3 Levers of Value-Based Selling

Successful value-based sellers focus on three levers:

• Proof – Demonstrate added value
• Commitment – Secure Customer engagement
• Understanding – Build shared clarity

5-Step Framework to Ace Value-Based Sales

With practical ways to make each step work:

1. Motivate – Set the Context for Value Creation

Ask: Is the Customer willing to collaborate on value creation?

This is crucial in B2B sales where engagement must span the buying cycle. Motivation hinges on:
(i) The power balance between seller and buyer
(ii) The Customer’s ability to afford and use the solution

Make it work:

• In a seller’s market, think long-term and avoid short-term gains.
• In a buyer’s market, diversify your base and influence end users (e.g., “Intel Inside”).
• Check if the Customer has the money, time, and expertise.
• Explore ways to make solutions more accessible (e.g., Michelin rents tyres to fleets).

2. Educate – Raise Awareness of Benefits

A Customer must understand the full range of benefits to see value.

Make it work:

• Build a benefit inventory that spans all user types.
• Define benefits with a consistent vocabulary and measurement approach.
• Use this list to spark meaningful discussions and tailor them to each Customer’s context.
• Focus only on relevant benefits (e.g., labour savings may not apply in fully automated setups).

3. Quantify – Solve the ABC Problem

You must prove value by quantifying the savings and gains from your solution. To do this you must pick up the most relevant, quantifiable data from product Attributes, customer Benefits and Cash saved or gained, a challenge that the authors call “the ABC problem”

Make it work:

• Get usage data from the Customer to estimate benefit value.
• Include all benefit types—direct, indirect, tangible, intangible (e.g., lower machine temperature saves on lubrication).
• Apply the “value calculator” test: Is it Relevant? Quantifiable? Verifiable?
• Avoid catch-all generalizations like “1% improvement = Rs.X lakh saved.”

4. Translate – Build a Compelling Business Case

Dry numbers don’t sell —stories do. You must translate data into a narrative that connects with stakeholders.

Make it work:

• Make your story resonate across stakeholder groups, even non-buyers (e.g., implementers, budget holders).
• Highlight key messages and top benefits—less is more.
• Focus on what matters to the Customer, not everything you can say.
• Clearly outline next steps, metrics, and tracking mechanisms.

5. Reward – Align Interests with Smart Incentives

Value creation should continue beyond the sale. Ensure both parties are incentivized to sustain it.

Make it work:

• Offer price incentives (e.g., tiered pricing to encourage uptake of more benefits).
• Go beyond pricing—offer early access, insights, or special discounts.
• Adjust pricing models (e.g., smaller servings or phased rollouts) to help Customers experience value.

This framework, the authors note, can help scale value-based selling into broader account management—“key account management at scale.”
That’s perhaps the best outcome we can wish for in implementing a value based selling program. You can read the full length article of MITSMR here”

Authors:

• Marco Bertini – Professor, Esade, Barcelona; Senior Adviser, Globalpraxis
• Oded Koenigsberg – Executive Dean, Dubai; Professor, London Business School
• Todd Snelgrove – Founder, Experts in Value; Fractional VP, Sales Xceleration