Brilliant sellers have three things in common: they deliver extraordinary value to their customers, they sell a lot of profitable revenue for their company, and they make a ton of money for themselves. It doesn’t get much better than that! But what makes these sellers brilliant? What differentiates them from the rest of the pack? Here is one attribute of these elite: they sell the whole shebang.

FACT #1: When customers have important, complex issues, the appropriate response is a “total solution”--a combination of products, professional services, and support. Properly done, this combination is synergistic, creating much more customer value than the additive sum of the parts. Customers need it and they will gladly pay for it if the value is established. This is powerful stuff.

FACT #2: Whether they like Fact #1 or not, senior management knows it is true. When senior execs pontificate that the organization is now a “solutions company” and that the sales mandate is to aggressively sell services as well as products, the sellers solemnly nod their heads, loudly sing the solutions song, and willingly sign the solutions pledge. It appears that the entire sales team has drunk the solutions Kool-Aid.

FACT #3: Even though services quotas are set, bonuses for selling services are established, and marketing has provided a bunch of new “solutions literature,” not many services or solutions are sold. Furthermore, management threats are politely listened to but quickly ignored. The numbers don’t change…business as usual.

If you are a senior manager this can be a frustrating, bewildering experience. However, there are several valid reasons for this lack of change. Most salespeople weaned on selling products feel that selling services:

• Lengthens the sales cycle, thus jeopardizing their 30- and 90-day numbers.
• Raises the overall price, thus making the deal more susceptible to competitors.
• Lowers their income potential since compared to the price of products, services are small change.
• Challenges their abilities, as it is much different and actually a little scary.

Is it any wonder why services and solutions sales performance is so poor?

Here is how the elite seller’s view differs:

• Lengthens the selling cycle, thus jeopardizing their 30- and 90-day numbers. FALSE. Top sellers understand that there is no way to adequately scope a complex situation without some sort of assessment or audit early in the process. Selling the right assessment early on actually accelerates the buying/selling process.
• Raises the overall price, thus making the deal more susceptible to competitors. TRUE and FALSE. Of course the overall dollar amount increases when more offerings are provided. However, properly done, the value potential of a true solution increases dramatically. As your organization performs services, credibility and trust rise, lowering the possibilities of competitive inroads.
• Lowers their income potential since compared to the price of products, services are small change. REALLY FALSE. When your selling arsenal only includes products, you are quickly viewed as a commodity seller, where price becomes the customer’s hammer and you become the nail. Your percentage of wins goes down, and you are totally susceptible to competitors who know how to sell solutions. When you sell solutions, both your deal size and your win rate increase.
• Challenges their abilities, as it is much different and actually a little scary. TRUE. Selling services and solutions effectively is different, more difficult, and initially frustrating to those used to transaction selling. Top sellers understand this, accept it, and do whatever it takes to improve their capabilities--it is as much an attitude as it is a set of skills.

The selling game has changed. The very best salespeople don’t fight it; they embrace it. They re-think their role and work to transition from being a professional salesperson to becoming a trusted advisor--they sell the whole shebang.