| The tax collectors and sinners were
all drawing near to listen to him, but the Pharisees
and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man
welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them
he addressed this parable. "What man among you
having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would
not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after
the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find
it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and,
upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends
and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because
I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you, in just the
same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner
who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who
have no need of repentance.” (Luke 15:1-7)
One of my sales managers once told me there were two
things you never discussed with a prospect: politics
and religion. I am here to tell you that the one thing
you should discuss with every prospect is religion.
Now I am not implying that you should use every appointment
or sales call as a platform to evangelize, but neither
should you “hide your light under a bushel”
(cf., Matt. 5:15; Luke 11:33). I believe that, as a
Christian, you have a responsibility to acknowledge
your convictions and beliefs. If a prospect knows you
have a solid Christian base, they will be less likely
to ask you to do anything to compromise those beliefs.
If you stand firm in your beliefs, you will also appear
more genuine because you are not hiding them.
Today, our society is composed of people who keep to
themselves. I say you are who you are because of your
convictions, and you are a product of your beliefs.
Your prospect needs to know what you stand for. If you
must compromise your beliefs to gain a sale, that is
business you do not need.
You never know where or when you may run into one of
your customers. If you have tried to convince them you
have a particular belief or feeling and your customer
finds you one day in complete contradiction, you have
lost all credibility.
Many salespeople decide to take a stand or share a
point of view contradictory to their true beliefs because
they believe it to be their prospect’s belief
or point of view. In an effort to win points, they have
now compromised their own beliefs and convictions. What
if they misunderstood what their prospect’s beliefs
truly were? The salesperson would then have not only
taken a position contradictory to what they truly believe
in, but also contrary to what their prospect truly believes.
What would happen if their prospect is unhappy with
his or her current point of view? By compromising their
own beliefs and convictions, the salesperson may easily
lose the opportunity to take a position their prospect
might have responded to.
Imagine that you have compromised your own beliefs
and expressed an opinion in agreement with a husband.
Then, when his wife arrives, she expresses the opposite
opinion! What do you do then? Worse than that, what
happens when the husband reverses his position to take
his wife’s side? You have already committed yourself
to a point of view you may not believe in or agree with.
Your only ally, the husband, has abandoned ship and
now you are debating a point of view that may not even
be yours. Always make your position known. The worst
thing that can happen is that someone may disagree with
you and you then have the option of helping to end the
conversation as quickly as possible.
If you are truthful and honest at all times, you never
have to remember which position you have taken with
which prospect. The bottom line is always being true
to your Lord and to yourself. While not everyone may
agree with your opinions or beliefs, at least they must
respect you for having your own and not trying to conceal
them from others.
Once secure in your own convictions and beliefs, you
can also afford to learn the art of asking good questions.
The proper question invites connection. Statements most
often create a position and divide, whereas questions
tend to unite as they invite your hearers into the learning
process. Having a position puts me in a mindset where
I must defend and invites my prospect to judge my words.
Posing a question puts me in a mindset to be open to
learn and invites my prospect to learn with me.
The most effective statements carry with them the invitation
of the question. For example: “Ask not your country
can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
The question raised is obvious, and the conclusion is
compelling.
A tip for the wise is sufficient: never compromise
your convictions, including the conviction to be a light
in the darkness. This is a significant means of showing
respect to your prospects and customers, while earning
their respect.
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