At the beginning of the sales course, Professor Sweet told our class all about how the sales process is going to be used in pretty much any industry we step into after graduation. An important point he made that I remember was that even ministry (the area I will be working in) is essentially the sales process happening! After going through this course, I have come to realize he was absolutely right. Not only is the process of leading someone to Jesus parallel to the sales definition of moving people, but a lot of the techniques and tips we received well-align with our Christian faith and teachings of Jesus!
The first being: “A serving mindset, and corresponding behavior, is counter-intuitive to the old models of sales.” Galations 5:13 says, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” This sales technique of portraying a servant’s heart is almost quoting the verse written above. We are called to humbly serve one another. The old sales model tells us to do whatever it takes to get the close. The new sales model, however, is saying we should humble ourselves, serve our customer, and we can do sales in a way that pleases the Lord!
You may have heard in a sermon or at church that fear, shame, and guilt are lies that do not come from our Heavenly Father. Fear, shame, and guilt are negative feelings that Jesus does not want you to feel, and in fact, died so you no longer need to walk in them. When you are afraid, full of shame, or guilt-ridden, you usually can’t get a good grasp on the truth — knowing that you are loved and forgiven. In the same way, a selling situation that makes the customer feel guilty or afraid will not end up well.
James 1:19 says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Funny story… we have learned in sales to ask good questions and be good listeners. I cannot recall any situation where I thought to myself, “wow, I really should have listened less.” I am always thinking, “I should have listened more,” or “I should have been slower to speak.” In sales, this is essential. You will never truly know your customer’s unless you take the time to listen, and shut up to let them talk.
Be careful never to assume too much. This is another quote from my class notes. In today’s culture, it is very easy to assume things. I believe, as Christians, we are called to a higher standard as God is our judge, so who are we to assume anything about someone else? Though that is a bit extreme, it is important in sales to not assume anything. After all, we are taught to sometimes ask “dummy” questions just to get more information.
Finally, we have learned to be good story-tellers. “Story-telling is an age-old method for breaking through emotional and psychological clutter.” Jesus told stories often. However, they are referred to as parables. Looking back on these stories now, they break down walls, bring restoration, and they are so relatable, even though they were told so long ago. Telling stories is a great way Jesus reached many people, and a great technique we can use to break down the anxious walls of our customers as well.
So next time you are thinking about what you should do when it comes to a sales situation, think, “What Would Jesus Do?”
BoweryJE22
I can tell you have thought a lot about this throughout the class! I really like what you said about the servant like the mindset that we are called to have as Christians. I know that when I used to think about sales, I thought that the attitude of serving others was incompatible with sales, but I like how you showed that they can be!