Sell the Problem, Not the Product: 3 Questions with Michael Koory
Some of the biggest questions in sales have surprisingly simple answers.
In this episode of the 3 Questions series, Michael Koory joins Paul Fuller to answer three questions that come up again and again from sales leaders, CEOs, and founders: how to turn around an underperforming rep, why a product isn’t selling, and how to generate leads without burning cash on ads.
A common thread runs through all three answers. Whether you’re coaching a rep or building a go-to-market message, the focus needs to be on clarity and on the problems your customers actually care about.
What You’ll Learn
- The two questions to ask before trying to turn around an underperforming rep
- Why falling in love with your product’s features can stop it from selling
- Why people buy painkillers more than vitamins, and what that means for lead generation
How to Turn Around an Underperforming Rep (00:39)
Michael starts with a simple question: does the rep want to be turned around? He believes anyone can change if they have the desire.The second question is whether the rep has a clear path. Do they know which activities will help them generate more conversations, win more deals, or manage their accounts better? Too often, coaching is missing, and managers go straight to the accountability conversation instead of coaching the activities and behaviors that lead to success.
Why Your Product Isn’t Selling (01:45)
The number one issue Michael sees is that companies fall in love with their product. The features, the engineering, and everything that makes it impressive to the people who built it.But customers want to know whether it solves their problem. When the conversation shifts to the problems the product solves, how it reduces risk, makes money, or makes life easier, things start to turn around.
How to Generate Leads Without Burning Cash on Ads (02:46)
According to Michael, people buy painkillers in far greater quantities than vitamins. The fastest way to get traction is to equip your sales team with a strong, problem-oriented message and a process that walks the customer through it.When outreach and the sales process both focus on removing customers’ pains, obstacles, and threats, you get traction faster and cash starts flowing. From there, you can start building a broader message.
Watch the full episode of 3 Questions with Michael Koory to learn how to coach struggling reps, sell the problem instead of the product, and get traction faster.
About Michael Koory:
Michael Koory brings 25 year +, merging practical sales experience with academic insights to craft the Guide Selling System . With a passion for helping businesses thrive, this book encapsulates dedication to transforming the sales landscape.
By Paul Fuller
Paul Fuller’s stated mission is to help others maximize their gifts by using his.
Paul has been a pioneer in the sales process and training, sales as a service, content marketing and CRM. As a previous founder and owner of multiple successful growth organizations in these spaces, Paul has effectively trained and led sales and marketing teams across the world to focus on and achieve dynamic growth.
He firmly believes sales is defined best in three categories:
• Service - helping other get what they need
• Leadership - guiding others toward their vision
• Wayfinding - navigating the path to success together
He is firmly committed to elevating the sales profession through coaching, leading, and empowering others through systems that enable strong performance.
Currently Paul leads revenue growth at Membrain.com - the top sales effectiveness CRM in the world. Working with his team, and a group of over 100 top sales consultant organizations across the globe, they are focused at creating scalable growth through sales excellence in companies and teams in over 80 countries.
Schedule a call with him here.
Find out more about Paul Fuller on LinkedIn
