Developing Sales Resistance Chart

Sermons on these high-pressure temptation tactics from the Christian and Prosperity Series

Sales Tactic	Presupposes	Illustration	How to Resist
1. Association: Tying the product to gorgeous or successful people, things, or places.	a) People tend to make decisions by desire more than reason; b) People want authorities to think for them	"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field" (v. 1 with Ezek. 28:12-13)	a) Learn to look beyond the packaging and to ask penetrating questions; b) Do research; c) Recognize the limitations of the eye gate.
2. Direct Appeal: Appealing directly to those who are under authority	Many are tempted by independence.	"And he said to the woman." (v. 1)	Think through how the decision will affect the family as a whole. Ask permission. Respect authority. Develop unity and trust in the family
3. Isolation: Hurrying the spending decision so that the spouse does not undermine it.	We are more susceptible when no accountability or time for objective input.	"And he said to the woman." (v. 1)	Whether husband or wife, don't be pressured into hasty decisions. Get counsel. Talk with those affected.
4. Negative Advertising: Putting the competition into the worst possible light and/or highlighting the negative in the competition while ignoring the weakness of your own product.	Because of the flesh's self-deception, people want to believe claims that support their desire.	"Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" (v. 1)	a) Don't take one person's word for it (Prov. 18:17). Develop healthy skepticism; b) Research; c) Gain humility from the KICK principle; d) ask for documentation in writing
5. Challenging Loyalties: Creating doubts about established wisdom and/or pitting the wisdom of children against the wisdom of the older generation.	People have a tendency to individualism.	"Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" (v. 1)	Value the heritage of previous generations. Promote in yourself covenant accountability.
6. Baiting into Conversation: Engaging you in conversation in order to discover your weak points.	Our ego desire to be liked leaves us open to manipulation.	vv. 2-3	Don't feel like you need to be polite with those who have interrupted your schedule to sell you something. Get to the point – don't feel like you need to answer their questions. Offer questions of your own. Control the conversation.
7. Downplaying Danger: Rejecting or minimizing warnings (tobacco industry, harlot of Proverbs). They also beautify or mask problems.	People are used to suppressing danger signals if it suits their desires.	"You will not surely die" (v. 4). See great exposition in Proverbs 7:6-27.	Teach yourself and others the evils of such decisions before they are exposed to them. Teach skepticism. "Let the buyer beware" (cf. Prov. 14:15).
8. Inflated Promises: Making fantastic claims, but doing so boldly and confidently.	People are capable of believing almost anything if it supports their desires.	"You will not surely die." (v. 4)	Demand documentation in writing. Demand a written contract. Make it a maxim that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
9. Exploiting Vulnerability: Discovering the weak point in the customer (in this case lack of knowledge)	All creatures have their weak points	"nor shall you touch it" (v. 3)	Either gain adequate knowledge to discourse intelligently on the product or trust someone else to buy it for you.
10. Exploiting Ambiguities: Redefining terms so that they will be misinterpreted.	Language can often be ambiguous	"die" (v. 4)	1) Ask what is meant, 2) Be cautious, 3) learn to analyze words & study logic
11. Winning Trust: Play the good guy or consumer advocate by making a plausible claim that the competition is deliberately concealing information	Life is complex and requires more information	"For God knows..." (v. 5)	1) Research (be your own consumer advocate) 2) Get a multitude of "counselors"
12. Insider Information (Hot Tips): Claiming to know secrets about the competition	No one can truly know the heart and motives of another, but we tend to be willing to project motives onto others.	"For God knows..." (v. 5)	1) Distinguish gossip from objective evidence, 2) Ask for it in writing, 3) Remember that language has ambiguities, 4) Demand to see the quotations of the competition in context or look them up yourself, 5) live by Proverbs 18:17, 6) read Proverbs every day to learn about people's motives.
13. Creating Discontent	The human heart is prone to idolatry and only the Creator or creature can have the supreme place in our hearts.	"For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (v. 5)	1) Put off anything that promotes discontent with God – window shopping and fooling with temptation; idolatry. 2) Put on what promotes God as the end in Himself – fast & pray; tithe & give to transfer your affections and treasures to heaven.
14. Perseverance: High pressure sales people don't take "No" for an answer.	Presupposes that we don't want to appear rude. We want to be liked.	"Then the serpent said to the woman." (v. 4)	Realize that it is Biblical to hang up, to ignore, to walk by or to leave the rudeness of unsolicited, high pressure sales (even if they call you rude). Justification: 2 John 7 11; Jer. 27:9; Prov. 20:19; Rom. 16:17; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:5; Rom. 16:17-18; Eph. 5:11; 2 Thes. 3:14
15. Appealing to Curiosity: If a sales person can get you to be curious about their product, he can gain time to sell you on the product.	People are naturally curious and this curiosity can be exploited.	"When the woman saw that the tree..." (v. 6)	Tame your curiosity by harnessing it with exercises to only be unleashed in godly directions. (See taming curiosity homework sheet.) Beware the lingering look.
16. Exposure: Getting people to window shop (through catalogs, special loss leaders, gifts, "you've won" notices, etc.)	People are more susceptible when in the context of temptation than when far away.	Eve was tempted while by the tree	1) Flee (2 Tim. 2:2), 2) make a plan and stick to the plan when shopping; budget (Prov. 21:5)
17. Feeding Pride: Promoting independent thinking	Pride is like bad breath: you can recognize it on others, but rarely in self. We need God's grace to overcome.	"you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (v. 5; cf. Jude 16)	1) Recognize the presence of pride, and develop humility. 2) Objectify motives by writing down. 3) Run the idea past someone.
18. Redefining Need: Making you think that this product is a real need and is essential	We tend to think of most "wants" as "needs."	"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food." (v. 6)	1) Distinguish in your own mind between a need and a want. 2) Ask if this need can be met in other ways. 3) If it is a want, analyze whether your stewardship would be hindered or improved by the acquisition.
19. Exploiting Hungers: Appealing to your hungers	Three weak points of humans are the desires of the flesh, desires of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16)	"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food." (v. 6)	1) Don't shop when hungry; be on guard when fasting (1 Cor. 7:5; Col. 2:20-3:5). 2) Find contentment in God and a constant awareness of and joy in His presence.
20. Visual Impact: Using looks to cover defects or in other ways to manipulate the customer's thinking.	What we see tends to have a stronger control than what we think.	"that it was pleasant to the eyes" (v. 6)	1) Understand the power of visual impact to influence us to faulty judgments. 2) Make every act a stewardship act, and operate within the constraints God has entrusted to you. 3) Research.
21. Fulfillment Appeal: Offering fulfillment apart from God.	1) People desire to be fulfilled. 2) People want to be important in the eyes of somebody	"desirable to make one wise..." (v. 6)	1) Recognize your own tendencies and give to God. 2) Find fulfillment in God and your relationship to Him rather than in performance, etc.
22. KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid): Sound bites versus substance. Giving incomplete or misleading statements.	There is an appeal to simplicity. We like to know what the bottom line is.	Only three sentences used by Satan	1) Recognize problem, 2) Ask reporter questions (who, why, what, etc.) 3) KICK (Keep It Complex Knucklehead) principle of Andrew Sandlin.
23. Inverting Weakness: Implying the opposite of weakness through image.	If someone already wants a product, it is easy to invert.	"you will not surely die... you will be like God" (vv. 4-5)	Learn to recognize these lies of imagery and teach them to children.
24. Quick Uninformed Deal Closure with Stranger: A stranger getting the person to make a commitment before leaving.	People tend to be too trusting	"and she took of its fruit and ate" (v. 6)	1) Generally, don't buy from someone who is a total stranger (Prov. 6:1-5, 2) Be suspicious of any deal that requires you to decide right now (Prov. 21:5), 3) Do research; don't judge based on first appearances (Prov. 18:17; Gal. 6:4); 4) Think about the negative fallout of your decision (Gen. 3: Deut. 28)
25. Peer Pressure	Those without the fear of God are most susceptible to peer pressure.	"She also gave to her husband with her and he ate" (v. 6;cf. v. 12)	1) Develop the fear of God more than of man (Gal. 1:10). Read When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch. 2) Ask and stir up love (1 John 4:18). 3) Choose to associate more with those who are godly (1 Cor. 15:33; Prov 20:19; 24:21; 22:24)
26. Gullibility	Lack of experience and knowledge can be exploited	"The serpent deceived me, and I ate" (v. 13)	1) Constantly go to the One who has all wisdom (James 1:5), 2) Don't be hurried into a decision (Prov. 21:5), 3) Get advice (Prov. 11:14)
27. Failure to Admit Wrong	Pride exists in every fallen heart unless it is crucified.	vv. 7, 12-13	Deal with pride