What Businesses Sell vs. What Customers Buy: Insights From #USAMfgHour

Your customers aren’t just buying your widgets or services – they’re also buying the emotional value of what you offer. This was the premise of a recent #USAMfgHour chat on X led by Nigel Packer of PelaTis Online, which specializes in optimizing digital assets and customer journeys to enhance user experience and drive online business success.

During the chat, host Packer led participants in a thought exercise, guiding them to go beyond the surface level of their business offerings to explore what is most important to their ideal customers and encouraging them to leverage this information in their marketing communications.

 

Uncovering the Emotional Value of What You Offer

The chat began with a challenge for participants: state what you sell in 6 words or less.

“Marketing Strategy, Brand Awareness, Business Growth,” stated Whitney Koch from Keystone Click.

“Thank you, Whitney. Concise,” host Packer replied to Koch.

“The word limit is a fun challenge 😁,” Koch responded to host Packer.

“It gets down to the specifics, Whitney,” host Packer remarked.

“Logistics and warehousing solutions,” answered Tracy St. Clair from Total Distribution, Inc.

“Acumatica ERP,” said Rick Gunnarson from DCSC, Inc.

“Interesting answer Rick, is this what your customers call it?” host Packer questioned Gunnarson.

“Yes, sir. It’s what Kirsten [Austin] brought me on board for!” exclaimed Gunnarson.

“Boosting brand visibility with strategic marketing,” stated Ruby Rusine from Social Success Marketing.

“Hidden profit in your data,” said Phil Samuels from Intuilize.

“Technology solutions for Manufacturers and Distributors,” Kirsten Austin from DCSC, Inc. said.

“That Clients/Customers do not know what to buy to solve their problem or address their need in my space is a function of misunderstanding what constitutes #workplaceviolence #workplaceviolenceprevention,” explained Felix P. Nater of Nater Associates, which helps companies with workplace violence prevention.

“Does this need to be explained to them in your marketing and content creation?  What are the consequences of not doing it?” host Packer asked Nater.

“It all gets explained as part of my Executive Meeting Engagement designed to get buy-in and mutual clarification,” responded Nater. “It might also be an issue of receiving misinformation and the Client/Customer not being due diligent (sic). We saw it a lot on the topic of #activeshooter where fear more than logic motivated the purchase.”

Host Packer confirmed what most participants shared: “What we sell is not always the same as what our customers are buying.” He urged participants to take the perspective of their customers and think about what drives them to buy their particular products or services.

 

Meeting Expectations: The Solutions Your Customers Seek

Host Packer had another challenge for participants: considering your answer to the first question, is the same as what your customers are buying? 

“I think our customers are looking for solutions to problems,” said Austin. “In one specific example, they want to have a more accurate count on their inventory.” 

“Why? Explain,” host Packer prompted Austin.

“Loving this mental exercise, Nigel,” enthused Austin. “A more accurate inventory count leads to less time spent doing something like a manual inventory. Some companies have to use overtime hours to do a manual count and that gets expensive.”

“This is a great question, Nigel – really gets us to think about things from a different perspective!” enthused Suzan Bostick of DCSC, Inc. “I think our customers are looking for solutions to problems. In one specific example, they want to have a more accurate count on their inventory.”

“Customers are buying guaranteed 3X ROI, reduced manual intervention and AI-powered recommendations to drive profitability, efficiency and growth,” said Samuels.

“3X ROI, reduced manual intervention and AI-powered recommendations to drive profitability, efficiency and growth. So, more profit, less people, less errors?” host Packer wondered.

“Maybe not less people,” clarified Samuels. “Most distributors are overwhelmed.  Automate time-consuming tasks to free up associates for higher-level tasks.”

“Depends on the customers’ needs,” said Gunnarson.

“I think our customers are looking for solutions, which will give them peace of mind as well as business growth,” responded St. Clair.

“What do they think?” host Packer asked of St. Clair’s customers.

“They are looking for solutions,” St. Clair answered. “We offer warehousing solutions. Maybe they are landlocked, seasonal demand, geographical expansion and so much more. We provide the solutions for their needs.”

“To sum up they are looking for closer access to their markets?” host Packer asked St. Clair.

“Yes, some are looking to place themselves geographically in the right location for distribution,” she confirmed. “We are asset-based to help them vs going out and looking for transportation for them. However, if our fleet is unable to accommodate their needs we have our brokerage.”

“No, it’s not,” admitted Rusine. “However, you definitely don’t want to be the best-kept secret! To attract customers and encourage companies to buy from you, visibility is crucial. Being seen is an essential part of the buying process.”

After taking a beat, Rusine asked host Packer, “Sorry my brain needs more coffee LOL. Can you clarify your Q?”

“We often think that people buy what we are selling,” host Packer responded to Rusine. “I have found over many years that this is not always the case.  People buy the things that make their life easier.  They buy things that make their products work better so they can charge more and make a bigger profit. Sometimes it is a case of being the best on the market. We would not see Ford put a 4-cylinder engine in their Mustang. 0 to 60 in 15 minutes? Think about why the prospect is buying.

“IMHO [in my humble opinion], in marketing-speak, it’s the UVP [unique value proposition],” Rusine clarified. “The UVP should originate from what the specific value your product or service offers that directly addresses the buyer’s pain points or challenges. It’s about aligning what you’re selling with what your potential customers truly need or want to empower them. Then, communicate that to them.”

“Absolutely, Ruby,” Nater affirmed Rusine. “Your Brand is the selling point even if your services/products are more expensive.”

“My answer was ‘Marketing Strategy, Brand Awareness, Business Growth,’” Koch reminded the chat. She then added: “I think our clients are primarily buying business growth. Owners may not want to get too in the weeds with strategy or care much about brand awareness – they want sales.”

“As with every business their main focus is on profit and growth,” host Packer replied to Koch. “These are often forgotten when we start the creation of our marketing and customer service policies.”

“I believe my potential customers are looking for one thing and accepting something else,” said Nater. “Therefore displeased with the outcome. I think #Clients/#Customers who are motivated by fear only do not make the right decisions, and find themselves buying the wrong solution. It applies to security technology as well.”

“The fear is where you can help them,” host Packer replied to Nater. “Are you afraid of workplace violence?…”

To illustrate the point of his question, host Packer gave this example: “When a customer is buying a tow rope or Hawser, they are literally being sold a rope. But the customer is buying safety, strength, a solution to a problem preparation for an emergency, rescue, pulling a boat/ship, etc. The list can go on.”

Austin replied to host Packer to express her appreciation, “This is a great perspective, Nigel, Thank you.”

Host Packer responded to Austin with insight into the purpose of this chat.

“[T]his is what I wanted to get people to think about,” he said. “We often lose sight of the desires and needs of our clients/customers. Missing opportunities for engagement.”

“I think the ROPE analogy says it all,” Nater commented. “Because #everyone is an expert these days, there are plenty of ROPES being purchased by misinformed buyers.”

 

What Are They Really Buying? Insights from Customer Feedback

Host Packer challenged participants to take their thought exercise a step further: With their responses to the first two questions in mind, he asked them to list what their customers are probably buying other than the product or service they offer.

“Data accuracy,” said Austin.

“What does the data accuracy do for them as a business?” host Packer asked Austin.

“[S]aves them time  – and time is money – so I guess you could say it makes them more profitable,” Austin answered host Packer. “Data accuracy also makes our customer more reliable to their customers, so I guess you could say it enables them to provide better customer service!”

“Bingo!” host Packer validated Austin. 

“Our customers are likely purchasing our success with implementing the technology,” replied Samuels. “Lots of technologies are available, but we participate in the change management to ensure implementation and success.”

“Interesting Phil, this is a great selling point,” noted host Packer. “They are aware of the technology and want the best people to implement it without errors.”

“1) Accountability

2) Customer Service

3) Product knowledge

4) Guidance

5) Peace of mind,” Gunnarson listed.

“What about profit and traceability?” questioned host Packer.

“Good points,” Gunnarson answered host Packer. “A good ERP leads to profits through savings.”

“Our customers are buying peace of mind, efficiency and reliability,” said St. Clair. 

“Have they told you this?” host Packer asked St. Clair.

“Yes, we have had customers that have been in serious pinches to where they would have to shut down production because they had no space,” she clarified. “We offered space, packaging and distribution to free up space for them to continue production.”

“Is there a name for that service?” wondered host Packer.

“Expected services and we can also provide JIT [just-in-time] services as well,” describes St. Clair. 

“1. Time

2. Creativity

3. Experience

4. White glove service

5. Sanity 🤣🤣🤣,” listed Rusine.

Rusine’s answer sparked a side conversation among some of the participants.

“#5 – so true!!! LOL,” laughed Gunnarson.

“That’s the most priceless! Right, Rick? 🤣” replied Rusine.

“Indeed!” Gunnarson proclaimed.

“This is great,” host Packer asserted. “#5 is an important one that is often forgotten.  Use it and create content. ‘We are here to Save your Sanity.’”

“That’s a great tagline!” Rusine asserted.

“It will need a little work but gets to the point,” host Packer added. “We all want to save our sanity Ruby.”

“Current and past #Clients know exactly what they buy from me,” said Nater. “However, new Clients get the following from me:

-addressing their need

-that I know what I should know

-that I stand behind my services

-that I make a difference

-reliability & dependability.”

Host Packer’s business PelaTis Online offers these products and services:

“Products

Improved quality for the products they make. 

Faster production times, 

Fewer errors in production, 

Less downtime, 

Higher profits, 

Fewer employees and 

many other reasons. 

Services

Skills they do not have in house.

Time – Marketers

Legal compliance – Lawyers, Auditors

Reduced tax liabilities – Accountants.”

 

Building Trust: The Foundation of Long-Lasting Relationships

With a clearer understanding of what they sell and what their customers are buying, host Packer asked participants to explain why customers buy from them and not a competitor.

“Keeping in mind what we have considered so far, I would say, they choose us because we give them peace of mind,” said Austin. “Since our product works better than a competitor’s, they have less (sic) problems. ([W]e have had customers go with a competitor initially but then come back to us and they have told us that our product is hands down the best option available on the market).”

“These are great case studies for content publication,” host Packer told Austin.

“We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional service at an affordable cost,” Jamie from Social Success Marketing said. “Ruby is deeply involved in every aspect of our operations, ensuring that we maintain high standards and provide the best experience possible. In most cases, our values align.”

“Our ease of implementation (we provide a roadmap and timetable with minimal participation from their team), our AI enablement (our direct competitors have a plethora of manual processes) and accuracy!” answered Samuels.

“Making change easy and painless?” questioned host Packer.

“As much as possible,” confirmed Samuels. “Setting expectations keeps everyone on task.”

“They buy from us because we’ve identified a pain point and built their confidence that we can provide, execute and maintain the solution,” said Gunnarson. 

“TDI [Total Distribution, Inc.] has three generations of experience,” said St. Clair. “We are not just a warehousing company. We are asset-based and a 3PL/4PL depending on our customers’ needs. Expertise, experience, comprehensive services, customized solutions and a strong network.” 

Nater detailed why he believes his customers buy from him and not his competitors:

“Clients get:

-a clear understanding of the expectations & deliverables (Executive Meeting Engagement); 

-participate in a program discussion to review understanding & commitment; -and there is a Process involved (Violence Interdiction Model)

We must remember that Clients do not buy our feelings or impressions they buy past performance, a business need or [if] price is right. Everything is a conception of our opinions. I have discovered and remembered that #Clients really buy and will pay for confirmed value, not our self-opinions.”    

For participants wanting to go further and gain a deeper understanding of why their customers choose them, host Packer recommended a competitor analysis and outlined steps for doing so: 

“Ask yourselves, what are we selling that is the same as your competitors? Compare these deliverables and identify any differences between your products and theirs. 

Look at their website and social media platforms. How do they describe their products and services to the same customer groups you are targeting? 

Also, talk to your customers and ask them why they bought from you and not a competitor.  

Analyse your research and discuss it with your team.”

Samuels shared what they have done at Intuilize in a reply to host Packer: “Yes, we did [an] extensive analysis 3 years ago and update emerging and/or successful competitors each year.”

 

Differentiation: Why Customers Choose You Over the Competition

There’s no doubt knowledge gained from this thought exercise and competitor analysis is invaluable, but how can B2B businesses use it? 

“The knowledge can be used to redirect them towards how your solutions are superior to meeting their needs, assuming it’s true,” said Gunnarson. 

“I have a unique selling proposition statement that goes like this: ‘I help organizations implement and manage workplace security strategy with an emphasis on #workplaceviolenceprevention,’” Nater wrote in response to Gunnarson’s answer.

“This should shape the messaging on your website, marketing and sales collateral, and also inform how your team engages with leads and customers,” said Koch.

“Yes, this!” Dave Meyer of BizzyWeb excitedly replied to Koch. “Take what you know and what you learn and make sure you’re focusing on what your customers need. There’s untapped riches in serving more needs for your existing customers.”

“I totally agree,” Nater replied to Meyer. “It is the reason why I instructed my website manager (http://BRNaterMedia.com) to give me full access with [a] tutorial on how to maintain my content on my website.”

“It really helps to see things from the customer’s perspective,” said Austin. “It would help you to better explain what you sell.”

“You can use this knowledge to align your marketing and sales strategies with your customers’ ultimate goals, rather than focusing solely on your product features,” said Rusine. “Focus on value not features.”

“It is not only important but imperative that as professionals we only sell what the Client needs even if it is not what they really asked for,” said Nater. “And if they thank us and do not buy, so be it. We have a duty to learn and teach. Since my ideal buyers are far and few between, they know what they do not know, and want what they do not know and already know of my capabilities. They call me Felix, not Mr. Nater. That they buy my ‘Professorial’ Brand is a compliment and testament to their appreciation for my deliverables, efficiency, effectiveness and value.”

Host Packer concluded this portion of the chat with his recommendations for leveraging this valuable knowledge.

“Create promotional campaigns that address the different elements in your list of What your customer is buying,” he said. “This will resonate more with customers as it demonstrates your understanding of their needs.”

 

Understanding Customers: The Key to Sustainable Success

To conclude this chat, host Packer asked participants to list the roles and responsibilities of their target customers.

“Yes – it’s the CMOs [Chief Marketing Officers] and CROs [Chief Revenue Officers] that make most decisions in what we do (as part of our Inbound Marketing & CRM work) – we need to help make their jobs easier and show them a path forward to meeting their goals,” said Meyer.

“Company president, sales managers, marketing team members…we support them in their goal of growing the business,” said Koch.

“First choice is Ops [operations] because price and inventory impact their duties,” answered Samuels. “CFO understands bottom line impact. CEO is really helpful to drive the project. Sales leaders and then tech experts. Tech people see the solution as another project, don’t want.”

To give context to this question and give participants the next steps, host Packer said:

“Knowing who in the target company is responsible or influences the decision to purchase can help you secure the sale.  

Understand them, [and] ensure you address their needs by helping them sell your products into their company. 

What are their pain points?

What information can you give them to help sell your product to their senior teams?

Think about it, discuss it with your team, [and] make a strategy to include this into your content.”

 

In Review

In this #USAMfgHour chat, host Packer encouraged participants to look beyond the surface of what their businesses sell to uncover the deeper emotional and functional value that drives customer decisions. By reflecting on what customers truly buy—whether it’s time savings, peace of mind, or increased profitability—participants gained fresh insights to align their messaging and offerings more effectively. 

This discussion highlights the importance of understanding customer motivations, building trust and crafting value-driven marketing communications. It was a thought-provoking exercise that reminded everyone of the power of putting the customer’s perspective at the center of business strategy.

 

About #USAMfgHour

Anyone who champions U.S. manufacturing can join in on a new conversation each week on Twitter using the hashtag #USAMfgHour. The chat starts at 11 a.m. Pacific Standard Time/2 p.m. Eastern. Share positive blog posts, helpful articles, news, important information, accomplishments, events, and more with other manufacturers and supporters from throughout the country.

Are you interested in hosting a #USAMfgHour chat? Contact organizers @DCSCinc, @SocialSMktg, and @KeystoneClick.

To learn more about how Keystone Click can help you level up your online presence, contact us.