Selling The Problem
Why, and how to sell the problem before your solution
Houston?
Sell the problem, not the solution.
It’s such a simple recipe, but often overlooked or under executed.
Selling the problem is proven to move the needle quicker, higher, and with the most impact.
But don’t take my word for it - hear from the experts this week on how and why selling the problem is the best way to achieve success for you AND your buyers.
In this week’s edition of Stretch Weekly -
Jeremey Donovan and Jen Allen with Challenger Inc, discuss how to effectively engage clients during the sales process (hint: Sell the problem)
Andy Paul riffs with Justin Shriber about identifying the business problem first before coming to a solution, sales leader playbooks, and how leaders can deliver effective coaching.
Plus more snippets to sharpen our sword and saw selling the problems we hope to have solutions for.
THANKS for reading!!
-Grant
And lastly - as always, if you find this newsletter valuable- subscribe or share it with someone who might as well 👊.
STRETCH SHARES
Selling The Problem Before The Solution
Always been a fan of Jeremey Donovan hosting the Hey Sales People podcast. I’m also a big fan of The Challenger Sale.
So naturally, this podcast stood out as we learn from Jen Allen with Challenger Inc, on how to effectively engage clients during the sales process (Hint: Sell the problem BEFORE you sell the solution and more!)
Often misunderstood as debating your prospective buyers, Jen talks about The Challenger mindset and how to use it effectively to get key stakeholders on board with the main problem to effectively sell the solution.
Sales Leader Playbooks and Understanding the Buyer’s Problem
On point podcast with Andy Paul in the Sales Enablement podcast as he talks with Justin Shriber about identifying the business problem first before coming to a solution, sales leader playbooks, and how leaders can deliver effective coaching.
The highest form of selling: Talking about key problems not knowing the solution beforehand. (Selling the Problem).
As a sales leader, using data to understand where we can get better.
Top Sellers challenge the status quo.
Where decision process, criteria, and value meet. (again - Does the buyer understand the problem they have?)
STRETCH SNIPPETS
💪 Shawn Parrote with Chorus gives us his top 6 Objection-Handling skills: Gratitude, Empathy, Investigate, Confirmation, Value, and Proof. Plus his list of top 8 Common Objections and suggested Responses.
❌ What’s the fastest path to getting a No and why does that matter? Jeb Blount says the fastest path to a NO is to ask with assumptive confidence. The faster you get to a no, the faster you can get to a yes.
🧐 Dave Kennett says if you do this one thing well, your sales numbers will improve quickly. He says many Sales Leaders treat their teams like a Sports Team that plays games and never practices. That’s a recipe for disaster. Practice Practice Practice.
🎨 Data shows that sales reps who take control of a sale and teach their prospects how to solve their problem are more successful than salespeople who spend long amounts of time building a relationship with their lead. Check out this quick summary of The Challenger Sales Model and learn how can master the art of solving your customer’s problems.
💸 Rick Smolen talks about the customer buying process and has a good tip to prevent deals from pushing each month. “Have your buyers answer the following question: What is your response going to be when the CFO asks why are we spending $X on this?” Build on that.
🧠 Mindset
Thanks for reading!
My hope is if you find this valuable, consider sharing it with friends (or signing up if you haven’t already).
— Grant 👋
About stretch vp: confessions, learnings, and insights from sales leaders in SaaS
Compiled and aggregated from a network of sales leaders in SaaS, Stretch VP showcases learnings, insights, and experiences as well as best practices to overcome common hurdles, obstacles, and setbacks in your quest for excellence as a sales leader in SaaS.
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