At the outset of this venture I said from the pulpit that I couldn’t do this job on my own, but with God’s help, and with your prayers, I could. Well don’t stop now! The hard work is just beginning. There are a total of 500 calendars to sell.
Just a couple of days prior to the launch, I had a phone call from our ace saleswoman, you know the one I mean, don’t you? She sits near the front, pulpit side with her son and daughter-in-law. This lady could sell fridges to Eskimos if asked to and if it was for church funds she would sell double anyone else’s target. A lot of you already know who I am talking about, but for those of you new to the church her name is Cath Rae. That day she rang to say that she had sold £100 worth of calendars and that was selling an unseen calendar. Wasn’t that showing love and support? I will not tell you the age of Cath, but I bet she is older than you are.
These last few weeks I’ve been unwell and unable to come and talk to people, but I trust that you are all still ‘thinking calendar’. None of my friends get out of the house without buying a calendar! I’m a very reluctant salesperson usually. This calendar bug has bitten me well and truly and when I get nervous and reluctant to ask people to buy, I think of Cath and try to emulate how she would go about things. Barbara Hothersall and I both had to harden ourselves when asking people from small businesses for sponsorship. We were nervous and afraid, but the feelings of success were quite remarkable when we got a new sponsor and because we shared the job, we supported each other when there was a refusal and we both had a fun day together. We raised £700 in sponsorship. You see it is possible to do the impossible sometimes.
Now comes your bit. I know the calendar will not mean as much to you as it does to me and my family, we have lived and breathed it for months, but it is your calendar too and you too could copy Cath Rae, Barbara and me and just try to sell a copy to a friend explaining that we are raising £1.7 million and that the calendar really has come from warm spiritual values and is sheer fun in places as well as being a good working organizer. Also, it’s a snip at £5. Every copy of the calendar you sell is £5 profit— it’s that simple. You can do it, believe me. I’m being joyfully persistent as ever, and you can make it happen!
You won’t know you can sell calendars until you try. If everyone reading this sold just one calendar just imagine the profit we would make.
Chris Hoban