Feb 20, 2023

One important lesson I learned from my Sales and Negotiation course is that we should “put the reason before the answer.” If we want someone to listen and truly understand us, we should give them the justification first—before the conclusion or proposal.

In many ways, being a marketer is similar to being a negotiator. We negotiate with customers every day, asking them: With this product, at this time, in this location, at this price, and with this message—are you willing to buy?

But customers will never “close the deal” if the offer feels unreasonable—either logically or emotionally. They also dislike being aggressively sold to. That is why value—economic, functional, experiential, or social—becomes our reasoning and our justification. Value is what persuades customers that our product is worth their attention, money, time, engagement, and loyalty.

This is also why great marketing often follows this principle: Deliver value first, sell second. We should provide value upfront—or at least make clear and credible promises that make our offer more attractive and meaningful.

How to define our value

Before we define value, we must recognize that we cannot provide the same value to everyone. Instead, we should focus fully on our target segments.

Seth Godin, in This Is Marketing, argues that instead of trying to sell to the mass market, we should aim for the “smallest viable market.” The value we offer, the promises we make, and the worldview we communicate will never fit everyone. By focusing on a specific segment, we can use limited resources more effectively and build deeper relationships with the people we truly want to serve.

Using a perceptual map

To be meaningful, the value we bring must be both unique and important to our smallest viable market. One useful tool for this is the perceptual map.

A perceptual map is widely used in business and marketing to understand how consumers view a brand compared to competitors. It visually represents customers’ mental landscape—showing where competition is intense, where opportunities exist, and how a brand can position itself more effectively.

The dilemma and a better approach

However, marketers often face a dilemma when using perceptual maps:
We don’t want to position ourselves in a crowded area, but it also seems risky to choose a segment that looks unpopular or unprofitable.

To thrive in today’s competitive market, we must use perceptual maps differently. Instead of trying to “fit into” an existing space, we should stand for something unique—and sometimes, create a new space entirely.

That’s where the smallest viable market becomes powerful. When we focus on a small but meaningful segment, we have the time and resources to understand them deeply: their needs, pain points, desires, behaviors, and values. As a result, we can go to the “edges”—discovering opportunities competitors overlook—and then build a clear positioning, value proposition, and marketing strategy around it.

How to communicate our value effectively

Market research and perceptual mapping help us build:

• a positioning statement (how we want to be known in the market),
• a value proposition (the full value customers gain),
• and sometimes a unique selling proposition (USP) (a single strong feature or benefit).

Depending on the campaign and audience, we may use one or a combination of these tools.

Once we define our value, we can communicate it more effectively through the following strategies:

• Use storytelling: People remember stories more than lists of features. Stories show how a product solves a problem or improves someone’s life.
• Use social proof: Testimonials, reviews, case studies, and user-generated content build trust because people believe people.Appeal to emotion—ethically: Most buying decisions involve emotion as well as logic. We can connect through emotions like relief, confidence, belonging, or hope—without manipulation
• Use persuasive, customer-focused language: Use language that speaks directly to customer needs. Use “you” more than “we,” and focus on benefits, not just features.

Conclusion

In conclusion, putting value first and selling last is a key principle in both marketing and sales. When we understand what customers truly need—and communicate our value clearly and honestly—we earn not only sales, but also trust and long-term loyalty.