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During the last couple of weeks, I’ve had some spirited discussions — both pro and con — about the role passion plays in the sales profession.

I’ve had people say in today’s business climate, there is no room for passion, and I’ve had others say because of the business climate, you have to be passionate.

Which is it?  To quote Shakespeare, the question before us is, “To be or not to be?”  OK, I got carried away. Back to the issue of passion.

The argument against passion is the level of customer engagement/education that occurs via the Internet.  With the customer being able to access all levels of information from the Internet, the role of the salesperson is nothing more than a facilitator, answering random questions.

A sales manager used the argument with me about how his most successful salespeople are ones who don’t get emotionally involved with their customers. He shared with me those who do show emotion are the ones who don’t last long.  I asked him if he views his job as making quarterly numbers or developing salespeople.  His response didn’t shock me.

He said without hesitation it’s 100% about making numbers.

He went on to say how his salespeople are only the tool he uses to make the number.  Hey, let’s jump for joy on that comment. Doesn’t that give you a pit in your stomach, thinking about what it must be to work for the guy?

When we look at the back story on this sales manager and his business, you’ll see a business that has been giving up margin year over year for the last several years. You’ll see a business where the sales they’re closing are on price and little else.

The question this leaves me with is, “Which came first? The margin erosion and price-focused approach to selling or the lack of passion?”

Passion to me is a trait that separates those who are people focused from those who are merely going through the motions.  Sales is about helping people. It’s about helping customers achieve outcomes they may not have thought possible.

By now it should be obvious. I’m a firm believer about passion being a valuable sales trait.  How can you not be passionate when you’re spending your time helping others?

I see a correlation between profitable sales and passion, and the longer I’m in sales, the more passionate I become.

 

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High Profit ProspectingCopyright 2017, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. Mark Hunter is the author of High-Profit Prospecting: Powerful Strategies to Find the Best Leads and Drive Breakthrough Sales Results.  

 

 

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