Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech used 1,666 words and is the most significant American political speech of the 20th century. While prepping for this article, I learned that Dr. King graduated from college a few months before I was born and he died a year before I graduated from high school. When I read the list of people that he acknowledges influenced him, I made a note that I should make the same sort of list. As I grow older, I appreciate him more.
So, let me tell you what prompted this post. Today, I received the following email.
“Rick- can Steve be in your joke list? He’s too shy to ask.“
I immediately thought of all of the inbound marketers out there that are waiting for their blog readers, Twitter followers, and LinkedIn connections to start a conversation. Maybe the prospect is just too shy and the marketer will have to start it?
I then thought of Kelly’s guest post on this blog, “I’m Not a Salesperson” and remember thinking that she was just like the majority of Inbound Marketers that I had spoken with. The answer was always ‘do more marketing’ or ‘let the customer/prospect keep control’. Never, ‘let me start a conversation with them.’ I feel bad for the people that have to go through life feeling afraid to start.
The second sentence of Kelly’s post is “I loathe salespeople.” Think about the relationship between the races when MLK delivered his speech in 1963. So, Kelly and Steve,
I have a dream that all people, not just salespeople will be able to start a conversation.
I have a dream that marketers and salespeople will lay down their petty differences and work to make the world a better place by helping their ideal customers buy and helping their less than ideal customers find the right solution.
I have a dream that all people, marketers and salespeople alike, will get evaluated to identify their strengths, their weaknesses, their skills and the beliefs that hold them back and recognize that change is difficult. Change is uncomfortable, but if the status quo is not acceptable, change is inevitable.
I have a dream that all people recognize that they need to have a dream and they need to share their dream with the world. How many people stand in front of their world and say, “I have a dream.”?
Dr. King delivered his “I have a dream” speech on August 28, 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial and the world changed. I can’t change the world, but I can help you change yours. If you want to be evaluated, schedule a conversation. Get evaluated before August 28th and in addition to the evaluation report and my review, you’ll also get a private coaching call and my help in writing a guest post for my blog. Here’s the link again.
RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars 
I like your dreams, Rick!
“Change is uncomfortable, but if the status quo is not acceptable, change is inevitable.”
I love that quote, it should be every consultative salesperson’s motto and applies not only to us but also to our prospects.
This is why I say all business is personal.