Learn Dawah to Learn Game

Sales

When selling a product, there are three phases for every conversion, or successful sale.

1. Marketing- This the media hype about the product. This is everything about the product that is not the product itself.
2. Salesmanship- This is the character of the salesman. Is the salesman relatable? Likable? Persuasive? If you are selling your own services/applying for a school, then this would be the interview phase of the selection process.
3. Product- This is the actual quality/utility of the product.

Depending on various conditions, you would need to focus your energy on different aspects of the triangle.

• A lot of competition? Then you need great marketing and salesmanship.
• Is the product more of a want rather than a need? You need great marketing and salesmanship.
• Is the product of massive utility? Is it a need? You need a great product and mediocre salesmanship and marketing.
• Do you sell it to clients? Then you need great salesmanship.
• Do you sell it to the public? Then you need great marketing.
• Is it a service? Then you need salesmanship.
• Is it a good? Then you need a great product and great marketing.

The list could go on.

Dawah

Dawah is essentially preaching Islam to non-muslims. There are three aspects to it.

1. Marketing/Media- This the media hype about Islam and muslims
2. Salesmanship/Da'ee- This is the character of the daee, this factor is in your control the most.
3. Product/Religious Community- This is the actual religion/ religious community that the convert accepts as his own. It's helpful to think of Islam as a product for this section.

In dawah, with each interaction, with each sale, you are expected to close the deal by getting a conversion. You encourage them to buy your product, to say the shahadah. Depending on the external circumstances, you need to focus on your energy on different portions of the triangle.

• A lot of competition? Are other people inviting to their religion? Then you need great marketing and salesmanship. In our case, athiesm is the intellectual choice of today.
• Is the product more of a want rather than a need? Are people more content with their lives or are they yearning and depressed? If they do not want a religion, then you need great marketing and salesmanship.
• Is the product of massive utility? Is it a need? You need a great product and mediocre salesmanship and marketing. Is your religious community united and supporting? How much do people benefit by converting to Islam in your part of the world? How much do people lose by leaving Islam? 
• Do you sell it to clients? Then you need great salesmanship.
• Do you sell it to the public? Then you need great marketing.
• Is it a service? Then you need salesmanship.
• Is it a good? Then you need a great product and great marketing.

Job Interviews

When applying for a job, there are a similar three aspects.

1. Marketing- CV, this is what the hype around the employee/student. This is what the student accomplished in the past and what they are expected to accomplish in the future. This is everything about the student/employee that is not the employee/student themself.
2. Salesmanship- The interview. This is why the interview is so important. The employee/student has one encounter to sell himself to the buyer. Why should you invest in me? One should seek to answer this question in the interview.
3. Product- The actual student/employee and the work that they do for you.

Because it is a sale, you should try to not focus on the product (yourself) and your features/accomplishments but rather, focus on the potential benefit that you could provide to the interviewer.

Inter-gender Interactions

Interviews can be related to intergender interactions. This idea is credited to Pat Stedman at his website. On his website, he coins and explains the term "Three Pillars of Attraction". Attraction can be broken down into:

1. Preselection/Marketing- This is everything about the guy that is not the guy himself. This is factors that relate to his objective SMV. Examples of these factors include: wealth, status, race, caste, reputation, age, looks, fashion, etc. This is everything about the guy that is not the guy himself. In traditional Muslim households, this is the entire value of a man. In cultures where arranged marriage is ubiquitous, society values this quality a lot more than Western cultured households. A perfect example of a preselection purist is a nerdy, silent neurosurgeon.
2. Persona/Salesmanship- This is the subjective atmosphere that you create with your presence and interaction you have with the person. This is limited to interactions you may have in dates, marriage interviews and social gatherings. This is not referring to one-on-one long term relationship. This is your "game": your skill to convince another to 'purchase' you. In traditional Muslim households, they can bypass improving their persona by just engaging in arranged marriage, however in the West, this is a necessary in any relationship! Without arranged marriage, a man without persona is a man without a relationship. A perfect example of a persona purist is a pick-up artist.
3. Product/Personality- This is you actual personality. This can make or break a long term relationship. If you market a product well and sell it well, you can get a conversion, but not a long term loyal customer. Similarly, if you can woo a woman and have high status but have a personality of a soybean and can't maintain her interest, you marriage will fail in the long term. Similarly, if you cannot woo a woman and do not have high status, no matter how 'nice' you are, you will never get any conversions/relationships initiated. A perfect example of a personality purist is a 

In the marriage marketplace, you can similarly ask many questions that you could with an actual marketplace for some valuable insight.

• A lot of competition? Then you need to out-compete everyone else or find another market to work in. Are you poor in NYC? You might be really rich in Eastern Europe! Don't want to move? Work hard and get rich and sell better than anyone else.
• Is the product more of a want rather than a need? Are women even looking to get married where you live or just want to have some attention? You need to find serious customers.
• Is the product of massive utility? Is it a need? How much perceived benefit could you provide to the woman? Will you improve her current life? Are you richer than her dad? Are you more interesting than her dad/current boyfriend?

The Marketing-Sales-Product analogy can be applied to so many disciplines to reveal so many insights that are otherwise hidden.