Stop discounting your worth. Start communicating your value.
In 2007, I learned one of the most defining lessons of my sales career—ironically, not while selling, but while buying.
As CEO of an Indian subsidiary of an Italian cookware major, I was setting up their first automated plant in India. The Italian headquarters gave a non-negotiable mandate: replicate the same global quality standards, especially the premium non-stick coating that defined the brand.
We began discussions with the preferred global vendor—a multinational recognised for world-class coating technology. During one of the early meetings, their Sales Head, Sunil Verma, flew in after hearing of our project.
Trying classic reverse-selling, I said: “Sunil, your product is excellent. But at this price, it won’t work for our India operations.”
He didn’t flinch. He looked me straight in the eye and said:
“Mr. Suri, we are the brand leader in the market. We don’t sell on price.” Then he added calmly: “What we will do is deliver innovations that build your business.”
Immediately he introduced a new product variant engineered specifically for India – more cost-effective, still premium priced, but backed by strong technology and performance benefits.
By then, he had earned my trust. He wasn’t offering a coating. He was offering a partnership – a commitment to co-create products that would help us win in the Indian market.
That meeting shaped my belief in value-led selling. Across industries, countries, and business models, the same truth persists: Salespeople try to sell the best product at the cheapest price. But great organisations win by elevating value, not discounting it.
Why Value Selling Matters More Than Ever
Price becomes the battleground only when value is not articulated with conviction. The GASP® framework consistently shows that discounting is not a customer problem—it is a sales process and leadership problem. Most value erosion comes from five gaps: • Weak or unclear DUVP (Differentiated Unique Value Proposition) • Pricing not linked to value • Poor qualification • Unstructured sales conversations • No leading-indicator reviews or BOSF discipline
When the foundation is weak, the easiest lever becomes price – and teams use it far too quickly.
Where Organisations Lose Value (and Margin)
1. Weak or non-Differentiated Unique Value Proposition (DUVP)
If you cannot articulate what makes you different, customers cannot perceive it.
2. Pricing not anchored to value
Pricing must reflect differentiated outcomes—not internal cost sheets.
3. Low-quality pipeline
When every lead is chased, price shoppers dominate the funnel.
4. Sales calls without structure
Without SPIN®, MOT, and ROI articulation, conversations drift to discounts.
5. No BOSF-driven reviews
If leaders ignore leading indicators, value communication never tightens.
Leadership’s Role: Engineer the Value, Empower the Team
Value selling is not a frontline job. It is a leadership responsibility.
If leadership does not architect a clear, defendable, idiot-proof value narrative, the sales team will default to features, price, and concessions. Two responsibilities sit squarely with leadership:
1. Build a clear, simple, 5-word Value Proposition
Sales cannot create value propositions—only communicate them. Leadership must:
Design a sharp, differentiated DUVP • Reduce it into an idiot-proof 5-word value statement • Position the company as a business partner, not a vendor • Ensure the narrative protects margins at the moment of truth • Give sales a value story strong enough to eliminate discounting
If leaders don’t build the narrative, sales cannot defend it.
2. Train and enable teams to deliver the narrative with conviction
A strong proposition is useless unless the team can present it powerfully. Leadership must:
Train teams to articulate value with confidence • Equip them with ROI tools, proof points, and case stories • Build WC² (Willingness × Conviction × Capability) to reduce discounting • Coach them to handle objections without collapsing into price • Strengthen customer experience to trigger referrals and advocacy
When the narrative is strong and the team is trained, customers don’t just buy—they seek you out, refer you, and return.
How High-Performing Teams Sell on Value
1. Lead with a differentiated DUVP
Your DUVP is your armour; without it, price pressure is guaranteed.
2. Sell the cost of the problem—not the cost of your product
Premium selling requires showing the financial, operational, and strategic impact of NOT choosing you.
3. Tell ROI stories, not product stories
Customers buy transformation, not features.
4. Align internal teams around the value narrative
Product, Pricing, Sales Ops, and Delivery must reflect one consistent value story.
5. Institutionalise a no-discount culture
This requires process confidence, not emotion: • Floor prices • Approval discipline • Win/loss by reason • BOSF-based reviews
Discounting is not a strategy—it is a symptom.
The Payoff: When You Sell on Value
Organisations that embed value-led selling achieve:
• Higher margins • Faster sales cycles • Stronger customer stickiness • Better pipeline conversions • Lower acquisition cost • More predictable revenue • A premium brand position
When the value story is strong, price becomes a detail—not a debate.
Closing Reflection
Back in 2007, Sunil Verma didn’t sell me on price. He sold me on partnership, innovation, and conviction—and that changed the trajectory of our business.
The lesson is simple and universal: Price becomes an issue only when value is missing. Articulate the value—and price becomes irrelevant.
Stop discounting. Start differentiating. Sell with conviction. Win with value.
Build a Value-Led Sales Engine with GASP®
GASP® Sales Academy helps organisations move from price-led selling to value-driven growth – through structured DUVP design, sales enablement, and BOSF-led execution.Let’s help your teams compete on value – not price.
Contact us to explore or visit www.gaspsalesacademy.com for more details.
Dinkar Suri I Founder & UnConsultant I dinkar@gaspsalesacademy.com
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