What Are You Selling? And What Are Your Customers Buying?
As an entrepreneur, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the details of your product or service—its features, specs, and unique selling points. But here’s the thing: customers rarely care about the technicalities of what you’re selling. What they truly care about is the value your product or service provides and how it solves their problems.
For example, if you sell a lead generation tool, you’re not just offering software. What your customers are actually buying is more leads, more sales, and less stress. This distinction is critical because when you focus solely on what you sell, you risk losing sight of what your customers truly want.
In this article, we’ll break down the difference between what you’re selling and what your customers are buying, explore why this matters, and show you how to shift your focus to highlight the value you provide.
The Difference Between What You Sell and What Customers Perceive
1. What You’re Selling: Features and Deliverables
This is the tangible or technical aspect of your product or service. It includes:
Features: What your product does (e.g., “Our tool automates lead tracking”).
Specs: Technical details about your offering (e.g., “Built-in CRM with analytics dashboard”).
Deliverables: What customers physically or digitally receive (e.g., “Access to our software platform”).
While these details are important, they don’t address the emotional or practical reasons your customers are buying from you.
2. What Your Customers Are Buying: Value and Outcomes
This is the why behind the purchase. Customers don’t just buy a product; they buy:
Solutions to Their Problems: They’re seeking relief from pain points.
Emotional Benefits: Confidence, peace of mind, or empowerment.
Desired Outcomes: More time, higher revenue, or professional growth.
Example:
A solopreneur buying a lead generation tool isn’t interested in the technical specs of your software. They’re buying the promise of consistent leads, a streamlined workflow, and the ability to grow their business without stress.
Why This Distinction Matters
1. It Helps You Connect With Your Audience
When you focus on the value customers perceive, your messaging resonates more deeply. Instead of describing what you do, you’re addressing why it matters to them.
2. It Differentiates You From Competitors
Competitors might offer similar features, but if you can clearly articulate the value you provide, you’ll stand out in a crowded market. Also how you use your features to provide value is a very relevant issue, as it shows to your customer how well you know them.
3. It Guides Your Marketing and Sales Strategy
Understanding what your customers are truly buying allows you to craft more effective campaigns, write stronger copy, and handle objections more confidently.
How to Align What You Sell With What Your Customers Buy
Step 1: Identify Your Product’s Core Value
Ask yourself:
What problems does my product or service solve?
What outcomes do my customers achieve by using it?
How does it make their lives easier, better, or more enjoyable?
What’s the most used feature in my app?
And the first one?
When other customers recommend me, what do they say?
According to my customers, who are my competitors?
Example:
Instead of saying, “Our lead generation tool tracks potential clients,” you could say, “Our tool helps you turn website visitors into paying customers effortlessly.”
Step 2: Understand Your Customers’ Pain Points
To resonate with your audience, you need to understand what they’re struggling with. Engage with your customers directly through surveys, interviews, or feedback sessions, and look for common themes like:
Time management issues.
Budget constraints.
Lack of expertise in certain areas.
Tip: Usually when someone becomes a customer the first question they are asked is, “why are you using this?”.
Step 3: Focus on Benefits Over Features
Features tell, but benefits sell. Translate your product’s technical features into tangible outcomes for your customers.
Feature Benefit
“AI-driven lead scoring” “Spend less time chasing unqualified leads.”
“Built-in analytics tools” “Get insights that help you close more deals.”
“Customizable dashboards” “Focus on the metrics that matter most to you.
Step 4: Address Emotional Triggers
Emotions play a huge role in buying decisions. Focus on how your product makes customers feel. Are they relieved? Empowered? Excited?
Example:
Instead of saying, “Our software is easy to use,” say, “Finally, a tool that takes the stress out of lead generation so you can focus on growing your business.”
Step 5: Refine Your Messaging
Your website, emails, and sales pitches should consistently emphasize the value your customers perceive. Use clear, benefit-driven language that speaks directly to their needs and desires.
Tested Formula for Messaging:
Highlight the Problem: “Struggling to generate consistent leads?”
Present the Solution: “Our tool automates lead generation so you can save time and focus on growing your business.”
Emphasize the Outcome: “Get more leads, close more sales, and stress less.”
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Focusing Too Much on Features
While features are important, they shouldn’t dominate your messaging. Always tie them back to the value they provide.Assuming Customers Understand Your Product’s Value
Don’t leave it up to your audience to connect the dots. Be explicit about how your product benefits them.Overpromising
Ensure the value you promise is realistic and deliverable. Trust builds loyalty.
How standard is your product/service?
In this article we’ve focused on outcome over functionalities, however the more innovative your solution is, the more you’ll have to focus on output rather than outcome.
Think about a lawyer or a doctor, very standard jobs that anyone knows what they are for, now think about Google or Amazon in the 90’s, explaining the benefit will have less impact as looking for information or buying books online wasn’t as well known as it is right now.
So the more standardized your solution is, the more you should focus on outcome over output, and if your case is the opposite, you can still use this guide but changing output over outcome.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between what you’re selling and what your customers are buying is a game-changer for entrepreneurs. By focusing on the value and outcomes your product provides, you can connect more effectively with your audience, drive more sales and improve your solution to stand out from competitors and win in your market.
Take the time to dig deep into your customers’ needs and motivations. Then, align your messaging to emphasize the value they perceive. When you master this, you’re not just selling a product—you’re delivering solutions and building relationships that fuel your business’s success.
So, ask yourself: What are you really selling, and what are your customers truly buying? Answer that, and you’re one step closer to success
For more information, go to www.chailatt.com