In today’s bustling business world, making a mark in the market and boosting revenue is perpetually challenging.

With so many things trying to grab people’s attention, consumers are growing more selective about where they invest their money.

If businesses want to rock it, they can’t just push products — they’ve got to sell the real deal: value.

So, we wanted to learn…

What is the power of value selling?

To shed light on this topic, we’re talking to Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates and author of The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Life.

What is the Value Selling Framework?

The value selling framework goes beyond a simple sales methodology. It highlights discussions centered on value over price. In a market where many companies lead product-first, expecting customers to justify investments on their own, Julie’s method equips you with the skills, tools, and mindset to engage prospects more meaningfully. Every customer wants a guarantee of their return on investment. So Julie’s goal is to help them confidently say, “This is worth it.”

“The value selling framework is a sales methodology, and all we mean by that is it’s a way to engage customers and prospects that focuses the conversation on value, not just price”.

Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates

Enhancing sales tech efficiency

Sales technology shows numerous benefits, including:

• Role Amplification: It streamlines tasks, acting not just as a tool but as a sales teammate;
• Transformed Research: Sales tech provides enhanced, efficient insights;
• Extended Reach: Modern tools eliminate traditional, monotonous outreach, widening a salesperson’s reach.

But it also comes with limitations, like:

• Communication Gaps: Technology can’t fix poor communication;
• Risk of Over-automation: Sole reliance on tech might depersonalize interactions;
• Potential Misunderstandings: Believing tech can replace genuine interactions is a misleading notion.

How you sell is just as important as what you sell

In her book, Julie emphasizes that how you sell is as vital as what you sell. Today’s buyers have little patience for inefficiencies. Gartner’s research suggests that 80% prefer to avoid sales reps in their purchasing journey. However, half of these feel increased buyer’s guilt without a rep’s involvement, revealing the continued importance of sales reps.

A key challenge is that sales reps often chase impossible deals. While it’s unrealistic to expect a win every time, it’s essential to recognize and nurture potential deals early. The objective? A streamlined pipeline filled with genuine, winnable opportunities, not misleading prospects that offer a false sense of progress.

“One of the big premises of the value selling framework and one of the benefits of the toolset that we bring and that the two of you teach your clients how to optimize is we’re not gonna win them all”.

Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates

The evolution of value selling

Value selling has evolved over the past thirty years, especially in how we approach procurement professionals. Once seen as simple gatekeepers, they now hold significant influence in business decisions. Ignoring or avoiding them is a mistake as their concerns and priorities differ from traditional business decision-makers, and understanding this is essential.

Many sales reps still mistakenly believe that directly approaching C-level executives guarantees success. However, in today’s business landscape, consensus is key, and anyone, regardless of title, can support or derail a deal.

“One of the big premises of the value selling framework and one of the benefits of the toolset that we bring and that the two of you teach your clients how to optimize is we’re not gonna win them all”.

Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associate

Now that you know how to make the most out of your value selling…learn how to apply other tactics and tools for a disruptive B2B marketing and sales strategy. Check out the full list of episodes here: The B2B Revenue Executive Experience, and instructions on how to rate and review the show are here.