Building Value In People & Sectors

Prior to founding Value Based Inc., Jim founded and held the CEO position at Certified Software, the first PC accounting software certified by a national accounting firm and selected for distribution through over 7,000 retail computer stores. He also held the VP of Sales/Marketing positions in two technology and services (SaaS) companies, setting numerous records and earning prestigious awards.

However, during his tenure at these multinational companies, he found the predominant sales culture used and abused high-performing sales representatives in the sales-at-all-costs drive. To change this he, and two of his staff, wrote and developed Value Based Selling—A Consultive Sales Methodology (VBS), Value(s) Based Leadership, and co-authored Personalize—A Buying & Selling Profile Guide with Mels Carbonnel, Ph.D.

His varied background and vision for building value (in both teams and companies) wherever he went, uniquely positioned him to see and respond to unmet needs in three specific—and vastly different—sectors: Software/Technology, Higher Education, and Manufacturing.

"My goal is to foster the development and use of integrity, ethics-based sales and marketing practices in order to transform the cultures of both professions." - Jim Allen

To meet the needs of software and technology sales/marketing teams, he developed the first value-based selling methodology developed FOR software sales professionals BY software sales professionals. The marketing and sales staff of software and SaaS companies that engage Value Based align and focus on marketing and selling value over price. The result is improved top line revenues and margins with fewer discounts and concessions. And it's all done in a natural and authentic way without artificial messaging or methods. Value Based clients often use the word "genuine" when describing what it feels like to work with our team.

To meet the needs of Higher Education—a sector morally opposed to the predominant sales culture and terminology—he developed the Value(s) Based Enrollment Methodology (VBEM). This VBS derivative equips admissions counselors to express value, as they match with the values of prospective students. Most every school that has engaged Value Based has improved their enrollments (some doubling their yield) within months of an engagement. Value Based experts also to work to align college and university marketing and admissions departments with the rest of the campus by crafting universally accepted value(s)-based messaging for all to use in their communication. The result is that client schools increase their number of qualified, right fit enrolled students with little investment compared to other options.

To meet the needs of the Manufacturing sector, Jim emphasizes and equips highly trained engineers, who think and breathe Lean and Six Sigma, with the 33 best consultative sales practices. Inherent to the VBS best practices is the ability to measure, track and report sales and marketing efficiencies and proficiencies. In sum, Jim has developed a training program that appeals to the educated engineer and allows them to confidently share and prove the real value of the product(s) they sell with potential clients.

These unique perspectives fuel Jim’s writings, speaking engagements, and coaching sessions which have enabled him to affect authentic and lasting change in the sales and marketing cultures of hundreds of organizations around the world.

Jim has three adult children, six grandchildren, and lives just outside Portland, Oregon. He spends his spare time staying in shape, playing drums in his classic rock and roll band and volunteering for several faith-based organizations.