The Triple-Value Framework in Human Centred Selling

Modern B2B buyers are savvier and more demanding than ever. They have endless options and information at their fingertips, so selling on features or price alone just doesn’t cut it. At its core, every sale is an exchange of value – the buyer trades something valuable (money, time, effort) for the value your solution provides. Yet too many sales approaches fixate on touting product features or scrambling to offer discounts. It’s no surprise that buyers tune out generic pitches. They’re looking for outcomes, impact, and partnership. In short, they care about value – real, tangible results and a credible path to achieving them. Human-Centred Selling embraces this reality by expanding the concept of value to multiple levels. Enter the Triple Value Framework: a simple model to ensure you’re delivering and communicating value on all three dimensions throughout the sales process. Before diving into each pillar, let’s clarify why this is critical in today’s environment: one study found that modern buyers expect sellers to quantify “positive economic and resource impact” – in terms of cost, time, risk – as part of the conversation. If you can credibly demonstrate, say, a 5x or 10x return on investment, you frame your solution as a strategic asset, not just another expense. Value isn’t a buzzword or a “nice-to-have” – it’s the cornerstone of modern selling.

Sell Value (Not Just Features)

Selling value means orienting your entire sales conversation around the outcomes and impact your solution delivers, rather than around its technical features or superficial benefits. In practice, this is classic value-based selling: you answer the buyer’s fundamental question, “How will this make my business (or life) better, and by how much?” – and you answer it in concrete terms. For example, instead of bragging that “Our software has AI-powered inventory optimization algorithms,” you’d say “Our software can reduce your stockouts by 80%, likely recapturing around $500K in lost sales annually, while also cutting inventory carrying costs by 20%.” See the difference? One is a feature dump; the other is a meaningful result. To effectively sell value, you often need to do some homework (usually with input from the buyer) to quantify or illustrate improvements that the buyer truly cares about.

Remember that “value” can mean different things to different stakeholders. A CFO might zero in on cost savings and ROI, a COO on efficiency and reliability, an end user on ease of use and time saved. Being human-centred means recognizing these varied priorities and tailoring your message accordingly. In fact, today’s buyers increasingly expect salespeople to bring financial acumen – they want to see business cases and ROI calculations that back up your claims. If you come prepared to show, for instance, how an investment of $100K in your solution could yield $500K in benefits, you’re speaking their language. You elevate the conversation above price and position your offering as a value generator. And keep in mind, value isn’t purely financial: it also includes intangible benefits that influence decisions. Will your solution make the buyer look good to their boss (career value)? Will it reduce stress for the team (emotional value)? Will it improve the experience for their customers (customer value)? These human factors can often be articulated in qualitative terms. For example: “Beyond the cost savings, this system will free up two days per week for your analysts. That means they can focus on strategic projects – a boost for team morale that could lead to new innovations.” Such statements appeal to outcomes like morale and innovation that a spreadsheet alone might miss. By selling on all the outcomes that matter – quantitative and qualitative – you shift from being a vendor talking about products to a trusted advisor talking about results. In short, Sell Value by making the conversation about the buyer’s success, not your product’s specs.

Sell on Value (Not on Price)

The second pillar, selling on value, is all about how you structure deals and handle pricing. It means anchoring the sale to the value delivered rather than competing to be the cheapest option. If you’ve proven that your solution can deliver, say, $500K in annual benefit, then holding a price of $100K is entirely reasonable – it’s a 5-to-1 return. A value-centric seller doesn’t panic at the first price objection and start slashing prices. Instead, you re-frame the conversation around ROI. For example, if a buyer says, “Your solution is too expensive,” a human-centred seller might respond: “I hear you – it is a significant investment. But let’s revisit the numbers: doing nothing is currently costing you roughly $1M per year in inefficiencies. For a $200K investment, we aim to eliminate most of that – roughly a 5x return in year one. Given that, how do you feel about the cost now?” By shifting focus from the absolute price to the value relative to price, you remind the buyer of the cost of the status quo versus the payoff of your solution. Often, price objections soften when the buyer sees the larger financial picture.

If budget constraints are very real, selling on value means getting creative in how you deliver that value without simply discounting. Rather than immediately chopping your price (which can undercut your value proposition), you might adjust scope or terms to fit their budget. For instance, you could suggest starting with a core module or smaller deployment that tackles their biggest pain point first, proving the value, and then expanding in Phase 2 once results are evident. This way they get a win on a smaller initial spend, and you’re not devaluing your offering – you’re aligning value to their constraints. The key is to avoid the reflex of “Sure, we can do it for 50% off,” which only trains the buyer to see your price as arbitrary and your value as inflated.

Another aspect of selling on value is defending your differentiation. When a competitor undercuts you on price (and someone always will), don’t fall into the trap of a price war. Instead, remind the buyer what they’d be missing. “Yes, Vendor B came in 15% cheaper, but remember they don’t provide on-site training or 24/7 support. We do – because we know those are critical for you to actually get the ROI you’re expecting. That’s part of the value we deliver.” In other words, reinforce that a higher price comes with higher value, and if certain value-adds aren’t needed, you can remove them and adjust the price accordingly – but you’re not simply going to match a cheaper quote that offers less value.

Importantly, have the confidence to walk away if a prospect is utterly fixated on lowest price. Top-performing sales organizations are actually more likely to hold firm on value and walk away from purely price-driven deals, rather than discount themselves into oblivion. Why? Because they know their solution is built for best results, not best bargain. And guess what – customers who buy solely on the lowest price often end up unhappy (they don’t get the support, features, or long-term outcome they wanted), whereas those who buy on value are more satisfied because they get the outcome they needed. By selling on value, you also tend to win better-fitting customers – clients who appreciate what you bring to the table and are willing to invest for a greater payoff. That makes delivering success easier and leads to positive testimonials, creating a virtuous cycle. In sum, Sell on Value by making ROI the anchor of your deal strategy. You protect your margins, maintain your credibility, and set the stage for win-win partnerships instead of haggling to win a deal at any cost.

Create Value While Selling

The third pillar is where things get truly differentiated: create value while selling. This mindset treats every buyer interaction as an opportunity to deliver actual value, not just a means to an end. In other words, the sales process itself should be a value-adding experience for the buyer, whether or not they ultimately purchase. Adopting this principle is a game-changer – it’s often what separates the mediocre sellers from the superstars. Many average reps think “value delivery” starts only after the contract is signed (when the product gets implemented). Great reps realize that value delivery begins from the very first conversation. If you consistently offer something useful in each interaction, buyers start to see you as more than a salesperson; you become a trusted resource and advisor in your own right.

So how do you create value during the sales process? There are many ways, but it can be as simple as ensuring every meeting, call, or email leaves the buyer with something new – an insight, a helpful data point, a clearer understanding of their problem. For example, you might research the buyer’s industry and share a relevant trend or benchmark: “Did you know 60% of companies in your sector are facing this same challenge? Here’s how some are tackling it.” Now, even if nothing else happens, the buyer learned something useful from you. Or you might help them gain clarity on their own situation: by asking thoughtful questions, you could uncover a root cause of their issue that they hadn’t recognized. That insight is valuable in itself because it frames their problem (and potential solutions) in a new light. Perhaps you even give a small unsolicited recommendation: “I noticed your team is doing X manually. There’s actually a free tool that automates that – I’ll send you the link. It might save you a lot of time.” This kind of “free consulting” builds enormous goodwill. It shows you’re not just here to sell a product; you’re here to help, period.

A powerful approach is to treat early sales conversations almost like mini consulting workshops. Instead of just interrogating the prospect about their needs (which can feel one-sided), collaborate on a problem. You might say, “Why don’t we whiteboard your current workflow together? I might spot some areas for improvement, whether or not you end up using our solution.” Now you’re actively co-creating ideas. By the end of that meeting, the buyer might say, “Wow, I got clarity on my process from this discussion – thank you.” They walk away better off, regardless of the sale. Yes, it takes extra effort on your part, but it’s also the best marketing you could do for yourself – you’ve given them a sample of what it’s like to work with you. If the free sample is that good, imagine the value of a paid engagement! This is essentially proving your value upfront.

Content and connections can be value vehicles as well. Many human-centred sellers share useful resources with prospects: maybe a how-to checklist for a common challenge, a case study with lessons learned, or even an introduction to a peer who has solved a similar problem. The key is that with or without an immediate deal, every interaction leaves the prospect better informed or better equipped than they were before. Even a simple follow-up email summarizing your understanding of the buyer’s challenges and goals can be valuable – it shows you listened, and it provides them a clear summary they could share internally. As sales thought leader Anthony Iannarino puts it, “The information you provide in the sales conversation should be valuable and interesting to the client in its own right”. That’s a great litmus test for your sales approach. If your meetings are just standard product pitches, ask yourself what the client actually gains from them – if the answer is “not much,” then you’re not creating value in the process. But if your meetings routinely spark new thinking, teach the client something, or help them envision a solution, the client will keep wanting to engage. They’ll start to see you as an advisor rather than a vendor, and people are far more likely to give time and trust to an advisor.

One caution: you must create value sincerely, not as a gimmick. Don’t offer a helpful tip with the secret agenda of immediately extracting a concession – that just circles back to being transactional. This is where your intent matters (tying back to the human-centred mindset of helping first). Provide value because you genuinely want to help them solve problems. When done authentically, even if a prospect doesn’t buy today, you’ve planted a seed. Maybe they’ll refer someone to you because “those folks gave us great advice.” Or perhaps they come back in six months when the timing is better. Nothing is wasted when you consistently create value; it builds relationship capital that compounds over time.

Putting the Triple Value Framework into Practice (Reflection)

Bringing together these three dimensions – selling value, selling on value, and creating value while selling – transforms your sales approach into something much more powerful and human-centred. When you consistently operate on all three levels, you create a virtuous cycle. Buyers clearly see the payoff of working with you and enjoy the process of getting there. Price becomes less of a sticking point (it won’t disappear, but it’s now kept in perspective against value). Trust skyrockets, because you’ve demonstrated that you’re not just out for a quick win for yourself. And internally, you can feel proud that you’re selling with integrity and expertise, not pressure and tricks. The Triple Value Framework ensures that “value” isn’t just a trendy word in your sales pitch – it’s baked into every phase from the first interaction to the signed contract. By delivering value at every turn, you differentiate yourself in a crowded market of look-alike sellers.

Now, a practical reflection: how well are you embodying the Triple Value Framework today? It’s easy to say you’re “value selling,” but take an honest look at your process and see where there might be gaps. Consider these self-check questions as you refine your approach:

• Sell Value: Are you truly focusing on concrete outcomes the customer cares about, or are you still relying on feature lists and vague benefits? Have you quantified the impact you promise where possible?

• Sell on Value: When pricing discussions arise, do you hold your ground by reinforcing ROI and outcomes, or do you cave in quickly with discounts? Are you positioning your solution as an investment with a return, or as a commodity whose main differentiator is price?

• Create Value While Selling: In each interaction, are you providing insights, ideas, or assistance that the buyer finds useful in its own right? Or are your sales calls indistinguishable from a generic pitch? Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes – would you gain something from the conversations you’re leading?
  

Identifying any weak spots on those three fronts is the first step. Maybe you realize you talk about benefits but drop your price at the first pushback, undermining your value message. Or perhaps you negotiate well on value but recognize your sales meetings could deliver more insight instead of feeling like routine demos. Whatever the case, pinpoint which dimension you can strengthen and make a plan to elevate it.

In today’s market, value is your competitive edge. Mastering the Triple Value Framework means you’re not just selling a product or service – you’re selling a better future for your customer, on terms that make compelling business sense, through an experience that builds trust and goodwill. That’s the kind of selling that 21st-century buyers are waiting for. Focus on these three pillars of value, and you won’t just close more deals; you’ll build long-term relationships and a reputation as a true partner to your clients. After all, when you help customers win, they tend to help you win, too – and that’s a value exchange everyone can get behind.