Comments for Business Skeptic

Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Ben

Ben — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:59:19 +0000

This has to be the best definition of “solution selling” I’ve seen. Of course, someone advertising for a person with “solution selling skills” who also says no industry knowledge is necessary would probably disagree, but I think they’re into buzzwords and not solutions

Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Brad

Brad — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 17:52:24 +0000

To me solution based selling revolves around your relationship with the client. Even if you have a system based solution if all you present is a commodity… I can sell you XYZ product for X dollars you will never be truly successful.

The basis for solution selling as I teach it to my team involves getting to know your client, understand their issues and then making intelligent recommendations based on experience and data. If you do a good job of this price will become less of an issue. The real trick is getting them to understand Why you cost a bit more and how a slightly higher initial outlay will save them money over time because of increased reliability, reduced maintenance cost, etc…

Comment on Revisiting Adam Smith: Defending Capitalism by K. Brothers

K. Brothers — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:23:39 +0000

As we all know business ethics discourse does not resonate very well in executive circles so I will keep this short and sweet. Ultimately we’re responsible for what we sell and how we sell it. We’re responsible for the effects (and the side effects) of our actions. It is 100% our decision. Whatever the decision is, you need to own it. If you can’t look that decision to market a product or service in the mirror, market something else. It’s that simple.

Comment on Growth Is A Metric; Not An Objective by Michael Carow

Michael Carow — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 16:06:38 +0000

Reading the posting on “Growth is a Metric” made me think of another common trap that many businesses today often fall into.

The trap is not to lose site of strategy, but not to have one at all. Strategy: “a careful plan or method : a clever stratagem b: the art of devising or employing plans or stratagems toward a goal”.

The focus on growth and the desire for immediate results can spawn a great number of tactics. There often is no “careful plan or plans”, but isolated attempts to move the revenue meter.

“Start with the end in mind” and then creating a plan or plans to get you there. Without an end in mind, you will not know how to choose or gauge the metrics that are being measured.

Comment on Revisiting Adam Smith: Defending Capitalism by Michael Carow

Michael Carow — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:57:14 +0000

The article on Defending Capitalism hits an important truth of our present society. We seem to have developed into a “if it feels good, do it” or “if it good for me, it is good” society. Freedom is great, but it comes with responsibility.

If you look at two of the largest industries that we have in the US today, Trillion Dollar Industries, they seem to have forgotten that they have a responsibility to their customers. The two Industries that I refer to are the Food Processing and Sickness Industry (Health Care).

We do have an epidemic today in our country. We are getting fatter and suffering from many aliments that are unnecessary. The source of the problem is nutrition or the lack there of in our lifestyle. Instead of addressing the source, we medicate it. Why is the problem growing so fast, because it is very profitable.

I want to be clear, I am not against profit. Forward thinking and the motivation for profit is what drives innovation. Without innovation, we would not have the freedom or lifestyle that we have today. It is, however, critical that we do not pursue profit at the expense of the very people we should be trying to serve.

If you serve others and do what is right, you will have profit. Not only can you win in the short term, but you can have something that will be sustainable. Let’s get back to focusing on the big picture and not the quick win.

Comment on Solution Selling Defined by Prem Gyani

Prem Gyani — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 21:02:13 +0000

Let me add my two pennies (British) to this blog. I have learnt that that a sales is a solution sales if the customer views it as such. It really does not matter an iota if the salesman thinks it’s a solution sale or a commodity sale. It’s the customer who defines it on an emotional level very early in the interaction.

If your customers perception is that it’s a commodity, don’t sell a solution and vice versa. Let your competitors try and change his mind and run aground. I believe the secret is to understand what the value is of the sexy gizzmo you are trying to sell and sell it as a commodity or as a solution based on what your customers perception is. A car is a commodity now-a-days. But they ain’t simple or cheap.

Comment on Solution Selling Defined by JWH

JWH — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:28:15 +0000

A couple of observations:
1) Solution sales require that you are able to predict or at least observe the problems that people are attempting to solve so that you can offer the appropriate solution with your commodity product. In order have some degree of leverage, you must be able to package the domain expertise in a way that enables the supplier to solve the problem(s) repetitively without having to deploy more salespersons.
2) They can be combined by layering the solution on top of the commodity offering (such as Home Depot offering classes in laying tile versus ACE Hardware)