This past week, we saw a great example of a complete lack of sales passion. CEOs for GM, Ford, and Chrysler all appeared before Congress last week asking for money to keep them afloat. I can’t believe how poorly these people (along with the head of the UAW) did in arguing their case. It’s hard to find anyone who thought they did a good job. It came down to one thing: a complete lack of passion towards what they were asking for. Their goal was simply to convince Congress that they needed money to continue operating, yet everything they did screamed the opposite, including the fact that they all flew to Washington on separate private jets and only one of them said they would entertain the thought of working for only $1.00 per year.

Selling is all about passion, believing 150% in what you’re offering, and demonstrating that in every way and at every occasion. When you fail to whole-heartedly believe in what you’re selling, there’s no way you’ll be successful long-term. Add to the mix the uncertainty of the economy and it becomes essential for people to be passionate. I firmly believe the Detroit CEOs were not successful because they were anything but passionate about what they were selling.

The lesson for all of us is to fully understand and appreciate how much our personal passion can and does impact our results as a sales professional. It doesn’t matter if you’re in telephone sales, retail sales, or an account executive, the need for sales passion is clear. Sales motivation is essential to your success, and I place sales passion near the top of the tools necessary to ensure your sales motivation.