Selling on Value: A Better Way to Win and Keep Business

I just delivered to a group this last week who completed the OMG sales evaluation over the summer. When we looked into their Value Selling scores, we discovered something very interesting. As a collective whole, 100% of the group believed in selling on value over price. They fully understand the importance. However, 10 out of 10 feel compelled to quote.

And this problem is not abnormal. We see it all the time, across different industries and group types. So why does it happen? I think it’s because we often believe in the value of our solution, product, or service deeply, but we don’t know how to defend it. We don’t know how to get people to experience it. And because of that, our loudest, most compelling selling point ends up being price.

The Truth: You’re Probably Not the Cheapest Option

Here’s the kicker, though: you will likely never be the lowest price option. And is that the goal? No, I don’t think it is. So the question is, how are you selling on value? What do you want to be known for? The service you provide. The support you offer. The advice you give. What are you doing that is going to make the price tag worth it?

Value Can’t Be Told. It Has to Be Felt.

Here is what I know: value cannot be communicated. Value must be experienced. It’s crucial to shift your focus toward the unique benefits and outcomes your customers receive, not just the features or costs. I think a lot of salespeople believe they can convince a prospect to choose them based on their perceived value of what it is they offer. But that’s the problem—their perceived value, not necessarily the prospect’s.

Start With Discovery, Not a Quote

So the foundation of every prospect conversation should be discovery. If it’s the first meeting, you lean heavily into the prospect’s problems, how long they have been going on, what they have done to fix it, what has worked, and what hasn’t. Because the reality is, you can’t begin to understand, and then position, if and how you are different, if you don’t start by fully understanding what has gotten them to this point, and what they need and want to see moving forward.

Selling on Value Leads to Long-Term Wins

This deep understanding enables you to tailor your solution so it resonates with what truly matters to the prospect, making the value tangible for them. By asking insightful questions and actively listening, you highlight how your offering addresses their specific challenges and goals. This approach not only differentiates you from competitors but also shifts the conversation away from price and toward meaningful results.

So ask yourself, what are you doing today that leads a prospect or client to think, “I don’t want to work with anyone else”? Because if it doesn’t speak to you, I promise it won’t speak to your prospects.

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