Jul 1, 2019
Why you have to check out today’s podcast:
- Learn why without the ability to have this conversation, value pricing is dead on arrival
- Know why value conversation is the most valuable skill in business
- Learn how to discipline yourself not to be a ‘solutionist’ and not offer solutions too early in the process
You can't do value pricing without having a conversation about the prospects problems and pain points. The way you talk to customers has a significant impact on your brand, and nothing delivers customer satisfaction quite like consistently valuable communication.
Ed Kless is an expert in value conversation, the Senior Director of Partner Development and Strategy at Sage - a SaaS-based product company, and the co-host The Soul of Enterprise with another value pricing expert, Ron Baker.
In this episode, Ed will dissect the process of creating value discussion, how to do value billing. Ditch the time sheets, frustrated clients and employees, and make more profits.
“How you sell is a free sample of how you will solve.”
– Ed Kless, quoting Mahan Khalsa
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Topics Covered:
01:30–Ed’s back story how he got introduced into the pricing industry through Ronald Baker book - Professional's Guide to Value Pricing
02:28 –Ed does not believe in timesheets, moving away from billing via the hour
04:10 – Comparison between a consultant and a technician in terms of delivering service
05:00 – Value conversation components: the cost, the price, and the perceived value
8:27 – Value conversation explained - ‘How you sell is a free sample of how you solve.’ - Ed quoting Mahan Khalsa
11:33 – People need to be heard - why it is crucial in your value conversation
16:44 – Mahan Khalsa’s Five Golden Questions
- How do you measure it?
- What is it now?
- What do you want it to be?
- What is the value of the difference?
- Over time (usually one year)?
17:39 – Value conversation for product marketing as suppose to making sales
22:01 – The four steps to move off the solution: Listen, Assuage, Move and Close
27:12 – A piece of pricing advice from Ed– “Offer choices. Do not hesitate to come up and compete with yourselves to try to develop choices for the customers.”
Key Takeaways:
“What people want is that they want to felt listened to.” – Ed Kless
“Prospects as other human beings can sense that [when you are not listening] as well.” – Ed Kless
“Even when there is competition, and we make value conversation, people trust us more. They believe us more.” – Mark Stiving, quoting Ed Kless
People and Resources Mentioned
- Ronald Baker
- Peter Black
- Mahan Khalsa Let's Get Real or Let's Not Play
- The Soul of Enterprise: Episode 182 - How to Have a Value Conversation

Connect with Ed Kless

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Connect with Mark Stiving