Stop Selling, Start Solving

Stop Selling, Start Solving

The Power of Becoming a Problem Detective

Maya Angelou once said she never forgot how someone made her feel, even if she couldn't remember what they said. She understood that connection trumps conversation every time. In sales, we've flipped this wisdom upside down. We obsess over what we're going to say next instead of how we're going to make someone feel heard. The best salespeople aren't great talkers—they're great listeners who happen to have solutions.

Here's what blows my mind: we spend hours perfecting our pitch deck, memorizing feature lists, and practicing objection handling. But when was the last time you practiced asking better questions? When did you role-play being genuinely curious about a stranger's biggest headache at work?

Most sales calls sound like interrogations. "What's your budget? Who's the decision maker? When are you looking to buy?" It's like going on a first date and immediately asking about marriage timeline and salary expectations. Nobody wants to be cornered by someone who clearly has an agenda.

What if instead of selling your product, you became obsessed with understanding their problem? What if your goal wasn't to close them, but to diagnose whether you could actually help them?

Picture this: You call a busy restaurant owner during lunch rush. Instead of launching into your POS system spiel, you say: "I can hear it's crazy busy there—sounds like good problems to have! I'm calling about restaurant tech stuff, but honestly, you probably get these calls all day. Before I waste your time, can you tell me: what's the one thing about running this place that keeps you up at night?"

Now they're talking about their real world. Maybe it's staff turnover. Maybe it's food costs. Maybe it's managing inventory. You're not selling software anymore—you're having a conversation about their life. And suddenly, if your solution actually fits their problem, it doesn't feel like a sales pitch. It feels like relief.

The magic happens when you stop trying to convince and start trying to understand. When you genuinely care more about solving their problem than hitting your quota. People can smell the difference from a mile away.

Pro Tips

1. Master the Follow-Up Question. When they say "We're pretty happy with our current solution," don't pivot to objection handling. Ask: "What does 'pretty happy' mean? Like, if you could wave a magic wand and improve one thing about it, what would that be?"

2. Embrace the Uncomfortable Pause. After you ask a real question, shut up. Count to five. Let them think. The best insights come after the silence when they start talking about what they really struggle with.

3. Become a Pattern Detective. Listen for phrases like "We always have issues with..." or "Every month we struggle to..." These aren't complaints—they're treasure maps to real problems worth solving.

4. Disqualify Faster. Get comfortable saying "It doesn't sound like we're a fit for what you need." This isn't giving up—it's building trust. They'll remember the salesperson who didn't waste their time, and they'll refer others who actually need what you sell.

5. Ask the Money Question Differently. Instead of "What's your budget?" try "Help me understand—if this solved that problem you mentioned, what would that be worth to your business?" Now you're talking about value, not price.