So a guy came into the office today and shook my hand. I'd met him a couple of times before and was genuinely glad that he came by. You see, this man is a salesperson. His job is to go from office space to office space pleading his case to men and woman who may or may not be interested in the services he provides.

I was glad to see him today, because the CEO of my company was in the office and I knew that this was the salesman's chance to make his pitch. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out that way...

When my boss asked him if he knew that the company he worked for were a bunch scam artists, I distinctly heard the air escaping the poor salesman's lungs. To his credit, he didn't tuck his tail between his legs and walk away. Equally as impressive, he didn't begin vomiting out a stream of canned responses and sales-speak. He bantered. He talked openly about his frustration with his job, the company he works for and the cold-calling process in general.

It was probably a cathartic moment for salesman, but for me, it was a reminder of why I work where I work. You have to have passion for your company before you can sell to anyone. The "ra-ra" morning meetings and contests can help excite some, but rarely can you count on the pull of a free iPod Shuffle to satisfy the need for being passionate about your company.

Selling advertising and marketing is about as easy as trying to convince a toddler to take a bath. You know they need it. You know what can happen if they don't have it. There can sometimes be anger and yelling. Often times the end result is some sort of compromise. For my kids it means they get to eat a Popsicle in the bathtub... don't ask...

Luckily for me, the passion I have for my company makes the process of selling much easier. I know without a doubt that the recommendation I am making to a client is the absolute best answer to their marketing questions.