Posted by:
outsider
(
)
Date: January 24, 2015 12:05AM
The senior companion was not processing my comments. He was waiting for a chance to invite me to church. The junior companion was in shell shock.
I love that TSCC put the essays on their web site, as I was able to cite it as a source. It can't be anti Mormon.
My basic approach to talking to missionaries is to assume the best about them. They are good kids.
You remember all the sales techniques to get baptisms, right?
Here's some points for sales from the net: with my comments as outsider:
"Be genuine. Before the first day of school, first jobs, camp, and any family get-together, Dad always said, “Just be yourself and everything will be fine.” This lesson applies to generating rapport with prospects and customers."
"Be genuine. Be yourself. Don’t try to be anything you are not, create a new persona, or adopt a “sales-like” tone. Relax, smile, and go in with a positive attitude. Good things will follow. As Oscar Wilde said, "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken."
"Be warm and friendly. Chilly people get chilly reactions from other people. Approach rapport building with the intent to be warm and friendly. Smile, give a firm handshake, make eye contact, and engage."
Outsider: I like people, and missionaries are good kids. It's easy to be friendly.
"Show interest. No surprise to anyone, people are self-focused. This is quite helpful to those of us in selling because we need to learn about our prospects before we can provide the best solutions. People want to feel like they have an opening to share what they’re thinking, including their desires, fears, and problems. The more genuinely interested you appear the more relaxed and willing to share they’re likely to be."
Outsider: Build trust by talking first about how baptisms are going because that's what they are most interested in. Ask how receptive people are. Ask how things are going and what kind of people are they teaching.
If you were a missionary share some stories.
Then, start the closer. Once you've started talking about baptisms, talk about retention and other challenges. Ask if the members have heard about the problems about the history. Present it as simple fact, but NEVER challenge their personal faith.
Let them know they aren't alone. Other times, I ask them if they have friend who go home early, and I'll mention that up to 10% are returning in some areas.
Plant seeds. Fertilize the ground. Water.
You're not going to get someone to walk off their mission, but you may get them to start to doubt.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2015 12:07AM by outsider.