In order for you to sell something, you need to convince your prospective buyer that what you have to offer is of more value to him that the cash in his wallet (or the credit on his card).
If your product or service represents greater value than his cash - he will exchange his cash for your goods. It's as simple as that. That's why we buy things. The perceived value we gain from what we purchase outweighs the money - and the other things we could buy with that money.
Who is our customer
In our Ranger program (or ministry) we must offer a good value exchange to our leaders, to our children and to our church.
You see, as Ranger leaders we have four customers.
- the child
- our leaders
- the children's parents
- the church board
If we fail to satisfy anyone of these customers, our program will fail.
NB: Now in this discussion I have deliberately tried to be plain and non-spiritual. Of course nothing will work with out the power of the Holy Spirit to undergird our work, to convict of sin and to effect real change in the lives of our children and ourselves.
Without children, we have no ministry
The program needs to be hot. It needs to inspire. It needs to challenge. It needs to provoke work and meter out excitement.
If it doesn't, then the children will not see a fair exchange of value. They exchange their time for your program. If the value isn't there, then they will find another value exchange where their sense of fulfillment and satisfaction will be increased. This could be positive or negative. They could join scouts or play video games. They could join the chess club or be caught up in a bad peer group.
But the fundamental is the value exchange. If you offer good value. You'll get commitment and enthusiasm and fruit in your kids.
Without leaders you can't run a program
It has been said that the payment for volunteers is relationships. That is the value exchange for a leader is the quality and quantity of relationships formed in your teams. Think about it for a moment. Apart from knowing you are doing what you are called to do - what tangible value do you get out of rangers?
Remember that my biased and twisted marketing mind forces me to think about value exchange - what value do you receive from spending your time in rangers?
Now I propose to modify the statement above - that "the payment for ranger leaders is quality relationships with other ranger leaders and seeing the change in the lives of the children to whom they minister"
That's our value exchange. If there's no relationships formed - your leaders will leave and find another place to serve - where the relationships will be. If there's no change in the kids lives - then the satisfaction and sense of [holy] achievement and accomplishment will not be there.
And then you've lost your leaders. And there goes your program.
Without the support of the children's parents you won't have any kids
How many kids have you known who have been pulled from a youth group by mum or dad. Youth leaders don't know that the parents of their kids are their customers too. Ranger leaders generally do.
The value exchange for a parent is this: They will exchange their efforts and money in encouraging and uniforming their child, getting them to event on time etc. if you will teach their child skills, disciple them and provide a wholesome and engaging program for their children.
Let your parents know what you're doing with their kids. Keep them informed. Send home plenty of notes. Get them to a quality council of achievement. Invite them to camps and outings. Above all send home excited and "raving" children.
Without the support of your church board you have no program
The church board [read pastor/elders etc.] represent an important customer for the senior commander. Without their support you have no program. Sell yourselves and your program to these guys often. Show them how you are reaching your goals. Tell them what your goals are. They love to know about salvation's and changed lives. They love to see families of ranger kids in church.
Some pastors are scared of rangers. They think their a bunch of weird people who are under no authority. They see the closeness of the relationship between ranger leaders and are frightened. Sometimes they close down rangers because of this. Don't let that happen. Sell yourself and your program to them.
The value exchange for the church board is this: they will exchange their support, prayer and sometimes finances if you are seeing children saved and their lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. They also love happy parents.
Summary
Value exchange is a good way to evaluate your program. Are you offer value to each of your four customers. If you're not - begin to think how you could offer a greater value.
Extracted from the book "Leadership and the Perfect Outpost" by Victor Zalakos.
http://www.zalakos.com/perfect
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I see a Ranger program in every town in this country. An
outpost in every
suburb. I see a program so pervasive that every child in this
nation will
either be a Royal Ranger or know someone who is a Royal
Ranger.
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Ps. Victor Zalakos
State Commander, NSW Australia
Contact information:
Post: PO Box 241 Blaxland
NSW 2774 Australia
Create the "Perfect" outpost - find out how at
This posting is copyright (c) 1997-1999 Victor Zalakos. You may not distribute, republish, post, or otherwise disseminate without prior written (emailed) permission. You may however, use it in your own outpost.
