When I was a sales manager, I taught different types of closing techniques. One of my favorites is Alternative of Choice. I want to relate a story to you to show what I mean.
Back in the 1970’s when I lived in Sidney, Ne., I had a friend that was a car salesman. Here’s what he did when a customer would walk in: He would greet them and visit with them enough to make them feel comfortable. Then he started asking Alternate of Choice questions. Do you want a full size, mid size or compact? Do you want a two door or a four door? Do you want a dark, medium or light color? Do you want vinyl or cloth interior? Do you want a V6 or a V8 engine? As you can see, the customer was making choices that were suggested by someone else. At no time was there a choice given to say they didn’t want the car. Once all the initial criteria was gathered, he would go get the keys to the car best suited to what the customer wanted. On the north side of Sidney, there was a butte that overlooked the city. He would hand the customer the keys to the car and have them drive to the top of the butte. There he would have them get out of the car and stand beside it. He then would take their picture overlooking the city with them standing by the new car. He would now have them drive back to the dealership and take them into his office. He would sit them down and put the picture on the desk between them and tell them how great they looked with their new car. (They were done at this point) Next he would put all the numbers together so they were pleased with the price. When it came to paying for the car, the first question was: Do you want to pay cash or do you want financing? If it was financing, Do you want 36, 48 or 60 months? Once again the choice being made was given by someone else and there was no place to say they didn’t want the car. That folks is the art of sales and using the Alternate of Choice technique to it’s fullest. Husband and wife are out shopping and she tries on two dresses, a blue one and a green one. Question to hubby–should I keep the blue one or the green one. (Alternate of Choice used again)
What about when it comes to God? Do we have choices we can make? Or is it all God’s way? YES we make choices–God created us so we can. Here’s what God wants: Repent and be baptized, believe and be baptized, obey my commands and I’ll prepare for you a place, love your brother, don’t forsake the assembly of saints, commune with Him every week, and list goes on. As you see God wants the best for us. Here’s some of what Satin wants: Murderers, adulterers, drunks, druggies, disobedience toward God, homosexuals, and the list goes on. We have a choice to make every day in life–do we do it God’s way or do we do it Satin’s way? This is the same as we talked about before–Alternate of Choice and no way to say we don’t want either one. The choice here is, are we going to choose Satin and spend eternity with him or do we choose God and spend eternity in Heaven with Him? It’s YOUR choice!! Make it a wise one.
