What would you say is the most important marketing element for your business? Not a trick question, but one that many of our clients miss. It is a value proposition canvas in our opinion, hands down.
Like Jack Welch says, if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete. It is that simple. Save your money and time.
We have found many businesses that cannot articulate how their business is truly unique. What analogy to this situation stands out in our mind?
Trying to win against your competition without good business differentiation is like trying to sail with no wind.
There are two ways to win in a competitive market:
Achieve sustainable lower cost than your competition for the same products and services. That is very difficult, if not impossible.
Deliver more value, despite equal or higher price.
There is obviously not one answer that fits all in the question of customer choices.
Value proposition canvas … what is a value proposition versus a tagline?
Lots of our clients confuse a value proposition with a business tagline. But they are not the same. A tagline is a simple representation of the brand. One whose objective is to draw attention. A unique selling proposition, on the other hand, is a business differentiation.
It is designed to be the reason a customer will want to buy your product or service. Its objective is to market that makes the product or service stand out.
The art of tagline development is to distill the meaning of a big idea into a cogent message. It should be easy to say, easy to understand, and easy to remember. What do you think?
To ensure your brand expression is impossible to forget, use the following checklist to avoid the most common mistakes.
Tagline, strapline, slogan… Whatever you choose to call it, it’s all the same. It’s the key phrase that identifies your business by capturing the essence of three elements:
Your mission
Your promise
Your brand
Coming up with a great tagline is a struggle many people face. They get it wrong by focusing on what their product or service is and neglecting what it offers.
Taglines can help or hamper your marketing efforts. They must be clear and relevant. Some taglines make you scratch your head, some don’t make you think at all.
Some, the ones that work, make you think. You know what’s insanely difficult? Being succinct.
Seriously … it’s ridiculously hard. But do you know what’s even more difficult? Expressing a complex emotional concept in just a couple of words. In other words, coming up with a tagline. Yeah, it can be a head-scratcher.
But that’s why we have a lot of respect for brands that did it right. Looking for a little tagline inspiration of your own, take a look at some of our favorite company taglines — from past and present:
See Food Differently
I see food differently. The tagline for this campaign is Sea Food Differently. I think this is tagline writing at its best: clever, play on words, and RELEVANT. They are saying that Red Lobster does seafood differently (presumably better) than other restaurants. Perfect.
The uncola
A brave and somewhat bold way 7-Up’s tagline distinguishes its product from the cola competition. Taste wise it’s not cola, and that is 7-Ups promise. A good one, isn’t it?
Snap, Crackle, Pop
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies’ fantastic tagline that doubles up as a jingle, and also is descriptive – they actual do Snap! Crackle! And Pop!
This is more of a slogan, a classic slogan example. It’s very advertising orientated – very product specific/descriptive. And the promise is freshness as the sound says.
Where dreams come true
This is just one of many of the dream makers at Disney, for they have so many elements and areas of operations. This includes Disney World to a range of other media and wonderful creations.
Disney is a dream company, while the word dream strikes similarity with DreamWorks; it works best for the Disney promise.
We make IT happen
IBM’s clever use of playing on IT (Information Technology) doubling up as IT (as in that’s it).
Just do it
Instantly, Nike’s tag line’s message began to resonate. It is no longer about just a shoe or a pair of shorts; it is a state of mind. You don’t have to be an athlete to be in shape or tackle an obstacle. If you want to do it, just do it. That’s all it takes.
The Ultimate Driving Machine
For BMW, the fact they call their vehicles “machines” shows a real truth, coupling with the word ultimate, the tagline is a well-oiled machine that works!
We try harder
This is a really strong tagline for Avis. It differentiates the brand as “going the extra mile” (this would be a relevant but more obvious tagline). It evokes that it genuinely does try harder
So, if you were wondering where to put your marketing time, focus on delivering dramatic tagline design.
The value proposition on the other hand …
A strong value proposition speaks directly to your target audience. It tells them exactly why they should purchase your products and services.
In the case of non-profits, it’s why your donors should support your organization, members should join your programs, etc.
A simple statement
A value proposition is a short statement that tells your prospect why they should buy from your company.It is focused on outcomes.
Your value proposition distills all the complexity of the value you provide into an easy-to-remember phrase that your client can easily grasp and remember.
This helps spread word-of-mouth marketing, and it differentiates you from the competition. Keep in mind that your value proposition should identify and remedy an unmet need that your customers face.
It should relieve their pain.
Regardless of the size of your business or the type of industry you are in, your company should have a value proposition. To help you, here are some guidelines to follow in creating one for your business.
A strong value proposition does the following:
Creates interest, so that your prospects ask questions and want to learn more. Your value proposition opens the door so that someone might be willing to meet with you.
Differentiates your offer from your competitors’ offers and creates a strong differential between you and your competitors
Increases the quantity and quality of your sales leads and makes the conversion to a customer much easier
Wins your business greater market share in your targeted segments
Aligns your business operations more closely to customer needs
Are you starting to get a feel for a strong value proposition?
A strong value proposition is specific, often citing numbers or percentages. It may include a quick synopsis of your work with similar customers as a proof source and demonstration of your capability.
A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services.
Its outcome focused and stressed the business value of your offering.
So, if you were wondering where to put your marketing time and energy to optimize how to win customers from your competitors, focus on defining and delivering a winning value proposition and tagline, keeping your promises, and establishing as well as maintaining strong social relationships.
Value proposition canvas example … how to find value
Where to look for value in your business’s value delivery chain?
Here are top 5 areas we recommend you consider first:
Time
The most important of customer priorities today. What can you do to keep your time demands on customers to a minimum?
Convenience and easy to work with
Ones related to customer time for sure. Do everything you can to make things as simple as possible.
Customer experience/service
Great service creates a great experience and becomes something worth your customer talking to his friends about. It is the most important element of your word of mouth marketing campaign.
Trust and warranty
Trust is the most often named reason customers say they select businesses to do business with. Good warranties are great places to start building trust.
How to write a value proposition.
New ways
New ways of doing business. The best example for this value proposition in my mind … Netflix.
A great value proposition has some key responsibilities.
In other words, especially for a small company, telling your customers to “just do it” doesn’t make picking a pair of shoes any easier.
Instead, the following items are what you should be addressing:
Relevancy
Give your offering relevancy to customers by saying (outright) what problem it solves, or how it will improve their current situation.
Quantify
the value for your customers by listing specific benefits (steer clear of “It’ll save you money,” and opt instead for “You’ll save $30/month on your phone bill.”)
Point of difference
Place priority on your point of difference, which is the reason why your solution is better than the competition in some notable way.
The heart of a winning value proposition needs to be articulated for the customer value end state … not for your product, service, or business process.
Be your customers … study and creatively infer value by observing/learning from what they do.
Do your claims surpass the value alternatives in the marketplace? Will your customers believe your claims? Does your value differentiate you in the customer’s eyes?
Can you validate and deliver your value proposition?
Is it sustainable, at least in the near term?
Is it simple, clear, and specific?
When your customers have customers, different value propositions are required for different players in the value delivery chain.
Every business has a value proposition … either implied or explicit. Implied value propositions usually mean little to no discrimination versus your competition. Look beyond your implied values.
Remember this: Information is cheap. Attention is expensive. Time is priceless. Customer time and convenience is a great place to look for business differentiation. Give it a try today.
Value proposition canvas explained … secrets of value propositions
Can you double your business with great value propositions? Just thinking what it would take is scary, isn’t it? Almost regardless of whom you are or what you do, you have bigger and often better competitors. The market leaders.
And if you have no competitive advantages, no understanding of the secrets of unique selling propositions (USP’s), you really can’t compete.
But with extraordinary, unique selling propositions, it certainly is another matter. And knowing these ten secrets can help you with building fantastic USP’s for your business.
So let’s turn our attention to these10 secrets to deriving the best unique selling propositions possible.
Secret # 1 Best value
The most useful definition of unique selling propositions (USP) is a believable collection of the most persuasive reasons people should notice you and take the action you’re seeking.
This way, it guides your decisions much more clearly and can be used as the basis for marketing messages.
If you don’t have strong selling propositions, people don’t have good reasons to do either of those.
For example, if your online bookstore has an average selection, decent prices, delivery, a guarantee, good customer service, and a website, why would anyone buy from you? There’s surely a competitor who beats you in at least some of those aspects.
You don’t have to be the best in every way. Sure, it’s great if you are. But realistically, it’s difficult enough to be the best couple of ways.
However, if you’re the best in at least several ways, you’re the best option for the people who value those propositions.
Starbuck’s doesn’t have the lowest prices. Amazon isn’t the most prestigious bookseller. Zappos’ isn’t the easiest way to shop. People buy from them for other reasons.
So, if your bookstore has the largest selection, for example, but the other things are just average, the people who value a large selection have a reason to buy from you.
You must have some product or service elements that are unique.
Something has to make you the best option for your target customers.
Otherwise, they have no good reason to buy from you.
Secret #2 Heart of the proposition
The heart of a winning unique selling proposition is the result of experiences of value a business intends to deliver to its target customers. The result of experiences.
For example, a customer shopping for an electric drill is looking for one that can deliver holes as easily and conveniently as possible. Also, one that can deliver the most multiple functions.
Secret #3 Articulate for customers
Unique selling propositions need to be articulated for customers … not for your products, services or business processes. Products, services, processes are the vehicles for the proposition delivery.
Secret #4 All businesses have unique selling propositions
Customers perceive relative value in any proposition, even implicit ones … so every business delivers a unique selling proposition (explicit or implicit). You need to design it explicitly.
Don’t let it happen by chance. You don’t win that way.
Secret #5 Become your customers
“Become” your customers instead of just asking them what they want from your business. Listen, observe and study to creatively infer from what customers DO.
Secret #6 Multiple unique selling propositions
When your customers have customers, different USPs are required for different players in the value delivery chain.
Secret #7 Span all your business functions
Look for value across your entire business. Use USPs to govern the span of all your business functions. One set for all functions.
Secret #8 Know how to employ USP’s
People won’t ever buy from you if they don’t even understand why they should pay attention to you. And they notice you only if you have strong and unique selling propositions.
The usual definition of a unique selling proposition is incomplete. It is a promise of something the competition cannot or does not offer.
It must be strong enough to move the masses, i.e., attract new customers.
Unique selling propositions, as defined it like that, are decent, but incomplete, internal tools that can guide your decisions to the right general direction. But nothing more.
Secret # 9 Demonstrate the proof
If you say, my pizza is the best in the world; will people flood your restaurant? No. They won’t believe you.
Without proof, you can’t say much before it starts to sound like marketing talk. No one pays attention. Or remembers. They just don’t believe. No believing, no trust. It is all downhill after that.
For example, I recently saw a digital marketing competitor site where they claimed to be the secret weapon of digital marketing for the most successful companies in the world.
Needless to say, we doubt anyone can take that seriously when nothing supports the claim.
As long as you don’t prove your claims, people are unlikely to believe them. And your unique selling proposition becomes of no use.
Use studies, testimonials, and common sense, among other methods, to prove your claims.
Impressive numbers can be the right choice, but they don’t always work.
Instead, a few expert testimonials make the idea credible. They can even take away the need for you to make any claims’ the testimonials can make the claims for you.
Similarly, you can use testimonials to build your products’ overall perceived value and take away the last doubt people might feel about your promises.
Many businesses don’t help people see what sets the company apart from its competitors. This always amazes us.
They are better than others, and they could prove it. They just don’t do it.
Instead, they try to persuade people with general promises, corporate babble, and feature lists. If your website doesn’t clearly tell visitors what makes you worth their attention, they won’t spend the time to figure it out on their own.
Secret # 10 Be clever in communicating your claims
It’s your job to hit people on the head with what makes you different and worth attention. Clever ways to communicate your claims. In believable ways.
When people understand why they should buy your product instead of any other, they’ll do it.
Examples of how to convert average value propositions into winners
Does your business have several value propositions that you employ? Are they just good enough or are they real winners?
And do you know how to convert average value propositions into winners?
A winning value proposition helps spread word-of-mouth marketing. Keep in mind that your value proposition should identify and remedy an unmet need that your customers face.
It should relieve their pain.
To help you convert so-so value propositions into difference makers, here are some guidelines that will be a big help:
Become your customers
“Become” your customers instead of just asking them what they want from your business. Listen, observe and study to creatively infer from what customers value
As an example, Dutch Boy Paint took the approach to think like their customers. Paint cans are heavy, hard to carry, hard to close, hard to open, hard to pour, and certainly no fun.
They’ve been around for a long time, and most people assumed that there had to be a reason why they were so bad.
Dutch Boy realized that there was no reason. They also realized that the can was an integral part of the product: People don’t buy paint, they buy painted walls, and the can make that process much easier.
Focus on best value
The most useful definition of a value proposition is a believable collection of the most persuasive best values why people should notice you and take the action you’re seeking.
This way, it guides your decisions much more clearly and can be used as the basis for marketing messages.
Let’s take Zappos for example. If you are an online clothing and shoe business like Zappos, with a good selection, decent prices, delivery, a guarantee, good customer service, and a website, why would anyone buy from you?
There’s surely a competitor who beats you in at least some of those aspects.
You don’t have to be the best in every way. Sure, it’s great if you are. But realistically, it’s difficult enough to be the best in just a few ways. Zappos decided to push to be number one in all things customer service. Doing a great job of that, aren’t they?
A growing business because of their customer service value propositions.
Secrets of value propositions.
Heart of the value proposition
The heart of a winning unique selling propositionis the result of experiences of value a business intends to deliver to its target customers.
The end result experiences.
For example,the Safelite business model and value propositionsare built around customer convenience and trust. They take their service to the customer and build trust by a super guarantee.
Customers shopping for an auto windshield repair love that Safelite can deliver the repairs as easily and conveniently as possible.
Articulate for customers
Value propositions need to be articulated for customers… not for your products, services or business processes. Products, services, processes are the vehicles for the proposition delivery.
Take a recent JetBlue commercial for a great example of how to articulate value propositions to customers. Have you seen the latest JetBlue commercial design? You know … the one with the great use of the analogy using pigeons?
Quite clever isn’t it, and likely one you will remember and maybe even talk about, right? And perhaps the best example of articulating value propositions in a commercial I have ever seen.
Utilize multiple value propositions
When your customers have customers,different value propositions are required for different players in the value delivery chain.
The Safelite business is a great example of using multiple value propositions at once. While many businesses have a difficult time deriving one good unique selling proposition, a few have defined multiple unique selling propositions.
The best brand we could find with the best multiple selling propositions is Safelite Autoglass. See this case study in the next section.
Creative value proposition employment
People won’t ever buy from you if they don’t even understand why they should pay attention to you. And they notice you only if you have strong and standout value propositions.
Have you seen this Fios commercial? If you have a product that truly discriminates you from your competition, build your story and messages on these discriminators. Several of the most effective value propositions we have seen in a while are shared in these 30 seconds.
As the child in the commercial tries to do things with his TV, his uncle has to tell him that those things don’t exist with their system. But they obviously do in the system the little boy is familiar with at home.
It’s just that the uncle is not aware that they exist since his system doesn’t have them. Don’t need to say much as the visuals do much of the talking. Powerful.
Always demonstrate proof
If you say, my advertising design is the best in the world; will people flood my agency? No. They won’t believe me.
Without proof, you can’t say much before it starts to sound like marketing talk. No one pays attention. Or remembers. They just don’t believe.
No believing, no trust. It is all downhill after that.
For example, I recently saw a digital marketing competitor site where they claimed to be the secret weapon of digital marketing for the most successful companies in the world. Needless to say, we doubt anyone can take that seriously when nothing supports the claim.
As long as you don’t prove your claims, people are unlikely to believe them. And your unique selling proposition becomes of no use.
Here is a very different value proposition that you rarely see used and yet it is easy to demonstrate proof. Toms Shoes are quirky, comfy, light and inexpensive. That alone probably isn’t enough to make a company stand out in the shoe business.
The unique and compelling part of the TOMS Shoes proposition is that they give a new pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you purchase. You don’t even have to remember the exact words. The story is what sticks in your head.
Who else cares that much? Very few.
Be clever in communicating claims
It’s your job to hit people on the head with what makes you different and worth attention. Clever ways to communicate your claims. In believable and memorable ways.
Let’s go back to the recent JetBlue commercial for an example of how to be clever in communicating claims of value propositions to customers. Have you seen the latest JetBlue commercial design? You know … the one with the great use of the analogy using pigeons?
Quite clever isn’t it, and likely one you will remember and maybe even talk about, right? And perhaps the best example of communicating value propositions in a commercial I have ever seen.
Strengthening Your VP
As you’ve probably seen from any number of conversion studies, there are a few persuasive elements you can use to strengthen the impact of any value proposition. As marketerSmriti Chawla highlights here, supporting elements can play a very important role in turning a good value proposition into a great one.
Here are a few persuasive elements that add authority to your value proposition:
People like hearing from…well, other people. It’s why customer testimonials are so effective at getting people to consider and believe your offer. (Remember, just because you’re telling the truth doesn’t mean customers will believe you. It’s your job to convince them.)
Assurance
Many companies promise the world, but if you can be specific about what you plan to offer to make sure customers are happy, it will go a long way. Instead of “Satisfaction Guaranteed,” try things like “Fall in love with it or send it back in 30 days, no charge!”
You can also offer assurance through the form of support, community, and content. People love knowing that others will be there to help them with their purchase.
Social proof
Outside of specific testimonials, social proof such as notable press features serve well for customers who might feel hesitant about buying from a new company.
You can also feature some interesting facts about your performance, or the notable brands you serve as we do on the Help Scout homepage.
Boosters for your value proposition
Sometimes it’s the little things that tip the decision in your favor. If all major things are pretty much the same between your and your competitors’ offer, you can win by offering small value-adds. I call them boosters.
These things work well against competitors who do not offer them. Boosters can be things like:
Free shipping
Fast shipping / Next day shipping
Free bonus with a purchase
Free setup/installation
No setup fee
No long-term contract, cancel anytime
Key takeaways
Just remember, a value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services. Its outcome focused and stressed the business value of your offering.
Need some help in capturing more customers from your unique selling propositions (USP’s)? Creative ideas to help the differentiation with your customers? Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
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Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed at how reasonable we will be.
More reading on unique selling propositions from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
In our opinion, trying to win against your competition without good business discrimination is like trying to sail with no wind. Nothing is more important for your business than competitive advantages … the more you have, the stronger your business.
So pay close attention to these business value proposition examples … they will show you ideas to build a winning value proposition.
I argue your business’s best value proposition ideas are the most important elements of your overall marketing messaging. A value proposition tells prospects why they should do business with you rather than your competitors, and makes the benefits of your products or services crystal clear from the outset.
Here is a short 4-minute video to refresh on the subject:
Unfortunately, many businesses either bury their value proposition in buzzwords or trite, meaningless slogans. They don’t bother highlighting it on their site and in their marketing campaigns – or they don’t figure out what it is at all!
Check out these awesome examples for some of the best ideas for you thinking.
In today’s post, we’ll be looking at XXX of the best unique value proposition examples we’ve come across. We’ll go over what makes them so compelling and some ideas for developing or refining your value proposition. You should bear in mind when incorporating your value proposition into your website and marketing materials.
There’s a fair bit to cover, so let’s dive right in.
Uber … message simplicity
State your message as simply as you can. Explicitly highlight everything that sucks about your competitor and point out how your product or service is superior.
Let’s use Uber as an example. It’s simple, yet highly effective copy which excellently conveys the simplicity and ease that lies at the heart of what makes it such a tempting service:
One tap and a car comes directly to you
Your driver knows exactly where to go
Payment is completely cashless
Everything about this directly contrasts the typical experience of getting a taxi – no phone calls to disinterested dispatchers and no painful conversations trying to explain to a stressed-out cabbie about where you need to be
It’s worth comparing Uber’s value proposition with that of rival company Lyft. The two companies’ offerings are virtually identical, which is what makes a direct comparison of the two so interesting.
Lyft’s homepage is very similar to Uber’s. However, there are some key differences here that highlight how Uber’s value proposition is more clearly positioned.
Firstly, Lyft does score some points for including several step-by-step images of the Lyft experience, helping visitors visualize what taking a ride with Lyft is like
Also, while clearly explaining the final stage of its process – paying and rating the driver – this information implies that there is a final definitive action required by the user, something Uber does not.
Apple … product design aesthetic
If you are in the product business, consider the design aesthetic of your products.
In this regard, consider Apple products as an example. As you’d probably expect from Apple, they firmly reiterate its value proposition in the copy about its iPhone range of products. Specifically, the design of the device itself, the ease of use, and the aspirational qualities that an iPhone supposedly offers the user.
This aspirational messaging is Apple’s value proposition.
I-Phone … user experience
In considering your product, think about your user experience.
Let’s continue with the Apple example. Apple knows how crowded and competitive the smart device market is, so rather than focus on a specific feature; the company instead opts to focus on the experience of using an iPhone.
Most companies couldn’t pull off using words such as “magical” to describe using a smartphone, but Apple can.
Apple understands that even focusing on the unique features of iPhone wouldn’t be enough to distinguish the device in such a crowded market. By emphasizing the overall experience of using the device, however, Apple’s value proposition is as unique as its approach to product design and aesthetics.
Unbounce … limited technical overhead
The limited technical overhead value proposition ideas come from the landing page optimization platform Unbounce.
As you might expect from a company specializing in conversion rate optimization, Unbounce’s value proposition is abundantly clear from the moment you arrive on the homepage. It is all about the ability to build, publish, and test landing pages without any I.T. support.
For many businesses, the perceived technical overhead of A/B testing is a major barrier to entry, making Unbounce’s value proposition particularly appealing.
Value statement examples … Slack, subtle and yet robust
Subtle but robust refers to an ability to be deceptively simple to use but with robust functionality.
Consider the example of the Slack product. The world seems to be divided into two types of people; those who love Slack, and those who haven’t tried it yet.
For the uninitiated, Slack is a workplace productivity and messaging app. It’s deceptively simple to use, yet robust enough for large teams working on complex projects. This is evidenced by Slack’s very clever inclusion of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab example.
So what sets Slack apart from the thousands of other messaging and productivity apps? Essentially, Slack distils its value proposition in the example above – it makes users’ “working lives simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.”
Slack’s mantra of “Be Less Busy” isn’t just a catchy slogan – it’s the company’s value proposition neatly summarized into three beautifully simple words.
The NASA JPL example is also very clever in that it subtly implies that if it’s good enough for large teams of scientists at NASA – the kind of people who put robots on other planets – then it’s good enough for anyone.
The world of personal finance is another ruthlessly competitive space. However, few have as good a value proposition as Digit, a relatively new service that helps users “save money, without thinking about it.”
Digit allows users to securely connect their bank accounts to the Digit service, which then algorithmically examines users’ spending habits and regular expenses.
It then begins to “optimize” users’ accounts to squirrel a little money away here and there into a savings account, from which users can withdraw their savings at any time.
The key differentiator of Digit from other savings apps is that the process is entirely automated.
LessAccounting … ease of use
For most people, bookkeeping is a pain. It’s confusing, time-consuming, and an utterly miserable experience, even if your business’ books are relatively simple. That’s what makes LessAccounting’s value proposition so compelling.
LessAccounting’s entire premise is built upon simplifying accounting and bookkeeping, and its value proposition is reinforced throughout the site.
The homepage’s tagline – “Make your life easier with our accounting software” – makes this immediately apparent, and as you navigate through the site, you’re constantly reminded of the product’s value proposition.
CrazyEgg … functionality and insight
Figuring out precisely how people are using your website is a major challenge for many businesses. You might think you have a good idea about your users’ behavior, but without hard, actionable data, you can’t know for certain. That’s where CrazyEgg comes in.
CrazyEgg is an analytical tool that allows users to view heat maps of how people are interacting with a website. Users can see cursor movements, scroll depth, and all sorts of other cool behavioral tracking features that let them understand how people are interacting with their website.
However, CrazyEgg is far from the only player in the behavioral tracking space – so what’s the value proposition?
That no other service provides more functionality and insight for a better price, with as little hassle, as CrazyEgg does.
CrazyEgg realizes that not everyone who visits their site will be familiar with the concept of heat maps or behavioral tracking, so they provide visitors with a friendly, accessible overview of their features to simplify what the product does.
We are a big follower of WordPress … wouldn’t consider anyone else. What is the company selling? A free website.
Target customers are people who want a personal blog or a business site. Their value proposition is a clear call-to-action offer to create a website for free.
Mint … focus on improving performance
We are always looking for valuable performance tools. That is what Mint sells … one that manages your money. The benefit is to make it simple enough for everyone. Their target customer then is obviously people who are seeking help in financial matters.
What makes the offering different from competitors? Instead of using one tool to manage the budget and another to manage bills, you can do all of that in one tool.
Stripe … the flexibility of use
Do you have software development skills? The issue with this question is the degree of skill required. Stripe uses this issue to their benefit.
Since they are in the business of the web and mobile payment software, they seek a benefit of ease of use and flexibility for developers to integrate it into a business.
They target developers who want a customizable payment system. This is clear because you likely won’t know what an API is unless if you’re a developer or work in the software industry.
What makes the offering different from competitors? It’s easy to set up and made for developers. The target audience will know of other services like PayPal which doesn’t offer nearly as much flexibility for developers.
Trello … employ visual design
Are you looking for an organizational tool? If so, then Trello is looking for you.
Their tool can help you visually organize anything. Its biggest advantage is to remove a lot of random ways to keep track of information and condense it all into one place.
What makes the offering different from competitors? It takes tasks and info and makes it visual. While Trello forgoes the colorful background and images altogether, they’re very clear about what they’ll help you do: visually organize anything.
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
When prospects arrive on your website, you have to tell them everything you offer quickly while you have their attention. If you don’t, the bell will ring, and they’ll be off to the next option before you get the chance.
The most effective way of doing this is a skillfully written value proposition.
In today’s post, we’ll be looking at 17 of the best unique value proposition ideas and examples we’ve come across. We’ll go over what makes them so compelling, and some ideas for developing or refining your value proposition.
We’ll also tell you what you should bear in mind when incorporating your value proposition into your website and marketing materials.
Here is a 3-minute video to refresh on this subject:
There’s a fair bit to cover, so let’s dive right in.
Examples of values … message simplicity
State your message as simply as you can. Explicitly point out how your product or service is superior to the competition. And highlight everything that sucks about your competitor.
Let’s use Uber as an example. It’s simple, yet highly effective copy taken from the Uber homepage. It excellently conveys the simplicity and ease that lies at the heart of what makes it a tempting service:
One tap and a car comes directly to you
Your driver knows exactly where to go
Payment is completely cashless
Everything about this directly contrasts the typical experience of getting a taxi.
This includes no phone calls to disinterested dispatchers. No painful conversations trying to explain to a stressed-out cabbie about where you need to be. And no fumbling for change or worrying you’ve got enough bills in your wallet.
Product design aesthetic
If you are in the product business, consider the design aesthetic of your products.
In this regard, consider Apple products as an example. As you’d probably expect from Apple, it is renowned for its commitment to sleek, elegant product design. Apple firmly reiterates its value proposition in the copy about its iPhone range of products.
Specifically, this includes the design of the device itself. It also includes the ease of use that has been a cornerstone of Apple’s design aesthetic. And finally, it includes the aspirational qualities that an iPhone offers the user.
This aspirational messaging is Apple’s value proposition.
Apple states that it believes a phone “should be more than a collection of features”. Exactly what a smartphone is.
It’s a remarkably effective approach. It has helped Apple remain at the forefront of a brutally competitive market for almost a decade.
In considering your product or service, think about your user experience.
Let’s continue with the Apple example. Apple knows how crowded and competitive the smart device market is.
Rather than focusing on a specific feature, the company instead opts to focus on the experience of using an iPhone.
Most companies couldn’t pull off using words such as “magical” to describe using a smartphone, but Apple can.
Apple understands that even focusing on the unique features of iPhone wouldn’t be enough to distinguish the device. This is especially true in such a crowded market.
By emphasizing the overall experience of using the device, however, Apple’s value proposition is as unique as its approach to product aesthetics.
Subtle and yet robust
Subtle but robust refers to an ability to be deceptively simple to use but with robust functionality.
Consider the example of the Slack product. The world seems to be divided into two types of people; those who love Slack, and those who haven’t tried it yet.
For the uninitiated, Slack is a workplace productivity and messaging app. It’s deceptively simple to use, yet robust enough for large teams working on complex projects.
So what sets Slack apart from the thousands of other messaging and productivity apps? Essentially, Slack distils its value proposition in the example above. That is it makes users’ “working lives simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.”
The NASA JPL example is also very clever. It implies that if it’s good enough for large teams of scientists at NASA, then it’s good enough for anyone.
Slack’s mantra of “Be Less Busy” isn’t just a catchy slogan. It’s the company’s value proposition neatly summarized into three simple words.
Personal finance
The world of personal finance is another ruthlessly competitive space. There are tens of thousands of apps designed to help people manage their money more effectively.
However, few have as good a value proposition as Digit. Digit is a relatively new service that helps users “save money, without thinking about it.”
It allows users to securely connect their bank accounts to the Digit service. This service then algorithmically examines users’ spending habits and regular expenses.
Digit then begins to “optimize” users’ accounts to tuck money away into a savings account.
The key differentiator of Digit from other savings apps is that the process is entirely automated. Users don’t have to do a thing for Digit to start putting money into a saving account. It’s a real value.
It’s value also incorporates its biggest selling point — price.
Ease of use
For most people (those who are not CPAs or accounting professionals), bookkeeping is a pain. It’s confusing, time-consuming, and an utterly miserable experience.
This is true, even if your business’ books are relatively simple. That’s what makes LessAccounting’s value proposition so compelling.
LessAccounting’s entire premise is built upon simplifying accounting and bookkeeping. Its value proposition is reinforced throughout the site.
Its tagline – “Make your life easier with our accounting software” – makes this immediately apparent. As you navigate through the site, you’re constantly reminded of the product’s value proposition.
Namely, that no other bookkeeping software makes accounting as simple and painless as LessAccounting.
Functionality and insight
Figuring out how people are using your website is a major challenge for many businesses. You might think you have a good idea about your users’ behavior.
But often, but without actionable data, you can’t know for certain. That’s where CrazyEgg comes in.
CrazyEgg is an analytical tool that allows users to view heat maps of how people are interacting with a website. Users can see cursor movements, scroll depth, and all sorts of other behavioral tracking features.
These features let them understand how people are interacting with their website.
So what’s the value proposition? That no other service provides more functionality and insight for a better price. And with as little hassle, as CrazyEgg.
CrazyEgg realizes that not everyone who visits their site will be familiar with the concept of heat maps or behavioral tracking.
To overcome this fact, they provide visitors with a friendly, accessible overview of CrazyEgg’s features. Their demo shows the simplification what the product does.
As you scroll beyond this overview, you get to the real meat of CrazyEgg’s value proposition.
Highlight reference customers
In its value proposition, Stripe makes it clear that its web and mobile payment products are specifically made for tech-savvy businesses. They know the importance of highlighting reference customers.
Its APIs and tools are comprehensive, state-of-the-art, and trustworthy for businesses. Businesses that demand nothing less.
This statement is also aided cleverly by the image of two cell phones. Each cell phone highlights a different, well-known Stripe customer.
Describe the brand
Three little words… send better email. That’s all that MailChimp needs to tell you what its brand is all about.
It’s simple, direct, and bold. Use its service, and you will send better email — no ifs or buts.
Show an effective example
A great first example is one that reaches to a very large audience. As you can see Intuit offer services like Turbo Tax, QuickBooks, Quicken, and Mint.
Their value proposition is stated under the logo in the top right-hand corner: “simplifying the business of life.”
While it isn’t the first thing you see upon arrival, it quickly conveys how you benefit using their service.
The main page scrolls between different services. Again, their showing how they benefit you with these services.
Limited technical overhead
The limited technical overhead value proposition ideas come from our friends at landing page optimization platform Unbounce.
As you might expect from a company specializing in conversion rate optimization, Unbounce’s value proposition is abundantly clear.
Namely, it is the ability to build, publish, and test landing pages without any I.T. support.
For many businesses, the perceived technical overhead of A/B testing is a major barrier to entry. This makes Unbounce’s value proposition particularly appealing.
Clarity
In its value proposition, Pagely addresses two of the biggest pain points of businesses with a WordPress website, scalability and security. At the same time, also enlisting social proof to give the company credibility right off the bat.
Though one of our longer value propositions, Pagely’s simplicity, and clarity helps prevent it from being overwhelming.
Easy to remember
Known for its link shortening, Bitly is all about removing clutter and being concise. It’s only natural then, that the company’s value proposition reflects these traits as well.
In these simple statements, Bitly summarizes its three major services that is easy to remember but also cannot be misinterpreted.
Show some wit
Apple has great value propositions for every product, but one that is particularly impressive is its statement for the MacBook.
In this witty example, Apple emphasizes how lightweight its product is (its biggest differentiator), while also speaking to how advanced its technology is.
That’s Apple, always “light years ahead” (even in marketing.)
Say what it doesn’t do
Though a bit hidden, DuckDuckGo has one of the most effective value propositions on our lis. Why you may ask? It is because it tells you what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t track or share your personal information.
Unlike bigger search engines, DuckDuckGo makes privacy a top priority It is its key differentiator, it wants you to know that as soon as you arrive on their site.
Grab attention
LegalShield’s value proposition is reaching to capture the attention of a large target audience. “Worry Less. Live More.” can speak to anyone and everyone. After all, who doesn’t want to to do just that?
They have integrated great differentiators on a scrolling slide. It shows more detail about how you might live more and worry less.
Be clever
Who doesn’t notice a value that shows how clever it can be. The Ladders is a career site specializing in high income ($100k+) job placement.
It’s value proposition, “Move up in your career” is a clever play on what they do (upping your salary and helping you advance in your career). The play also includes the desire of the visitor to do these things.
It takes great skill to capture both functional and emotional value in one short sentence. The Ladders does that flawlessly here.
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on , Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
Stop interrupting what people are interested in, and be what people are interested in. Just thinking what it would take to illustrate your value propositions in a way that captures and holds the attention of your audience is difficult, isn’t it? Almost regardless of whom you are or what you do, you have competitors that seem to do it better. The market leaders. And if you have no competitive advantages, no understanding of the secrets of unique selling propositions (USP’s), you will really have a hard time with great FiOS proposition examples.
Value propositions are of high interest to customers, more than many even realize. We have written a lot about USP’s and value propositions. They are really the key to being on top of the competition pile, aren’t they?
Before we continue, let me ask you a question.
What works best for value proposition design in your business? We would love to hear what it was. Would you do us a favor and post it in the comments section below? Be the one who starts a conversation.
To create a strong value proposition that truly differentiates your business, consider the following:
There are two ways to win in a competitive market:
Achieve sustainable lower cost (and therefore price) than your competition for the same products and services (very difficult)
Deliver more value, despite equal or higher price
A business is a value delivery system. Do you know the ‘value experiences’ your business delivers? Do you know your targeted customer segments?
The heart of a winning Value Proposition is the end-result experiences of value a business intends to deliver to its target customer segments. It needs to be articulated for the customer value end state … not for your product, service, or business process.
Be your customers … study and creatively infer value by observing/learning from what they do.
Do your claims surpass the value alternatives in the marketplace? Do your customers believe your claims? Does your value differentiate you in the customers’ eyes?
Can you validate and deliver your value proposition?
Is it sustainable, at least in the near term?
Is it simple, clear, and specific?
When your customers have customers, different value propositions are required for different players in the value delivery chain.
Every business has a value proposition … either implied or explicit. Implied value propositions usually mean little to no discrimination versus your competition. NOT a good business proposition!
We like to examine different advertisements as components of corporate marketing strategy and the use of the power of persuasion.
See: Some Great Story and Storytelling Examples to Study
We recently viewed this FiOS value proposition examples that caught our eye for several reasons we will discuss. An effective TV ad that combined traditional advertising with emphasis on creative employment of value propositions and emotion with a little humor thrown in on the side. Something you don’t see very often.
Marketing or advertising, you need to create information that your customers find interesting and worth talking about and remembering. At the end of this article, please comment on whether this advertisement achieves this goal for you. Let this community know what you think.
Have you seen the FiOS commercial that illustrates their secrets? If not, check it out here.
They do the best job of illustrating value propositions we have ever seen.
Proposition examples … the FiOS difference
Unlike many other similar TV and Internet services, FiOS from Frontier Communications is built on a state-of-the-art, fiber-optic network. This advanced network delivers High-Speed Internet, digital TV, and digital phone straight to your home. Since Frontier provides a direct fiber connection to your home, you will get a sharper HD picture, faster and more reliable Internet, and a clearer phone connection with no dropped calls.
And when you bundle all three services together, you will see firsthand the power, reliability and speed. But this description is all about the technology. That is the means and not what customers are usually interested in. They are much more interested in the ends. It is where the customer can see and feel the capabilities. The capabilities that enables the value propositions that are displayed in the commercial.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KSRb1OnsrQ
When you have value propositions as good as those of FiOS, you make a big deal about them, as FiOS has done. There are 5 critical reasons this commercial works so well:
Proposition examples logic … define your positioning
The frame of reference of the information in the commercial. In the case of the FiOS commercial, no one else in the industry has these capabilities Frontier is using for its value propositions. So FiOS subtly makes this point without naming their competitors. A good move we believe.
Interesting information, well presented, showing emotion, always holds attention, yes? Keep in mind that people don’t watch ads … they watch what interests them. Your ad messages must be interesting to your target communities.
This message certainly grabs and holds attention based on emotion, superb visuals, and great value propositions. Letting the visuals be the best influencer. People will watch, remember and most likely talk about, won’t they?
Strong value propositions
If you have a product that truly discriminates you from your competition, build your story and messages on these discriminators. Several of the most effective value propositions we have seen in a while are shared in these 30 seconds.
As the child tries to do things with his TV, his uncle has to tell him that those things don’t exist with their system. But they obviously do in the system the little boy is familiar with at home. It’s just that the uncle is not aware that they exist, since his system doesn’t have them. Don’t need to say much as the visuals do much of the talking. Powerful.
Proposition examples sentences … relevant to target market
Keep in mind that one message does not fit all. It starts with knowing your target market. Here the target markets are the young, with high interest in new technology. The young child in the commercial is a good representative of the target audience. Certainly very relevant and a good strategy for characters use in the ad.
There is no better means of influence or the power of persuasion than emotion. Hands down the best, in our opinion. This commercial focuses on emotional appeal in grand fashion with the cool interaction and personalities of the uncle and nephew. It is one secret of this commercial’s success. The focus of the value propositions helps to create emotional support, don’t they?
Both the power of persuasion and excellence are certainly important to making successful advertisements. The FiOS marketing strategy certainly has figured this out.
Remember, stop interrupting what people interested in, and be what people are interested in.
We believe the FiOS marketing strategy is a big winner. Simple, yet interesting. Not selling. What do you think?
Does this commercial persuade you to try this product?
Need some help in capturing more customers from your marketing strategies? Creative ideas to help the differentiation with potential customers?
Call today for a FREE consultation or a FREE quote. Learn about some options to scope your job.
Call Mike at 607-725-8240.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step. Call today.
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Are you devoting enough energy improving your marketing, branding, and advertising?
Do you have a lesson about making your marketing strategy better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way. Call us for a free quote today. You will be amazed how reasonable we will be.
More reading on marketing strategy from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Case Studies to Evaluate New World Marketing Concepts
How to Frame Marketing Messages for Optimum Engagement
Some Great Story and Storytelling Examples to Study
Jaw Dropping Guerrilla Marketing Lessons and Examples
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
Have you seen the latest JetBlue commercial design? You know, the one with the great use of the analogy using pigeons? And perhaps the best value proposition examples in a commercial I have ever seen.
Quite clever isn’t it, and likely one you will remember and maybe even talk about, right?
Ever written an advertisement, or thought about it? I’ve done marketing for my clients in small businesses for the past 6+ years. Along the way, I’ve learned a few things about making advertising look professional even on a tight budget.
It is a simple concept. People don’t read ads, they read what interests them. So if you are going to generate content marketing campaign designs, you are going to have to create an interesting copy. And, oh, by the way, it must be more interesting than the millions of other advertisements out there. Now that is a daunting task, isn’t it?
The true measure of successful advertising design is having customers remember and talk about the message.
Many small businesses don’t have a lot of time or resources to create ads professionally made. But that may be because they make it too complex.
Remember in marketing or advertising, you need to create information that your customers find interesting, entertaining, and worth talking about and remembering.
Does a commercial have the power to encourage the right sort of conversations? That is the objective, isn’t it? Let’s explore why this is so important.
According to Nielsen, there are 27,000,000 pieces of content are shared each day.
Statistic Brain says that our average attention span has dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds. That is one second less than a goldfish!
We check our phones 150 times per day. We check our email up to 30 times an hour. In addition, the amount of information in the world continues to double every 18 months.
All this available information and data is creating a battle for customer attention between brands, publishers, and marketers. That is everyone who creates marketing content.
But more importantly, it’s forcing businesses to think more and more as creative designers. These are designs where they utilize visual analogies to help carry their messages.
Advertising is a key component of your marketing campaign. Campaigns for awareness or consumer education of your value. So your value propositions are a critical element.
If everyone is creating content, how does a business break through the noise? How do we reach our customers in a way that engages them?
And, oh by the way, it must be more interesting than the millions of other advertisements out there. Now that is a daunting task, isn’t it? JetBlue marketing has sought to overcome this dilemma with a powerful analogy to capture your attention.
If you would like to see this brilliant new ad campaign called “Air on the Side of Humanity”, you can check it out here.
Let me explain why I believe this commercial is so successful:
A visual analogy.
Value proposition examples … create a visual analogy
JetBlue ingeniously use pigeons as a transposed metaphor for frequent flyers. Airline passengers who are challenged by business travel and crowded flights.
Believe me, I can relate. The spot shows these crowded skies full of pigeons. This is all the while as an off-camera narrator says “the reality of flying is not very pretty”.
That is an awesome overstatement. It’s a royal headache and a major inconvenience.
Here is a short 3-minute video that will refresh this subject:
They show crowded jostled pigeons on a building ledge lined up single file facing the camera.
As this occurs, the narrator says, “They pack you in there. You hardly have any space for yourself. Hey, I’m a big guy and I need some room to breathe”.
The narrator continues talking about the future situation being bleak. Meanwhile, the camera focuses on a man’s legs sitting on a park bench throwing crumbs to pigeons on the sidewalk.
With humor, the narrator says, “They throw you crumbs and act as if it’s a 5 course meal”.
Next, they show a lonely pigeon on a busy pedestrian sidewalk as people walk around ignoring the confused bird.
Here the narrator says, “I feel completely ignored”.
Then the narrator asks the question, “There’s gotta be a way to fly with a little respect, you know?”
Value proposition examples … connect the dots
Making powerful motivational messages to your target audience, as in this ad, can be very effective. I certainly agree for this ad. It does a great job in getting the viewer to relate to the issue in their own life and to inspire.
So simple that the reader will quickly grasp the motivation. Keep in mind that the analogy is far more valuable than words.
This ad make the desired call to action a part of the story.
A good emotional story provides very good connection between the issue and the company promoting their message. The ad does explain the action in the story for the audience.
And it allows each member of the audience to interpret the story as he or she understands the action and the emotion.
This is why people find good stories so appealing. It is why they find advertising that simply conveys information boring.
Experiences that trigger our emotions are saved and consolidated in lasting memory. Why is that?
Because the emotions generated by the experiences signal our brains that they are important to remember. They create a good reason for you to want to back the JetBlue message, yes?
Message
At the end of the commercial, they cut to a different voiceover announcer who says,
“Enjoy JetBlue’s award-winning service, free unlimited snacks and the most legroom in coach.”
An awesome way to engage customers, isn’t it?
What I love about this engagement approach is that it takes a customer experience perspective. A perspective that no doubt was derived through deep customer insights.
As a frequent flyer myself, I was able to relate to the spot on multiple levels. I can just imagine what the creative brainstorming design session must’ve looked like.
It probably went something like this. Let’s find a metaphor for flying. Like pigeons. Lets put them in crowded lines and jostled frustrating situations
Lets show crowded skies of birds flapping their wings. Demonstrate the food is not very good.
Throw some crumbs on the street for the pigeons. And show how nobody cares about the passenger by showing the birds on a crowded sidewalk alone being ignored.
Then ask the question, there has to be a better way. The answer from JetBlue is simple and effective.
Marketing always has been and always will be about telling stories… stories that influence behavior and convince people to act on value.
Make sure your social media content tells a story and that your story is compelling and relevant–especially your headlines and the value propositions.
Air on the side of humanity! Here is where they simply spell out their 3 point value propositions:
Award-winning customer service
Free unlimited snacks
Most legroom in coach
Simple and easy. And brilliant.
The bottom line
It is a simple concept. People don’t read ads, they read what interests or entertains them. So if you are going to generate advertising and design, you are going to have to create an interesting copy.
JetBlue marketing has sought to overcome this dilemma with an entertaining commercial as its power of persuasion.
If you remember one thing from this article, remember this:
Marketing or advertising, you need to create information that your customers find interesting. Information that you make worth talking about and remembering.
And stand for things that potential customers value.
We believe this JetBlue ad is interesting, entertaining, and stands for things viewers can stand behind. We believe it is persuasive and certainly creates the right kind of conversation.
What do you think?
Heard enough? I rest my case.
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you.
It’s up to you to keep improving your innovation and creativity in ad designs. Lessons are all around you. In many situations, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Test. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your innovation design?
Do you have a lesson about making your innovation better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way.
More reading on brands and branding from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on Facebook, Twitter, Quora, Digital Spark Marketing, and LinkedIn.
