Value-Driven Sales Strategies for Professionals

Stop selling on price. In Asia's competitive markets, becoming indispensable means moving beyond features to solve business-critical 'pain' your customers might not even fully grasp. Top sellers become 'guides' or 'value architects', using foresight to illuminate opportunities and risks customers haven't fully seen, transforming stalled deals into strategic partnerships. This requires a structured approach – building a Value Hypothesis – focusing on the customer's world before proposing solutions. It involves four key actions:   1. Plan: Researching to hypothesize their key 'Initiatives' (the strategic projects). 2. Discover: Engaging with empathy to uncover hidden 'Challenges' (the value gaps creating pain). 3. Build: Crafting a compelling 'Vision' – the 'art of the possible' in their language – showing the future state. 4. Advance: Defining the 'Value' (business and personal impact) to champion the solution internally. Take sales rep Anya. Her deal with one of her key customers was stuck on price. She then researched the customer deeper, and identified key 'Initiative' (personalized customer experience) and uncovered the underlying 'Challenge' (integration pain threatening launch) – a critical 'pain' the customer hadn't fully articulated. Leading with a compelling 'Vision' of a seamless future state, she defined the 'Value' in terms of market impact and the key stakeholder's personal success, moving beyond product-focused discussions. This shift transforms conversations from technical specs to strategic impact. By helping customers define their core 'Business Issue' and guiding them to a compelling future, sellers move from commoditized vendors to trusted partners, securing bigger, more impactful deals. Be the guide, find the pain, and unlock the value.

Do You Win on Value — Or Compete on Price? "Price is only an issue when value is a mystery." Too many sales teams think they’re losing on price. The truth? They’re losing on value because they didn’t make it clear, personal, and worth paying for. Competing on price is a race to the bottom. Winning on value is a race no competitor can win against you. The gap often lies in: - How you position your solution. - How you connect it to the buyer’s world. - How you prove the ROI before they ever ask the price. Here’s how to shift from discounting to differentiating… 1. When a Prospect Mentions Budget ↳ Instead of "We can match that price." ↳ Say "Let’s review what you’re getting for that budget and see if it meets your real needs." 2. When Competing Against Low-Cost Providers ↳ Instead of "We’ll beat their number." ↳ Say "Let’s compare the outcomes you’ll achieve with each option." 3. When Positioning Your Offer ↳ Instead of "Here’s our product." ↳ Say "Here’s how we solve the exact problem costing you the most." 4. When Negotiating ↳ Instead of "We can come down on price." ↳ Say "We can adjust the scope to fit your budget without losing impact." 5. When Justifying the Investment ↳ Instead of "It’s the best price we can offer." ↳ Say "Here’s the measurable ROI you can expect and why it’s worth more than the cost." 6. When Facing a Price Objection ↳ Instead of "What price would work for you?" ↳ Say "What result would make this investment an easy decision?" 7. When Closing the Deal ↳ Instead of "Sign now and I’ll give you a discount." ↳ Say "Let’s lock this in so you start getting the results we’ve discussed." 8. When Training Your Team ↳ Instead of "Don’t lose the deal over a few dollars." ↳ Say "Don’t lose the value by chasing the cheapest number." 9. When Forecasting Revenue ↳ Instead of "We’ll make up the margin in volume." ↳ Say "We’ll maintain margin by selling on value and retention." 10. When Building Culture ↳ Instead of "Close whatever you can." ↳ Say "Win deals we can keep, grow, and be proud of." - Good sales teams match prices. - Great sales teams match solutions to problems that matter. - Good sales teams chase discounts. - Great sales teams protect value and win with it. If you’re winning only on price, you’re not really winning. Build value so strong they can’t imagine doing business without you. "Lead Different. Sell Smarter. Win with Purpose." --- ♻️ Share this post with a sales leader who needs to hear it. Follow me for more strategies to grow your team and results and drop a comment about how you sell on value… 👇 👉 Follow me on LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/eA7csH2q 👉 Beyond The Funnel Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/ed3iMb8x 👉 My latest e-Book: https://lnkd.in/eytkJd7Y PS: Thanks for reading!

Founders - the desperate sales tactics you want your team to use today will only harm you in the long run. It's the last day of the month, and for many the last day of the quarter. It's tempting to resort to last-minute heroics to meet sales targets. I'm telling you, they are more harmful than beneficial. Hear me out: - Large discounts might boost numbers today, but this strategy attract customers who prioritize price over value. This leads to higher churn rates as these customers are quick to leave for cheaper alternatives. - Habitual EOQ discounts undermine your product's perceived value, making it difficult to sell at full price later. We all know the companies that have aggressive EOQ pricing - always. - High-pressure sales tactics may coerce undecided customers into buying, but this often leads to buyer’s remorse and makes things hell for your CS team. There's another way: - Maintain regular contact with prospects throughout the quarter. Add value at every interaction, avoid "checking in," and deeply understand their business and pain. This builds trust and naturally progresses your deal without end-of-period pressure. - Use Joint Engagement Plans. When you start with the end in mind and know the target dates you need to hit and WHY you need to hit them, the arbitrary date of EOM/EOQ goes away. - Focus on how your product meets customer needs. Are you selling a vitamin or a painkiller? Sales should be the natural outcome of a well-articulated value proposition, not a result of price slashing. - Set achievable goals based on genuine market and sales insights, not just the desire to see big numbers. You aren't going to change overnight. But, as this quarter ends, take a long hard look at your sales strategies. Prioritize PREDICTABLE - RESPONSIBLE - GROWTH.

Years ago, I thought sales success was all about volume. More calls. More emails. More pitches. If we just kept pushing, the deals would follow. Right? Wrong. We were working harder than ever, but the results didn’t reflect that. Then came a meeting I’ll never forget. Mid-pitch, the CEO leaned back and said, “You’re telling me what your product does, but not why I need it.” Ouch. That hit hard—but it was the wake-up call I needed. I realized sales wasn’t about us. It was about them. Their problems. Their needs. Here’s the 5-step strategy that changed everything: Step 1: Focus on Value, Not Volume Stop pushing everything. Tailor your pitch to solve one core problem. Ask yourself: What’s the one thing this client truly needs? Step 2: Shift From Selling to Solving No one likes being sold to, but everyone loves having their problems solved. Follow up with, “How’s [pain point] going?” Step 3: Listen Like It’s Your Job (Because It Is) The best salespeople aren’t the best talkers—they’re the best listeners. In your next meeting, spend more time listening than pitching. Step 4: Understand Your Customer’s Customer Want to stand out? Solve problems for your client’s clients. Position yourself as a partner, not a vendor. Step 5: Don’t Let Tech Replace the Human Touch Automation is great, but empathy and connection win deals. Schedule one personal call or face-to-face meeting this week. Give this a shot and watch how it impacts your results. Because sales isn’t about what you’re selling. It’s about how you’re solving. 🔗 If this resonates with you, check out the link in the comments to join my newsletter. It’s where I share daily sales insights, actionable strategies, and tips to help you close smarter, not harder.

Sales and marketing are no longer separate- they are merging fast. Yet, many sales professionals are stuck in outdated tactics, wondering why leads aren’t converting. I learned this the hard way too which is why this became my mission - to empower sales to learn marketing and marketing to understand sales. After nearly 20 years in sales, I had to pivot and rethink everything I knew about lead generation and closing deals. Now, I help businesses evolve how they attract, convert, and sell- not just to win more sales, but to stay relevant. Some clients achieved 26xROAS and beyond. Because in today’s world, if you’re still selling the old way, you’re not just losing deals- you’re becoming invisible (you know - leads MIA and not replying / responding). After training over 500 high-ticket sales pros and marketers, here’s what leaders and sales professionals must do to stay ahead, convert more, and grow 📈 their pipeline: 1. 𝐁𝐞 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 Buyers research before they buy—be visible on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube (yes, long form matters). 🪴 Post weekly insights, not just sales pitches. 2. 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 = 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 Your online presence should build trust before the first call. 🪴 Turn emails and sales conversations into LinkedIn posts or short videos. Lesson learned: I didn’t build this early enough, and I had to justify my value later. When done right, sales comes to you. 3. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 Think like a marketer instead of just hard-selling. Attract, don’t chase—but value-led follow-ups with warm leads still matter. 🪴 Create demand with insights, not desperation. 4. 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥 The best closers educate first. 🪴 Offer free assessments, webinars, or case studies to build trust. 5. 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐔𝐩𝐬 > 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 “Just checking in” doesn’t work. Follow up with values and to serve 🪴 Track lead interactions and personalize outreach. 6. 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Many don’t even realize they have a problem. Don't be a servant, lead them 🪴 Ask: "What happens if you don’t solve this in six months?" Stop being customer service—start being a consultant. 7. 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 & 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Marketing fuels sales. Content isn’t just traffic; it’s data on what resonates with your audience. 🪴 Share case studies and insights weekly with prospects. 8. 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐔𝐩𝐬 Monitor the Social Media Platform you're using to connect with ideal clients (i.e, LinkedIn, Threads, FB/IG, TT) for warm leads. 🪴 Spend at least 15 minutes daily engaging with potential buyers (you can’t outsource real relationships, you can scale but not outsource fully). ☕ Which of these are you already using? #highticketsales #modernsales #modernmarketing #conversionstrategies #hrdcaccreditedmodernsalesandmarketing

Sales isn’t just about selling — it’s about solving problems and creating value. The best sales professionals know that success comes from focusing on the customer, not the product. This simple acronym S.A.L.E.S. highlights the fundamentals that drive results: 🔹 S – Serve the customer’s needs True sales begin with empathy. Understand what your customer values most. 🔹 A – Ask the right questions Powerful questions uncover pain points, desires, and opportunities. 🔹 L – Listen actively and carefully Sales isn’t about talking more — it’s about listening with intention. 🔹 E – Explain the value clearly Don’t just pitch features; show how your solution creates meaningful outcomes. 🔹 S – Seal the deal with confidence Trust yourself, your product, and your process. Confidence inspires customer trust. ✨ When sales is done right, it’s not about “closing deals” — it’s about building partnerships and long-term relationships.

VALUE REFRAME SELLING - THE NEW FRONTIER Selling has evolved more in the last few years than in the last few decades. It has gone through four distinct stages: 1. Transactional Selling “I’m selling potatoes.” “You’re the cheapest? Sold.” Pure price. Zero value. 2. Relationship Selling “I trust you. Your potatoes don’t disappoint. Your price if fair” Familiarity, trust and ease-of-doing business, become the differentiator. 3. Solution Selling Buyer: “I need potatoes for dinner.” Seller: asks goes through a series of probes - spicy? gravy? easy to cook? Then sells potatoes + tomatoes + onions + the recipe. The most appealing solution wins the deal. 4. Value Reframe Selling (the new frontier) Buyer: “I want potatoes for a curry.” Seller: “But what if dinner needs protein? What if roasted chicken is healthier and easier?” Suddenly, we’re talking chicken, spices, condiments, and maybe even a rotisserie. The conversation shifts from what the customer asked for to what they truly need. In B2B services, especially with AI being infused in every deal, customers don’t just need solutions. They need partners who help them reimagine their business. Improved customer experience, revenues and efficiency. That’s the heart of the Value Reframe Method. #selling #consulting #consultingled #InsightSelling #ValueReframe #ModernSelling #AdvisorySelling #SolutionSelling #SalesLeadership #B2BSales #SalesStrategy #ValueSelling #SalesExcellence #GTMStrategy #BusinessTransformation #CustomerSuccess #DigitalTransformation #AIinBusiness

Selling isn’t about talking faster. It’s about understanding deeper. ⇣ The newsletter sales managers forward to their teams: https://lnkd.in/erNtDVqf Customer-centric selling isn’t “soft selling.” It’s value-based selling — and it directly drives revenue. Here’s the 4-step framework top performers use: 1. Research Before You Reach → Study their industry, tech stack, and company news. → Know their challenges before the first call. 2. Lead with Insights, Not Pitches → Share data and trends from similar companies. → Show them something they *didn’t know yet. 3. Quantify Business Impact → Tie your solution to ROI, metrics, and revenue outcomes. → Show before-and-after results, not just features. 4. Build Long-Term Partnerships → Focus on their success metrics, not just your quota. → Bring intelligence that helps them grow beyond the deal. 💡 The numbers don’t lie: – Reps who use value-based selling see 30% higher effectiveness – Customers with great buying experiences spend 140% more Stop selling products. Start helping customers buy better. Which part of your sales process do you think feels most customer-centric today? 📬 Subscribe for proven sales frameworks, daily insights and free resources: https://lnkd.in/erNtDVqf