I recently came across a terrific description of a salesperson…

and it’s from the 1940s. Aside from the sexist language, a sign of those times, I think it’s still right on.

During a convention of Chrysler sales managers in Los Angeles–back when Chrysler was an auto superpower–Harry G. Moock, a company vice president, issued this description of a salesman:

“He has the curiosity of a cat, the tenacity of a bulldog, the friendship of a little child, the diplomacy of a wayward husband, the patience of a self-sacrificing wife, the passion of a Sinatra fan, the assurance of a Harvard man, the good humor of a comedian, the simplicity of a jackass, and the tireless energy of a bill collector.”

What can I say…? I’ve always been a Sinatra fan.

A salesperson without passion is just an order taker.

If you’re in sales, you can have a great product, a tremendous territory and a fabulous marketing campaign, but if you don’t have passion, it’s hard to make a sale. When you have a passion, you speak with conviction, act with authority and present with zeal. When you are excited and passionate about a product–or anything for that matter–people notice. They want in on the action. They want to know what can be so good.

There is no substitute for passion.

If you don’t have an intense, burning desire for what you’re doing, there’s no way you’ll be able to endure the long, hard hours it takes to become successful. 

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