It was Saturday morning. I was catching up on office work at Allen's Air Conditioning, Inc. David Allen asked me go back to the shop area with him. What was on his mind? "Do you think you could sell my heating and air conditioning systems?" he asked. I didn't know what to say. I had no clue how air conditioning really worked. Ductwork design and installation was foreign to me. While my mind was spinning, I wondered if David had lost HIS mind!
He explained that he would train me. That was reassuring. Then I remembered all the estimates that had been coming in. When I would take the call for an estimate, I would write the information down in an "estimate book". David would scan them all, pick two or three, and go out and sell at least two of them, sometimes all three! However, there would be five or six left undone. David simply didn't have time to do them all. It dawned on me that I would be helping him if I learned to do these estimates. Enough said. I accepted the challenge. He said, "Great! I have one scheduled this morning at 10:00 a.m.! Go to it!" I was scared out of my wits, but I went. I didn't sell it. I didn't sell my second one either. Finally, on my third or fourth estimate I sold a system to Mrs. Sizemore! David was thrilled! He couldn't understand why I was not. He visited the job with me. We lay down on the ground and peered beneath the floor where the ductwork would be installed. It was very low. He looked at me and said, "Let's tell the guys that I sold this one!"
I never thought of myself as a salesman. I simply helped folks see that Allen's could serve them well. I truly believe that Allen's is the best! Most of them didn't buy our services. A lot did. My closing ratio was probably lower than the industry average. When it comes to humans, you can't sell them all. Even God said His closing ratio would be low. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Have you found the "gate" yet? What's even more stunning is that He has already PAID for it! It's FREE to us, and most STILL won't "buy"! Why? Because we must surrender all, and we like our sin too much!
He explained that he would train me. That was reassuring. Then I remembered all the estimates that had been coming in. When I would take the call for an estimate, I would write the information down in an "estimate book". David would scan them all, pick two or three, and go out and sell at least two of them, sometimes all three! However, there would be five or six left undone. David simply didn't have time to do them all. It dawned on me that I would be helping him if I learned to do these estimates. Enough said. I accepted the challenge. He said, "Great! I have one scheduled this morning at 10:00 a.m.! Go to it!" I was scared out of my wits, but I went. I didn't sell it. I didn't sell my second one either. Finally, on my third or fourth estimate I sold a system to Mrs. Sizemore! David was thrilled! He couldn't understand why I was not. He visited the job with me. We lay down on the ground and peered beneath the floor where the ductwork would be installed. It was very low. He looked at me and said, "Let's tell the guys that I sold this one!"
I never thought of myself as a salesman. I simply helped folks see that Allen's could serve them well. I truly believe that Allen's is the best! Most of them didn't buy our services. A lot did. My closing ratio was probably lower than the industry average. When it comes to humans, you can't sell them all. Even God said His closing ratio would be low. Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Have you found the "gate" yet? What's even more stunning is that He has already PAID for it! It's FREE to us, and most STILL won't "buy"! Why? Because we must surrender all, and we like our sin too much!