How would you feel if you knocked on someone’s door, they opened it, & when you said hi they glared at you & shut the door in your face?
Or you saw them peeking out of the window but they didn’t answer the door, like they thought you wouldn’t notice they were home.
The online equivalent of these kinds of things happen all the time when you send a cold email or LinkedIn message. You can see they’ve read it but they never respond, or you see they’re online but your message is ignored. Or when you have a call with a prospect & they ghost you afterwards.
How do you react to these kinds of situations?
I came across a fascinating case study about the Mormon church recently. The church strongly encourages their young members to go out on “missions”, sharing their beliefs with others.
Although Corona has introduced online missions, they’ve always been known for going door-to-door, asking for a few minutes of your time to talk about faith. For every 2000 doors they knock on, they may get 5 yesses. Of those 5, maybe (if they’re lucky), 1 really listens & asks for more info.
But whatever they encounter, they’re instructed to handle it with love, respect, & kindness. If the door gets shut in their face, they still have to handle the next one with friendliness & caring. If they get sworn at, they have to stay loving. And they don’t get paid!
Here’s what I learned from this:
- Rejection builds resilience
Most of us see rejection as a crushing thing, but it can be a positive if we view it in the right way. For example, a common reason for rejection is that your price is too low (yes!). You may be underselling yourself.
But rejection opens up a chance for us to reassess our actions & frameworks & find something that works better. If we use it as feedback & turn it into a positive, rejection can be amazing.
- Passion helps us cope
These young people don’t have to do this with love. But for many of them, what sees them through is the love for their faith, the joy of making a difference, & the determination to change someone else’s life.
When last did you feel that way about your biz? Do you love what you do? Do you have a sincere wish to help others with your work?
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- We should be serving others
We all have bills to pay. But when it comes to being successful in business, you have to solve a problem for others. Whether you’re a product or a service-based B2B business, serving others should be at the forefront.
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What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!
The short version: The Mormon way of selling works because it is built on relationships, trust and consistent follow-up rather than pushy tactics. Community, personal connection and long-term thinking turn strangers into customers and customers into advocates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Mormon way of selling?
It refers to a sales approach rooted in building genuine relationships first, then letting trust naturally lead to a sale. It relies on warmth, patience and community ties rather than aggressive pitching.
Why does relationship-based selling work better than hard selling?
People buy from those they know, like and trust. When you focus on the relationship instead of the transaction, prospects feel comfortable, objections drop, and referrals increase because the experience feels personal rather than transactional.
How can businesses apply this approach online?
Businesses can apply it by nurturing leads through consistent, helpful content, personal follow-ups and community building on social media. The goal is to create familiarity and trust before ever asking for the sale.
Does this method work for all industries?
Yes, though the pace may differ. Service-based and high-ticket businesses often see the biggest impact since trust plays a bigger role in the buying decision, but even ecommerce brands benefit from stronger customer loyalty and repeat sales.
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