“I
am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away;
and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may
bear more fruit.”
– John 15:1-2
Are you haunted by the thought that you
are not living up to your full potential? Are you disappointed
or upset because you haven’t achieved certain sales and
marketing goals you set for yourself, and you’re wondering,
“What should I do?” Well, I’ve got good news for you.
God has the answers.
When your sales have gone awry, and you’ve
decided the best way to restore or build profitability
is to do it your way and not according to His instructions,
while everything around you seems to be falling apart,
God has a branch you can grab.
But in your quest to reach your potential,
whom do you usually reach out to for advice and counsel?
Do you turn to what the world can offer you, or do you
turn to God? Most of us turn to the world: “how to”
books and tapes for recommendations; articles for suggestions;
specialists for ideas; and to those who are considered
experts for advice. We turn to strategic alliances we
have formed with people of influence. We count on referrals.
We basically rely upon other people – hoping that the
right contacts will lead to the right contract, the right
project, or the right job.
There is nothing wrong with seeking wisdom,
knowledge and support from the world, of course not.
But God says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He
who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for
without Me you can do nothing (John 15:6).”
Can you make that commitment today – that
for whatever sales or marketing goal you haven’t achieved,
you are willing to raise your level of commitment to the
vine and the accountability that goes along with that?
And if you truly want to reach your potential,
are you willing to put your pride aside? To not let your
other agendas get in the way He wants you to abide in
him so He can abide in you?
Don’t be afraid to be a little out of the
mainstream. Jesus swam against the currents, and stood
for a breakthrough in what was possible for us as human
beings. When we are willing to break through our perceived
limitations, it alters what is possible in our lives.
We become a source of light and hope for others.
But how do you do it; how do you break through?
How do you crack the safe? How do you rise to a whole
new level?
Here’s what you do:
You venture into new waters. You surrender
to your purpose by getting into the deep end of the pool.
No competitive strides are ever made by
staying in shallow waters. To generate an explosion in
growth and profits, you have venture out into the deep
waters where you can see the amazing hand of God.
I know it’s sound like a cliché, but this
is about making a difference. These are the service providers
who look at the world, see what needs fixing, and focus
on ways to solve a problem or create an opportunity.
After making sure it’s in alignment with God’s purpose,
calling, or divine assignment for their life, they turn
to Him for direction and instruction on how to fulfill
their assignment.
And what kind of problems or opportunities
do they look for? They look for markets where the gifts
God blessed them with – their unique qualities and defining
characteristics - can be shared with others.
I love hearing about or reading stories
about successful service providers who have been blessed
financially beyond their wildest dreams because they surrendered
to their purpose and dared to venture into deep waters.
They positioned themselves uniquely in the marketplace
– distinct from any others – and found something they
and only they could pull off after making bold promises
to their customers.
Solutions to problems: Fred Smith
started Federal Express because millions of people absolutely,
positively had to have their mail delivered the next day.
Mitch Rouse founded Super Shuttle because people were
fed up with missing flights due to traffic and parking
snarls. Jim Hindman created Jiffy Lube because people
wanted their oil and filter changed, their chassis lubricated,
and their engine system checked FAST with no appointment
necessary. The owners of Mail Boxes Etc. offered UPS
pickup and delivery as part of its service mix because
occasional UPS customers wanted to avoid the hassle of
having to travel across town to the UPS depot, wait in
line, and lose valuable time.
Marketplace opportunities: Let’s
start with Howard Schultz. He opened up a coffee shop
that specialized in, of all things, coffee, and named
it Starbucks. Or how about Fred DeLuca? He started a
chain of sandwich shops called Subway because he wanted
to serve the best submarine sandwiches money could buy.
Toys R Us, Blockbuster Video, CompUSA, Home Depot, PetsMart,
Victoria’s Secret (sorry God), and Foot Locker. I could
go on and on listing businesses that have become household
names because they mustered up the courage to tip the
scales, buck the trend, and make a difference.
God wants us to do good works.
I ask: Who are you not to make a difference?
Who are you to believe that you are inadequate? Who are
you to not share your gifts with the world and reveal
your greatness? Nelson Mandella says it best, “You are
a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the
world. We were born to manifest the glory of God within
us.”
I truly believe it’s in all of us to let
our light shine! Raise your antenna so you can be aware
of what’s going on around you. Become more attuned to
the markets God wants you to identify and then reach.
The devil cannot discourage, mane, or destroy the pioneering,
venturesome, entrepreneurial, gambling spirit of the human
soul on fire! That’s the most powerful weapon on earth.
And in the best or worst of times, always
strive to help others. Confront and ask yourself: Are
there ways we can offer superior help, serve clients better,
or show organizations how to work together better as a
team to function on their target market’s behalf? Are
prospects in selected markets complaining about lousy
service, poor performance, or service providers who break
agreements with them?
If their complaints are not unique, you’ve
just found an area in the marketplace where you could
meet an unmet want.
My friend, it’s the dawning of a new day.
It’s a new season. Every branch bears fruit at its appointed
and anointed time. God may not always deliver on our
timetable, but He is always on time delivering what’s
best.
Nor does it matter how old you are, how
long you’ve been in business, or what’s happened up until
now. Whatever happened yesterday has come and gone, the
good and the bad. If you hold on to what He did yesterday,
you will miss what He wants to do today and tomorrow.
And by all means, be an expression of
God’s love, joy and grace. Be a vessel for God’s
desire to bless others through you. Be an instrument
of God’s grace and desire for you to become who you are
called to be. Live your life right and declare to the
world, “I’m part of the vine!”
Then commit yourself to marketing and selling
good works to specific target audiences, packaged with
bold promises that are tied with a bow of unflagging grace,
never forgetting to always be in prayer for wisdom, guidance
and discernment.
In the end, The Lord will get out of your
life the greatness He already put in it. It will all
fit like a glove because no one walks in his or her destiny
unless it is by His power.
Then, my friend, you truly will have lived
a life worth living – living up to your potential.
Gerry Foster
believes that if you take seriously and learn how to market
your services by faith, together with Mastery Marketing®
secrets, that you will receive tremendous blessings, because
truly you are a blessing. If Gerry can be of assistance
to you in any way please contact him directly by phone
at 949.499.1174 or by email at gerry@masterymarketing.com.
