The Secret to Growth? Deliver Outcomes That Matter.

In a crowded market, what truly sets you apart? It’s not your product features; it’s your ability to deliver outcomes that matter. Today’s customers don’t buy technology or services for their own sake; they invest in results that move their business forward. Delivering outcomes that matter to your customers is the foundation of long-lasting relationships and business growth. However, many companies struggle to define what “outcomes” really mean, let alone how to deliver them consistently.

What are outcomes and why do they matter?

Outcomes are the meaningful results or changes your customers experience as a direct result of using your product or service. Your processes, playbooks, and product features and functions may be remarkable, but they don’t matter unless they deliver tangible results, or outcomes, for your customers.

Here’s a personal example: Moles were digging up my beautiful yard, so I called a mole specialist who charged not by the hour or by the visit, but by the actual outcome: the number of moles caught. Whether they came once or ten times, the fee depended on the result, not the effort. Similarly, your customers care about results (moles captured), not the process or effort required (how many visits or traps set required to capture the moles). The shift is simple but powerful when you focus on helping customers achieve their goals.

The common pitfall: Unclear outcomes

Many companies struggle to articulate the real value they provide. When you focus more on your products and features than on what customers actually want and need, it becomes difficult for your teams to sell, implement, and support meaningful outcomes. As a result, customers become confused and frustrated, often failing to fully adopt your product, which leads to stalled progress and increased churn.

Below are two examples of companies I worked with to identify and deliver meaningful outcomes:

• A marketing platform for real estate agents: When I helped this team map their onboarding journey, it became clear they had no unified view of the real value they provided. Through a collaborative workshop with leaders and founders, we realized their true differentiator was not their software, but the premium experience, exclusive resources, and strategic coaching they delivered. By uncovering this, they were able to market, sell, and deliver genuine outcomes, not just features.
  

• A “Swiss-Army” like networking product:  When a web server product tried to be everything to everyone, customers struggled to see its value and churn increased. By defining three clear business outcomes, we aligned sales, onboarding, and support, and saw rapid improvement in adoption and retention. This included:
  

  o   Aligning Sales and Marketing to focus their messaging on the three business value outcomes during the buyer journey

  o   Streamlining customer onboarding, implementation, and enablement to quickly deliver results in these specific use cases

  o Ensuring customers deployed the solution and saw real results as quickly as possible, while still leveraging a flexible product to access ongoing value

What if customers don’t know what outcomes they want?

A frequent challenge is that customers themselves often lack clarity on what outcomes they need. They might think they know what they want, but their priorities are fuzzy or misaligned with what will drive real results. This is your chance to be prescriptive with the following approaches:

1. Leverage industry best practices: Share what similar companies in their vertical or of similar size have achieved. For example: “Most companies in your industry aim for these three key outcomes in the first six months.”

2. Provide starting points: Guide your customers toward proven quick wins. Sometimes, offering a starting framework helps them clarify their true needs. Sometimes, when you suggest an outcome, customers realize what they do or do not want.

3. Evolve Together: Once customers see initial value and gain traction, they become more sophisticated about what they need next. Be ready to support the next stage of their journey.
   

Here’s a personal story to illustrate: When I hired an interior designer for our new home, I had no idea what I wanted; I just knew I needed help. As the designer shared images and ideas for sofas, coffee tables, and side chairs, I quickly realized what I didn’t like. That clarity helped me define my vision. In the same way, your role is to present options that help customers identify which outcomes matter most. Guide them to a starting point, knowing their needs and goals will evolve over time.

Make outcomes central to your team’s actions

Delivering business value outcomes should be the true purpose of your company. It must be reflected not only in your messaging but in the daily actions of every customer-facing team. If your team members are not taking specific, measurable actions to drive meaningful outcomes for customers, it’s time to ask why. Every activity should ultimately tie back to helping your customers be successful.

Here’s how to deliver meaningful outcomes:

1. Clarify your value proposition: Identify and articulate the key outcomes your solution delivers

2. Align internally: Ensure all teams: sales, product, onboarding, and customer success work from the same value and outcome story and are leading with outcomes, not just features

3. Guide your customers: Be prescriptive: offer industry examples and recommended starting outcomes, and get customers to first value quickly during onboarding

4. Review and update success plans: Success plans are living documents, so keep them updated with the current priorities and needs

5. Regularly engage customers: Proactively check in on evolving priorities and capture new outcomes as they arise

6. Measure and celebrate outcomes: Track progress and celebrate when customers achieve their desired results

   
   

Outcomes are not “one and done.” Customer needs evolve and so must your approach to delivering value.  What matters at the start of the relationship may no longer be relevant a year later. Moreover, industries shift, the economy changes, and your own products and services keep advancing. Delivering new value and evolving outcomes is how you drive customer loyalty and growth, and profitability for your company.  

Success is measured in outcomes

Remember: Success is measured by the outcomes you deliver, not the processes you perform. Outcomes require ongoing focus, alignment, and adaptability. When you help your customers achieve what matters most to them, you build stronger relationships, create real value, and set your business apart.

Start today: Define the outcomes that matter most to your customers, align your teams around delivering them, and keep evolving as your customers do. In doing so, you move from being a vendor to a true partner in your customers’ success.

DONNA WEBER is a globally recognized customer value and onboarding expert with a decades-long track record of success as a strategic consultant to high-growth companies. Renowned for her approach to turning customers into loyal champions, companies bring Donna in when they’re ready to level up by moving fast in the right direction. Her relentless focus on the customer helps them scale smarter by delivering on the lifetime value they promise from day one. Her bestselling book, Onboarding Matters, is considered a definitive guide to post-sale customer success. Learn more at donnaweber.com.