, but on creating relationships with people that honor both God and your clients.
In a profession that is very competitive and performance driven, it can be tempting to oversell and/or stretch the truth just to close a deal. But doing this most time backfires. Customers are pretty good at realizing when they’re being manipulated, which destroys trust. Instead, it is important to be transparent about the product or service and any potential limitations of the product or service. Regardless of if they buy, customers appreciate honestly and transparency and this leads to a greater change of getting them to buy.
Overall, if you are not a trustworthy salesperson, it is going to be very difficult for you to find success in the business world. It is critically important to be open, honest, caring, transparent and putting the customer first before the product or service.
RMcIlwain
I think that this is a really good reminder. The Bible has so much truth, and if we listen to what God says, we’ll be better off in every aspect of our lives. Nobody likes pushy salesmen, and by building trust we can avoid that and ultimately get more sales anyway.
I think this is such a good reminder that God has his hands on us at all times and he knows our hearts and actions. It is so much more rewarding to know that you are being truthful and giving or providing a customer with a product or service they need rather than screwing people over. We find favor with the Lord in our reflection of his character. In being honest, full of integrity, and care for our neighbors.
I like that you approached this from a christian perspective. Taking Econ 101 has made me see this through not only the christian perspective, but also through the economic one. I like the idea that sales sales is simply the art of exchange. Moving people to part with one thing that you value for something that they value higher than that which they currently have. This pairs perfectly with the idea of honesty in sales. It is not just about closing deal, but also finding a good fit for your company as well. Both members of the deal need to be satisfied with the exchange that they made and the value of the asset they received as a result.