The Six Types of Value Every Buyer Cares About

Enterprise software deals are rarely decided by a single person.

Enterprise software deals are rarely decided by a single person. Instead, you face a buying committee with diverse roles, needs, and agendas. That’s why understanding the different types of value is essential. Here are the six categories every seller should know:

1. Functional Value – The practical benefits. Faster processes, fewer errors, more automation. Often resonates with IT and end users.

2. Economic Value – The financial case. Cost savings, improved ROI, reduced overhead, revenue growth. This is what CFOs and procurement focus on.

3. Emotional Value – The human side. Less frustration, easier workflows, pride in a modern tool. Change champions and daily users care here.

4. Social Value – Reputation and brand. Compliance, sustainability, or aligning with industry best practice. Important for boards and public-sector stakeholders.

5. Strategic Value – Long-term benefits. Scalability, future-proofing, and enabling digital transformation. Resonates with CIOs and CDOs.

6. Operational Value – Everyday efficiency. Better visibility, collaboration, productivity. Vital for operations managers and department leads.

The mistake many sellers make is focusing only on one type, usually functional (features) or economic (ROI). But decision-makers come from all angles. If you only speak one language, you’ll lose influence with others.Value selling is about mapping value to the buyer’s world. For a bank, it could be compliance. For a manufacturer, productivity. For a retailer, customer experience.When you learn to flex your message to meet each stakeholder’s definition of value, you become a trusted advisor, not just another vendor.

The challenge, however, is that most deals don’t hinge on just one dimension of value. Large buying groups often include multiple stakeholders, each motivated by different priorities. A CFO might want proof of cost savings, while the CIO is focused on risk, and the COO cares about operational resilience. Trying to balance and deliver on all of these narratives is extremely difficult for sellers, who often don’t have the time or resources to build out personalized messaging across multiple dimensions of value.

This is where AI-powered platforms like VAL by SoftwareValue.ai provide a critical advantage. VAL helps sellers map the six types of value directly to each stakeholder, pulling in relevant ROI models, industry benchmarks, and customer proof points for every dimension. Instead of struggling to stitch together competing value stories, sellers can confidently deliver a multi-threaded, outcome-focused narrative that feels tailored to each stakeholder. The result is stronger alignment across the buying group, reduced friction in the sales cycle, and a much higher likelihood of winning complex deals.

Each of these six types of value. efficiency, cost savings, revenue growth, risk mitigation, strategic advantage, and user experience matters in different ways depending on the stakeholder. The strongest sellers will identify which type of value resonates most with their audience and shape the conversation around it.

In the next Blog, we’ll explore why this approach directly translates into stronger results, from win rates to customer loyalty.