November 20

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The 10th Commandment – Meeting the Need for Contentment

By Michael Q. Pink

November 20, 2014

Commandment, contentment

The 10th commandment, “You shall not covet”, guards and protects our legitimate motivational need to enjoy CONTENTMENT. Covetousness is thinking you’ll be happy with what belongs to someone else. Contentment is being happy with what belongs to you.

While true contentment can never come through the acquisition of things, there is a measure of contentment that comes when certain needs are met. If you’re hungry, a good meal brings contentment. If your car gives out, a new car can offer contentment.

Man on top of a mountain standing contemplates the dawn

Covetousness keeps an illusionary prize just out of reach. (The young man buys the car but still doesn’t get the girl.) Contentment puts a realistic prize within reach. (The young man buys the car for its intrinsic worth and is satisfied. – Getting the girl is up to him.).

When you offer the obtainable you will build customer loyalty. When you offer the unobtainable, your customers will drift away. Always looking. Never satisfied. In sales, part of your job is helping your customer gain contentment with what is within their reach. To do this you’ll need to discover areas of discontent that your customer currently has.

People buy for their reasons, not yours.

When someone indicates an interest in your product or service, there is likely an area of discontentedness. Find out why they’re interested before you begin to present your case.

For example, someone wants to buy a lawnmower that you sell. Are they looking for short grass or a showcase yard? Suppose it’s the latter… Is there a neighborhood contest or are they trying to impress the in-laws? The more you know about their reasons for buying, the better able you are to meet that need and shut out your competition. What kind of contentment are your customers usually looking for when they buy your product or service?

It often takes several “why” questions to get to the real need.

For example, your customer says, “I need a new computer.” You ask them why they need a new computer. They tell you, the old one is too slow. You need to find out why that matters. Keep asking until you find the motivating need behind the physical need.

They may be experiencing poor service or inferior quality, with their current product or service provider. Lead them through the process of discovery to expose their discontentment. Once you understand this, you have a basis to build your case for your product or service. Show them how your product or service meets or exceeds that need.

You might say, “You mentioned that you were experiencing a two week turnaround on your test results and were losing customers as a result, costing you an estimated $50,000 per year. I can understand how distressing that loss must be. With our guaranteed 72 hour turnaround you’ll not only never have to worry about that loss again, but you can look forward to gaining new business from your competition. That’s what you’re really want isn’t it?”

Lead your customers down the path of contentment.

Ultimately, your customer wants to find that place of contentment. Most likely, your product will not deliver all the contentment they are looking for. They have other expectations with respect to service, payment, longevity, etc. Be sure to paint the big picture in clear unambiguous terms and you will enjoy greater success.

Until next time, be fruitful and multiply!

Michael Q. Pink

About the author

Michael is America's leading authority on applying Biblical Wisdom and Natural Law to sales and business and has authored 19 books including The Bible Incorporated, Selling Among Wolves and God's Best Kept Secrets. Using that knowledge, he has helped thousands of professionals and entrepreneurs experience radical transformation in their lives and careers, including helping a start-up with 3 struggling sales reps turn the corner and become the 16th fastest growing company on the INC 500 list. 

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