Be the Solution, Never the Problem

One of the biggest energy vampires you will ever face is you or your teams’ excuses. Daily you will be challenged with problems—some big, some small—but the breakthrough is always the goal.

In sales, and for that matter in life, you are constantly in analysis mode. How you address that is how you finish the daily race. Did you pick what you had for dinner, or did someone else? Did you hit your goals on the schedule today, or did something distract you?

What’s your excuse? Forget it and get over it. Stop using it, find the solution.

Finishing daily tasks is critical, but acknowledging there will be obstacles and being prepared to know when and having the willingness to jump into the “Plan to Adapt” phase is critical.

Let’s take that a step further—be the solution to every problem that your client has every single day. One of the key points I drive home with my sales teams is always to become THE guy or gal for that client. If you are the answer or the finder of the answers always, you become as close and indispensable to the business as possible.

Think of it this way—let’s say that we are in the beer business, but after talking through a major presentation with a huge account you realize that your product mix doesn’t fit their profile and need. The best answer is to find a partner brand inside your distribution portfolio and pitch that as a win. It may not immediately affect your pockets, but it will down the line because you will earn trust.

Let’s keep going. What if you are with a financial firm and your portfolio doesn’t provide the best fit for the retirement or college plan you are looking to help build. The right answer here is the same—find a trusted counter part with the right fit and pass off the business.

Maybe it’s not even a direct sale, but a service that you have a connection to. Be the person that dials the phone for them, sends the intro e-meet e-mail, that bridges the gap from problem to solution. Fill the need as best possible. Again, the point here is to be the complete solution to your client base. Everyone wants to have a “guy”—be that.

The conviction to do the right thing for yourself and your client that I spoke about in my last entry pops up here. This is truly what separates you. Trust is critical, quite frankly it is a must to have with anyone that is buying your product or service.

The best way to earn that and to keep it is to always be reachable and willing to help. I make the joke I am like Motel 6; I always leave the light on. Take that mentality to heart and show it to your client base and teams. Watch your impact grow exponentially.

Third Rule of Sales: Listen 80%, speak 20%. The best practice is to talk a lot less and listen a whole lot more. How can you address the problem before you if you haven’t truly heard the symptoms? Diagnosing where your good or service fits for the client is only found by fully understanding the pain points you want to eliminate.