When the concept of solution selling emerged decades ago, it was very straightforward. The product or service being sold was the solution. The client had a problem and buying the product or service resolved the issue.

But selling solutions has changed dramatically in the past decade. Simply explaining how the benefits of a product address a problem has little value to a buyer who can read that information on their smartphone. Selling a solution today requires the expertise and insight of the seller to create value in the sales process itself. In many cases today, the solution emerges through the course of the sales process, in part due to the knowledge and proficiency of sales professionals who provide that added value.

My LinkedIn Learning course on Solution Sales provides step by step, pragmatic training in how a solution selling process is conducted today. The course chapters cover the following topics:

• The Solution Sales Mindset
• Developing a Buyer Focus
• Identifying Objectives and Creating Value
• Establishing Shared Success
• Planning for Solution Sales Opportunities

Thanks to Linkedin, the first two videos are available for free. You can watch them here. You can view the course in full with a LinkedIn Premium membership or by purchasing the course.

If you want to sell solutions in today’s environment, you need to go beyond the original idea behind solution selling and the consultative approach. Today, solution selling requires a different mindset that allows you to develop peer level relationships. It requires new skills and competencies that enable you to identify and create value during the sales process. And of course, a radical departure from the cheesy closing techniques of the past in favor of joint agreements and mutual commitments that advance sales cycles.