One of the analogies that often gets used to underline the difference between selling features and selling benefits is that folks that sell drills (features) are really selling holes (benefits). This is fine as far as it goes, but there’s another step to consider.

If you want to differentiate yourself, you really should be selling the solution to the problem that creates the need for the holes. Your prospect wants to fasten two parts of a product together, or hang something on a hook, or provide ventilation for a hot component, or……and needs holes to solve his problem.

When you move the discussion to that problem, you give yourself the opportunity to discover how you might provide a unique solution that moves you from selling the commodity drill or ability to provide a hole to a differentiated position. You may find that solving the problem requires very precise holes, or lots of holes very close together, or 5,000 holes per hour, or some other solution you are uniquely qualified to provide.

The lesson is that working to help a prospect solve a critical problem trumps selling her a product or service every time.