Most of us have encountered, or at least heard of, the stereotypical dishonest salesperson—the pushy, fraudulent, cheat who is more interested in manipulation than in helping their clients. When I took Principles of Marketing with Dr. Powell, Dr. Powell asked the class who could envision themselves in sales. When very few people raised their hands, he asked the rest of the class why they would not consider sales. The overwhelming majority answered that to be a salesperson, they would be expected to mislead their clients. While this stereotype will unfortunately always be true in a sin-filled world, Christian salespeople are held to a higher standard.
As Christians, we have an obligation honor God even in the sales process. The lordship of Christ extends not only over the church but over all areas of life, including the family, civil sphere, and yes, even the corporate realm. Repeatedly, Scripture strongly prohibits the use of false weights and measures (Prov. 11:1; 20:10). In Leviticus 19:11, God commands that “You shall do no wrong… in measurement of weight, or capacity. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin.” This text is speaking directly to Godly business dealings. Christians are strictly prohibited from defrauding their neighbors by selling them a faulty product or buying something with faulty currency. Applying this principle to the realm of sales, this means that God requires that honesty be at the core of every sales transaction. Being dishonest to a client about your product or service is one and the same as using a faulty measure or weight. The use of dishonesty and manipulation to get a sale ultimately boils down to idolatry—an elevation of material gain above the commandment of God. Christian salespeople have a special responsibility to be transparent and honest with their clients.
Not only do salespeople have a moral obligation to be honest in their business dealings, dishonesty is hard to sell. A lasting customer relationship cannot be forged when the customer feels they cannot trust the salesperson. Even if the salesperson were to get one sale out of a client, the client is not going to keep coming back to a seller they feel they cannot trust. In the digital age, this is greatly amplified by the use of reviews and ratings. Not only will buyers not come back themselves, they can dissuade any other potential buyers by leaving a review and word-of-mouth. Honesty is crucial to establishing trust with a client and cultivating a lasting customer relationship.
Salespeople have both a moral obligation and strong practical incentive to be honest with their clients. While the stereotypical dishonest salesperson will never be extinct, the sales industry should ultimately be rooted in honesty.
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