The Art of Solution Selling in Enterprise
Each week, I bring you battle tests, sales plays, and learning lessons from my experience as a Founder, VP of Sales, and my current role as the VP of Sales at Leadium where we help world-class B2B sales teams drive revenue through our done-for your top-of-funnel services.
Solution selling in enterprise sales is a technique that considers a customer's pain point. Then, you recommend a product that solves that problem . You'll focus on how your offering can benefit a business rather than just promoting product features.
Solution selling is an art that requires lots of practice because it differs from traditional sales processes. Instead of selling products, you're selling a solution far less tangible than a physical item. Even if you are a sales leader, these skills must be practiced to master the art.
I will give you five areas to master to master solution selling into the enterprise.
The most successful solution sellers don't hard sell . They sit back, consider all the information before them, and then recommend a product that benefits a business. Then, they align solutions accordingly based on their client's bespoke requirements.
Here's an example.
Say an enterprise cannot track customer interactions and nurture relationships with prospects. As a successful solution seller, you will learn more about this pain point and, eventually, suggest a product tailored to the enterprise that supports its unique business needs. That might be a customer relationship management (CRM) system that helps them connect with prospects.
- Explain how your product solves the company's pain point
- Outline how that offering provides more value than other products on the market
- Demonstrate why the company should do business with you over your competitors
Creating a value proposition is one of the most challenging parts of solution selling. However, many techniques can help you achieve this goal. The Value Proposition Canvas , for example, is a framework developed by Dr. Alexander Osterwalder that lets you position a product around a customer's pain point. You can also use tools that visualize your value proposition, allowing you to convey your message through charts, infographics, and other visual elements.
For example, you can demonstrate to a client how you solved another company's problems in a research report. Your report might include information about how you came up with a resolution that solved the business' pain point and how you provided long-lasting results. Ensure you convey facts and figures verifying your success as a solution seller. For example, if you helped a previous client increase sales by 10%, tell your new customer about it.
You should also include testimonials from your previous customers on your website. That can prove your expertise to new clients looking for a solution seller like you.
- Content creators who can write case studies and reports that outline your value proposition
- Customer service reps who can communicate with your client throughout the solution-selling process
- A project manager who supervises this process and makes sure you deliver your solution on time
Communication is critical here. You'll want to regularly follow up with your customer to see whether your product has solved their pain points. If not, you might need to modify your offering or provide an alternative product that better suits their requirements.
Takeaways
Solution selling is more than promoting product features. It identifies a pain point an enterprise has and attempts to solve it. You can master the art of this enterprise sales technique by understanding your client's problems, creating a value proposition, using case studies, developing customized solutions with your teams, and providing support during the implementation phase.
Peace Out
See you again next week!
-Collin Mitchell
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