HCM ROI

What is Solution Selling?

In a nutshell, solution selling involves identifying all the pains and challenges your company is facing and providing the best possible solution to address them. It’s a consultative approach that is built on knowledge, relationships and trust.

A good salesperson will focus on building a rapport with you and your team, spending time understanding the ins and outs of your business.
Sometimes, they won’t just focus on the pains and issues you’ve identified but will help you uncover other areas you may not have considered. Typically, salespeople operating at this level are highly experienced.

If they’ve been in the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry for a long time, they will be supportive, understanding, and knowledgeable. Importantly, they will also have access to the right people or resources to find answers if they don’t know something themselves. Solution sales often have long sales cycles, particularly for prospects with over 250 employees, ranging from 3 to 12 months. Throughout this process, the salesperson should get to know you and your business so well that it feels like they’ve known you for years. This demonstrates genuine care and an interest in achieving the best outcome for you.

Communication and Transparency

Good communication is a cornerstone of solution selling. A strong salesperson will track all conversations, meetings, and interactions in their CRM system to ensure continuity and consistency. While emails have become common in the digital age, critical steps in the sales process should always involve direct communication, whether that’s a phone call or a meeting. Most reputable Providers record calls, demos, and other interactions. This is beneficial for both parties, as it provides a reference point for any discrepancies or accusations of mis-selling later on. It also ensures transparency and supports training and performance improvements for the sales team.

In Summary

If you feel like you’re being pushed through a rushed process, questions, features, demo, quote, and a quick ask for the sale then the salesperson is not putting you first. You should feel a sense of relationship building. There should be a connection. You should see that the salesperson genuinely wants to understand your business inside and out, not just for now, but for the next 5–10 years. They should position themselves as a long-term partner who will provide expert advice and solutions whenever needed. At the end of the day, people buy from people. Make sure the salesperson values your business, understands its needs, and genuinely values you.