“Yeah, yeah, yeah… save the talk about the value proposition. What’s the cheapest price you can give me?”
If that line sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Across almost every industry, the buying process has devolved into a race to the bottom where “value” is measured only in dollars and cents, and where differentiation feels impossible because the customer believes all quality is equal.
But let’s pause and think about that for a moment.
The Kia EV9 Analogy
Take the Kia EV9. In 2025, this electric SUV, priced around $54,000, is packed with features: a long-range battery, advanced safety systems, and technology that would’ve seemed futuristic in 2000. Back then, a car with that level of performance and sophistication would have cost more than $60,000 in year-2000 dollars, and even then, wouldn’t have come close to the quality, reliability, and efficiency of today’s Kia.
The only thing it lacks? A BMW or Mercedes badge on the grille.
In other words, the world has changed. Quality is everywhere. Differentiation is harder to see. And yet, customers are more demanding than ever.
The Real Question
This week finds me in the USA heartland, working with a client in the protein business on a new business simulation, where competition is fierce, operations are complex, and customers are relentlessly transactional.
The question that came up in every conversation was simple but profound:
Is it possible to overcome the transactional mindset in a transactional business world?
My answer is still yes, but only if you’re intentional about it. It’s about finding the right customers who truly understand value, and about equipping your team to articulate why your products and services are worth more.
Three Ways to Rise Above the Transactional Trap
To answer the ultimate, never-ending question, here are three unique ways of rising above fray:
- Redefine Value Through the Customer’s Economics
Don’t talk about your product. Talk about their business. Help customers connect the dots between your quality, reliability, or service and their bottom line. When you show how your solution reduces downtime, improves yield, or enhances their brand reputation, the conversation shifts from cost to impact. - Empower Your Sales Teams with Business Acumen
A team that understands how customers make money can sell differently. They move the discussion from “price per pound” to “profit per partnership.” Business acumen enables sales professionals to speak the language of their customers’ P&L, connect operational realities to financial performance, and position themselves as problem-solvers rather than order-takers. - Know When to Walk Away
Not every customer values quality, and that’s okay. The hardest but smartest move a company can make is to stop chasing purely transactional accounts and focus on those who appreciate the total value delivered. Protecting your margins and your brand sometimes means letting the wrong business go.
The Bottom Line
Overcoming the transactional mindset doesn’t mean ignoring price—it means reframing it. It’s about teaching your customers (and your own teams) to think in terms of total value, not lowest cost.
And that requires skill. The skill to interpret financial data, anticipate customer needs, and have courageous business conversations that go beyond the procurement checklist. The skill to blend business acumen with strategic business selling, so that every interaction builds trust, insight, and value.