The Solution Selling Trait Measures Belief in Low Pressure Selling
The solution selling trait is one of the Sales Traits scored on the Aptitude assessments. It measures whether a candidate believes that selling works best by understanding a customer's problem first, rather than by applying pressure to close.
What Does the Solution Selling Trait Measure?
The solution selling trait measures the belief that selling is best done by understanding the customer's problems and trying to get the prospect to see, in a low pressure approach, how a service or product would be the best solution for them.
What the solution selling trait is not
It is not a measure of a person's ability to be persuasive or assertive. Consequently, a candidate can hold this belief firmly and still lack the directness a deal sometimes needs, which is why the pushier readings belong beside it.
What the Solution Selling Trait Helps You Evaluate Before You Hire
Ask how they would sell to somebody who has not yet said what is wrong. The answer shows whether diagnosing comes first, or whether the pitch arrives regardless of what the customer needs.
Why the Solution Selling Trait Matters in Hiring
This reading is about what a candidate believes selling should look like. Belief shapes behavior long before technique does, which is why it belongs in a hiring decision at all.
Belief, Not Technique
This score covers what somebody thinks selling should look like, and not how persuasive or assertive they can actually be.
Rooted in Reading People
Understand Human Nature and Know How to Deal with People are named relations, placing this trait on the people side.
Low Pressure by Definition
The approach described is explicitly a low pressure one, so match it against what your own sales cycle actually rewards.
How a low Solution Selling score shows up on the job
The pitch arrives before the problem does. Consequently, the customer hears a competent description of something that may or may not be what they needed.
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How the Solution Selling Trait Is Scored
Ten questions on the People and Logic Test and thirteen on the Sales Ability Test.
The report names six ranges either way, which the three bands below group together.
Low — under 41
A very poor to poor understanding of the value of a low pressure, solution approach.
Medium — 41 to 60
A borderline to OK understanding of the value of showing a prospect the best solution.
High — 61 to 100
A good understanding of that value, which becomes an excellent one from 80 points upward.
Solution Selling is one of the Sales Traits on the Sales Ability Test
Each trait in this set scores selling knowledge rather than personality.
Several people traits name the Solution Selling trait as well, because diagnosing a problem is a people skill before it is a sales one.
Understand Human Nature
A named relation, because seeing the real problem behind what a prospect actually says depends on reading people really accurately.
Know How to Deal with People
The second named relation, because knowing the best way to handle somebody shapes how you present a solution to them.
Relationship Sales
The third named relation, covering the existing accounts you already have where the next problem worth solving usually appears first.
Questioner
Questioner names this trait in return, since understanding a problem always starts with valuing the questions that first reveal it.
Listener
Listener also names this trait in return, because a diagnosis only works when the answer actually registers with somebody first.
Assertive
Persuasion and assertiveness both sit outside this reading entirely, so check Assertive whenever the sale eventually needs a real push.
Sales Traits
The category this trait belongs to. Every Sales Trait is scored from multiple choice questions with one correct answer, so these readings measure what a candidate knows rather than how they describe themselves.Â
Best Practice: Match this belief against your sales cycle before treating it as a strength. A low pressure approach suits a considered purchase, and the directness readings matter more where decisions happen fast.
How to Interpret Solution Selling Results
Six named ranges cover the Solution Selling trait, and the action below each range assumes you are holding a report from either the Sales Ability Test or the People and Logic Test.
What to Do Based on Your Solution Selling Score
Treat as no demonstrated belief in diagnosing first, and expect a pitch to arrive well before anybody establishes the problem.
Plan for scripted discovery questions in this seat, and decide who reviews what the answers actually mean for each deal.
Workable only where the product sells itself really quickly, and read Questioner before putting this candidate onto any complex sale.
Compare this against your own role benchmark, since a considered purchase and a fast transaction reward two quite different readings.
Put this candidate on the consultative deals, and then read Assertive to confirm they will still ask for a decision.
Assessment results support your hiring decisions, they do not replace them. Always read the solution selling trait score alongside the full profile and your role benchmarks before drawing a conclusion.
The Solution Selling Trait Matters for Every Role You Hire
Because a considered purchase and a fast transaction reward different readings, benchmarks define what each number means. Therefore, review results against the benchmark for the specific job.
Relevant for all role types
Relationship Salesperson
Sales Manager
Sales Closer
Non-Professional Salesperson
Vehicle Salesperson
Salesperson with Cold Calling Duties
Hunter (Telemarketer)
Marketing Manager
If any of these situations sound familiar, this assessment is for you
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Frequently Asked Questions
It measures the belief that selling is best done by understanding the customer's problems and getting the prospect to see, in a low pressure approach, how a service or product would be the best solution for them.
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