Sell the value, not the price – this way you can avoid price wars and boost your sales
"We need to get better at selling the value." It’s a sentiment echoed in meeting rooms and sales departments across Sweden. More and more companies are feeling the effects of intensifying competition, squeezed margins, and customers who buy based on the lowest price. The economic climate has made this even clearer—when everyone lowers their prices to survive, suddenly no one is making money.
In the latest episode of the We Love Salespeople podcast, Ingemar Alsenfors tackles this very topic. With years of experience training and coaching sales teams, Ingemar knows that the solution to pricing issues rarely lies with the individual salesperson—it starts somewhere else.
In the interview, Ingemar Alsenfors shares several invaluable strategies. Here are 3 insights you won’t want to miss:
1. Value-based selling starts in the executive suite—not in the sales department
One of the key insights in this episode is that value-based selling isn’t a sales problem—it’s a management problem. Ingemar points out that many companies place the responsibility on salespeople to “sell the value,” but without the right conditions from management, it becomes an impossible task. It’s about making your offering tangible—clearly defining what’s included in the “package” and what benefits the customer receives.
"We need to sell the impact of what our products and services do. Can we stick to selling that impact all the time? That’s how we create value."
This is fully in line with Adviser Partners’ Way of Sales methodology, where the Facts–Benefits–Advantages model forms the backbone of modern sales. When the customer perceives that you are selling who you are, you are seen as a cost. When the customer sees what you do, you become an investment. But it is only when the customer understands what they get that your solution becomes a profit.
2. Stop sending quotes—take back control of your sales process
One thing Ingemar keeps coming back to is the widespread practice of sending quotes via email instead of presenting them in person. He argues that this is one of the biggest obstacles to sales—and that it essentially boils down to convenience. When you send a quote, you give up control over the sales process, and you lose the opportunity to influence the customer’s perception of value.
"The absolute best thing is to meet face to face. You can't exactly be rude and offer half the price to someone sitting right across from you."
According to the Way of Sales methodology, needs analysis accounts for 70 percent of total sales. Ingemar himself says that needs analysis and relationship-building together can account for up to 80 percent of success. And both of these are best done in a face-to-face meeting. In this episode, he reveals exactly why—and how you can change your mindset to stop letting deals slip away.
3. Real exercise should be uncomfortable—otherwise, it’s not exercise
One of the most thought-provoking parts of the episode deals with the difference between practicing and truly training. Ingemar compares sales training to physical training and notes that it has to be uncomfortable to actually make a difference. Just as a soccer team doesn’t just play games but also practices what they’re bad at, sales teams need to work on their weak points—not just keep doing the same old thing.
"Take a soccer team, for example. They play a game once every weekend. In between, they train. But in sales, a lot of people fall into the same rut—they’re out there playing games all the time."
Adviser Partners’ Train the Trainer methodology is based precisely on this: the practical application of a chosen protocol with a clear objective. Sales training in the form of sales simulations, where salespeople practice real-life scenarios with clear rules and feedback, is the key to building genuine competence. But how this works in practice—Ingemar reveals that in this episode.
Next Step
This is just a fraction of the insights Ingemar Alsenfors shares. Want to hear the full conversation, get more concrete examples, and dive deeper into value-based selling, productization, and pricing strategies? Listen to the full episode of We Love Salespeople here!
Would you and your sales team like to have the tools to implement these strategies and reach new heights? Adviser Partner can help you build a high-performing sales culture. Contact us at expansion@adviser-partner.se or visit www.adviser-partner.se to learn more about our proven Way of Sales methodology.