Product or Problem Knowledge?

The year was 2009 and I was sitting in my very first sales training. FAB....Features, Advantages, and Benefits. I walked away from college to pursue sales in the automotive industry and boy it was an extreme wake up call. I had tremendous success for about a decade and finally decided to make a pivot. The FAB abbreviation has stuck with me for over fourteen years. In this article I would like for you to consider how we might sell today is drastically different due to the information age.

Product Selling

The nature behind this methodology is for sellers to focus on the product features and describing what the product is and ask whether the customer is looking to buy it. From this mindset a seller might be "prescribing" what might be the symptom of the business problems versus the actually root problem. Think about the care journey that you might have when visiting a doctor. Usually, the care facility will have a protocol or a systematical order of testing before a major event like a surgery.

Product Selling sounds like....

Our product is more efficient

Our product is less expensive

Our product is rated number One

Our product has the best features on the market

Our product is faster

Our product is more reliable

Our product is on and on and on.....So what.

Although this might be a good starting point; I would consider tying your products CAPABILITIES with the customer's NEEDS. Aha! Now we are going somewhere.

Solution Selling

This starts with understanding the clients PROBLEM(S) and having the ability to communicate that problem back to the customer in their own lingo. Problem -> Solution. I would consider taking a trusted advisor position as this will help you take out your personal agenda and put the customer's needs first. This is the way.

Solution Selling Sounds like...

What problems are you experiencing to keep you from you goal(s)?

What solutions have you looked into or are currently looking into?

What happens to your business if you don't solve this problem?

What initiatives do you have right now and what has caused these initiatives?

What goals do you have for your business in (year)?

Do you see it? It sounds more likes questions and not statements.

Ultimately, learning how to uncover your customers problems and/or goals will help you put together a customer solution that will work best for them. There is no "one size fits all."

Aaron M. Rocamontes

Be kind.

Be honest.

Be a problem Solver.

Pro Tip- The problem might not be something that your product can directly solve; however, it can be PART of the entire solution that you might propose.

Pro Tip II - You can provide a unique value to the solution and ultimately WIN more business. There isn't another one of YOU. Let that set in.