Business is quite simple when you get right down to it. It’s all about problems. No matter what product or service you are selling, people buy from you to fix their problems. This tells us a lot about how to increase sales with the Velocity Mindsetô.

The word problem can sound negative, but fixing a problem may really be about finding a better solution or way of doing things. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines problem as “a question raised for inquiry, consideration, or solution.” To maintain the right mindset, always keep in mind that you are selling solutions. 

A woman shopping for a dress for a special occasion is looking for the right solution—a dress that gives her the look and feel she desires. A man going into a jewelry store to buy something for his significant other is looking for the item that best expresses the feeling he is trying to convey. When a young couple with a new baby is house hunting, they are looking for the right community to support their vision of a good life. All of these people are looking for solutions.

When potential clients approach me to help them grow their sales, they always ask if I have experience in their industry. If I don’t, they initially believe I cannot help them. But after I inquire about their perception of the issue, their desired result, and so forth, they quickly realize that I can help them after all. Because I have listened and understood their problem, I know how to offer a valuable solution.

To gain velocity in your sales, consider these three points:

1. Your sole job is to solve someone’s problems. Problems come in all shapes and sizes and levels of urgency. Sometimes customers may not even realize they have a problem until you ask them the right questions: What gaps are you still trying to fill?  What if you can make that issue go away, what would that mean to you?
2. You can’t shortchange the psychological process of solving problems. If you go straight to the solution before the customer has the opportunity to explain the issue, then you will sound like every other sales exec they have encountered: someone offering a canned solution. People need to be heard; they need to know you understand the impact of this problem. When you have them talk about the problem and describe their desired solution, and then you present your offering in the context of what they told you, they can hear the value. They will hear a solution. 
3. Solving problems involves having empathy for the other person’s situation. It demands that you operate in a customer-focused mindset rather than a self-focused mindset. If all you are thinking about is your commission and paying your mortgage, you will definitely fall short of helping others solve their problems. In sales, when you help others solve their problems, then your problems go away.

The Velocity Mindsetô is about selling more in less time. You do this by identifying issues, inquiring about your customer’s desire, and getting to the bottom of what they are currently missing. To solve problems, you must be a problem finder. Do this and watch your time investment decrease as your sales soar.