Search for problems, not briefs

If your sales strategy is focused on hunting for briefs, your pipeline is most certainly in decline. 

In fact, I'd take a guess that it's looking pretty thin on the ground right now.

Why? Well, a strategy based on brief hunting has diminishing returns. You're leaving so many opportunities uncovered and missed, and you're actually helping the competition grow. 

At the top of the funnel, the key to success is not simply looking for opportunities but identifying problems that need solving. 

As sales professionals, our primary focus should be problem spotting, laying the foundation for a robust and effective sales strategy.

It sounds so simple when you say it, but many sales teams are too focused on finding the live brief out there to put in the leg work to find a problem, unpick the opportunity within, build your authority as the solution to that problem, establish trust with the prospect, and take that through the pipeline to close.

Yes, reading that back feels like a lot of work. Well, guess what? Sales is a lot of work if you do it right and create a scalable, predictable, sustainable pipeline that helps you grow.

Shifting the focus from briefs to problems

Many sales teams make the mistake of waiting for active briefs from potential clients. 

However, by the time a brief is released, prospects have already engaged with other potential partners. This reactive approach puts sales professionals at a significant disadvantage.

Instead, we need to proactively seek out problems that our solutions can address, regardless of the stage in the sales funnel.

Identifying opportunities across the funnel 

At the top of the funnel, prospects aren't always aware of their needs yet.

They haven't reached the stage where they require a partner to solve their problems. This is where problem spotting becomes crucial.

By identifying potential problem areas early, we can position ourselves as trusted advisors who can provide valuable insights and solutions.

Educating the client by giving 

Once we identify a problem, the next step is to educate the client about potential solutions. 

Adopting a philosophy of giving rather than expecting immediate returns is essential. 

Providing valuable information and solutions establishes our authority and expertise in the field. This approach, known as the "don't sell" philosophy, builds trust and positions us as experts.

Consistency and value build trust

Consistency in follow-ups and continuously adding value are critical components of an effective sales strategy. 

We must anticipate and address potential objections, educate the client, and build trust. 

Thought leadership plays a significant role in this process, and by sharing insights and demonstrating our understanding of the client's problem, we reinforce our credibility and reliability.

Showcasing capability 

Incorporating demonstrable results into our sales strategy helps build trust and reliability. 

By sharing examples of how we've solved similar problems in the past, we can reassure potential clients of our capability to deliver results. 

A consistent follow-up model that includes success stories and case studies further strengthens our position as a reliable partner.

Creating engagement around prospects' problems 

For high-value deals, we can enhance our approach by engaging clients in interactive workshops and working sessions.

These sessions allow us to demonstrate our expertise and collaboratively work through the client's problem. 

Problem-framing exercises can be particularly effective in these settings, helping clients understand the issue at hand and envision potential solutions.

The essence of sales - Spotting opportunities and solving problems

At its core, sales is about spotting opportunities by identifying problems. 

If we focus solely on waiting for briefs, we miss the chance to engage with prospects early in their decision-making process. 

A proactive approach emphasising problem-spotting ensures that we remain relevant and valuable to our clients throughout the sales funnel.

Let's wrap this up

The cornerstone of effective sales lies in problem spotting. 

Suppose we position ourselves as trusted advisors and valuable partners further up the funnel and look for the problems to solve.

In that case, we can shift our focus away from waiting for briefs to instead nurturing opportunities that we can get ahead of and have a better chance of winning and build long-term relationships based on trust and expertise.

As sales professionals, we must embrace this mindset and continuously seek out opportunities to solve problems, ensuring that our sales engine remains dynamic and effective.

By adopting this approach, we can transform our sales strategy, stay ahead of the competition, and achieve sustained success in the ever-evolving sales landscape.