Stop competing on price. Start making it irrelevant.
The results are in: you want to charge more and sell easier. No surprise there.
The key to doing this is surprisingly simple, though not necessarily easy. You have to make price irrelevant.
And how do you do that? By understanding what the buyer truly values. It's not always about ROI or guarantees. It's about three things: the right solution, the right relationship, and unwavering trust.
1. The "Perfect" Solution
Here's a revelation I stumbled upon: people don't buy what they actually need. They buy what they've decided they need.
Think about it. Someone decides they want to lose weight. They'll chase a miracle drug like Ozempic, even if a doctor tells them diet and exercise are better long-term. The decision is made, and the rationale is theirs alone.
When you try to sell your product by explaining why it's the best solution to their problem, you're being that doctor. You're telling, not selling.
The magic happens when the prospect sells the product to themselves.
How? Talk less, ask more. Ask open-ended questions about how they do things, what they wish they could do, and what's missing. Get them to articulate their need in their own words. Once they have, all you have to say is, "I think you're going to love what I have for you," and then proceed to repeat exactly what they told you, mapping your solution onto those things. You're not really selling anything, you're just giving them what they already said they're buying.
And when they're buying rather than you're selling, you dictate the price.
2. The Human Relationship
When a buyer decides what they need, the next step is finding out how to get it. For a consumer product, they might check Google or ask ChatGPT. But when we're talking about a five or six-figure B2B service, that's not how it works.
In B2B, the first step is almost always relationships and referrals.
And you need to put in the time to build these connections. Your job is to become the first person a prospect thinks of when their need arises.
This takes continuous effort: before the sale (content, awareness), during (meetings, conversations), and after (over-delivering, keeping in touch).
And the best way to benefit from all that effort: shaking their hand. Even if the deal happens online. Attend the events they're at, visit them in person. Better yet, become a leader they see on stage as a speaker, panelist, or sponsor. Anything you can do to meet them in person will benefit the deal immensely.
3. Unshakeable Trust
Trust is the number one requirement for any closed deal. A perfectly mapped solution builds trust. A strong relationship or referral builds trust.
But what if you don't have those yet? What if you're talking to a cold lead with a more generic solution?
You need to build trust with an overwhelming amount of proof.
Case studies, examples, and testimonials are your tools to elevate the perceived value of your offer. Remember, your goal isn't just to offer a guarantee; it's to remove risk. And in B2B, the risk of wasted time is often far more costly than the risk of losing money.
Build a body of proof so strong it's undeniable. Believe me, it's a lesson I wish I had applied much earlier in my career.
When you master these three areas, something amazing happens. Price becomes an afterthought. It's a throwaway line in an email, an obvious detail, not the grand climax of your PowerPoint presentation.
Oh, and speaking of presentations and events, we're planning another Signing Clients Meetup. If you're in Riga, book September 3rd in your calendar! Details to follow.
Have a great week!