I’ve been reviewing a lot of websites in recent times and I’m coming across a common theme.
With so many businesses online, it’s never been more important to show your target audience the type of value proposition you deliver as a business. If you don’t have a clear understanding of the value you provide, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. It’s likely that everything from your site design to your positioning and marketing will suffer as a consequence.
When your target market visits your homepage, you need to communicate and engage to them the value you are delivering on. Some questions that you need to be able to answer are things like –
- What are the problems you are solving or desired outcomes your brand can deliver to your target market?
- What are the pain points you are taking away with the products you are selling?
- What pleasure points are you looking to deliver on?
- How is your solution making a positive difference for your target market?
- What is the transformation and desired outcome you brand offers for the marketplace?
Your value proposition needs to address these types of questions. In doing so, you communicate to your audience on a deeper emotional level, addressing their wants, needs and concerns. It’s not about telling people how great you are “We’ve been in business for over 10 years”. That’s ego driven communication.
You need to be engaging with your target market about how you as a solution are able to eradicate pain, deliver pleasure and make a transformation in people’s lives.
So in today’s post, I want to address the idea of how you can create a value proposition for your brand.
In practical terms, your value proposition will be expressed as a simple statement describing which problems your brand solves, positioning yourself against the competition and highlighting key features that drive desired outcomes for the people you serve.
Take a look at Etsy for example. They provide an opportunity for customers to buy handmade products. One of the major complaints in the ecommerce space is that mass-made products lack the personal touch and specialness of handmade products. By providing a marketplace that connects buyers with artisan sellers, it provides a neat solution to this problem.
What To Include In Your Value Proposition?
Let’s talk about what you should be including in your value proposition.
- Address Your Value & Evoke Emotions & Feelings
Talk about the pain points you are taking away from your visitors on the main problem you solve. Address the pleasure points you as a brand deliver on.
Problem -> Pain/Pleasure point -> Transformation -> Desired Outcomes
You want to communicate that by having your target audience do business with your brand, they will receive positive transformation and end results that are desirable to them and their goals. Desired outcomes evoke feelings of pleasure, so try to communicate this as part of your VP.
- Include a Clear Unique Selling Proposition
The benefit(s) your USP provides to your target market holds real merit in your value proposition. Try to include at least one USP that sets you apart from your competition.
- Make It Clear & Obvious
When a potential customer sees your value proposition, they should instantly think, “Yes, that’s exactly what I want!”. Don’t over-complicate things. Your VP should be simple, clear, and immediately resonant with your audience.
- Try To Be Unique
Being Unique can sometimes be a challenge for brands. Not always an easy thing to differentiate from if you are in a crowded marketplace, with many other brands being able to offer the same benefits. What you can do is have a mix of different benefits that drive a uniqueness for your brand. This will help to set you apart from the competition.
Ask yourself the question… “What do you offer that other e-tailers don’t?”
Where Do You Communicate Your Value Proposition?
Your Value Proposition can be communicated in various places throughout your brands design, shopping platform and social media content. The area’s your prospects and customers need to see your value proposition are places like –
- Your Website
From your homepage, to your website header, product pages and shopping cart/checkout funnel. Your value propositions should be easily noticeable. Convey your value proposition across the whole customer journey.
- Your Social Media
From your posts, to stories, live videos etc. Your content gives you an opportunity to show off your value proposition, so that your audience is easily reminded of the type of value and point of difference you are delivering to the marketplace.
- Your Email Marketing
Emailing your prospects and customers is a huge element of driving more engagement and sales for your brand. Using email, you can showcase your value proposition in your communication and help your audiences to understand the value your brand has to offer.
Conclusion
Hopefully now after digesting this content, you can see the importance of having a value proposition and making sure you actually communicate it throughout your brands website, social media etc.
A great value proposition gives your prospects and customers a reason to shop with your brand, refer their friends, and keep coming back. Consider it as the hook that reels your visitors into your eco system and sets the tone for the value exchange you offer. Turning cold prospects and nurturing them into brand advocates.
So whether you’re a start up ecom store or a brand that has somewhat established themselves in their marketplace, be sure to craft a value proposition that gets your audience’s attention and gives them that “feeling” they desire when it comes to acquiring their wants, needs, desires.
