Anyone who sells products or services understands exactly how difficult it can be to win business. You often find yourself up against prospects who are being pressured to control costs, and therefore only seem to be interested in your price.
Get Instant Access to This Article
Subscribe to Hartford Business Journal and get immediate access to all of our subscriber-only content and much more.
- Critical Hartford and Connecticut business news updated daily.
- Immediate access to all subscriber-only content on our website.
- Bi-weekly print or digital editions of our award-winning publication.
- Special bonus issues like the Hartford Book of Lists.
- Exclusive ticket prize draws for our in-person events.
Click here to purchase a paywall bypass link for this article.
Anyone who sells products or services understands exactly how difficult it can be to win business. You often find yourself up against prospects who are being pressured to control costs, and therefore only seem to be interested in your price.
So, how do you move the conversation past price alone to demonstrate your value in the marketplace, and justify the price or fees you deserve? The secret is to compose a powerful customer value proposition.
What is a customer value proposition?
A customer value proposition is a clear statement that can help direct prospects to focus on what your product/services are truly worth and what makes you unique in the marketplace.
It should explain how you will solve potential customers' specific problem(s), benefit them and why they should select your product/services over your competitors: your USP (unique selling proposition).
Once a prospect is made aware and understands what you offer, they can make a more educated decision about who to work with or what to buy.
Most companies do not have a value proposition, or they do not have one that truly impacts and motivates client opinions. I believe it is because many companies (and marketers) do not fully grasp the power of a well-written value proposition — or understand how to use one to win business — so it's not in everyone's purview.
This is great news for you, because it can be to your sales advantage to write and use one. The value proposition should be created with your marketing director or team — so that the messaging is on-point, consistent and aligns with your brand — then turned over to your sales team to use in proposals and/or pitches.
Below, I break down the three steps to crafting your own customer value proposition.
Step one: Make it distinctive
First, invest the time to uncover and understand what your prospects are looking for. Learn everything you can about their business, pain points and what their unique requirements/preferences may be; create a customer persona.
Armed with this knowledge, it becomes clear how what you are offering exceeds that of your competitors on the precise points that are of utmost importance to your prospects.
Determine one or two points of difference that will provide the greatest solution and value with the most unique distinction from your competitors.
Step two: Make it measurable
Next, you need to be able to demonstrate and document the value of your product/services and communicate in such a way that is relatable to your clients' business priorities.
To make your value proposition persuasive, you must be prepared to prove that you fully grasp their critical challenges by using case studies to demonstrate savings, value and results if they choose your product/services.
Step three: Keep it going
Lastly, you need to be able to prove your value proposition over time. This is not a one-time effort; you need to sustain and maintain your unique claim over a significant period of time.
Your value proposition should be adopted company-wide, and it should guide the way you conduct your business across the board.
Amy Graver is the principal and creative director of Elements, a Branford-based strategic integrated marketing firm.
