Why a value sales co-pilot needs a value model
Steven Forth is CEO of Ibbaka. Connect on LinkedIn
Ibbaka will soon make available the beta version of valueIQ.ai, our value selling co-pilot for sales teams.
Sign up for the valueIQ beta to get early access
One of the key capabilities of this agent is its ability to generate a value model. Why does this matter?
Basically, you can’t execute on value based sales (or value based pricing) without a value model.
What is a value model?
Basically it is a set of equations that estimates the value of a solution for a specific use case at a specific customer. It helps you get specific about value and show what is behind the ROI you are claiming.
See Core Concepts: Value Model and How does Ibbaka use the concept value model?
Value models provide the critical structure needed for an AI agent to give meaningful insights and guidance. Without the context given by a value model generative AIs like ChatGPT tend to respond with generic content, pablum really, that will not make a big difference to sales effectiveness.
valueIQ agent architecture
In the past companies like Ibbaka charged a pretty penny to build and validate a value model. Larger consultancies charged even more. The models were either lost in spreadsheets or buried in SaaS applications. That has changed.
The Value Model Generator agent is able to take a few inputs and then combine that with deep research to generate a value model. The value model is specific to a use case and to a customer.
This is game changing.
From scarce and rigid to plentiful and dynamic - value models become a key resource
Value models are now available on demand.
They can be validated using benchmarks, open source data and curated data.
They can be easily edited by users and the edits fed back to a base model for incremental learning and improvement.
When value models go from scarce and rigid to plentiful and dynamic the ways we can use them change.
Generate a model customized for each opportunity (valueIQ.ai does this through a combination of value model generation and customer data integration)
Generate a model for each competitor
Compare the model for your own solution with the competitor model to see where you have a competitive advantage and what to emphasize in your sales pitch
Experiment with different value models and different ways use value in communication
Explore the impact of new functionality on value, compare different solutions and configurations
This is the central promise of AI. What was a scarce resource, expensive, and hard to access, can become part of how we work. We all want to sell value, and not rely on discounting or price concessions, but historically this has been difficult.
valueIQ.ai will be the best way to access the power of value models in the sales process.
This will change how people sell, and as important, how people buy. Buyers, and buyer AIs, will access and compare value models so that they can understand which solution provides the most value and how each solution creates value. This will lead to better buying decisions, which long-term is in everyone’s best interest. Business grows when it is a positive sum game.
