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Value proposition is the #1 thing that determines whether people will bother reading more about your product or hit the back button. It\u2019s also the main thing you need to test \u2013 if you get it right, it will be a huge boost. If I could give you only one piece of conversion advice , \u201ctest your value proposition\u201d would be it.<\/span><\/p>\n The less known your company is, the better value proposition you need.\u00a0When I reviewed a bunch of websites<\/a>, the conclusion was that missing or poor value proposition is one of the most common shortcomings.<\/span><\/p>\n A\u00a0value proposition\u00a0is a promise of\u00a0value\u00a0to be delivered. It\u2019s the primary reason a prospect should buy from you.<\/span><\/p>\n In a nutshell, value proposition is a clear statement that<\/span><\/p>\n You have to present your value proposition as the first thing the visitors see on your home page, but should be visible in all major entry points of the site.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s for people to read and understand<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Value proposition is something real humans are supposed to understand. It\u2019s for people to read. Here\u2019s an example of what a value proposition is NOT supposed to be like:<\/span><\/p>\n Revenue-focused marketing automation & sales effectiveness solutions unleash collaboration throughout the revenue cycle<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Would you be able to explain to your friend what the offer is and how they\u2019d benefit? Didn\u2019t think so. Unfortunately it\u2019s no joke. Such meaningless jargon-propositions are abundant. Avoid blandvertising<\/a> at all costs.<\/span><\/p>\n Use the right language<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Your value proposition needs to be in the language of the customer. It should join the conversation that is already going on in the customer\u2019s mind. In order to do that you need to know the language your customers use to describe your offering and how they benefit from it.<\/span><\/p>\n You cannot guess what that language is. The way YOU speak about your services is often very different from how your customers describe it . The answers are outside of your office. You have to interview your customers to find it out, or use social media<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s not a slogan or a catch phrase. This is not a value proposition:<\/span><\/p>\n L\u2019Or\u00e9al.\u00a0Because we\u2019re worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n It\u2019s not a positioning statement. This is not a value proposition:<\/span><\/p>\n America\u2019s #1 Bandage Brand. Heals the wound fast, heals the hurt faster.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Positioning statement is a subset of a value proposition, but it\u2019s not the same thing.<\/span><\/p>\n The value proposition is usually a block of text (a headline, sub-headline and one paragraph of text) with a visual (photo, hero shot, graphics).<\/span><\/p>\n There is no one right way to go about it, but I suggest you start with the following formula:<\/span><\/p>\n Evaluate your current value proposition by checking whether it answers the questions below:<\/span><\/p>\n Use the headline-paragraph-bullets-visual formula to structure the answers.<\/span><\/p>\n The best value proposition is clear<\/em>: what is it, for whom and how is it useful? If those questions are answered, you\u2019re on the right path. Always strive for clarity first.<\/span><\/p>\n If your value proposition makes people go \u201chmph?\u201d, you\u2019re doing it wrong. If they have to read a lot of text to understand your offering, you\u2019re doing it wrong. Yes, sufficient amount of information is crucial for conversions, but you need to draw them in with a clear, compelling value proposition first.<\/span><\/p>\n Research by MarketingExperiments<\/a>\u00a0says that the key challenge companies have is identifying an effective value proposition, followed by communicating it clearly.<\/span><\/p>\n What makes a good value proposition:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Also, in most cases there is a difference between the value proposition for your company and your product. You must address both.<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a value proposition worksheet<\/a> you might find useful.<\/span><\/p>\n A key role for the value proposition is to set you apart from the competition. Most people check out 4-5 different options \u00a0\/ service providers before they decide. You want your offering to stand out in this important research phase.<\/span><\/p>\n So how do you make your offer unique? Often it\u2019s hard to spot anything unique about your offering. It requires deep self-reflection and discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n If you can\u2019t find anything, you better create something. Of course the unique part needs to be something customers actually care about. No point being unique for the sake of being unique (\u201cthe ball bearings inside our bicycles are blue\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n All supermarkets are pretty much the same, right? Well, no. Here\u2019s an example from Austin, TX<\/a> of how a supermarket can be unique.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are two articles that can help you with finding a \u201ctheme\u201d or an angle for your value proposition:<\/span><\/p>\n The key thing to remember is that you don\u2019t need to be unique in the whole world, just in the customer\u2019s mind. \u00a0The closing of a sale takes place in a customer\u2019s mind, not out in the marketplace among the competition.<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s the little things that tip the decision in your favor. If all major things are pretty much the same between your and your competitors\u2019 offer, you can win by offering small value-adds. I call them boosters.<\/span><\/p>\n These things work well against competitors who do not offer them. Boosters can be things like<\/span><\/p>\n You get the idea. Think what small things you could add that wouldn\u2019t cost you much, but could be attractive to some buyers.<\/span><\/p>\n Make sure the booster is visible with the rest of the value proposition.<\/span><\/p>\n Example<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Notice the \u201cfree shipping\u201d signs on the left and top right? Those are boosters.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s tough to find perfect value proposition examples. Probably because it\u2019s hard to create a great one. I find flaws or room for improvement with most value propositions I came across.<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m also fully aware that I\u2019m not the ideal customer for many of the examples shown below, and all my critique is, is an educated hypothesis (that should be tested).<\/span><\/p>\n Here are some good examples along with my comments:<\/span><\/p>\n CampaignMonitor<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Comments<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Stripe<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Comments<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Geekdom<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Comments<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Evernote<\/a><\/strong><\/span> Comments<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nWhat exactly is a value proposition?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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What the value proposition is NOT<\/span><\/h2>\n
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What the value proposition consists of<\/span><\/h2>\n
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How to create a winning value\u00a0proposition?<\/span><\/h2>\n
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How to craft a unique value proposition<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Boosters for your value proposition<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conversionxl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/downf.jpg\" "\\"downf\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nGood value proposition examples<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conversionxl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/campaignmonitor.jpg\" "\\"campaignmonitor\\"")
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conversionxl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/stripe.jpg\" "\\"stripe\\"")
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conversionxl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/geekdom.jpg\" "\\"geekdom\\"")
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![\"\"](\"http:\/\/conversionxl.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/02\/evernote.jpg\" "\\"evernote\\"")
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