Service Not Sales
Sales people make me nervous and often make me feel small, lacking in some way. Rarely do I leave a sales pitch feeling inspired or lifted up in any way. I may leave excited if I have bought the product; but there is always a bit of me that feels let down even if I have said “yes.” The reason being that I know that that product can’t bring me the happiness that it promised. The van won’t always be the safest, the cleanest, drive as smoothly or meet all my needs. The toothpaste won’t make my teeth the whitest white or the nail polish won’t be flawless forever. The new app or computer software won’t make me an organized person; the domain name won’t make me a sensation. The beautiful new set of business cards won’t make everyone want to do business with me.
All those things become wonderful if they are presented as a service. If I invest myself in them they will benefit me as a person, as a mama, as a daycare teacher and as a business owner. It is service, not sales that enrich us!
Proverbs 11:25 says, “The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others will be helped.” All through my childhood my mom quoted the Bible to us kids. Proverbs 11 has been on my heart as I have been writing the content to my new website. Through all my years of running my home daycare I have meant to serve my clients, not just be a rule maker and enforcer. Now I am at a place of setting up a whole new set of rules. These rules affect more than myself, they set the tone for the experience of nannies and families who I may never have continuing direct contact with.
My nanny agency, Gooseberry Aunties, does provide a service, an invaluable service especially at this time when people are dealing with an invisible evil. A sickness that no one truly understands has affected all of us. Our lives may not be as they were for a long time. Parents who have always had their kids in daycare, feeling completely comfortable are now afraid to re-enroll their children in a program where they come in contact with a massive amount of people.
My service is no longer inexpensive (I accept Working Childcare Connections for my daycare), in fact I charge more than the other nanny agency in town does. The reason for that is that I provide more than they do. So is it wrong to charge so much money for a crucial service? Maybe it is a girl thing, but I have really struggled with that question. Thanks very much to the lady who is coaching me through starting my nanny agency I have come to an answer. I bet you have guessed it. The answer is “no!” If I didn’t charge what I do, I wouldn’t have the money to background check, train and provide the resources and network opportunities that I do.
My encouragement to all of you who have taken the time to read this article is to realize what you are providing and to not feel bad for recognizing what an important product and service you offer. You are valuable and you are needed. Folks don’t have a problem paying you and you need to not feel bad about being a smart business woman.
God promises that you will be blessed for your service. There is no need to be pushing for a purchase, your product will sell itself if you come at it from a service mind-set.
