Here is an ad I wrote for the Craigslist community recently. It advertises a service for salespeople - discovering and distributing peddler's license information for each municipality. It makes some good practical connections to theology, so I thought it would be valuable here.

Independent salespeople: I have all your licensure and city limit info (Chicagoland)

As an independent salesman selling Clear wireless internet, I know how much work it takes to get a peddlers' license for every municipality in Chicagoland. But look at how much better you do when you have the confidence of knowing you're in the right place. Your prospects are also more confident about you - and buy more - when you do it right. God is happy with us when we do a job the right way, but He can also turn hearts and minds against us if we ignore authorities.

Did you know that in the city of Niles, IL, it is illegal to go knock on doors without a peddlers' permit, and that requires a background check? But it is perfectly ok to leave fliers on cars and doorknobs. But right next door, in Des Plaines, fliers on cars is illegal. And how do you know exactly where the dividing line is between them? Fines range anywhere from a verbal warning to imprisonment, and every dollar value in between. But before that, you've already lost revenue, time, and printed material, because people just generally don't like it when others encroach on their way of life! How can you earn the confidence of your prospects when you're not confident about being in their living space?

Independent sales is crucial to our free market society. When all other bells and whistles are taken away, there is still the basic connection of the servant and the master - the cruxt of business itself. New products, services, businesses, and corporations are all formed from the jewels of knowledge and heartfelt connection made when you, as a salesperson, stick your neck out and lovingly try to help a stranger in need.

It would be an honor and a priveledge to help you regain that confidence for you and your prospective community. I will do all the research for you to get your license for each community you want to serve, show you what the people who live there will allow and what they refuse to put up with, and help you to know exactly where the boundaries are. With your humble obedience to the law, and to God's Law, I would be confident that He will turn hearts around for your service!

For my self, I'd only like to ask for $15 for 1 municipality, $25 for 3, or $50 for 7. For the city of Chicago, please offer $75. I wouldn't be able to include it in with the other deals.

You and I understand that you would be paying the municipality for fees that they request, and that I wouldn't be held responsible for any legal action that any municipality may ever take against you, praying that they never would. Legally speaking, my information is just for educational purposes.

Again, the confidence you gain by doing it right will be honored and rewarded by the people you serve.

Please respond to this ad with any questions or comments.

Blessings in Christ,
Jon
(End of Ad)

"What I want to know is, when does a christian sales rep cross the line of the principles set up in the word? When a fellow christian says no, does the rep continue to push forward and not accept that their no means no? Should the rep disregard the customers wishes and desires for life? Does twisiting God's priorities for living lead others astray?" (From BOLTBABE'S blog thoughtsofboltbabe.blogspot.com: Raise the Cup!)

What's fascinating to me is that sales is a lot like God's love for us. In fact, God's truth is found in every legitimate venture. Ideally, the salesperson approaches someone about something to make their life better, just as God approached us with His sacrificial death, to make our lives better, and bring us back to Himself. In both cases (which are on the same continuum of the River of Life) the receiver of the good news can say no and reject it. Love always trusts. God respects our rejection of Him, and perhaps finds another way that we won't object to. A good salesperson, on the same side of "sinner" as the prospective client, should respect the prospect's second rejection (the first is generally considered grounds for miscommunication or misjudged sales approach) and leave the fellow human being in peace. It sounds like this woman is selfishly thinking about her own numbers and tactics, not trying to "love her neighbor" with a good product or service.

I got into sales as a Christian being very concerned about annoying others and turning them off to me, my product, and most of all my faith. The more I pray and meditate about it, the more I see how vibrant with faith sales really is!