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In the B2B world, suppliers have been selling solutions to solve their customers’ unmet problems for some time now. This is particularly true for companies in many technology-based sectors, which by nature includes solutions that are more complex to develop and assemble.
At the same time, companies have become much more adept at identifying, analyzing and understanding their own problems while designing their own solutions. This has transformed the classic B2B solutions-sell into a contest between suppliers for the lowest price. However, all is not lost.
As outlined in the recent HBR article, The end of solutions sales, certain marketing and sales professionals have learned to thrive in this challenging environment.
These leading players are taking a new approach to doing business. In particular they are:
- Targeting emerging rather than established customer demand
- Engaging with non-conventional customer contacts to mobilize the status quo
- Leaving their traditional product and solution brochures at the office
- Offering thought-provoking ideas and insights on what customer should do instead
- Ultimately selling customer solutions based on providing valuable and insightful ideas
The challenge for technology companies today then becomes how to instill this type approach into their marketing and sales DNA.
This is especially true for those using a joint go-to-market model, where that technology company’s B2B solutions must ultimately address the needs and expectations of their customers’ end-customers.
