It’s not too often that we get to mix sales with religion but, if we’re being honest, there have been plenty of times that you have had your eyes closed and your fingers crossed as you silently sent your wish list off to the heavens. To be clear, I am not offering the concept of Sales Prayers as an invitation to debate, but rather I am touching on an issue that is important to a lot of salespeople. I understand if prayer isn’t your thing; we can catch up another time on another topic. As for the rest of you, let’s talk about how your faith can be a critical success factor in your sales.
I am not advocating any religion, denomination, practice, or belief structure. If your faith has a basic premise of prayer, then that should be enough. Most of us don’t know how to pray all that well, but we do it just the same. You could even say that bad prayer is better than no prayer at all, but the real issue is that salespeople almost always pray reactively.
- “Please let my phone ring today”
- “Please let my presentation go well”
- “Please don’t let the customer get hung up on price”
- “Please let me close the deal”
- “Please help me to reach my sales goal”
We have all muttered these silent prayers at some point. Why? Because we are uncertain at different times and turn to a higher power for comfort. Even if these prayers are selfish, they are still better than offering no prayer at all. But you are reacting to the stress of a moment rather than considering your own purpose.
All salespeople are needed and the same should be said about what they sell. That’s right, someone out there needs you and your job as a salesperson is to find them. When you think about sales this way, your cause should seem nobler because it is just that; a noble cause.
When you are able to engage in sales properly, you make the world a better place. With that in mind, you need to offer a prayer that is proactive and puts you where you need to be. So, here is the simple prayer for a salesperson.
“Lead me to where I am needed”
That’s it. Think about it; how much more effective would you be as a salesperson if you always found yourself in a place where you are needed? So why not ask for it and ask for it often? If you believe in the power of prayer then you know the compounding effect of offering this simple prayer daily. Don’t treat God or your higher power like a magic genie, approach them as a wise guide. You will not be disappointed. Remember, God created salespeople for a reason, and keeping your faith active in your sales is both healthy and can improve your performance.