Are you a value-thief? 

Most people are. They just don’t know it.

A value thief is a (sales)person who inadvertently robs their clients of value.

They do this failing to understand the client. Failing to understand what drives them – what they need to get there.

“But our client needs delivery on time and on budget – they said so themselves”

That’s not what your client needs. That’s what they want.

And all clients want it is as cheaply as possible too.

This is not news.

In fact, that’s been the name of the game forever.

“Price is what you pay, value is what you get”

– Warren Buffett

The main problem in that clients rarely know what they’re getting

In other words they don’t understand the full value of what they’re buying.

Or at the very least, they fail to grasp the implications of how what we’re selling helps them navigate the challenges they’re facing, and how it will ultimately help them get closer to their goal.

And the reason for this failure is not because the client is stupid. Or because they haven’t listened. Or any other reason you might think of, that puts the blame on the client’s shoulders.

The reason the client fails to appreciate the value of what you’re selling is because you haven’t explained it to them in terms they understand.

You haven’t connected their hidden needs – their biological needs – to the product you’re selling or the service you’re providing.

And the reason you haven’t made this connection is because you haven’t uncovered their hidden needs to begin with.

And the reason why you haven’t done that, is because you’ve taken the client’s wants at face-value.

What this means is that you haven’t questioned what it is the client truly needs.

Most likely because you’ve had good intentions, and wanted to do good by the customer.

But you know where the path of good intentions lead you, right?

My main point is this:

Selling at its most basic level is about communication.

Communication is all about opening up, listening, understanding.

In other words, your client is not a target.

They’re not a prospect.

They’re a human being.

A human being with a history, a past, opinions, values, pressures, fears, drives, desires and beliefs.

In short, a human being who experiences the world from their own unique perspective.

In order to stop robbing your clients of value, you need to understand that perspective. 

Because until you do, you’ll be running around with a solution looking for a problem to solve and that is a path that leads straight to a race to the bottom.

If you want to separate yourself from the competition.

If you want to set yourself so far apart that you never have to talk about price again.

If you want to stop feeling like you’re selling a commodity.

If you want to stop feeling like you’re banging your head against the wall and going nowhere, here’s the solution

Pay attention to the human being across from you.

Make an effort to understand them at their core.

Then – and only then – can you provide them with the value that they’re looking for.

The value they truly need – not the commodity they want.

That’s how you stop stealing value.

Thanks for reading.