What Is Solution Selling? The 5 Steps of Solution Selling

Solution selling is a sales methodology in which a sales team diagnoses a customer's problem and makes a product proposal designed to meet the customer’s specific needs. The solution selling method brings a personal touch to the buying process. Sales professional Mike Bosworth developed solution selling techniques in the late 1970s, using the premise that sales cycles have their greatest impact when customers feel empowered to make their own decisions instead of parrying hard sells.

Solution sales training instructs sales representatives about solution-selling methodologies that promote relationships with potential customers. The premise, as articulated by Bosworth and others, is that when sales professionals take the time to understand client needs, their sales calls become more fruitful and the path to closing deals becomes more direct.

The solution sales approach can increase profitability and empower sales leaders to make long-lasting connections with their clients. The benefits of social selling include:

• A buyer-friendly approach: Solution selling is one of the more buyer-friendly sales techniques. Solution sales reps often ask their customers open-ended questions, rather than trying to steer them to pre-chosen products and services. As such, interactions don't feel like heavy sales pitches.
• A focus on prospect needs: The solution sales methodology offers a clear value proposition to customers: sales reps respond to buyer needs rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions.
• Increased customer loyalty: Solution sellers frequently enjoy sustained relationships with their clients, whether that client is an individual or a purchasing manager in a business-to-business transaction. (Solution selling plays an outsized role in B2B sales.) Customers respond to a sales manager who takes time to understand their needs, and they reward the seller with customer loyalty and repeat business.
• Optimized sales performances: When sellers drill down into a buyer’s needs, they turbocharge the sales process. Instead of wasting time on products and services the buyer would never consider, they hone in on the offerings that would actually address the buyer’s pain points. Sales proceed faster, leaving both sides more content.

Use this five-part step-by-step guide to master the art of consultative selling.

1. 1. Get to know the customer. The solution selling process starts from a place of curiosity. Introduce yourself to the customer and tell them a bit about yourself. More importantly, ask the customer to describe themself to the degree it relates to your sale. For B2B sales, ask about their work duties. For consumer retail sales, learn about their personal situation.
2. 2. Discuss customer pain points. The best selling questions are ones that probe customer needs and discuss existing pain points. Every customer has their unique set of needs, and as a solution seller, you must treat the customer in front of you as a unique case.
3. 3. Offer custom solutions. It’s now time to talk about what products or services you can offer the customer. Customize your prescription as much as possible. The goal is to show the customer how you can respond to their specific needs and not propose a one-size-fits all solution.
4. 4. Empower the customer. Customers should feel like the decision-makers in a sales transaction. If they sense a sales rep is trying to hurriedly close deals, they can quickly disengage. Make it clear that you are laying out options but that they, the customer, will have final say over their own buying decisions.
5. 5. Follow up on sales and maintain a relationship. Should you be fortunate enough to close a sale, your work will continue. Follow up with the customer and see if your client-centric solution ultimately met their needs and addressed their pain points. If they need further assistance, offer yourself as a resource to troubleshoot and adjust your company’s offerings. Your client’s customer journey does not end when they take possession of their products or utilize their service. Regard your seller’s journey in the same light. Rather than view your sales cycle as complete, think of your successful sale as just the beginning.

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