Learning to laugh it off....

We just got back from India, and for past 3 months, we were either flying for overseas projects every week or we were busying preparing for events , and only these 2 weeks, we managed to have some time in the office for the day to day work. In the midst of our preparation for another upcoming events, I received a nasty and uncalled email today from a publisher in Bali, being angry with us for not responding to his emailed requests to us to advertise with their magazines.

I couldn't help but went back tonight and dug up all the emails he has sent to me specifically. First email from him, our company name was spelt wrongly - Heaven's Gift suddenly became Heaven's Gate, and a lengthy email of all the praises he had for our company and what we do. Following email was an email of the magazine distribution and circulation. And before we took time to even wonder the origin of the communications linkage, the same person gave us a thrashing of what he thought of me and my faith I professed in my blog.

Words were unkind - "Sadly, the faith you passionately preach online, it seems, doesn't extend to reciprocity of simple courtesies" and " I find your methods and practices disturbing, galling, and apologetically rude. Considering everyone I've met speaks highly of you, I trust I've just encountered an aberrant side of you. I wish you nothing but the best though I would have severe reservations about referring anyone to your services." And I looked back, all we did not do was we did not respond to his sales calls. In my final email, I decided to thank him for his kind words, and simply mentioned we would not foresee any possible partnership in the coming future.

I hesitated to post this new entry, but I eventually decided I would be as real to my readers, in what I have gone through as an entrepreneur even in our normal day to day business matters. What would you have done if you were in my shoes? Imagine a publisher wanting your business, speaks highly of you in one email, then next because you have not responded promptly to his sales calls, he sent you a final email of what he thinks of you... Is this the new tactics of sales calls? Is this the way a managing director of publication will react to your potential clients ? Where has the old, sincere professional way of selling gone to?

Everyone of us works hard to sell our services or our products. Regardless how many times we do a sales call, we must always remember it is part of a sales job. I remembered when I was a sales person, I was always taught : customers are not obligated to respond to us, it is our job as sales person to keep trying and persevere to make someone believe in our products. No matter what their response is, we have no rights to scream or call them names to get their attention.

If I am not affected by this uncalled email from the publisher, I would be lying. I am affected because someone who does not know me well, has judged my faith unprofessionally. Interestingly, last night my leader was reminding me, Hannah whatever you do, people will always have something to say, be it good or bad. What is most important is you live life clear to your conscience, and honest before God. And yes, not every day is filled with happy occurrence, but every day is a day you can choose to be happy. Learn to laugh it off, the Almighty One is the best judge that will weigh all words and actions.