It must be that time of year, but recently I’ve gotten a number of queries from thoughtful executives: “Dave, we need to transform the way we sell from product to solution selling……”
That statement is always a little confusing to me, naturally I ask, “What does that mean and why do you want to change?”
Here the conversation usually gets a little fuzzy. Usually, the response is “Customers want solutions, not products….”
My response is, “I get that, but what do you mean when you want to move from product selling to solutions?” Alternatively, I might ask, “What solutions do you have to sell?”
By this point, the executive is usually a little frustrated with me, she may be on the verge of hanging up–fortunately, we work through things.
Don’t worry if you’re confused about this issue; the idea has taken on a life of its own, somewhat drifting from the original goal we aim to achieve. The idea of solution selling has been around since the mid-1970s (that’s the earliest reference I can find) and has been highlighted in several books with “Solution Selling” in the title.
Today, I think a lot of the original distinction has been lost. Many organizations claim to have switched from selling products to selling solutions. Their salespeople meet with the customer, their focus is on “pitching the solution.”
The problem has become the way we view this concept, it continues to focus on “what we sell,” rather than “how we sell,” or “how we help the customer achieve their goals.”
If our focus is on what we sell, regardless of what we call them–products or solutions, the way we engage our customers is very different. We tend to focus on the thing that we are selling–it’s features, attributes, performance, comparisons to alternatives, and so forth.
Inevitably, the customer is left to figure out, “What does this mean to me? How does it help me improve, how does it solve my problems?
Unfortunately, too often, we put new labels–perhaps after some well-intended training–on what we are doing, without changing what we are doing. We adopt a new approach, perhaps calling it solutions, consultative, customer focused, insight, or whatever label is fashionable, but we fundamentally haven’t changed.
As long as we focus on our actions, what we provide, and our own objectives instead of the customer’s goals, we won’t connect with them effectively. No matter what discovery process we follow or how we identify needs, our discussions tend to center on our products and services rather than what the customer aims to achieve.
Wrapping “solution-oriented” words like “we help our customers reduce costs, we help improve quality, we help improve productivity, we help grow revenue,” are simply attributes or your product or solution, much like the features and functions. But they aren’t focused on the customer, what, why, and how they can achieve their goals.
High impact selling, regardless of the label, always has the customer at the center of the focus. It is their goals, dreams, challenges, problems and opportunities that drive the focus of the conversation. It is within the context of these things that we position our products, solutions, services; identifying specifically how we help them achieve those goals.
As you think about transitioning your approach to selling, think about your focus. If you, your products/solutions, and company are the center of your focus, you will never engage the customer in the most relevant and impactful manner.
If your focus is always centered on the customer, you will transform the conversations you have, and your ability to be successful.