In this chapter, we introduced and discussed the concepts of solution selling. Solution selling helps the seller stay aligned with their buyers by building a trusting relationship and a common vision of the solution that meets the customer's needs. We also presented the different techniques that we can afford to enable solution selling, including value measurement, vision processing, and the phases of the buying cycle. Finally, we covered MSSP, the solution selling process that Microsoft designed to help its partners and internal sales teams.

There continues to be new theories espousing the evolution of solution selling. They are certainly worth investigating and forming your own opinions on how to adapt your selling techniques. Regardless of your approach, we are selling business solutions, and these are mission-critical systems to run the company's business. The sellers' responsibility then is to understand what the customers' needs are through a discovery process, and match the...