We are all similar human beings

We should not be afraid to strike a conversation with anyone.  Whether they are a C level, Director, Manager or Staff member.  All of us drink the same water, eat the same food and put our underwear on the same way.  LOL.  Our society strikes us with many fears and social clicks that it hinders our abilities to develop relationships.  Some of it is in our control and some of it is not.  In sales, relationships and meeting new people is absolutely imperative and having fears in speaking with higher level and or C level people will not be beneficial.  If you think about it in terms of this Hurricane Sandy, the statuses that people held prior to the storm do not matter.  The amount of money someone has, the C before their name, the Director or Manager before their name, what race they are, if they are male or female, maybe they were a government official does NOT matter at all now.  We are all trying to survive in this world on a regular day basis and that is amplified 1000 times when disaster strikes.  I heard a story today that was on the news about a mother and her two children during Hurricane Sandy.  One child was 4 and the other 2.  She was driving near the shore in Staten Island and realized the storm surge coming over the road.  She had pulled over to the side of the road in a parking area.  Got out of the car and proceeded over to a home across the way.  Holding her two children she knocked on the door.  A man came to the door and said Can I help you?  She answered, I need help with my two children can we come in a seek shelter?  He said no, and go away!  I thought I would share this quick story.  Remember, when visiting customers and prospects, they are all human, have lives just like you, have issues just like you and you should relate to the lives that you both live.  Now, we have to provide our solutions and get them to see the value to invest in our solutions, YES.  But the sales process is not about "selling" it is about building relationships with people that we are looking to develop a professional report with whom we can show value to with our solutions on how to solve their initiatives.  We ALL put our underwear on the same way.  Even our candidates Obama and Romney!!

God Bless the victims of Hurricane Sandy!  My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Shawn

PS:  Those two children's bodies were found today in the marsh in Staten Island.  They had passed on.