Understand the box but sell the solution

I have talked about not selling boxes (or "catch all" products) but instead selling solutions. I like to refer to selling solutions as problem-based selling because it requires us to solve a problem instead of calling our "box" a solution.

But, the first question is, "What is a box?"

Well, I don't think that a box is related to any one, specific industry. I think of a box as just about any commoditized product. It could be as un-technologically advanced as a toothbrush (although with the advertising, you'd think that all toothbrushes are "space age" technology, but I'll save that for another rant.) A box can be as technologically advanced as a server, MRI machine or jet. The box is simply anything that someone tries to sell as a fix-all or catch-all product for a given situation.

In my industry, the box tends to be a copier or printer. The company selling the product will advertise that they "have recently purchased a large number of 50 page per minute copiers and we're passing the savings on to you." Well, what if you need a 40 page per minute device or a 60 page per minute device? "That doesn't matter, we have this one "catch-all" product and we going to sell you this one box. Period."

The problem really comes in my industry when a copier rep is required to sell software. Our industry has used the term "solutions" to help our customers identify that we are more that just copiers. The problem is that the traditional copier rep is now just selling a box of software and still not solving problems. Don't be fooled... just because someone says they are selling a solution doesn't mean he is. If he doesn't understand your business problem, then he is only selling you a box.

Read more of my thoughts from my post titled You say document management, I hear business processes.

So, how do we convert that philosophy to a solution in the problem-based sales process? Well, first of all, we have to understand the business problem that our client is facing. We have to ask questions. We have to learn about their needs and treat them as more important than the products we are selling.

Only after we understand the client's problems can we develop a solution for them. In order to develop the solution, we have to understand the box we are selling so we know where it fits... and doesn't fit. If it is not the right component to the solution, then we shouldn't sell it. Bottom line: in order to develop a solution to a real problem, you have to understand your boxes so you'll know how they fit. This way, when you learn about the business problems, you can properly develop the solution.