Discovery
Solution Selling
Diagnose the problem before you propose a product.
At a glance
- Best for
- Consultative sales with configurable products
- Primary use
- Discovery and solution design
- Sales stage
- Discovery to proposal
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Typical user
- AE, solution consultant
Framework
Pain
Find an admitted problem.
Diagnose
Understand cause, not symptom.
Vision
Build a shared picture of the future state.
Value
Attach numbers to the change.
Control
Agree the steps to a decision.
Use it when
- The product can be configured many ways.
- The buyer has a problem but no defined requirement.
Watch out for
- Long diagnosis with no commercial progress.
- A vision the buyer did not help build.
Questions
- When did this problem start?
- What have you already tried?
- What would a good outcome look like in six months?
Example
A rep finds that slow reporting is caused by data entry, not the reporting tool. The proposal changes and the win rate improves.
Best combined with
MEDDIC, ValueSelling
Strength
Keeps the conversation on the buyer problem.
Limitation
Weak when the buyer already knows the solution.
Related frameworks
Official source
This framework is in general industry use. It has no single official owner or certification provider.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-21
Pipeline Hero is an independent educational resource. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organizations, authors, or certification providers associated with the frameworks described here.