Are you high?

First off, I hope you didn't say, "Good question, why did you ask?" (Ps.. that screams you're guilty!)

And no, this isn't an article about the 23000 studies that have been done just in the last few years on the medical benefits of marijuana.

This is about whom you're talking to within the account? And my guess is, you're not high enough. (Hence the title should be "Are you high...enough?")

Read this quote from the Harvard Business Magazine titled, "Top Reasons Why Sales Reps Lose Business."

“Every salesperson is trying to get into my office and explain how their wonderful products will save me tons of money. Very few do because most don’t understand what it takes to sit across the table from me.” —Chief Executive Officer

Boom!!! "....most don't understand what it takes to sit across the table from me."

Ps... and I didn't either when I was younger. Boy, if I could have a "do over".

So, what does it take to sit across the table from that title?

I'll tell ya in sec.

See, since selling my company last August thinking, "Ahhhh... I can finally chill out and relax," didn't go quite like I thought it would.

After 2 months, I was going crazy. I felt like I needed to be placed on suicide watch after being bored out of my skull playing golf with old guys who want to hit from the white tees. That was fun. "Driver, wedge... Driver, wedge... Driver, wedge....Oooooh, a par 3. 8 Iron! Hot Jambalaya!"

So I decided to get back into speaking with Vistage, the world’s leading business advisory and executive coaching organization, designed exclusively for CEO's, business owners and key executives. I figured, "Hey, I'm a business owner.... This could be fun."

Wow! This was beyond fun! 10 to 15 CEO's each week discussing their desires, strategies, goals, competition, challenges, the market place, their value prop, why they win, why they lose, what their customers want, who's the 800 pound gorilla in their space or what I like to call "The Amazon Effect", even their exit strategies..

And then it hit me...I should have been focusing on getting to the CEO much earlier in my career. Why? THEY'RE THE CEO! Head Honcho, Top Dog, Big Cheese, Main Man (or Woman), etc.. And they make things happen!

BTW - They have another name other than CEO. It's called Decision Maker! Sure they will run it by their people, but if they want to do it, they're doing it.

So what's it take to sit in front of that person? 2 Things: Knowledge and empathy. The knowledge part you can get from books, listening to their speeches, reading their website about their mission, even financials. (And I am not a finance guy..but basics are about all you need.)

I would encourage you to read and/or listen to any and everything CEO's say or do. If they're speaking in your area, go listen to them. (Great book by Douglas Barry, Wisdom for a young CEO. It's about a kid who wrote letters to CEO's at the age of 14 on what it takes to become a great CEO....and they all wrote him back and he published the letters in the book!)

The empathy part? This is a little harder. You have to focus on seeing things from their view point..and that can be hard if you're younger and they're older. It's like trying to figure out what it's like being a parent without having kids.

This is the research part; Google, books, meeting neighbors who own a company, anybody that will talk to you can help you feel more confident in speaking with that title. And if you can, record it!!

Yes, I have met many CEOs and presidents in my life, and most of them are great. But if I had to do it all over again, I would have studied, networked, role played and done everything possible to feel comfortable at that level.

Why? They make stuff happen! And that stuff could be buying your product or solution!