| defines a steward to be a person who manages | | | | disappointment. These real-life examples are no |
| another's property or financial affairs; one who | | | | different than the person who slaps together a |
| administers anything as the agent of another or | | | | presentation to capital investors two days before the |
| others. In short, a steward is one who serves. As a | | | | meeting. The result is ineffective marketing, an |
| Christian business owner, you are a steward over | | | | irresponsible use of resources and the business |
| God's business - a gift to provide solutions to | | | | owner loosing a much larger client base. |
| problems. 1 Peter 4:10 tells us that each of us have | | | | Responsible stewardship in business is vitally |
| received a gift (an ability) that we should use to | | | | important to the business' success and as a service |
| serve one another as good stewards of the | | | | to God. A business owner who goes above and |
| unmerited favor of God. But what defines a good | | | | beyond the average by implementing successful |
| steward? | | | | business strategies is a responsible steward. In the |
| Do you remember the parable of the Ten Minas | | | | marketing world, the typical business owner thinks |
| found in Luke 19:11-27? The parable describes a king | | | | that everyone is their potential customer. The reality |
| who charged his servants to put his money to work | | | | is that everyone isn't. Not everyone wants or even |
| (in our case, God's business). The result of the good | | | | desires your products and/or services. Discovering |
| servants who put their master's money to work was | | | | who is interested in your products and/or services is |
| that they received more. The servant who was not | | | | the difference in overflow of success. The steps |
| a good steward of his master's money, that money | | | | needed to be a responsible steward in the marketing |
| was taken away and given to the most responsible, | | | | arena are as follows: |
| successful servant. | | | | 1. Discover who is interested in your product and |
| Ask yourself, "Is what I'm doing worthy of putting | | | | services 2. Create a specific marketing message just |
| God's name on it?" If the answer is yes, then you | | | | for this select group of people 3. Determine how to |
| are well on your way to becoming a faithful, | | | | best get that message to this select group and mail |
| responsible steward. Part of being a good steward | | | | them 4. Follow-up with multiple mailings until a sale is |
| over God's business is doing what it takes for the | | | | obtained |
| business to grow and become successful. As a | | | | The steps mentioned above are the bare bone |
| business owner, you have to nurture your business in | | | | elements of an effective marketing system. Yes, a |
| order for it to grow. One aspect of nurturing your | | | | system. A two step approach to marketing isn't a |
| business for successful growth is effective marketing. | | | | system. It is a waste of time and money. All |
| In the business world, we often get tangled up in | | | | successful businesses, weight loss programs, acne |
| 'to-dos' and forget about what is important as | | | | treatments and so on all use systems. It is an |
| Christians, our service to God. The Almighty has | | | | essential element to their success. |
| bestowed great gifts to us as Christian business | | | | One can serve in many capacities - a parent serves a |
| owners, but are we being responsible with what He | | | | child, a teacher serves her pupils, a brother serves his |
| has freely given us? | | | | sister, a business person serves his clients. Regardless |
| Many business owners simply stick their company's | | | | of how you may serve or what capacity you may |
| name, rank, and serial number on a postcard and mail | | | | be serving, it is vitally important to be a good |
| it out to everyone within a geographic area. Other | | | | steward. Responsible stewardship isn't limited to |
| business owners throw together a Google AdWords | | | | anything. In all that you do, your service should be as |
| ad and expect a flood of people to their website. | | | | such that God can say well done my good and |
| The result of both to business owners is | | | | faithful servant! |