What is a value proposition?
As mentioned above, a value proposition is a simple statement that summarises why a customer would choose your product or service.
A good value proposition can give you the upper hand over your competition, and is often what your prospects will use to evaluate your brand.
When it comes to using a value proposition on your website, it’s usually placed within the homepage header area - making it the first thing that appears when a visitor lands on your site.
First impressions matter, so it’s important to write the best value proposition you possibly can.
Writing a short statement about your business offering sounds easy, right? Not quite. Explaining the essence of your business and highlighting your USPs can be super hard.
We’ve helped a number of our clients create a value proposition over the years, though, so read on for our tips on how to write a good value proposition.
How to write a value proposition?
We all know by now, that value propositions need to be short and sweet in order to keep visitors engaged, but there’s some other important elements that you should be aware of.
A good value proposition should:
- Be clear and concise
- Define what you do
- Explain how your product / service resolves a pain point
- Be displayed on your website / social touch points
- Answer the question: “Why should I buy from you instead of your competitors?”
Seems like a lot to fit into a concise statement, right? It’s no surprise that creating a brilliant value proposition is a struggle for many marketers. Luckily, we have some pointers below that should make things a little easier.
1. Attention grabbing headline
Your headline is arguably the most important part of your value proposition. Eye tracking studies have shown that big headlines draw the most attention when landing on a page.
Present your value proposition within your heading by providing a quick statement that sums up the benefit of using your brand.
Remember to keep your headline short so you can quickly grab the viewer’s attention, so they’ll read the sub-heading.
A headline typically has less than a second of a visitor’s attention, so the first few words need to be attention-grabbers.
2. Sub-statement
Whilst a value proposition should quickly communicate benefits, sometimes it’s inevitable that more detail is needed.
A sub-statement is the perfect time to promote any key benefits or features that will speak to the viewer if your main headline needs elaborating on.
Before you start writing your sub-statement, you might want to have a brainstorming session to list all the benefits and key features you can possibly think of.
3. Visual representation
Once you’ve written the text part of your value proposition, you should include a visual element to tie together your message and emphasise your benefits.
At this point, it’s important to remember the purpose of a value proposition - to differentiate your brand form your competition.
With that in mind, a generic stock image won’t do much to further your value proposition or make your brand seem creative or memorable.
Your visual element should be used with intention, and should be unique to your brand. An image, animation or video of your product/service would be a much better option.
4. Call to actions
Last but definitely not least, is the all-important call to action.
Once you’ve caught your visitor’s attention and convinced them why you’re the best at what you do, you need to encourage them to take the next step.
Push your visitor to dive into your website by providing a call to action button.
Do you want visitors to learn more about your product offering? Tell them. Do you want potential customers to contact you? Let them know how.
5. Write a rough version of your value proposition
You’re not going to write the perfect value proposition on the first go. It’s going to take some time and lots of little tweaks.
Although this part might seem challenging, it can actually be quite fun once you get started. If you’ve already brainstormed a list of the most appealing benefits of your products or service, then these are the elements you should lead with.
Try to write the most simplified version of your value proposition first. Then you can redefine or elaborate further.
It’s a simple exercise that will clarify what you really want to say. Here’s a few extra tips:
- Don’t get too fancy
You don’t need to use lots of big words, it just needs to have impact. It’s better to be simple and direct than confuse your reader with jargon or meaningless adjectives.
- Keep your brand voice in mind
If your value proposition could work for any of your competitors, try to inject a bit more of your brand personality.
If you're not sure what your brand voice is, try speaking to a digital marketing agency who can help you with your copywriting struggles.
3 famous value propositions
1. Trello
Customer: Business teams “from high rises to the home office”
Problem: Teams are now working remotely, and need to collaborate to manage projects productively.
Solution: A collaborative platform that makes managing projects easier and more productive.
Trello makes sure to include a beneficial call to action - “sign up, it’s free” - to enhance conversions.
2. Stripe
Customer: “Businesses of all sizes - from startups to large enterprises”
Problem: Managing financials aspects of running a business, such as sending and receiving payments.
Solution: A platform that allows you to send invoices, collect payments and manage your financials in one location.
Stripe uses a clear image to further emphasise its value proposition. Like Trello, Stripe uses a call to action straight underneath its value proposition text that asks the visitor to 'Start now", as well as a secondary CTA "Contact sales".
3. Grammarly
Customer: Anyone who wants to improve their writing.
Problem: Makes mistakes when writing (grammar, spelling, sentence structure)
Solution: An AI-powered writing assistant that picks up any errors and suggests corrections.
Grammarly uses a clear animation alongside its value proposition text to showcase how the product helps, as well as a simple call to action - “Add to Chrome, it’s free” - to improve conversions.
Writing a good value proposition in 2021
If you’re looking for some help with your value proposition, or any other branding struggles, consider bringing in some extra help.
As a trusted digital marketing agency in Basingstoke, we’d love to help bring your brand to life. Contact our friendly team today.