Let me tell you the story in a simpler way. It all started with my offline business, where I work with different suppliers. One of them is a company that manufactures auditorium chairs for theaters, sports venues, and other institutions. This is a solid company, they’ve been around for a while. But one day, the owner, noticing how I handle my business, asked if I could help him out as a consultant. He wanted me to help him better understand his customers and grow his business. That’s how we ended up in a kind of partnership: he continued supplying me, and I started helping him with his business.

At that time, his company was focused on B2C sales, targeting individual customers, but they hit a growth limit. This was because they were based in a remote region with a small population. So, they needed to expand into the B2B market, selling their products to businesses and institutions. It was a logical step for growth.

The issue was that the methods they were using were outdated. Their competitors were speeding up, but they were still doing things the old way: handing out catalogs and waiting for the customer to make a choice. Clearly, this wasn’t working anymore. My job was to help them modernize their approach and break into this new market.

Here’s how I see things: people don’t just want products anymore. If they need a product, they’ll go to a marketplace. What they really want is a solution to their problems. Especially in the B2B space, where you have someone in charge of handling a big project or making sure a space is designed correctly. That person might not have all the expertise, and there’s a lot on the line for them. What they want is a supplier who will think through all the details, all the risks, and save them the headache of dealing with potential issues.

In this case, my goal was to show the owner of the furniture company that focusing on solving clients’ problems was the key. I shared examples from my own experience where understanding the client’s needs, rather than just selling products, made all the difference. Honestly, he was shocked. Even with 25 years of experience, he realized how much he had been missing. Small and medium business owners often get so caught up in their own operations that they forget to see things from the customer’s perspective.

We reworked their approach. Instead of just selling furniture, they started asking their clients questions about what they were trying to achieve, what problems they needed to solve. And guess what? It worked. They started closing deals faster, and customers began coming back. They loved the fact that the company wasn’t just trying to sell to them but was actually helping them solve real problems.

In the end, it wasn’t just about more sales; it was about building trust. The company went from being just a supplier to becoming a partner for their clients. This is a big deal—when your client feels like you’re solving their problems, they’re much more loyal, and they’re more likely to recommend you to others. And it’s not just me saying this. Research backs it up: studies show that people are 40% more likely to make a purchase from sellers who tailor their approach to the client’s needs. This comes from CEB (now part of Gartner), and it just proves that the psychology of sales really works.

The takeaway here is simple: listen to your clients, solve their problems, and don’t just push products. That’s the key to long-term success.

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