Preface

We all know someone like Mr. Shmooze. He is the gregarious fellow at the office who makes everyone feel better by just showing up. She is the gal at the card party who tells the best stories with the juiciest, funniest anecdotes. They are the couple who we all want at our dinner parties because they electrify the atmosphere.

Mr. Shmooze can be a man or woman, young or old, tall or short; it really doesn't matter. Mr. Shmooze is not about surface appearances. Mr. Shmooze is about heart and soul, about good vibrations, and emotional connections.

I have spent 20 years studying the art and science of marketing and selling. There are many different theories, many techniques people use to present themselves and their goods and services in a positive light. And I have come to a very simple but powerful conclusion. There is not a selling system in the world that can match the exquisite elegance, the honesty, and the raw power of a great relationship.

My Mr. Shmooze is a composite of characters from all walks of life whom I have had the privilege of engaging and observing. He is Drew, the commercial real estate broker in Chicago, who always seems to be the "lucky" winner of the big tenant transactions. She is Joan, perhaps the most important person I know, who has spent the past 10 years in the cancer ward of our local hospital. Her contribution goes far beyond nursing as she administers comfort and holds the hands of people as they face the ultimate challenge.

But the consummate inspiration ...

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