Crafting Powerful Value Propositions

JILL KONRATHAuthor | Speaker | Strategist

Jill Konrath

If you don’t have a strong, customer-enticing value

proposition, it’s tough to sell.

But what exactly is a value proposition?

Lots of people think that a value proposition is information about their

company, product or service.

That’s boring!

A value proposition is also not a glowing description of your unique services, passion for excellence or

leading-edge technology.

That’s a yawner too!

A value proposition is a clear statement about the outcomes that an individual or an organization can realize from using your product, service or solution.

The key word is

OUTCOMES!

So let me ask you this:

Have you talked to your clients about the results they get when

using your offering?

You need to! What you learn will help you sell.

Of course, you don’t have to.

But without knowing these outcomes, you’ll have a hard time setting up meetings.

Because strong value propositions jolt your prospects out of their complacency withthe status quo.

And they pique your prospect’s curiosity about

what’s possible.

Which is important because this is your biggest competitor.

Especially since making any change is more work for your

already stressed out prospect.

You have to give them a really good reason to take action.

So what makes a value propositionpowerful & effective?

• Business driver• Movement• Metrics

The best ones includethese 3 components:

A business driver is related to an important objective that your

prospects are measured on.

Here are some examples…

• Profitability• Turnaround time• Cost of goods sold• Productivity• Speed to market• Revenue• Customer satisfaction

• Quality• Returns• Reviews• Turnover• New clients• Costs

But don’t say, “We can reduce cost” or “We can

increase your sales.”

Your prospects have heard that a million times

… so you lose credibility.

Worst of all, it makes you look

like another product-pushing

peddler.

The best business drivers are very specific.

Instead of using broad terms like “sales” in your value proposition, use more specific terms such as:

• Sales velocity

• Sales conversion rates

• Call-to-appointment ratios

• High quality leads

• Sales per customer

• Sales of more profitable products

Being specific makes you stand out from your competitors.

And, you sound like you can make a real impact in an area that your prospects are concerned about.

See the Difference?

Value Propositions Have Movement Too

Because people only change if a new option is better than the status quo and can positively impact their key business drivers.

“Movement” words like these belong in value propositions:

Increase

Cut

RaiseSpeed Up

Shrink

Minimize

Eliminate

Decrease

Maximize

Strong Value Propositions Have Metrics Too

Dollars/Euros Time frames Percentages

And the best metrics are also very specific.

To your prospects, 19.7% is much more believable than 20%.

Ready for some examples?

Typical Value Proposition

We create high quality, affordable websites for companies who do business online.

Web Marketing Firm

…and your prospects delete you in a nanosecond.

Example 1: We help retailers increase their online conversion rates by up to 58%.

Example 2: In our work with online retailers, we typically increase average order size between 22 - 37%.

Same Company, Stronger Value Proposition

Typical Value Proposition

Our leading edge systems allow you to capture, manage and share paper documents digitally.

Document Management Company

Example 1: We help distributors reduce their order-to-cash processing costs by an average of 67.2% at the same time they increased customer satisfaction.

Example 2: In our work with similar-sized firms, they’ve been able to save between $3-5000/month.

Same Company, Stronger Value Proposition

Prospects who hear these stronger value propositions say,

Ooh. That’s interesting. I’d like to learn more.

Which is exactly what you want them to say!

Their curiosity is piqued. They’re

interested in what you can do for them.

And, you’ve created a fresh, new

opportunity.

Once you’ve clarified your value proposition, you can use it in your:

• Voicemails • Email messages • Conversations • Presentations • Proposals

In short, in every customer interaction.

You’ll be amazed at the difference a strong value proposition makes in your sales results!

Want to learn how to use your value proposition for maximum impact?

Download my Free Value Proposition Tool Kit Now

http://bit.ly/vp-kit