What Do We Mean by “Value” in Software Sales?

Value selling is about making the buyer the hero of the story. It’s about showing them not only what the software does, but what it helps them achieve.

“Value” is one of the most overused words in sales. Every vendor claims to deliver it. But ask ten salespeople what value actually means, and you’ll get ten different answers. So let’s be clear about what we Mean by "Value" in Software Sales: in B2B software sales, value is the positive business impact your solution provides, relative to its cost. That impact can take many forms:

• Efficiency: completing tasks faster, automating manual work, streamlining processes.

• Cost Savings: reducing overhead, consolidating systems, preventing waste.

• Revenue Growth: enabling new customer acquisition, increasing conversion, or opening new sales channels.

• Risk Mitigation: strengthening security, ensuring compliance, reducing downtime.

• Strategic Advantage: scaling for the future, accelerating digital transformation, or gaining a competitive edge.

The important thing is that value is subjective. It varies depending on who you’re speaking with.A CFO might see value in reduced operating costs. A CIO might see it in lower risk. A COO might value operational resilience. And end users may see it in ease of use or reduced frustration.That’s why great sellers don’t use a one-size-fits-all pitch.

They start by asking:

• What does this customer truly care about?

• What outcomes would transform their business?

• How can our solution get them there?

Value selling is about making the buyer the hero of the story. It’s about showing them not only what the software does, but what it helps them achieve.

Yet tailoring this story is often much harder than it sounds. Crafting a pitch that truly resonates with each stakeholder requires deep knowledge of their priorities, challenges, and success metrics. Too often, sellers fall back on “one-size-fits-all” messaging because gathering the right insights, proof points, and language for every persona is simply too time-consuming. The result? Generic pitches that blur into the noise rather than cutting through with relevance and impact.

This is exactly where AI-driven platforms like VAL by SoftwareValue.ai come in. By analyzing buyer personas, industry drivers, and past success stories, VAL helps sellers rapidly shape messaging that speaks directly to what each stakeholder values most. Instead of scrambling to adapt on the fly, sellers can deliver tailored narratives, complete with relevant ROI, benchmarks, and outcomes that feel personalized and credible. The outcome is stronger engagement, shorter cycles, and a pitch that never feels “off the shelf.”

In the next blog, we’ll break down the six distinct types of value you can use to align with different stakeholders across the buying journey.