Write a value proposition for a product page

1. Collect notes from customer interviews, surveys, research, and your product team about your target buyer personas and your product.

Include customer pain points, demographics, and wants and needs for the solution to their problem. If your product has already launched, consider conducting customer interviews to learn why they chose your product over a competitor’s, what they like about your product, how it solved their problem, and what results it provided. Consult your product team to hear their perspective about the product’s value propositions, based on their competitive research and understanding of the market.

2. Answer who does the product serve and what are the product’s key features based on your product team’s research and target persona research.

Write down notes to these answers that to later refine into a value proposition. For example, Square’s customers are business owners who need an easier way to run the technical side of their business. Some of its ecommerce features that provide solutions are syncing inventory, an order manager, and a built-in tax calculator. Talk to your product team and review product documentation to accurately define the features.

3. List the product’s benefits by answering what problems does the product solve and how does the product’s features add value for the customer.

One method: Use a Before and After grid where you define what a customer’s life is like before and after they have your product or service, including what they have, what their average day is like, their status, and how they feel. Ask yourself how your product addresses each of these, using notes from target persona research and any research done by your product team. Add the improvements from the after column to your benefits list. Another method: Add so that… X after your product features. For example, one product feature is a shatterproof surface so that you can drop it without worrying about it breaking. Include the part after so that in your product benefits list.

4. Answer what makes the product unique and what does it do better than similar products or no product at all.

Instead of using vague hype, like The Best Razor, define why it’s the best. For example, ask Is it the best because it’s cheaper than competitors, or because it has six blades that perfectly contour to the face for the closest shave? Remember that some products’ biggest competitor is using no product at all, so define why the problem is worth solving with your solution. If you think your product isn’t that unique relative to competition, perform a SWOT analysis of competitors to find weaknesses or differences between you and competitors, like how Nivea found that it offers many more men’s products than competitors in the saturated skincare space. Consider how you provide better service, like with free shipping or better customer service, even if your products are similar.

5. Create an outline that includes a headline, subheadline, and bulleted list or paragraph of key benefits or features.

Example outline following CXL’s suggested formula: Headline: Attention-grabbing sentence or phrase that describes the product’s main end-benefit. For example, Casper’s No More Sleepless Nights shows the end-benefit of a great mattress. Subheadline: About two sentences that say what you offer, for whom, and what problem it solves or why it’s useful. Bulleted list of key features and benefits. Add paragraphs for longer explanations. Although stakeholders may want a more extensive value proposition with all features and benefits, remember that this value proposition is for your website’s product page, so it needs to be concise, easy to skim, and quick to understand. An alternate method is to add expandable explanations that users can click to reveal more information.

6. Fill in the outline by refining your answers to the previous steps, including what the product is, who the product is for, what benefits the customer receives, and how it’s unique.

Demonstrate the benefit that your customers receive when they use your product, instead of writing a catchy slogan or positioning statement. For example, Nike’s Just Do It is a slogan but not a value proposition because it doesn’t explain the brand’s purpose and end benefits. Be clear and use language that your customer might use. For example, instead of saying GDPR-compliant workflow application with automations and power-ups to streamline workflow for increased output, Trello’s real value proposition is Trello helps teams move work forward. Avoid wordy phrasing, unnecessary information, and technical jargon that your customer wouldn’t typically use. Quantify the value. Instead of It makes your life better, define how it makes the customer’s life better through its features and differentiators.

7. Draft at least three versions by experimenting with different phrasing, lengths, and formats.

For example, write three similar value propositions, but in different formats, like with a paragraph explanation, 3 bullet list, 4 bullet list, and 3 bullet list with longer list items. Or, experiment with the headline’s phrasing, like Evernote’s current value prop Tame your work, organize your life vs. their old value prop Your notes. Organized. Effortless.

8. Add other useful elements to your product page, including social proof and a high-quality visual to support the value proposition.

For physical products, include high-quality images of your product that show your product with a plain background and good lighting, like Apple’s product images, that show the product in context to help the person visualize themselves using the product. For services or software, include screenshots, illustrations, an explainer video, or animations to show what your product is. For example, instead of showing a stock photo of a person working on a computer, AB Tasty’s hero image shows an example of what their interface looks like and does. The page also includes a customer case study with quantified results to support the value proposition.

9. Discuss and test the accuracy, prioritization, clarity, and accompanying imagery for your value proposition.

Before testing the value proposition on your website, test if the messaging accurately represents the true value proposition of your product, especially for products that have not been released yet, young brands, or brands that want to see if their perception matches their audience’s. Meet with your product team or stakeholders to discuss the value proposition drafts. Consider conducting messaging testing through customer interviews, focus groups, or with a tool like Upsiide or Wynter. Seek insights on which benefit is actually the main benefit, whether you included all key benefits and features, and if users understand what your product is after reading the value proposition.

10. A/B test your product value propositions on your website to determine which produces the best sales conversions, leads generated, or click-throughs.