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What is the difference between speaking with a friend who understands a certain field and advises you what to buy, and consulting with a salesperson in a store?
The world is changing, the consumer is changing, and needs are changing. Reality is becoming more and more interconnected, and everyone depends increasingly on everyone else. Eventually there will be a feeling that we are all in the same boat and must consider one another so that we do not sink. When this understanding penetrates all areas of life, we will stop unnecessary consumer culture and stop pushing products and services on one another. Enjoyment will come not from shopping but from good connections with other people.
Organizations will need to adapt themselves to the new environmental conditions, and this will require them to invest in learning, practicing, and implementing the integral approach to business. This is a deep and long-term process that will involve all members of the organization and create an entirely new perception.
As an organization becomes more integral, its strategy will change, along with its marketing policy, public relations, advertising, and sales. The overarching goal will be to benefit the public, not superficially, but genuinely and wholeheartedly.
Accordingly, our concern as an organization will not be simply that the customer buys something, but that they are satisfied with the relationship they have with us. We want them to enjoy using our products, and we want to enjoy the fact that they enjoy them. We want to bring them and their families a positive spirit so that their relationship with us gives them security, fulfillment, pleasure, warmth, and support, i.e., several kinds of positive feelings, like those a child feels in their parents’ home. This is what people lack most today.
The wisdom of sales in the new era can be expressed in that the product itself is secondary while the relationship is of primary importance. We should not aim to sell products but a positive connection. This is the fundamental principle, and everything else must be built upon it.
For this reason, the advertising of an integral organization should emphasize first and foremost the nature of the organization itself and its special attitude toward its customers. This can take the form of videos, short articles, and similar materials that convey the unique spirit of the company.
Organizations can also hold various public events and activities that cultivate connection, for example in parks, recreational areas, and other communal spaces. The goal is to uplift public spirit and create positive human connections.
Once customers actually experience the connection with the company and feel satisfied with the relationship, they will naturally want to purchase something from it. Beyond the practical value of the product or service, such a purchase will also express their desire to preserve the special relationship they receive.
Consider this for a moment: Certain products awaken feelings in us toward those who created them. We sense the effort the producer invested in the product and the good intention expressed through it. Sometimes the product reminds us of positive experiences from the past, and we feel warmth and a special connection toward the person or company that provided it.
When a customer comes to consult with a salesperson, the relationship should resemble that of close friends. There is no seller and buyer here, but two people who aspire to create a positive connection. For example, if it turns out that it would be better for the customer not to buy anything at all, or to purchase elsewhere, the adviser should say so directly, just as they would advise their own children.
In addition, the organization should think about ways to nurture the broader environment. For example, it could be decided that for every five products sold, one will be donated to people in need. This could be highlighted in advertising, and customers could also be informed about exactly where that gift went as a result of their purchase. This is how they become partners in creating a family-like spirit in society, an integral connection among everyone. The organization can also practice transparency by sharing information about production costs and fair pricing, making it clear that as an integral organization its goal is not simply to maximize profits.
Ultimately, the purpose of a company’s connection with the customer is to create a shared experience and to make them feel good about their relationship with the company. If they continue to treat them this way even after the purchase, they will return and buy from that company again. This special relationship—more than the product itself—will provide the warmth, security, and support that people are missing today.
Based on “New Life 112 – Working in Sales, Part 1” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.