Create a unique value proposition

1. Ask your customers about how they perceive your product, its benefits, or how it helped them solve their pain points. Record their answers, with direct quotes.

Use email surveys or face to face interviews. Look at the language used in your customers’ answers: how do they talk about your product?

2. Create a value proposition template document with sections for headline, subheading or summary, key benefits or features, and visual.

Headline: What is the end-benefit you’re offering in one short sentence? It can mention the product and/or customer. Make it an attention grabber. Subheading or summary: One longer sentence or a 2–3 sentence paragraph. A specific explanation of what you do/offer, for whom, and why it’s useful. Key benefits or features: 3 bullet points. Visual: Images communicate much faster than words. Show the product image, the hero shot, or an image reinforcing your main message.

3. Evaluate your current value proposition by answering each question below, using your template document to structure the answers, then ask a person outside your company to do the same.

What product or service is your company selling? What is the end benefit of using it? Who is your target customer for this product or service? What makes your offering unique and different? Compare both answers to identify if your value proposition is understood in the same way by potential users.

4. Identify unique product features from your user research and talk to your team members about which feature has the most value for users.

Scan competitors to identify their unique feature and find out if it is mentioned in their value proposition.

5. Write a clear sentence using simple words as the headline to include your business's end-benefit and unique characteristics.

Mention the product or the customer in the headline to create rapport with the customer. Edit your headline to remove any hype, superlatives, or business jargon. Look out for phrases like never seen before, best, and value-added interactions. For example, Trello helps you work more collaboratively and get more done.

6. Write a sentence or 2-3 sentence paragraph for the subheading or summary, explaining what your company does, for whom, and why it is useful.

Tell readers about concrete results a customer will get from using the product.

7. Draw out 3-4 main benefits from your user research and list them as bullet points in the key benefits section.

8. Select an image that is relevant to your value proposition and supports the benefits you listed earlier.

Show the product image, the hero shot, or an image reinforcing your main message.

9. Offer an incentive for selecting your company that backs up your value proposition.

Use a booster like: Free shipping. Fast shipping or next-day shipping. Free bonus with a purchase. Free setup or installation. No long-term contract, cancel any time. License for multiple computers. (Better than) money-back guarantee. A discounted price. Customizable product or service.

10. Create a webpage from your template document that minimizes elements not directly related to the value proposition.