In the production inkjet world, it’s easy to get caught selling specs instead of solutions. Sellers often rattle off impressive features like press speeds, resolution stats, automation capabilities, believing that technical excellence will close the deal. But features aren’t value. Customers don’t buy specs; they buy outcomes. They’re not investing in print technology; they’re investing in achieving their business goals faster, easier, and with fewer headaches.  They care about what your capabilities can do for them, not just what your press can do in theory.

If you want to win more business at higher prices, make the critical shift from feature selling to value selling.  It’s not about how fast your press runs or how detailed your resolution is; it’s about how reliably you can hit their in-home dates, how flexibly you can manage last-minute data changes, and how much you can boost their ROI.

The fastest, sharpest, most technically capable press in the world is meaningless if the customer doesn’t clearly see how it solves their problems and drives their success.  You’re not just selling print… you’re selling time savings, campaign results, brand protection, and peace of mind.  Every feature you talk about should be clearly tied to a result the customer cares about or it’s just noise.

Here’s an example of the difference.  First up, the feature-focused version:

"Our inkjet press has a 1200 dpi resolution. It can run up to 500 feet per minute. Our automated workflow allows us to manage complex variable data jobs easily. Also, we’ve been in the print business for 37 years. Please, Mr. Customer, buy our print services." 

Who is this statement about?  YOU. The seller.  It’s focused on the features of YOUR technology and the features of YOUR business.

Do you want to close more sales at higher prices?  Focus on the customer!  What problem are they trying to solve? What risk are they trying to avoid? What outcome matters most to them? Value selling means tying your production inkjet capabilities directly to your customer’s needs, fears, goals, and aspirations.  It’s not about showcasing what your press can do but instead about demonstrating how your services make your customer’s life easier, business stronger, and risks smaller.

Instead, try this on for size:

"When you miss direct mail deadlines, it can cost your brand tens of thousands of dollars in lost response rates and customer engagement. Our high-speed inkjet capabilities ensure you meet even the tightest in-home dates reliably, helping you protect campaign ROI. With our advanced variable data printing, we can increase your personalization without slowing your timelines. By partnering with us, you can boost response rates and reduce costly delays."

See the difference? #2 is all about the customer and their needs.  It’s the same print technology and services described in #1, but framed in the language and the context of what the customer values. Customers don’t want a vendor who talks about themselves; they want a partner who clearly understands and solves their biggest challenges.

When you solve the customers’ problems, price fades from primary importance to the background.  Suddenly your price point looks like a bargain to the customer, even if another provider promises a lower price but can’t guarantee deadlines, quality, or personalization.

Talking about the features of your equipment, your experience, or your shop capabilities doesn’t help the customer understand how their particular need is going to be better met. When you clearly connect the features of your production inkjet services to why it matters to the customer, then you are value selling.  When you sell on value, price becomes a distant secondary consideration.