For years, SaaS companies could close deals with a great sales pitch, a few flashy features, and a compelling ROI projection. That’s over.
Buyers have changed. A lot.
Think about the last time you bought a car. By the time you walked into the dealership, you already knew about 80% of what you wanted—the make, model, maybe even the color. But a good salesperson doesn’t just confirm what you already know; they help uncover needs you hadn’t considered, like safety ratings, resale value, or maintenance costs.
In B2B sales, it’s no different. Buyers have done their research, but they still need guidance to understand the true impact of your solution. That’s where Proof of Value (POV) comes in.
After a decade of overpromising and underdelivering, buyers don’t just want ROI estimates—they want proof that your product will deliver results. And if you can’t prove it? Someone else will.
2025 is the year of proof. Buyers expect to see real business impact before they buy, not six months after go-live. That means proof of value isn’t just a solutions team function anymore—it’s a revenue team imperative.
If your team can’t prove value during the sales process, you’re losing deals before they even start.
Why Proof of Value is a Sales Imperative
For years, demos and proof of concepts have been treated as technical exercises—things that sales teams outsource to solutions engineers rather than core revenue motions. That mindset needs to change.
Here’s the problem: Too often, sales conversations start in the equivalent of the TSA security line—focusing on technical details, objections, and procurement logistics—rather than where they should: the moment the customer first realized they needed a change.
Nobody wakes up one day and randomly decides to overhaul their tech stack. Something happened. A process broke down, a competitor pulled ahead, or leadership set new goals. If you don’t take the time to understand that context, you’re just another vendor going through security instead of a strategic partner designing their perfect getaway.
Proof of Value—through both compelling demos and strategic PoCs—is what helps sales teams:
- Shorten sales cycles by eliminating doubt and hesitation with pilot programs that validate product impact in a controlled setting.
- Improve win rates by proving business impact with business case development, quantifying financial and strategic outcomes.
- Increase deal sizes by aligning to executive-level outcomes using executive alignment, ensuring C-Level sponsorship for strategic initiatives.
- Improve forecasting accuracy by identifying real buyer intent earlier through customer-centric metrics, tracking what truly matters to the buyer.
Despite its impact on key revenue metrics, proof of value is still often underfunded and deprioritized by sales leadership—left in the hands of solutions teams to figure out.
But solutions teams can only do so much without the right investment. The ability to prove value effectively isn’t just a solutions responsibility—it’s a strategic sales initiative that demands executive focus and resources.
The Cost of Not Prioritizing Proof of Value
Failing to prioritize proof of value isn’t just a missed opportunity—it’s a direct risk to revenue.
Skipping Proof of Value is like hiring a contractor for a major home renovation without ever seeing their work. Sure, they promise it’ll look great, but are you really going to hand over a six-figure check based on a PowerPoint? Buyers feel the same way. They need more than just claims—they need to see, feel, and experience the impact your solution will have before making a commitment.
Sales leaders who lack a strong POV strategy face:
- Longer sales cycles (because customers get stuck in "we're still evaluating" purgatory).
- Lower win rates (because the competition actually shows proof while you’re stuck promising it).
- Stalled deals (because buyers hesitate when they don’t see clear value).
- Unpredictable forecasting (because weekly update calls should not be shaking a Magic 8 Ball).
Beyond lost sales, a weak POV strategy creates inefficiencies across the entire revenue organization. Sales teams waste time on opportunities that were never truly qualified. Solutions teams get bogged down in POCs that don’t move forward. Post-sale teams struggle with churn because customers weren’t fully aligned on value from the start.
Making the Business Case: How Solutions Leaders Can Influence CROs
I’ve spent a long time in the world of Solutions. My fellow Solutions leaders already understand the importance of proof of value. The challenge is getting sales and revenue leaders to care—and, more importantly, invest in it.
Getting a CRO to prioritize POV is like convincing someone to buy a gym membership. Everyone likes the idea of being fit, but unless they see clear results—like measurable progress or testimonials from people who’ve transformed their health—they’re unlikely to commit.
The same goes for sales leaders: They’ll only invest in POV if they see a direct link to higher win rates, larger deals, and better forecasting accuracy. Here’s how to make the case:
- Tie POV to revenue impact. Show how current POV execution is hurting win rates, deal size, and pipeline efficiency—and how new solutions can fix that.
- Highlight success stories. Bring real-world examples of how Pilot Programs and Value-Based Storytelling have led to faster sales and larger deals.
- Frame POV as a competitive differentiator. The vendors who leverage Pilot Programs and Value-Based Storytelling most effectively are the ones that win.
- Connect POV to forecasting accuracy. Sales leaders care about predictable revenue—POV gives them better insight into which deals are real.
How Revenue Leaders Can Take Action Now
Sales leaders need to stop thinking of POV as a technical handoff and start embedding it into their core sales strategy. Here’s where to start:
- Redefine POV as a sales motion, not just a technical function. Treat it as a core part of the deal cycle, not an afterthought.
- Invest in scalable demo environments. Give AEs the ability to showcase value without always relying on solutions teams.
- Track POV’s impact. Establish KPIs such as deal velocity, win rate improvement, and efficiency gains across your revenue team.
Think of Proof of Value like online dating. A great profile and a few flattering photos might get you a first date, but if you show up and don’t deliver on expectations, there won’t be a second one. Buyers feel the same way—an impressive sales pitch might open the door, but if you can’t prove real business impact, the deal won’t move forward.
The Bottom Line
Proof of value isn’t a nice-to-have anymore. It’s a must-have for any revenue organization looking to win in today’s market.
Buyers expect more than just a promise—they expect proof. And the sales organizations that can deliver it consistently will see shorter deal cycles, higher win rates, and stronger long-term customer relationships.
If you want to dig deeper into POV, I’m diving in with James Kaikis on February 27 at 10 AM PST. We’ll unpack how leading sales and solutions teams are using POV to accelerate deals, improve win rates, and drive revenue efficiency.
Join us for the conversation—register here.
