Episode 281: Unleashing the Power of Value Selling with Julie Thomas
Sep 5, 2023
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Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates, discusses value-based selling techniques and the impact of sales technology on salespeople. She shares her inspiring journey from junior sales executive to VP of Sales, emphasizing the importance of rigor and personalization in relationships. The chapter ends with a call to action for listeners to subscribe, share, and review the podcast.
Understanding the buyer's needs and providing a great customer experience are key aspects of value selling.
Sales tech can improve efficiency, but effective communication and relationship-building remain essential for sales success.
Deep dives
The Power of Value Selling
In this podcast episode, the author, Julie Thomas, discusses her new book release titled 'The Power of Value Selling: The Gold Standard to Drive Revenue and Create Customers for Life.' The book focuses on value-based selling techniques that help sales reps add value to buyers and drive revenue. Julie highlights the importance of understanding the buyer's needs and engaging in conversations that go beyond price. She emphasizes the need for sales reps to differentiate themselves by providing a great customer experience and addressing the buyer's emotional and logical reasons for making a purchase. Julie also discusses the evolving complexity of the buying process, including the increasing role of procurement and the need for sales reps to build relationships with procurement professionals. Overall, the episode covers the fundamental principles of value selling and how it can adapt to the changing dynamics of the market.
The Impact of Sales Efficiency and Technology
Another key point discussed in this podcast episode is the impact of sales efficiency and technology. While sales tech can improve sales reps' efficiency and provide valuable insights, it is not a substitute for effective communication and building relationships with buyers. Sales reps must be mindful of not relying solely on automation and must continue to focus on effective communication and listening skills. The episode emphasizes that sales tech can only take sales reps so far and cannot fix bad communication or salvage a conversation that has gone wrong. It also highlights the potential negative effects of sales tech, such as sales reps becoming less effective communicators or relying too heavily on automated processes.
Navigating the Complex Buying Process
The podcast episode explores the increasing complexity of the buying process. Sales reps face the challenge of navigating through multiple decision-makers, building consensus among them, and addressing their competing desires or preferences. Julie emphasizes the need for sales reps to understand the buying team dynamics and communicate effectively with various stakeholders. She also highlights the role of procurement in the buying process, advising sales reps to develop relationships with procurement professionals and respect their different priorities. The episode emphasizes that while selling itself may not be substantially complex, buying can present several challenges that sales reps need to navigate to drive successful outcomes.
The Importance of Differentiated Value and Customer Experience
The podcast episode underscores the significance of delivering differentiated value and creating a great customer experience. Julie explains that customers have options, and sales reps need to identify and communicate the unique value they offer. This goes beyond product capabilities and involves considering factors such as customer experience, ease of working with the company, and guarantees of satisfaction. The episode highlights the need to position oneself as a solution provider rather than someone just selling a product. It also emphasizes the importance of focusing on how the product or service can make the customer's life better and addressing their emotional reasons for making a purchase. Overall, the episode stresses the importance of standing out in a crowded market by delivering value and providing a positive customer experience.
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; instructions on how to rate and review the show are here.
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Previous guests include: Eric Shaver, Managing Partner at Kensei Partners, Harry Spaight, Founder of the Selling with Dignity, Jeroen Corthout, Co-Founder at Salesfare