Skip to main content

What To Do First to Make a Profit

The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat  ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're  not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director.  Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year.  God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve

A huge key to getting what you need

We all need help from somebody at some time.  When we need help, it's obviously important to us, and we want the best care we can receive.   So then why don't we all receive what we desire?

A lot of it has to do with timing.  Being both a pastor and a coach, working in the church world and the business world at the same time I realize most people in this world have little regard for timing.  


I do not refer to extremes, like, "call me in 2014 and I'll see what I can do for you..."

There's a big difference between 2014 and next Tuesday.

I'm also not referring to emergencies.  Obviously in a crisis, you need help NOW, not next Tuesday.  The one caveat here is that a lot of people don't realize the true definition of emergency.  I once had a lady call me about her marriage problems, during an important family celebration we were having.  I told her I couldn't help her right then - we were in the midst of a family occasion.  I offered to return her call the next day.  She said, "but this is an emergency."  I said, "How long have you had these marriage problems?"  She said, "Since 1975."

Seriously, I don't make this stuff up.

I recently had a client ignore me for two whole weeks when I tried to set an appointment with her.  Then at 4 pm on Thursday she suddenly said, "can you meet with me now?"  No.  No I could not.  I had been trying to reach her for two weeks and it was like trying to nail jello to a wall.  Now she wanted me to drop everything?   I had appointments scheduled through Thursday night, and Friday is my sacred day.  I did offer to meet her on the weekend, but most clients want their weekends off too. 

Then I recently got a call from a missionary, at home.  They called the church on a Friday morning, got the machine, so they immediately just switched gears and called my home number.  Here's how the conversation went:

Me: [caught off guard] "Oh..... this happens to be my sacred day off so I'm at home.  Did you try leaving a message at the church for me to return your call on Monday?" 

Them:  "I got the machine but no, I didn't leave a message  I figured that this may be your day off so I got your home phone number out of the district book and called you.  I have 300 calls to make today and I didn't want to wait to get this call done and cross it off my list.  Calling you at home was easier for me."

Then they went on to give me a 15 minute spiel about what they needed.  It was no emergency, just an update on their current project.  While listening to this spiel I kept doing what I was doing before they called.  I fed my dogs, took them out to potty, washed my hands, got a fresh cup of tea, took out the trash, wiped down the countertops in my kitchen, etc.  It was easy to do because I wasn't the one talking for 15 straight minutes, all that was required was listening.  They never came up for air. When they were done their spiel they said, "So, what do you think?"

Me:  "Well to be honest my brain is not engaged in matters like this today.  This is my day to decompress, a day to focus on things in my home, not a day to make decisions like this one.  I'll consider this on Monday and get back to you."

Them:  "Oh..............................um......................mmmkay.  Well, like I said I have so many calls to make I just didn't want to have to wait."

What's more important?  Not having to wait or getting the help you need?

Just a tip - when you are wanting help from anybody and specifically of the professional kind - be careful of the timing.  Even in my relationship with my husband, the most intimate person in my life, I'm very careful about the timing with which I approach him about something.  If I know he's tired, stressed, pre-occupied, I wait to ask him something.  If it's something I'm wanting to talk about concerning the church I never bring it up on a Friday.  The timing of my approaching something greatly impacts the outcome of what we discuss.

When I do call someone, I always say, "is this a good time?"  If not I totally respect that and say, "when would a good time be, for you?"

Right now I'm in need of help from someone professionally and they've been so gracious to give it.  They are giving me their time gratis, just out of the kindness of their heart.  They are giving me far beyond what I dreamed and quite frankly more than I deserve.  I deserve nothing, really.  But they are investing in me.  One of the reasons I'm convinced I'm receiving so much from them is because:

1)  Each time they spend time with me, I let them know often how grateful I am.  (I really am!)
2)  I am respectful of their schedule.

These are two great principles to live by with anyone.  And I'm convinced it's just one reason I'm getting so much.  That, and the grace of God.

Try it.  You might be surprised at how much watching the timing of things affects your outcomes.

Comments

Rich Tatum said…
Wow, hard to believe "professionals" and people who know you can so easily take for granted your needs. What a huge turn-off, and definitely not a way to get ahead and be good stewards!

Rich
BlogRodent
I agree, and did I mention...thank you... :)
Anonymous said…
LOL!! I remember the Friday calls that would begin, "Sorry to call you on your day off, but..."

Those were annoying, but I could deal with them.

What I hated was people who would ocme up to me before or between services with an "issue" that they needed to discuss. Or, better yet, "I don't want to bother you on a Sunday, but I have something I need to discuss with you, so can I stop by tomorrow?" Totally threw off my groove!

Usually those types of interruptions happened when I was going to be teaching on the Holy Spirit. Go figure.

Popular posts from this blog

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we

Stuff I Adore That Costs Little to Nothing...

Okay...taking a break today from writing about heavy things...like grief, loss, and bawling. Time to write about random stuff today that nobody may be interested in reading. Nevertheless here it is... Stuff I adore that costs little to nothing... Listening to playlists I make on (free) Spotify Drinking out of canning jars Reading books again that I already have on my shelf. Walking and riding my bike. Admiring crepe myrtle trees. Taking a bath in the daytime with the lights off in the room. (Natural light.) Naps. Snuggling with my husband or one of the kids and watching a movie at home. Having all noise turned off when no one is home. (No TV, no music, just silence.) Prayer.