A Biblical Approach to Marketing Series: Intro | Part One | Part Two | Part Three

Verse:
Leviticus 25:14-19 “And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another: According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee. Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God:for I am the LORD your God. Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.”

Insights for Meditation:
Neither buyer nor seller should oppress the other. Some research and cross-referencing led me to define oppress as follows: To impose upon other people for the sake of benefiting oneself. It is instructive to consider the opposite of a word to gain a greater understanding of it. There is nothing more antithetical to oppression than the “Golden Rule” found in Matthew 7:12 “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Time invested in a product should be reflected in the price. More time=higher price; less time=lower price.

Fear of God should guide the buying and selling of goods, knowing that He will judge the oppressor.

Future productivity and success is a direct result of acting in obedience to and accordance with God’s Word.

Principles for Application:
Be careful not to inconvenience potential customers or use guilt tactics in order to entice them to purchase my book.

Consider how I would want to be treated if someone was marketing a book to me.

Don’t under or over-value the time invested in writing my book.

Continue studying to learn God’s way for dealing with people and avoiding oppressive strategies.

Questions for Consideration:
How can I avoid imposing on others in an attempt to market my book?

What marketing strategies have I experienced that convey respect and compel me to purchase something?

What marketing strategies have I experienced that turn me off and compel me not to purchase something?

What can I learn from the example of Jesus about how to treat others?

Steps for Implementation:
□ Be aware of marketing strategies that I experience and compile a list of positive and negative elements.
□ Begin to develop relationships with people that I would like to help me market my book. Look for ways to help them be successful.
□ Include reciprocal links on website and be quick to recommend the resources and services of others.