Why Sales with Integrity?
As we launch our website the tag line “Sales With Integrity” has stuck as the best way to describe our modus operandi. The natural questions raised are- Why? Why “with integrity”? Isn’t the word “integrity” overused? Has the word “integrity” lost its meaning in 2017? And why pair the word “sales” with “integrity”?
First- “Sales”- this is what we do. We offer goods and services to companies with needs that match our offerings. The word “sales” is often filtered through negative saturated lenses as a result of being “sold”. We can all recall experiences of being “sold” on home furnishings, vehicles, technology, etc where we feel the seller only had the sale in mind and did not bring the right goods or services to match our specific needs. We also feel saturated from digital advertisements popping up on our screens, billboards filling our vision as we drive, and audio commercials as we listen to the radio or stream music.
Internally many of us scream out “Will you stop selling me and start listening to what I need?!?!” We at Whitmore Sales intentionally try to bring peace to that internal chaotic voice while still being true to the word “sales”. Yes, we do sell. Sometimes with determined persistence. Other times with relational intuitiveness knowing when to pursue and when to wait for another day. Our objective is not the initial sale but a long term relationship and partnership that brings value to our customers.
Second- “With Integrity”- this is how we sell. The word “integrity” has been packaged and repackaged many times over by people trying to convince us to believe or trust what they are saying. Hearing the word “integrity” often causes the reverse to take place. We now say “Prove it, I don’t believe you. You are just trying to sell me on something (a specific belief, way of thinking, goods, or a service).”
Merriam-Webster defines integrity as a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values”; or as “the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” If the “how” we sell is by a “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values”, the natural follow up question is: What is the code of moral values?
The code of moral values we hold true is the living and breathing Word of God- The Bible. Is The Bible only a code of morals? Absolutely not. It is so much more than simply a code of morals (another post for another day). But, it does give us the groundwork for how to live, how to treat others, how to treat those we disagree with, how to act in wisdom, courage, kindness, professionalism, gentleness, patience, love, and forgiveness.
Yes- we do sell. Yes- we are completely comfortable with customers taking the “wait and prove it” approach to viewing our integrity. And, Yes- we will make mistakes. But we will do everything in our ability to make those mistakes right.
Many Blessings-
Scott Whitmore
