I must have been distracted during the interview. Maybe it was the lights, the camera, the production crew, my prepared Q & A's. In any event, clearly I wasn't listening well enough the first time. As I replayed this interview for some family members, we paused, discussed and appreciated the gifts that were offered by this exchange. 

I was seeking better ways to understand executives in the C Suite. I asked a number of questions about how to make a difference to an executive. "Ed" said, "The answer is not complicated. You just have to care enough to make an investment in me." 

He used that term "Investment" several times while his message gradually resonated. As he elaborated, certain words repeated themselves. They were the heavy ones, like "Investment", "Trust", Care", "Understand" and "Honesty."  

Ed then told me a story about a sales rep who actually made it through his many gatekeepers to successfully help him with a transaction. It was clear that the rep had earned his position a trusted advisor by genuinely caring for Ed's welfare as a CEO. Ed went on to explain how this rep had made an investment in him. This rep had made a point to understand Ed's background, his experience, his business challenges, his motivations, and his mission as an officer of a hospital. Even beyond that, he appreciated the community's needs and the hospital's desire to meet them. Ed described the symbiotic relationship that we all strive for---one where missions are shared and teams pull together to achieve a common objective. This rep obviously made a lasting impression. 

As Ed said, the answer is simple. Not easy to do, but simple. We need to invest in:

• Learning our customer's business
• Mastering our our own products/solutions
• Demonstrating how our solutions can help our clients achieve their objectives
• Understanding what is happening in our market so we can educate/enlighten our clients
• Improving our Strategic and Consultative Selling Skills 

In short, we need to do as Ed said: Care enough to invest in our clients.   

As you reflect on your accomplishments over the past year, I hope you also look forward to investing in yourself and others. Hopefully you will be proud that you can continue to enhance your own life while helping your clients.

Good Selling!