Table of Contents
Introduction
Every moment in life, we are selling something—sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly. Surprised? You might say, “But I’m not a salesman.” Think again. Imagine the moment just before your annual appraisal when you’re convincing your manager to recommend a higher raise. What are you really doing? You’re selling—selling yourself through your achievements.
Selling, at its core, is the art of convincing someone—whether it’s about your ideas (intangible), your products, or your solutions. Yet, you’ll notice that some people succeed more often than others. Why is that? The answer lies in the fact that selling is not just a process—it’s an art. And those who master this art are the ones who stand out.
In today’s world of fierce competition, simply offering a product or service is not enough. You need to highlight what sets you apart—the differentiator that tips the scale in your favour. This approach is called Value Selling.
But before diving deeper into value selling, let’s first understand the sales process.
Sales Process
In sales, moving from the first engagement with a prospect to closing a deal is a multistage journey. To make this journey structured and effective, many sales teams use the SPANCO model. SPANCO is a step-by-step framework developed by Xerox, and it is described as below:
S – Suspect
These are potential customers who might need your product or services. At this stage, you’re identifying leads through research, networking, referrals, or marketing.
👉 Key action: Build a list of possible customers.
P – Prospect
Now, you filter your suspects and identify who actually has a genuine need, budget, and authority to buy. Not all suspects qualify as a prospect.
👉Key action: Qualify leads by checking their interest and potential. This can only be
ascertained when you meet your suspects.
A – Approach
This is where real engagement begins. You reach out to prospects, understand their needs, and present your solution. The focus here is on listening, asking the right questions, and building trust.
👉Key action: Start meaningful conversations and introduce your value proposition.
Don’t jump on what you are; rather, focus on what he needs.
N – Negotiation
Prospects will have concerns—about price, terms, or features. In this stage, you address objections, demonstrate value, and create win-win possibilities.
👉Key action: Handle objections and highlight the benefits. Focus on your strengths.
C – Closing
This is the moment of decision. The customer agrees to buy, and you finalise the terms. Your role is to make it smooth and positive.
👉 Key action: Ask for the order confidently and confirm commitment.
O– Order
The deal is sealed, but the relationship doesn’t end here. Deliver on your promise, provide after-sales support, and ensure customer satisfaction. Happy customers often bring repeat business and referrals.
👉 Key action: Execute the order and nurture the relationship. Repeat customers are pillars of success.
Graphically, the complete sales process of SPANCO can be represented as in the diagram below:
How SPANCO Works
- It gives clarity on where each customer stands in the sales pipeline.
- It helps sales teams prioritize efforts.
- It ensures no step is skipped, improving the chances of success.
- It’s simple, structured, and easy to apply across segments & products.
We have gone through the entire process of selling. But the big question is—Is selling all about matching the lowest price and grabbing the order?
Or is it about creating a win-win situation, building trust, and maximising value realisation while closing the order?
A wise and smart salesperson will always choose the latter option. And this is exactly where Value Selling comes into play.
What is Value Selling?
When it comes to selling, one truth always stands out: customers don’t just buy products, they buy the value those products bring to their lives or businesses. That’s where value selling.
Value selling means focusing on the benefits and outcomes your product or service delivers to the customer, emphasizing how your product or solution meets their needs, rather than just talking about its features or price. Instead of asking, “Do you want this product?”, it’s about asking, “How can this product help you solve your problem or reach your goal?”
Think of it as moving the conversation from what it is to what it does for the customer.
How Does Value Selling Work?
- It makes you stand out. Many products look similar in today’s market. Value is what makes the difference.
- It builds trust. Customers see you as a partner who understands their needs, not just a seller.
- It creates long-term relationships. People remember how you helped them, not how much discount you gave.
- It shifts focus from price. If customers clearly see the benefit, price becomes less of a deciding factor. If you can create this situation, your half work is done.
How to Sell on Value?
- Understand your customer. Ask questions. What are their challenges, pain points, goals, and priorities?
- Talk about solutions, not features. Instead of saying, “This switchboard has X specs,” say, “This switchboard will reduce downtime as it is safe & reliable.
- Don’t talk about capex alone. Lifecycle cost is a critical part of value selling, and many salespeople miss this opportunity by focusing only on the upfront price. If you missed, then this is where you got trapped in a price war. Don’t just sell the price. Sell the economics. When you present numbers — cost savings, downtime avoided, and efficiency gained — you shift the discussion from “How much does it cost?” to “How much does it save me?”.Tell stories. Share how other customers solved similar problems using your solution.
- Deliver on your promise: Value selling doesn’t stop at the sale—prove the results after implementation. Exceeding expectations should be your mantra.
- Demonstrating Value Beyond Price: If you are a manufacturer, you don’t just sell a product — you sell trust, safety, and reliability. One of the most effective ways to showcase this is by arranging plant visits for customers before entering the negotiation phase.
🔑 Why Plant Visits Matter
- Transparency Builds Trust
- Customers see the processes, quality checks, and raw materials used.
- This reinforces your credibility and commitment to excellence.
- Showcasing Best-in-Class Practices
- Highlight use of premium raw materials, automated testing, and international quality standards.
- Demonstrate your focus on safety, reliability, and compliance.
- Engaging the Plant Team
- Plant engineers and operators can explain technical superiority in practical terms.
- Customers often believe more in what the plant team shows than what salespeople say.
- Shifting the Conversation
- By the time negotiation starts, the customer is already convinced about value and quality.
- Price becomes only one part of the equation, not the deciding factor.
A Simple Example
Imagine you’re selling an energy-efficient switchboard. Instead of saying, “This switchboard handles 3150 A at 33 kV,” you say, “This switchboard can help cut your maintenance costs by 20% and improve reliability, so your plant avoids expensive downtime.” But remember that you need to convince how you are making it happen by quantifiable methods or technical reasoning.
Which one sounds more convincing? Exactly—the second one.
Also, remember that different products need different product-specific value propositions.
Final Thought
Value selling is not just a sales technique—it is a mindset, it’s about helping customers succeed. When you show them the real impact your solution can make, you’re no longer just a seller—you become a trusted partner, a trusted adviser. And that’s the kind of relationship that reduces price wars, drives sustainable growth by bringing in repeat customers.
Further Reading
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/value-selling
Very nice information thanks for sharing this.