Sell yourself and sell the problem, before you sell the solution. Notice and nurture that sequence. If the customer doesn’t buy you, he won’t the product you are selling. By the same token, if the customer doesn’t feel his pain, he’ll never appreciate your cure. So, sell the pain first.
Why most salespeople get the sequence wrong—and how to get it right
Every interaction you make is a sale. Whether internally to back office to, say, ensure the delivery is made, or, eternally to the customer. And when with the customer, sell the pain before you sell the solution. It is easy to want to sell your solution first but that’s as effective as a doctor prescribing before diagnosing-its malpractice.
The customer doesn’t wake up thinking about your product. To avoid malpractice in selling wake him up to the problem he’s been ignoring, or is unaware of. It is the realisation of this pain that will get him to be receptive to your solution. Do it the other way around and he’ll probably wonder whether you are trying to help or simply trying to hit your targets.
Yet that is exactly how many salespeople approach selling.
Sell the pain first
The moment the customer says, “I’m looking for a…” the salesperson launches into a rehearsed presentation. Features. Specifications. Discounts. Payment plans. Warranties. By the time he’s finished, the customer has learned plenty about the product but very little about why he should care.
People don’t buy solutions. They buy solutions to problems they believe are worth solving. And the pain is not always identical even for the same product.
“I want to install CCTV cameras…” sounds like security consciousness but it could as easily be to keep up with the Joneses or because he loves technology. If you do not uncover, and sell the respective pain, or worse, assume it, you will likely lose the sale. Your product will not be the solution you think it is.
A business owner doesn’t invest in accounting software because he enjoys bookkeeping. He buys it because he’s tired of sleepless nights before tax deadlines.
A parent doesn’t purchase private tuition because she loves spending money on extra classes. She buys hope that Boi will perform better in school.
Notice the pattern? The product isn’t the hero. The problem is. The solution is merely the vehicle that carries the hero (the customer) away from his pain and toward his desired future.
Diagnostic selling: the doctor’s approach to sales
And to identify the pain, take what doctor’s prescribe. Through, asking, probing and listening, spend more time understanding the symptoms than explaining the treatment. Why? Because the quality of the prescription depends on the quality of the diagnosis.
Ironically, talking less about your product often increases the likelihood of selling it.
So instead of asking, “Can I show you what we offer?” ask, “What are you looking to solve?” or, “What prompted you to start looking today?” Or such other probing (and engaging) question. Even if the customer called in stating, “I want to buy (your product),” avoid the temptation to rush to close.
These questions do more than gather information. They help customers verbalize frustrations they may never have fully expressed. As customers describe missed opportunities, wasted money, recurring inconveniences, or unnecessary stress, the cost of doing nothing becomes clearer. Now you have sold the pain.
Only then does the solution have real value.
Pain-first selling: why the problem must lead
This doesn’t mean creating fear where none exists. It means helping customers understand the true cost of the problem they already have. When people clearly see the gap between where they are and where they want to be, your solution naturally becomes more relevant.
The sequence is deliberate: You, then Pain, then Solution. Do it in that order. Every time. Because a solution without a sold pain is just a cost. And a sold pain without a trusted seller is just an accusation. But a trusted seller who uncovers a real, felt pain and presents a fitting solution—that is not selling. That is service. And service, delivered well, earns its own repeat business.
Sequence over solution: the deliberate order that wins
Sell yourself. Sell the problem. Then, and only then, will the solution sell itself.
Remember: people rarely thank you for selling them a product. They remember you for helping them solve a problem they could no longer afford to ignore. So before you sell the cure, make sure the customer understands the illness. That’s where every meaningful sale begins.
Because until the customer truly feels the headache, aspirin is just another white tablet on the shelf.
Check out our short courses. Or, if you would like to have your sales team sell more, we can help. In order for us to do so we propose a free consultation meeting or a call. If in agreement please complete the form below and we will get in touch after receiving your details, none of which will be public. Thank you.
