Selling A Solution – Is It Enough?
You’ve probably heard of the term selling a solution – but what does it actually mean, and how do you do it correctly?
And finally – is selling a solution enough in today’s competitive marketplace?
In this article, we’ll look at what selling a solution means, whether it is enough of a fool proof strategy to use when selling, and what you can do to win more clients, and serve more people.
Selling A Solution – Is It Enough?
What Does Selling A Solution Mean?
Similar to the other terminology also commonly used – solution selling; selling a solution means to focus on and sell how you will solve a person’s problems and pain points, rather than focusing on the product itself.
Many people focus on selling features and benefits – drilling down on what the product or service entails, how it is delivered, and the many moving parts are involved that makes it different.
Although these points may be important; if it doesn’t let your potential client know straight away that it’ll provide them a solution, they won’t be interested, and they most probably won’t buy.
Selling a solution is purely shifting your focus.
Instead of focusing on you and your product or service, selling a solution is focusing on how it solves their problems instead.
Related article: The Solution Selling Sales Process
Is Selling A Solution Enough?
Although selling a solution can definitely be beneficial and is a lot better than focusing on features and benefits – we teach a different methodology.
This methodology is about going a little deeper.
People don’t buy features and benefits.
Many teach that they instead buy solutions.
We like to get to the core of the real reason as to why they want to buy instead.
And that is what will it mean?
People buy what it will mean when they own your product or services.
In our online sales training program, The 5% Sales Blueprint – we teach our Students that human beings are meaning making machines.
We find meaning all around us, when things happen to us, and when things just happen in general.
This also governs as to why people buy from a sales psychology point of view.
People buy what it will mean when they invest and own a product or service.
People Buy ‘What It Was Mean’ When They Own It
The reason as to why selling a solution can work, is because as you may be presenting and speaking to how it’ll solve their needs, they’ll be thinking about what it means.
When you describe your solution in detail – both consciously and subconsciously your potential client is making meaning of what you’re telling them.
Should they believe what you’re telling them?
Does it in fact mean what they want to achieve?
What will it mean if they buy, and it doesn’t give them the solution they’re looking for?
By purely focusing on selling a solution, you’re leaving a lot of the meaning purely to your potential client to make up.
This can mean (no pun intended) that you’ll be making a lot of assumptions as to whether they understand that you may be the right solution or not.
We don’t like to leave things to chance – and you shouldn’t either.
Selling A Solution – How To Do It Better
There are generally three camps when it comes to sales approaches in regard to sales presentation.
The first presents, hopes something sticks, asks for the sale and handles objections – only to ask for the sale again.
This first camp fits into something we call premature presentation.
As per our article in Entrepreneur Media, premature presentation is when someone presents too early, prior to learning about a potential client’s wants, needs, pain points, or even if all the decision makers are present.
This is an outdated, old school way of selling.
The second camp falls into selling a solution.
Although this does work, they don’t go deep enough as to why the potential client wants to buy.
Generally, their mindset is solution focused; which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean at times they may prescribe solutions a bit early.
The third part follows a sales process and framework; and asks questions to get to the core of why someone wants to buy.
They look for the meaning of why someone wants to own it, and what it will mean when they do.
Below is a process we recommend using to learn how to find the meaning, and how to prescribe the meaning correctly.
Finding Pain
In order to start selling a solution, and then go even further by selling what it will mean when they own the solution – we first need to find out what they’re wanting to solve.
This means, we need to find pain.
Pain points in a sales context, are the things that cause discomfort to your potential clients in their business, day to day activities, and then everyday lives.
Finding pain is crucial to being effective at selling a solution and its meaning, because people buy for two emotional reasons.
- To avoid pain
- And move toward pleasure
Before anyone makes a buying decision, your potential clients will be subconsciously balancing what the pleasure and desire will look like when they own your product or service, and more importantly – what it’ll mean when they alleviate the pain.
To learn how to find pain in an effective way, we recommend reading the linked article below for more detail.
Further reading: Pain Points & Sales – Your Ultimate Guide
Prescribing Meaning
So far, we’ve covered to effectively sell a solution and its meaning, we need to find pain.
This way, you’ll learn their situation, what they’re moving away from, and what they want to move towards.
The next part of effectively selling a solution and the meaning of owning your product, is how you present your product or service.
As mentioned in this article; many Sales Professionals and Business Owners make the mistake of spraying and praying – that is, spraying their features and benefits, and praying something sticks.
Instead, we recommend selling a solution and more importantly – what it will mean when they own it.
The way in which you do this, is similar to how a Medical Specialist would do.
They ask you many questions and learn all about your situation and pain.
Once they understand what you’re going through and how it is affecting you, they then prescribe you a solution to your problem.
However – they don’t stop there.
They next tell you why you should take it, how it works, and what it will do for you when you take what they offer consistently.
In other words – they are not only selling a solution, but more importantly they are selling what it will mean after you take what they prescribe.
The 5% Institute recommends that you do the same.
To learn how to prescribe a solution and its meaning effectively, we recommend you read the linked article below.
Further reading: 10 x Effective Sales Presentation Tips You Need To Use
Final Thoughts On Selling A Solution
As discussed in this article, selling a solution is a lot better than purely selling features and benefits.
However, if you wish to take your sales to another level, and truly help your potential clients with their wants and needs – we recommend also selling a solution and what it will mean when they own.
By doing so, you’ll dismiss any assumption, and you and your potential client will be on the same page in regard to what it will mean if they invest in your product or service.
If you wish to enhance your sales process and overall sales skills, you can register for our no cost 7 Day Sales Challenge Here.
Want To Close Sales Easier?
Are you committed to closing sales a lot easier, and consistently?
If so, you should check out our self-paced and affordable online sales training program; The 5% Sales Blueprint.
It’ll give you everything you need to close sales consistently.
To learn more, simply click on the link below for more information.
Our Online Sales Training Program – The 5% Sales Blueprint.
