When the food started coming, I couldn’t believe it. Seven of us at the table. Hummus. Tabouli. Baba ghanouj. Yogurt. Oh my, the yogurt was unlike anything I’d ever had before. Not your basic nonfat-Greek-have-it-every-morning-for-breakfast yogurt. This was like very soft cream cheese – rich, full of flavor. Chicken breast and Filet shish kebabs. Pickles. Cheese. Lamb sausage. Soft, warm pita bread.

Served family style, we scooped, we passed, we asked for it again, we smiled, we talked, we oooohed, we aaaahed, we suggested “here, try this” over and over.

The world closed in around us; I lost track of anything that was further away from the table than the other six lunch guests.

As we slowed down, toward the end of our feast, one of the guests pointed to me and said, “Look at Nick’s face, he looks completely content, like he’s drifted away…..”

And I had.

Later, describing this meal to a friend, he said, “yes, it’s one of the very few restaurants for which I would drive across town to eat.” And he lives in a very large town. And I would go with him… over and over.

Who knew? I was a visitor in the city, escorted as a guest to this restaurant. I can’t say enough positive about it. It was FABULOUS. I used to think I knew the location of the best hummus on the planet. Found a new location! Food critics have tagged it as the best, most interesting Middle Eastern restaurant in the city. I believe them. This restaurant family has been serving food for 34 years.

Got me to thinking….(of course…. that part never stops): THIS… is what sales is about.

The conversations and experiences through which prospects and clients bond with us and our value propositions for them, such that they’re willing to pay 100 basis points more, and fees, and bring all of their accounts to us… and also encourage their sisters and their cousins and their aunts, friends, co-workers, other business owners, business colleagues, and clients to bring THEIR accounts to us.

In his book, MONEY Master the Game…, Tony Robbins wrote, “The secret to wealth is simple: Find a way to do more for others than anyone else does. Become more valuable. Do more. Give more. Be more. Serve more. And you will have the opportunity to earn more–whether you own the best food truck in Austin, Texas, or you’re the top salesperson at your company or even the founder of Instagram.”

Our companies provide us with products or services to sell. It’s up to us to find ways to become more valuable with them. THIS is what sales is about.