value propositions in business plan

How to write a value proposition for a business plan

Table of Contents

What is a value proposition?

Aspects that make up your value proposition, how to write a value proposition for a business plan (and everywhere else), value proposition canvas, customer profile, the steve blank formula, tips to create a value proposition that converts, take your business to new heights with countingup.

A value proposition is an articulate description of why customers should choose your business over others. In other words, your value proposition is the foundation of your competitive advantage. So it’s important to highlight it in your business plan to show potential investors and other stakeholders that you’re worth their time and money.

This guide will show you how to write a value proposition for a business plan. We’ll cover the following topics:

• Why you need to include a value proposition
• Tips to write a value proposition that converts

In a business plan, your value proposition comes after your executive summary and company description, meaning readers already have a general understanding of your business. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a value proposition describes the value you promise to deliver to your ideal customer or client. 

Basically, you use your proposition to explain why someone would invest in your business and solution over anyone else. You already know why your business is special, but the key is to make it clear to anyone who reads your business plan. 

Your value proposition is only a simple statement rather than a long message, such as Grammarly ’s “Great writing, simplified” or HelloFresh ’s “Take the stress out of mealtime ”. Both these companies tell you how they help you in just a few words. 

But don’t let the simplicity keep you from coming up with a good value statement in the first place. The important thing is that your statement answers the following questions:

• What problem or pain point does your business solve?
• What are the benefits people get from your solution?
• Why should someone invest in you rather than your competitors? 
• What’s your advantage over other companies?

When developing your value proposition for your business plan, make sure you consider and include the following elements:

• Vision – this describes the ‘why’ of your business, meaning why you do what you do. Your vision shares your aspirations and how they help guide your efforts.
• Mission – this is where you explain what you do and how you do it. Describe the strategies you use to achieve your vision. 
• Values – here, you describe your values as a business and what characteristics clients thank you for (or will thank you for). 
• Unique selling point – your unique selling point (or USP) is the distinct advantage you have over your competitors that makes you stand out in the market. It can be your price, quality, design, selection, or even words. Or perhaps you offer a highly efficient service because you have a system like Countingup that speeds up many of your internal processes?
• Ideal client – you need to know who your ideal customer/client is to clearly communicate why they need your solution specifically. Try creating an ideal customer profile where you add all the relevant information you have about your ideal client. The more specific your profile, the easier it will be to explain your solution’s value to that group of people.

There are a few ways you can create a value proposition for your business. Here are some methods you can use.

This visual tool helps you position your solution around your customers’ needs. You can use the value proposition canvas to build your first statement or to enhance the one you already have. The canvas has two components: the customer profile and the value map. Let’s look at the parts that make up each component.

• Gains – the benefits your customer expects and needs that will increase the likelihood of attracting them to a value proposition.
• Pains – the negative experiences, emotions and risks customers want to escape.
• Customer jobs – the tasks customers try to perform, needs they try to satisfy, or problems they try to solve.
• Gain creators – how your solution helps create customer gains and satisfy their needs and expectations. 
• Pain relievers – how your solutions help eliminate customer pains.
• Products and services – the products and services you provide that create customer gains and relieves their pains. 

Explore each section from your customers’ perspective, imagining how each benefit increases pleasure or decreases pain for the person using your solution. 

For example, every self-employed person has financial management tasks they need to complete. By using Countingup , they can manage their finances from one simple app and minimise their time spent on these tasks. They’ll feel less stressed and more inspired to move their businesses forward. 

If you think the value proposition canvas is too complicated, you can try the simple formula by entrepreneur Steve Blank . He noticed many startup founders focus on features instead of benefits when attempting to create their value proposition. Instead of summarising how their company offers value to customers, leaders get stuck trying to choose which features to highlight. 

The Steve Blank formula gives you a way to transform your ideas into a simple sentence. Simply write down your ideas like this:

We help (X) do (Y) by doing (Z)

Let’s look at each component a little closer:

• We help X = Who is your ideal client, and what problem or pain point do they suffer with? 
• Do Y = Where does your ideal customer want to achieve by using a solution like yours?
• by doing Z = What value does your business deliver to the customer, and what makes you unique from your competitors?

When using this formula to come up with your value proposition, remember to go with your gut. Sometimes the first thing that comes to mind is the best. 

For example:

Countingup helps self-employed entrepreneurs manage their businesses efficiently by streamlining key financial processes. 

To wrap up, here are a few quick tips to help you create a value proposition that will inspire investors to keep reading your business plan and convert leads to customers. 

• Keep it short and concise – your statement needs to instantly tell people why they should buy from you. 
• Be precise – your value proposition should offer targeted solutions to specific needs.
• Focus on the customer – your goal is to prove how you solve customers’ problems, not your own. 
• Value takes many shapes – there are a bunch of ways you can deliver value to your customers, including money, convenience, time, and superior quality or service.

Countingup is the business current account and accounting software in one app. It automates time-consuming bookkeeping admin for thousands of self-employed people across the UK. 

Save yourself hours of accounting admin so you can focus on growing your business. 

Start your three-month free trial today. 

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How to Create an Effective Value Proposition

• 28 Jul 2020

Starting a business comes with many unknowns, but the value of your brand shouldn't be one of them.

Before launching a venture, all entrepreneurs should determine what market need their product or service fulfills, and what separates their offering from other available options. Without this differentiation and definition of opportunity, a new business isn't likely to succeed.

To communicate the need your product fills and its differentiating factors, you need to create an effective value proposition.

Before diving into how to craft yours, here's a look at what a value proposition is and why it's important for your business.

Access your free e-book today.

What Is a Value Proposition?

A value proposition is a statement that conveys what a brand does and how it differs from competitors. It's typically developed as part of a broader marketing strategy and no more than a few sentences long. The initial proposition can be bolstered with statistics and facts that prove the brand's stated value.

Having a value proposition is important because it clearly and concisely communicates what customers can gain from selecting your brand over that of your competitors. This statement can be used in several ways, including:

• On your company's website to help convert potential leads into customers
• When pitching your company to investors
• As an answer to the question, "So, what exactly does your company do?"

As an entrepreneur, it's your job to be your organization's number one advocate and garner the support of others. A short, clear value proposition can stick in the minds of investors, potential customers, friends, and relatives, ensuring your brand's value isn't lost in translation.

To begin crafting your brand's value proposition, start with an understanding of the jobs to be done theory.

Related: 6 Questions to Ask Before Starting a Business

Understanding Your Customers' Jobs to Be Done

The jobs to be done theory was developed by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen. It asserts that customers "hire" products and services to get "jobs" done, rather than purchasing them based on their attributes and buying behaviors.

"A 'job to be done' is a problem or opportunity that somebody is trying to solve," Christensen says in the online course Disruptive Strategy . "We call it a 'job' because it needs to be done, and we hire people or products to get jobs done."

One example of a successful brand that's used this framework is Warby Parker , founded in 2010 by Neil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andy Hunt, and Jeff Raider.

The eyeglass company got its start when one of the founders lost his glasses on a backpacking trip. Unable to swing the steep price of a new pair, he spent the next semester " squinting and complaining " to three of his friends, who realized they had been in similar situations.

"We were amazed at how hard it was to find a pair of great frames that didn't leave our wallets bare," Warby Parker states on its website . "Every idea starts with a problem. Ours was simple: Glasses are too expensive."

This statement describes the job to be done discovered by Warby Parker's founders. They realized people had a need to purchase affordable eyewear and, after some research, found there weren't many options in the market.

"Understanding that the same company owned LensCrafters and Pearle Vision, Ray-Ban and Oakley, and the licenses for Chanel and Prada prescription frames and sunglasses—all of a sudden, it made sense to me why glasses were so expensive," Gilboa explains in an interview with Forbes .

The team decided to take things one step further by adding a social justice component to their business model. For every pair of eyeglasses purchased, Warby Parker donates a pair to someone in need.

"There's nothing complicated about it," the company states on its website . "Good eyewear, good outcome."

This satisfies another job to be done: providing customers with a convenient means of helping others. This dual-pronged jobs to be done framework proved to be a success, as the team hit its first-year sales goal in just three weeks .

Warby Parker continues to build its value around jobs to be done and can expect its customers' needs to "purchase affordable eyewear" and "help others in a convenient way" to endure.

"Because a job to be done remains stable over time, it provides a North Star in innovation," Christensen says.

When crafting your brand's value proposition, think about the job to be done it addresses. How does its value center on a persisting need you can fill in a unique way? It's this positioning that can allow your brand to provide the same value for customers as the market advances.

Related: Jobs to Be Done: 4 Real-World Examples

Creating a Value Proposition

You can use the jobs to be done framework as a starting point to craft your brand's value proposition.

Ask yourself:

• What is my brand offering?
• What job does the customer hire my brand to do?
• What companies and products compete with my brand to do this job for the customer?
• What sets my brand apart from those competitors?

For example, Warby Parker's founders could answer these questions as follows:

• Warby Parker offers affordable designer eyewear, including contacts.
• Customers hire Warby Parker to provide high-quality eyewear at affordable prices and give back to the community in a convenient way.
• All other eyewear brands compete with Warby Parker.
• Warby Parker's commitment to giving back to the community and its affordable prices set it apart from competitors.

Next, summarize your points in a clear, concise value proposition. Continuing the example above, Warby Parker's value proposition, as published on its home page , is:

“Buying eyewear should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. Glasses, sunglasses, and contacts—we’ve got your eyes covered.”

This value proposition is reinforced throughout the company's website, along with its stated commitment to social justice :

“Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.”

To ensure your value proposition is effective, consider running it by a few people who are unfamiliar with your business. If confusion arises, edit your statement to address those points.

Once you have a value proposition you're proud of, make it known. Publish it on your website, incorporate it into your marketing materials, and memorize it for sharing during networking events, pitch opportunities, and dinner conversations.

Related: 3 Disruptive Strategy Skills For Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders

Setting Yourself Up for Success

By positioning your brand as a solution to a job to be done, you can set your company up for success. Creating a value proposition is a reflective exercise that prompts you to take stock of the need your brand fills, who your competitors are, and how you provide a different experience from other products and services.

Condensing these reflections into a succinct value proposition can enable you to convert leads into customers, effectively pitch to investors, and communicate the value of your brand at scale.

Do you want to craft winning, innovative strategies? Explore Disruptive Strategy , one of our online entrepreneurship and innovation courses . If you aren't sure which course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals.

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How to Write a Great Value Proposition [7 Top Examples + Template]

Published: January 31, 2024

Your company's value proposition is the core of your competitive advantage. It clearly articulates why someone would want to buy from your company instead of a competitor.

So how do you actually write a value proposition statement that's strong enough to lift conversion rates and sales? In this article, you'll learn the definition of a value proposition, what a value prop isn't, examples of some of the best value props we've seen, and tactics to create amazing value props.

We'll cover:

What is a value proposition?

• Value Proposition vs Mission Statement (vs Others)

Elements of a Value Proposition

How to write a value proposition.

• How to Create a Value Proposition Canvas

Value Proposition Templates

Value proposition examples, value proposition canvas examples, tactics to develop an effective value proposition.

• Let's summarize: What makes a good value prop?
• Value Proposition FAQs

A value proposition is a short statement that communicates why buyers should choose your products or services. It's more than just a product or service description — it's the specific solution that your business provides and the promise of value that a customer can expect you to deliver.

Value propositions are one of the most important conversion factors. A great value proposition could be the difference between losing a sale — and closing it.

For that reason, it's important to create one that accurately represents your products and services and makes it clear why you're the best choice. However, writing it from scratch is hard. Download our templates below so you can follow along with the rest of the post.

Free Value Proposition Templates

15 templates to help you brainstorm, write, and promote your value prop.

• Value Proposition Writing Templates
• Value Proposition Canvas Template
• Brand Hierarchy Template

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Your value proposition is a unique identifier for your business. Without it, buyers won't have a reason to purchase what you sell. They may even choose a competitor simply because that business communicates its value proposition clearly in its marketing campaigns and sales process .

That said, you might think: Isn't my value prop interchangeable with, say, my slogan?

Nope. It's easy to confuse your value proposition with other similar brand assets , such as your mission statement, slogan , or tagline. We break down the differences below.

Value Proposition vs Mission Statement

Your value proposition details what you offer customers and why they should choose you, while a mission statement details your objective as an organization. While the two can have points in common, a value prop is more product- and service-oriented while a mission statement is more goal-oriented.

Here are two examples for HubSpot and our CRM platform:

Value Proposition: "An easy-to-use CRM."

Mission Statement: "To help businesses grow better."

Value Proposition vs Slogan

A slogan is a short, catchy statement that brands use in marketing campaigns to sell a specific product. While your value proposition wouldn't necessarily go in an ad (at least, not usually), a slogan would. The most important thing to note is that a company can have different slogans for different campaigns or products.

Here are two examples from De Beers Group:

Value Proposition: "Exquisite diamonds, world-class designs, breathtaking jewelry."

Slogan: "A diamond is forever."

Value Proposition vs Tagline

A tagline is a short statement that embodies a certain aspect of your brand or business. While a value proposition is more concrete, a tagline can represent a concept or idea that your business stands for. Most businesses have only one tagline that is instantly recognizable and connected to their brand.

Here's an example from Apple:

Value Proposition: "The best experiences. Only on Apple."

Tagline: "Think Different."

Value Proposition vs Mission Statement vs Slogan vs Tagline

Now, let's look at an example of a business that has all four: Nike. Remember that slogans can differ depending on the campaign.

Value Proposition: "Customizable performance or lifestyle sneakers with unique colorways and materials."

Mission Statement: "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."

Slogan: "Twice the guts. Double the glory."

Tagline: "Just do it."

TLDR; While your value prop should help differentiate you from the rest of the industry, keep in mind it's not a slogan , tagline, or mission statement. Those types of copy are important accessories to your brand, but your potential customers and employees don't choose one business over the other solely based on these elements.

Your value proposition goes deep into the problems you want to solve for buyers, and what makes your product or service the perfect solution.

Your value proposition will most often appear on your website. While you can include it on marketing campaigns and brochures, the most visible place is your home page and, if you'd like, your product pages.

There are three main elements of a value proposition: the headline, the subheadline, and a visual element.

The headline of your value proposition describes the benefit the customer will receive as a result of making a purchase from your business. The headline can be creative and catchy, but it should be clear and concise, first and foremost.

Subheadline or Paragraph

The subheadline or paragraph should explain in detail what your company offers, who it serves, and why. In this section, you can elaborate on the information in the headline.

Visual Element

In some cases, a video, infographic, or image may convey your value proposition better than words alone can. Enhance your message with these visual elements to capture your audience's attention.

To better visualize these tools, here are a couple templates to follow when formatting a value proposition.

• Identify your customer's main problem.
• Identify all the benefits your product offers.
• Describe what makes these benefits valuable.
• Connect this value to your buyer's problem.
• Differentiate yourself as the preferred provider of this value.
• Use a template to help you brainstorm.

If you're a visual learner, check out this video to learn how to create a value proposition. 

Step 1: Identify your customer's main problem.

While this will require some upfront research, you can get a head start on this aspect of the value proposition by speaking with different members of your team. Customer service reps, marketing specialists, and salespeople can fill in the gaps about what problems your customers are looking to solve by using your product or service.

For example, let's say your business sells tax software on a subscription basis and automated templates are included in the software package. Your ideal customer is looking for an affordable and user-friendly way to access complicated tax documents for their business. In this example, your business's offerings could be the solution they need.

Step 2: Identify all the benefits your products offer.

This step can be as simple as listing out every product you sell and describing its primary benefit. The benefit should be concise and focused on a single customer need.

In our tax software example, you'd list each tax template, explain the benefit it provides, and why a customer would need it.

Step 3: Describe what makes these benefits valuable.

Next, add another sentence that explains why this benefit matters to the customer.

Using the same example above, the value would be that customers have affordable tax documentation at their fingertips — something that would normally cost them thousands of dollars.

Step 4: Connect this value to your buyer's problem.

Next, pair the buyer's problem to the elements that make your product or service valuable. Do they align? If so, you're ready to refine your value proposition to differentiate your offerings from the competition. If they don't align, repeat the steps above until you find a valid buyer need and a viable solution your business offers to meet that need.

There are three templates we think do an excellent job of connecting value to buyer pain points:

Step 5: Differentiate yourself as the preferred provider of this value.

Finally, polish your value proposition to make it unique. Is there a specific customer service offering your business provides that others don't? Do you offer any additional services that other companies charge for? These elements can help differentiate your value proposition from competitors while keeping the focus on the buyer's needs.

Step 6: Use a template to help you brainstorm.

Once you understand the first five steps, you can easily implement them into value proposition templates.

Steve Blank Method

Instead of focusing on the features themselves, Blank saw the need to emphasize the benefits derived from the features in a simple sentence. By following this formula you'll connect the target market and their pain points to the solution:

"We help (X) do (Y) by doing (Z)"

Geoff Moore Method

Moore provides a template that's more specific in identifying the industry categories alongside the benefits customers value. This makes a more clear value proposition formula as follows:

"For [target customer] who [needs or wants X], our [product/service] is [category of industry] that [benefits]"

Harvard Business School Method

According to HBS a value proposition is executed best when it answers the following questions:

• "What is my brand offering?"
• "What job does the customer hire my brand to do?"
• "What companies and products compete with my brand to do this job for the customer?"
• "What sets my brand apart from competitors?"

HubSpot Value Proposition Templates

HubSpot offers 15 free templates to help you brainstorm the perfect value proposition for your brand. Not only can they help you hone in on your business's core values, but they can also give you a boost when working on your actual statement.

Some questions you will ask yourself when using the HubSpot templates include:

• "Why do you do what you do?"
• "How do you do what you do?"
• "What do you do for your customers?"

Download for Free

Now, before you write the statement itself, it's important to create a value proposition canvas.

Taking these three elements into consideration, you'll be able to make your own after you build a value proposition canvas.

Value Proposition Canvas

A value proposition canvas is a visual tool that helps you position your business's product or service around your customers' needs. The goal of the value proposition canvas is to identify how your business provides value within the market. You can use one when introducing a new offer into the market or when enhancing an existing one.

The value proposition canvas is made up of two major components: the customer profile and the value map.

Here's how to make one:

Step 1: Create a customer profile to represent your target buyer.

The customer profile makes up the first half of the value proposition canvas. When performing this exercise, you'll want to start with this section first so that their wants and needs can influence the overall value proposition canvas.

The customer profile consists of three areas:

Customer Jobs

What is the task your customer needs to complete or the problem they're trying to solve with your product or service? The answer to this question sums up the "customer job" or the purpose of your product or service in the eyes of the customer.

Customer Expectations

"Expectations" are also referred to as "gains" — in other words, what your customer is hoping to gain from doing business with you. No matter what you sell, your ideal customer will have an expectation of what that product or service will do for them. In this section, you'll use research to explain what your customers expect from you in order to purchase your product.

Customer Pain Points

As your customer completes their "customer job," what pains do they experience? Do they take any risks while they do the customer's job? Do they experience any negative emotions? These pain points should be considered so that you include the most helpful products and services on the value map side of the value proposition canvas.

Step 2: Create a value map for your products and services.

In this section of the value proposition canvas, three specific sectors help describe what the business offers to the customer.

Gain Creators

These are features your products or services have that make the customer happy. Think creatively about the elements of happiness your customers experience. Consider their financial and social goals as well as their psychographics .

Pain Relievers

In the section above, we discussed customer pains. This section will define exactly how your business will help them overcome those pain points.

Products & Services

While this section won't list every single product or service your company offers, it should include the ones that will create the most gain and alleviate the most pains for your customers.

Step 3: Determine value proposition-customer fit.

Once you've completed the value proposition canvas exercise, the next step will be to determine how your value proposition fits within the customer profile. To do this, you'll use a ranking process that prioritizes products and services based on how well they address the customer profile.

All together, your value proposition canvas should look like this:

Next up, let's go over some templates you can use when you're creating your value proposition and publishing it on your website.

We've crafted 15 templates to help you create an amazing value proposition for your brand — and pairing each of them with an example of how they may look for a real business.

This offer has all the tools you need to craft a value proposition that precisely communicates your brand to users and stakeholders, including:

• 10 value proposition writing templates
• 1 value proposition canvas template
• 1 mission statement brainstorm template
• 1 vision statement brainstorm template
• 1 competitive analysis template
• 1 brand hierarchy template

Click here to download these free value proposition templates for your business.

Now that we've reviewed the elements, visual tools, and templates — let's look at some brand examples that effectively identify and satisfy its customer needs.

• HubSpot: An Easy-to-Use CRM
• FedEx: Manage Your Home Deliveries
• LG: State-of-the-art Living Experience
• Subaru: The most adventurous, most reliable, safest, best Subaru Outback ever
• Samsung: Get Ready to Unfold Your World
• Imperfect Foods: Groceries that help you fight food waste
• Hulu: All The TV You Love

Because value propositions are typically internal information and rarely stated publicly, finding a value proposition example to model yours after can be difficult. We've taken the liberty of using the value proposition canvas and applying it to some successful companies that have been recognized by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI).

In these examples, you'll see real-world instances of customer gains and pains aligned with well-known products and services offered by these companies.

1. HubSpot: "An easy-to-use CRM."

Headline: "An easy-to-use CRM."

Subheadline/Paragraph: "HubSpot's CRM platform has all the tools and integrations you need for marketing, sales, content management, and customer service."

Visual Element:

Most companies can benefit from using a CRM — even freelance businesses and small family-owned firms. The problem is that most systems are expensive, over-complicated and cobbled together, creating challenges for businesses as they grow.

HubSpot's value proposition aims to target active CRM users who are tired of handling over-complicated systems, and beginners who are intimidated by legacy options. These users want a system that makes growth easier, not harder.

While each product in HubSpot's CRM platform can be used individually, the true benefit comes from using each hub in tandem. Instead of having to deal with incompatible software and productivity tools, you can manage all your marketing, sales, content, and customer service needs in one place. To that end, the product's value proposition emphasizes its ease-of-use and ability to synchronize different teams across the business.

The brand includes an image of a smiling woman to show what it would be like to use the product in your team (hint: it's so easy, it'll make you smile).

2. FedEx: "Manage your Home Deliveries"

Headline: "Manage Your Home Deliveries"

Subheadline/Paragraph: Sending and receiving packages is convenient and safe for individuals who want to ship ideas and innovations across the globe.

Image Source

If you own a business, shipping and packaging products is likely a significant part of your operations, but it can be a time-consuming, labor-intensive, and plain inconvenient process. If you're a consumer, you've likely experienced driving to a shipping office to get your package after a missed delivery. Both of these are significant pain points for FedEx's target customers.

With FedEx, you can opt to receive notifications about your package's delivery status, provide instructions on how to deliver packages to your home, or even request to pick up at a different location.

Shipping packages with FedEx is just as easy as receiving them. All you have to do is create a shipping label on FedEx's website, choose which shipping service you'd like to use, and then drop your package off. Even if there isn't a FedEx office nearby, you can still drop off at national retailers like Walgreens, Dollar General, OfficeMax, and Walmart.

FedEx's value proposition makes it clear that it will make managing your deliveries much, much easier — whether you're a business or a consumer.

3. LG SIGNATURE: "State-of-the-art Living Experience"

Headline: "State-of-the-art Living Experience"

Subheadline/Paragraph: LG SIGNATURE delivers an innovative product design that creates an exceptional living experience for people who want to achieve a state-of-the-art living experience.

The right home appliances can make your at-home experience easy and hassle-free — or it can quickly create headaches with low power efficiency and outdated features. In its value proposition, LG SIGNATURE targets customers who are willing to spend just a little more on the right appliance in exchange for a comfortable, hassle-free, and luxurious experience.

LG SIGNATURE isn't your typical appliance brand. It doesn't want to sell you a bunch of products you don't need with unnecessary features you won't use. Instead, it's dedicated to crafting premium products that are functional, user-friendly, and aesthetically pleasing.

Even the imagery helps you imagine what your life would be like after purchasing an LG SIGNATURE appliance. Instead of having to replace obsolete appliances every few years, you can enjoy innovative, long lasting products.

4. Subaru: "The most adventurous, most reliable, safest, best Subaru Outback ever."

Headline: "The most adventurous, most reliable, safest, best Subaru Outback ever."

Subheadline/Paragraph: The 2022 Subaru Outback takes drivers to the most adventurous places in style with the most advanced safety technology.

Subaru knows that its target audience uses its Outback SUVs for outdoor adventures. Rather than designing a vehicle solely for utility, Subaru made the 2022 Outback attractive and spacious enough for everyday use as well as reliable and sturdy enough for all terrain and weather conditions.

So in its value proposition, it makes it clear that the Outback will help its drivers go off the road safely and in style. If I were a potential Subaru customer, I'd know exactly what I'm getting from the headline alone. That's why it's so important to think about your wording, because it's likely the first thing potential buyers will see.

5. Samsung: "Get Ready to Unfold Your World"

Headline: "Get Ready to Unfold Your World"

Subheadline/Paragraph: This is everything you'd want in a premium, durable, 5G smartphone. Then we made it unfold — revealing a massive screen so you can watch, work and play like never before.

In its value proposition, Samsung effectively targets its most tech-savvy segment by front-lining its most innovative design to date: a foldable phone that can double as a mini-tablet. Even more, it solves a common pain point for some customers: owning both a tablet and a mobile device can feel unnecessary, so why not get the best of both worlds?

The Galaxy Z Fold4 attracts customers by promising a lightweight, durable smartphone with an ultra powerful processor.

Some of its premium features include hands-free video capabilities, a large screen that's perfect for multitasking, and an advanced camera that's perfect for taking pictures at night. The phone is also crafted with high quality materials that help protect it from water damage, scrapes, and scratches. Plus, its unique design will appeal to anyone who appreciates cutting-edge technology.

6. Imperfect Foods: "Groceries that help you fight food waste"

Headline: "Groceries that help you fight food waste"

Subheadline: "Sustainably sourced, affordable, and conveniently delivered to your door."

Whether you're shopping for an entire family or just yourself, grocery shopping can be a major pain.

Planning out all your meals for the week can be overwhelming and time-consuming, especially if you're trying to ensure no food goes to waste. Even if you do successfully create the perfect shopping list, finding the time to go to the store can also be a challenge.

In its value proposition, Imperfect Foods offers a sustainable alternative to traditional grocery shopping. Unlike other delivery services, Imperfect Foods' grocery selections solely consists of food that would have otherwise been discarded due to minor cosmetic and physical imperfections.

Imperfect Foods' website design further communicates its commitment to reducing food waste with its badge counting how many pounds of food it has saved.

The company also appeals to customers' sustainability concerns by delivering to neighborhoods in one trip to reduce CO2 emissions and only using recycled packaging.

7. Hulu - "All The TV You Love"

Headline: "All The TV You Love"

Subheadline: "What full seasons of exclusively streaming series, current-season episodes, hit movies, Hulu Originals, kids shows, and more."

In July 2022, streaming services outperformed cable and broadcast TV for the first time ever. However, as streaming becomes more and more popular, customers are at risk of getting fatigued by the overwhelming amount of on-demand content to choose from.

Hulu's value proposition aims to target TV consumers who are tired of having to pay for multiple streaming services in order to have access to all the content they want to watch. Each Hulu subscriber gets access to a vast catalog of exclusive series, popular movies, original content, and more.

One of the ways Hulu makes good on its promise of providing "all the TV you love" is by offering subscription bundles with ESPN+ and Disney+, which can save consumers money if they were to subscribe to each service separately. Hulu also has premium network add-ons that give users access to even more content without having to leave the platform.

Samsung's value proposition for its foldable mobile device is smart, well-targeted, and visually stunning.

You've seen some brilliant value proposition examples, now let's review some examples of value proposition canvases.

• HubSpot Value Proposition Canvas
• FedEx Value Proposition Canvas
• LG Value Proposition Canvas
• Subaru Value Proposition Canvas
• Samsung Value Proposition Canvas
• Imperfect Foods Value Proposition Canvas
• Hulu Value Proposition Canvas

1. HubSpot Value Proposition Canvas

Customer Profile

• Customer Jobs: HubSpot customers need to effectively enable their sales teams to do their best work while avoiding complicated workflows.
• Gains: Customers want to increase their sales rep productivity levels and boost sales.
• Pains: There are plenty of CRM options, but they're often over complicated and create silos.
• Gain Creators: The HubSpot CRM platform offers streamlined contact management software and productivity tools that will help sales teams do their best work.
• Pain Relievers: The user-friendly interface and unified platform offers ease-of-use and high visibility across systems.
• Products & Services: The HubSpot CRM platform includes Sales Hub, an enterprise-level sales software that's simple yet powerful enough to cater to the needs of businesses small and large.

2. FedEx Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: FedEx customers want to share ideas and innovations with other individuals by shipping goods around the world.
• Gains: Customers want a hassle-free way to return online orders and are looking for a safe and secure way to receive their packages.
• Pains: Returning a package at a FedEx shipping center can be inconvenient, and managing home deliveries can be a hassle.
• Gain Creators: Customers can drop off their FedEx packages at places they shop most like Walgreens or Dollar General, and have peace of mind knowing where their package is at all times.
• Pain Relievers: Thousands of FedEx drop-off locations across the country, receive notifications when a package is en route and inform the driver where to leave the package.
• Products & Services: FedEx Drop Box locations make returning packages convenient, and the FedEx Delivery Manager reroutes or reschedules deliveries to work with the customer's schedule.

3. LG Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: LG customers want simple, yet innovative technology that helps them achieve a state-of-the-art living experience.
• Gains: Customers have an intuitive and responsive experience with each appliance they interact with inside their homes.
• Pains: There are too many unnecessary buttons and features on appliances that get in the way of a simple living experience.
• Gain Creators: Customers can use technology to enhance their home experience without needing to read a manual.
• Pain Relievers: LG offers a simple design that focuses on the user and their lifestyle.
• Products & Services: LG SIGNATURE delivers an innovative product design that creates an exceptional living experience.

4. Subaru Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: Subaru customers want to explore the world's most adventurous places in a reliable and safe vehicle.
• Gains: Customers want to explore the land in a stylish and spacious SUV and look for advanced technological elements in their vehicles that enhance performance and safety.
• Pains: The safest vehicles are not the most visually appealing, and some SUVs aren't equipped for all-weather or all-terrain environments.
• Gain Creators: Subarus have a stylish exterior and interior with ample ground clearance that protects the vehicle against damage from the environment and advanced technology to reduce crashes and make long road trips safer.
• Pain Relievers: Subarus have a rugged blacked-out trim for style and protection, 9.5-inch ground clearance for better stability and performance, and driver-assist technology that helps drivers see better, prevent crashes, manage cruise control, and brake automatically in emergency situations.
• Products & Services: The 2022 Subaru Outback with standard eyesight assist technology, automatic pre-collision braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-centering.

5. Samsung Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: Samsung customers are tech-savvy and follow the latest trends, driven by efficiency and aspirational lifestyles.
• Gains: Customers want an all-in-one way to enjoy media, work productively, and have a fun experience all in the palm of their hands.
• Pains: Common smartphones have size limitations that strain entertainment viewing, gameplay, and work capabilities.
• Gain Creators: Samsung offers a unique and expansive design with capabilities beyond that of an average smartphone, offering the most advanced technology to help customers perform tasks to fulfill work and play.
• Pain Relievers: Samsung provides a smartphone that displays content in tablet-like viewing and displays up to three apps simultaneously.
• Products & Services: The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G folding 6.2-inch smartphone with dynamic AMOLED 2X screens, ultra-thin glass with S Penfold edition, and super-strong lightweight armor aluminum frame.

6. Imperfect Foods Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: Imperfect Foods customers want a simple and sustainable option for buying fresh produce.
• Gains: Customers prefer to have their groceries delivered rather than going to the store each week.
• Pains: Produce can go to waste easily, and grocery delivery is expensive.
• Gain Creators: Imperfect Foods sources and delivers food that would have otherwise been wasted because of minor imperfections.
• Pain Relievers: Waste is minimized by delivering area groceries in one trip and recycling packing.
• Products & Services: Imperfect Foods curated food selection includes produce, pantry staples, dairy products, snacks, plant-based foods, meat, and wellness products.

7. Hulu Value Proposition Canvas

• Customer Jobs: Hulu customers are overwhelmed by the amount of video streaming options and want a platform that has all of their favorite shows and movies in one place.
• Gains: Customers primarily watch movies and TV shows via streaming services.
• Pains: There is an abundance of streaming platforms, and customers can easily get overwhelmed with the amount of TV and movie options.
• Gain Creators: Hulu's streaming library features full seasons of exclusive series, popular movies, original content, and more.
• Pain Relievers: The different subscription plans and premium network add-ons allow customers to curate their streaming experience to their tastes and can help minimize the amount of services they subscribe to.
• Products & Services: All subscription plans include access to Hulu's streaming library, new episodes the day after they air, and ability to stream on different devices.
• Conduct research to determine the value proposition of your competitors.
• Explain the value of your products and services.
• Describe the benefits your ideal customer will experience when they choose your product or service over the competition.
• Develop a unique value proposition for each buyer persona you serve.
• Test your value proposition with your audience using various marketing channels.

1. Conduct research to determine the value proposition of your competitors.

Because your value proposition is the differentiating factor between your business and the competition, it's important to research the propositions of your closest competitors. You can use the value proposition canvas in this post to determine how each company meets the needs of your buyer persona.

Be honest here — it's tempting to focus on the areas in which your competition doesn't excel, but you'll have a better idea of where your product or service fits within the market if you key in on your competitors' strengths.

2. Explain the value of your products and services.

You're probably familiar with outlining the features and benefits of your product and service offerings. This tactic takes that concept a step further. By matching the benefits of your offerings to specific values that your customers have, you'll be able to align what your business provides with what your customers need.

3. Describe the benefits your ideal customer will experience when they choose your product or service over the competition.

When crafting this part of your value proposition, include details about how your product or service will benefit the customer and use examples where you can. Videos, photos, and live demonstrations are all effective ways to illustrate your value proposition because they show the customer exactly what they can expect from your business.

4. Develop a unique value proposition for each buyer persona you serve.

Ideally, you'll be focusing your marketing efforts on a specific target audience. You'll also find that this audience will have different needs based on their buying behaviors. Buyer personas can help you segment your larger audience into groups of customers with similar desires, goals, pain points, and buying behaviors. As a result, you'll need a unique value proposition for each persona. Different products and services you offer may solve certain customer pain points better than others, so developing a value proposition for each persona will better serve each one.

5. Test your value proposition with your audience using various marketing channels.

Each of these tactics will likely be developed internally by your team which means you'll want to validate your work with your target audience. Your value proposition will be communicated through various marketing channels like your website, social media accounts, video, audio, and in person. Test your proposition with members of your audience (both existing customers and non-customers) using each of these channels. Tools like UserTesting can help you streamline this feedback process so that you can implement changes quickly to finalize your value proposition.

We know the makings of a value proposition, so how can you make it a good one? Here's the last three tips we have for you.

What makes a good value proposition?

1. clear language.

Your value proposition should aim to address a primary customer need. This limited focus helps keep your value proposition clear and easy to understand. With just one main idea to comprehend, your audience will be able to quickly decide whether or not your product or service will be the best solution for them.

2. Specific Outcomes

Next, you'll want to communicate the specific outcomes your customer can expect to receive from your product or service. Will they save time? Demonstrate how. Will their workflow become more manageable? Show a before and after workflow diagram. The specific outcomes will be critical components of your value proposition as they'll exemplify exactly how your customers will use your solution to solve their problems.

3. Points of Differentiation

Not only are your potential customers evaluating your business's offerings based on their own needs, but they're also comparing what you offer against competitors. As a result, your value proposition will need to include detailed points of differentiation. These key points will help customers understand exactly what sets your company apart.

Value Proposition Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a value proposition? To effectively communicate the unique value and benefits that a product or service offers to its target customers to differentiate it from the competition and attract or retain customers.

What if the value proposition fails? If the value proposition fails, it can result in difficulties attracting and retaining customers, losing market share to competitors, and ultimately impacting the product's or service's success and sustainability.

Can you change your value proposition? Yes, a company can change its value proposition by identifying and addressing customer pain points or needs, modifying its product or service offerings, and effectively communicating the new value to its target audience.

Compose a Remarkable Value Proposition

The factors that influence a potential customer to become a loyal customer are limited. Whether your industry has a lot of opportunities to differentiate (like retail) or virtually no unique identifiers (like dairy), you'll find that a value proposition will help you understand your ideal customer and position your business as the best solution for their needs. Use the tactics, tips, framework, and examples in this post to craft your unique value proposition.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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15 free value proposition templates to help you brainstorm, write, and promote your value prop.

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What Is a Value Proposition?

Understanding value propositions, special considerations, frequently asked questions.

• Value Proposition FAQs
• Business Essentials

Value Proposition: How to Write It With Examples

A value proposition in marketing is a concise statement of the benefits that a company is delivering to customers who buy its products or services. It serves as a declaration of intent, both inside the company and in the marketplace.

The term value proposition is believed to have first appeared in a McKinsey & Co. industry research paper in 1988, which defined it as "a clear, simple statement of the benefits, both tangible and intangible, that the company will provide, along with the approximate price it will charge each customer segment for those benefits."

Key Takeaways

• A company's value proposition tells a customer the number one reason why a product or service is best suited for that particular customer.
• A value proposition should be communicated to customers directly, either via the company's website or other marketing or advertising materials.
• Value propositions can follow different formats, as long as they are "on brand," unique, and specific to the company in question.
• A successful value proposition should be persuasive and help turn a prospect into a paying customer.

Investopedia / NoNo Flores

A value proposition stands as a promise by a company to a customer or market segment . The proposition is an easy-to-understand reason why a customer should buy a product or service from that particular business. A value proposition should clearly explain how a product fills a need, communicate the specifics of its added benefit, and state the reason why it's better than similar products on the market. The ideal value proposition is to-the-point and appeals to a customer's strongest decision-making drivers.

Companies use this statement to target customers who will benefit most from using the company's products, and this helps maintain a company's economic moat . An economic moat is a competitive advantage. The moat analogy—coined by super-investor  Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway—states that the wider the moat, the bigger and more resilient the firm is to competition.

A great value proposition demonstrates what a brand has to offer a customer that no other competitor has and how a service or product fulfills a need that no other company is able to fill.

Components of a Value Proposition

A company's value proposition communicates the number one reason why a product or service is best suited for a customer segment. Therefore, it should always be displayed prominently on a company's website and in other consumer touch points. It also must be intuitive, so that a customer can read or hear the value proposition and understand the delivered value without needing further explanation.

Value propositions that stand out tend to make use of a particular structure. A successful value proposition typically has a strong, clear headline that communicates the delivered benefit to the consumer. The headline should be a single memorable sentence, phrase, or even a tagline. It frequently incorporates catchy slogans that become part of successful advertising campaigns .

Often a subheadline will be provided underneath the main headline, expanding on the explanation of the delivered value and giving a specific example of why the product or service is superior to others the consumer has in mind. The subheading can be a short paragraph and is typically between two and three sentences long. The subheading is a way to highlight the key features or benefits of the products and often benefits from the inclusion of bullet points or another means of highlighting standout details.

This kind of structure allows consumers to scan the value proposition quickly and pick up on product features. Added visuals increase the ease of communication between business and consumer. In order to craft a strong value proposition, companies will often conduct market research to determine which messages resonate the best with their customers.

Value propositions can follow different formats as long as they are unique to the company and to the consumers the company services. All effective value propositions are easy to understand and demonstrate specific results for a customer using a product or service. They differentiate a product or service from any competition, avoid overused marketing buzzwords , and communicate value within a short amount of time.

For a value proposition to effectively turn a prospect into a paying customer, it should clearly identify who the customers are, what their main problems are, and how the company's product or service is the ideal solution to help them solve their problem.

What Is the Purpose of a Value Proposition?

A value proposition is meant to convince stakeholders, investors, or customers that a company or its products or services are worthwhile. If the value proposition is weak or unconvincing it may be difficult to attract investment and consumer demand.

What Is an Employee Value Proposition?

An employee value proposition (EVP) applies to the job market. Here, a company that is hiring will try to frame itself as a good place to work, offering not only monetary compensation but also a range of benefits, perks, and a productive environment. In return, the job candidate will need to convince the hiring company that they have the appropriate skills, experience, demeanor, and ambition to succeed.

What Happens if a Value Proposition Fails?

If a company cannot convince others that it has value or that its products or services or valuable, it will lose profitability and access to capital and may ultimately go out of business.

Lanning, Michael J., and Edward G. Michaels. "A business is a value delivery system."  McKinsey staff paper  No. 41. July, 1988.

CNBC Warren Buffett Archive. " Morning Session - 1995 Meeting ."

Alexander Osterwalder et al. " Value proposition design: How to create products and services customers want. Vol. 2." John Wiley & Sons, 2015.

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How to Write a Value Proposition (+ 6 Modern Examples)

Leaders often work tirelessly to improve their company’s product or service, thinking that it’s the most valuable role they can play. But for your business to “click” with your target audience, you need to stay just as close to your customers as you do to your offerings.

The details of customers’ needs and wants should be just as familiar to you as the features of your product or the details of the service that you provide. A value proposition serves as the bridge between these two aspects of your work. It’s a mantra that unites the two halves of the whole business.

We’ve demystified the nuts and bolts of how to write a value proposition, complete with examples, so you can ensure that all your hard work manifests in value for your customers every day.

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What is a value proposition?

A value proposition is a simple statement that summarizes why a customer would choose your product or service. It communicates the clearest benefit that customers receive by giving you their business. Every value proposition should speak to a customer’s challenge and make the case for your company as the problem-solver.

A great value proposition may highlight what makes you different from competitors, but it should always focus on how customers define your value . Likewise, conversations around brand strategy and taglines should stem from a value proposition, but they aren’t one and the same.

You may be wondering: Why bother learning how to write a value proposition? It’s like investing in the foundation of a house. You may not see the foundation, but everything you do see — and the long-term safety and security of your home — rest on it having a strong place to start from.

How to write a value proposition: 3 options

If you’re intentional about creating a value proposition, it can help clarify the way forward for your entire company. However, including too many voices early on can water down your intent in an effort to make everyone happy, and, ironically, the results won’t work for anyone.

Rather than get everyone involved, start with a small group of people (no more than three) who can set aside the time to hone a few compelling options.

Here’s how to write a value proposition three different ways, from complex mapping to a simple formula. Start with one or try all three in a workshop to refine your ideas with greater precision.

1. Map out a value proposition canvas

Peter Thomson’s value proposition canvas explores the different components of a company that contribute to a strong value proposition. Thomson believes that a process like this can help team members get to “minimum viable clarity,” which can be whittled down into a one-sentence value proposition.

Thomson calls a value proposition “a crunch point between business strategy and brand strategy,” and he created a model that syncs the two strategies. There are seven areas to explore, each of which takes up a section in the map:

When you explore each section of the canvas, do so from the perspective of the customer. While writing out the benefits of your product, imagine how it increases pleasure or decreases pain for the person using it. Approach the features and the experience that way, too: How do the features make the customer’s life better? How does the product experience make a customer feel?

Next, you’ll dive into the customer’s wants (emotional drivers), needs (rational motivators), and fears (undesired outcomes). Remember that even when consumers are making purchases or investments on behalf of a company, they can still be guided by emotions .

In particular, try to understand whether a product or service affects a buyer’s perceived likelihood of failure, their anxiety, or their reputation at work. You can use Bain & Company’s 30 “ Elements of Value ” and its B2B counterparts as a roadmap for articulating the ways your company gives the customer value within this context.

2. Ask Harvard Business School’s essential questions

Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy & Competitiveness simplified how to write a value proposition with just three prompts. Just as Thomson does, Harvard argues that a value proposition serves as the connection between a company and its customers:

“While the value chain focuses internally on operations, the value proposition is the element of strategy that looks outward at customers, at the demand side of the business. Strategy is fundamentally integrative, bringing the demand and supply sides together.”

To create an integrated, cohesive value proposition, start by brainstorming as a group around these three questions:

Which customers are you going to serve?

Which needs are you going to meet?

What relative price will provide acceptable value for customers and acceptable profitability for the customer?

Depending on your product and service, it may make sense for you to start with the first or second question in the list. Together, all three create a triangle that can lead you closer to a succinct value proposition.

As you move through the exercise, consider which one is the primary “leg” of the triangle. For example, is the greatest value that you offer in cost savings? Or is it that you’re offering a better product or experience at a premium?

Also, think about whether your company is expanding the market by meeting a need that hasn’t been realized. Harvard’s experts use a great example — the iPad. Apple created a new demand that hadn’t existed before the technology hit the market.

3. Try the Steve Blank formula to distill your insights

Steve Blank , a former Google employee who runs the Lean Startup Circle , noticed that many startup founders emphasize features instead of benefits when they try to transform more detailed insights into a succinct value proposition. Instead of summarizing how a company offers value to customers, leaders often get stuck in the weeds.

Blank saw the need for a simple formula to transform a brainstorm into a simple sentence. We love distilling more detailed insights with his method:

We help (X) do (Y) by doing (Z).

Use Blank's intuitive template to come up with your own value proposition. Remember that the first thing that comes to mind may be the best. Your gut instinct could be spot on here, and that’s what makes this simple solution so valuable.

Here’s my value proposition for my copywriting business, for example:

I help marketing teams to resonate with their target audiences by communicating with clarity and compassion.

Your local coffee shop may have a value proposition that’s similar to this one:

We help our local customers to feel good and do good by fueling them up with artisanal coffee in a community-focused space.

Although you may have brainstormed as a group with the other two methods, this time, ask team members to complete this exercise individually. Comparing and contrasting answers afterward can yield helpful insights about each person’s priorities.

Most importantly, as you draft your value proposition, use the language your customers use. At Help Scout, we say things like “emails slipping through the cracks,” because that’s what our customers say about the problem we help solve. If you don’t write your value proposition the way your customers would write it, there will be a big gap between what you say and what they hear. When you use their voice, you cut through the noise.

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6 value proposition examples

Beyond grasping how to write a value proposition, it helps to see how a strong statement influences and infuses a company’s strategy. Because value proposition examples aren’t necessarily the same thing as brand copywriting , we don’t have access to the exact words a company uses internally.

However, if a company does a great job situating their value proposition within the market, you can tell because their message resonates far and wide. Here are six modern value proposition examples that will help you to understand how value propositions can help you break into a market or create a new one.

Slack is a collaboration tool for teams with a simple, easy-to-use platform and instant message capability. The platform is equally beloved by enterprise teams and scrappy startups for its ability to keep work flowing, no matter the everyday barriers or the complexity of a project.

Everything that the company does hinges on their value proposition: Slack saves time by tearing down communication and systems silos. Their product aspires to take the pain out of working together online — and maybe even make it fun. That’s something no other product has tried or claimed to do.

Because they’ve built such a powerful value proposition, Slack is perceived as an enjoyable alternative to the dreaded email inbox and other tools. Their approach works. Slack is the fastest-growing SaaS startup ever, and it’s used by 77% of Fortune 500 companies.

Despite this legendary growth, Slack famously said it was a business with a pared-down sales team, which is only possible because of the foundation they set with a formidable value proposition.

2. Bloom & Wild

Bloom & Wild is an online flower delivery company that simplifies the process of ordering and receiving luxury flowers. Aron Gelbard, founder and CEO, explained their value proposition in their 2017 funding announcement: “We’re enabling [our customers) to order flowers and gifts from the palm of their hand with better product, designs and payments.”

Bloom & Wild makes it possible for customers to deliver flowers in under a minute using their smartphone or computer; going from thought to action is almost instantaneous. As Gelbard says, “Our mission is to make sending and receiving flowers a joy, using technology to turn emotions into an action in the simplest and most beautiful way possible.”

The flowers are just as simple to receive. They’re packed in flat boxes so they can be delivered through letterboxes (or mailboxes) so there’s no need for someone to be on hand to receive them, and they’re sent as closed flower buds for a longer bloom.

While many companies deliver flowers, Bloom & Wild differentiates itself by offering a smooth customer experience for everyone, as well as competitive pricing, with significantly cheaper blooms than average.

Bloom & Wild communicates its value proposition so clearly that its customers perform much of the hard task of marketing for them through word-of-mouth referrals.

When Airbnb began to disrupt the hospitality industry, it needed to market to two separate groups: guests who wanted a place to stay and hosts who wanted to rent out their spaces. Their two-in-one value proposition: Travelers benefit from a truly local experience and hosts benefit from extra income.

In their own words, “Airbnb exists to create a world where anyone can belong anywhere, providing healthy travel that is local, authentic, diverse, inclusive and sustainable.”

Their rooms often have more character than hotels, and they’re usually located in neighborhoods people live in. Guests learn from local knowledge shared by hosts and feel at home wherever they go. These different sources of value wrap together into Airbnb’s tagline: Belong Anywhere.

As a business goes through different stages of growth, its value proposition is likely to change, too. Originally marketed as much cheaper than staying in a hotel, Airbnb has now become an experience-driven, mainstream staple with a premium wing called “Airbnb Plus,” with its own value proposition.

4. Fjällräven

The classic Swedish outdoor clothing and equipment company Fjällräven was founded by Åke Nordin in 1960. He designed functional (and warm) products for professional researchers taking expeditions into northern Scandinavia.

Now, the 60-year-old brand is experiencing a resurgence amongst younger generations across Europe and North America. Their core proposition is that they sell high-quality, sustainably made products that balance form and function. Yes, customers look great wearing their backpacks and they can still hike up a mountain in the middle of winter.

Their commitment to sustainable business practices appeals to the same conscious consumers who value the outdoors, which fortifies their value proposition. Fjällräven manufactures many of its own products using its own G-1000 material, as well as its own Greenland Wax, contributing to its value proposition of offering quality and durability.

Because they “craft products for a lifetime of memories,” customers are more than willing to pay their premium prices.

5. Juniper Print Shop

When Jenny Komenda launched her first blog, Little Green Notebook, in 2007, she was a young designer sharing her DIY projects with the world. An entrepreneur at heart, Komenda evolved her skillset and online following into another award-winning blog, Juniper Home, and its beloved counterpart, Juniper Print Shop .

Komenda built a cohesive brand that championed affordable design and spoke to a key value proposition that motivated her customers: helping non-designers create a beautiful home without breaking the bank.

Her content answers this question in thousands of different ways, and the new arm of her business offers a simple fix for finding affordable art — one of the most difficult challenges along the way. She launched a print shop featuring the work of women artists and photographers with simple digital downloads and physical prints that are cost-effective and easy to install.

Juniper’s value proposition comes to life in the details of the print shop — from links to affordable IKEA frames — and Jenny’s one-of-a-kind suggestions (buy a vintage frame, invest in a custom mat).

6. Found My Animal

Found My Animal is a company for rescue dogs and their owners. In 2006, Bethany Obrecht and Anna Conway met by coincidence — they both had rescue dogs named Walter, and they quickly became friends.

Their shared interest in crafts (and a fisherman relative) led the two dog moms to design and create leashes from nautical rope that withstand hundreds of pounds of pull. Each leash has a brass tag with the word “FOUND” written on it in simple font.

The company has since expanded their product lines to include other dog accessories and supplies like dog beds, totes, and toys.

Found My Animal’s value proposition is simple: Support a company that donates a portion of its profits to animal rescue groups by outfitting your own rescue in quality products. The company has given money (and leashes) to over 64 nonprofit organizations that help abandoned or neglected pets, so customers know their purchases are making a difference.

This value proposition is baked into every aspect of Found My Animal, especially their marketing. Their team features rescue dogs in need of homes front and center on their website and their social media accounts. Plus, their social media tag #foundmyanimal brings awareness to animal adoption.

They even launched The Rescue Orange Project: A buy-one-donate-one leash program. For dog owners who are as devoted to rescuing other pups as they are to their own, buying from this company is a no-brainer.

The best value propositions evolve with your customers

Now that you can answer the question “What is a value proposition?” a few different ways, you’re ready to get to work. Even if you already have a value proposition in place, consider carving out the time to revisit it.

As customers and markets change over time, your company should evolve as well. Rather than make assumptions about your community based on their past needs and buying behaviors, create feedback loops so you’re always in the know.

By listening to customers in real time, you set your company up to evolve its value proposition and meet the needs of your community as it grows.

Like what you see? Share with a friend.

Elizabeth wellington.

Liz writes about business, creativity and making meaningful work. Say hello on Twitter or through her website.

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Value Proposition

• Written By Britt Skrabanek
• Updated: November 8, 2023

What is a value proposition? A value proposition is a declarative statement that explains why a customer should purchase your product or service. It clearly explains what differentiates you, or makes your offering “unique,” and why you are the best choice on the market.

Value is a word that has nearly lost its meaning. This five-letter word has been overused and abused by brands across every messaging statement, across every website page, across every sales email. The way we do business has changed, and our messaging must change as well.

Brands that truly offer value to their customers — and communicate that value in a meaningful way — are the ones that will weather economic storms. Brands that demonstrate how they are uniquely positioned to meet buyer needs are the ones that will be noticed while their competitors are overlooked.

So, now is the time to do something about your unique value proposition. That starts by understanding its definition, the necessary elements, and how other experts and brands are executing them in a meaningful way.

What is a Value Proposition?

A value proposition (VP) is a declarative statement that explains why a customer should purchase your product or service. The statement summarizes how you will deliver your brand promise and how your offering will deliver value to customers. It clearly explains what differentiates you or makes your offering “unique” and why you are the best choice on the market.

When developing your value proposition statement:

• Don’t be vague or indirect, as your customer does not have time to dissect value positioning statements all day.
• Don’t spout off duplicitous messaging that does the opposite of conveying how you will deliver your promise by instead making promises your brand can’t keep.
• Do remember your competition is never far away when your customer needs a quick and convenient alternative.

Get to the point and appeal to your customer’s most pressing needs. Show why your offering is stronger than the competition so they can make an easy purchasing decision. Be honest and forthright to instill trust in your brand so your customer stays your customer long after the transaction. Serve, don’t sell.

The muse of your value proposition is your ideal customer (aka target audience). This is why, when developing your messaging, “customer value proposition” is an important synonymous term to keep in mind. Why should your customer buy from you — not one of your competitors? Your value prop should answer that question concisely in the voice of your customer .

Of all of the messaging statements out there, value propositions have perhaps the most variations with synonymous terms.

Value proposition  synonyms include:

• Unique selling proposition (USP)
• Unique value proposition (UVP)
• Value proposition (VP)
• Value proposition statement
• Customer value proposition
• Brand value proposition
• Brand proposition
• Proposition of value
• Business value proposition
• Sales value proposition
• Product value proposition
• Value positioning
• Value statement

What a Value Proposition is Not

It’s common for content creators to use various messaging statements interchangeably because, frankly, there is a whole mess of statements to keep up with. Additionally, content is subjective. Content marketers have various styles, approaches, and definitions of various brand statements.

Being that the goal of a value prop is to create content that customers effortlessly connect with, you don’t want to cause confusion. The most common messaging mix-ups are brand statements and mission statements. Let’s clarify some things by detailing these messaging statements.

Value proposition vs. brand positioning statement

This is where the biggest mix-up occurs. If you squint your eyes just so, the words “proposition” and “position” look the same, even though they have completely different meanings. If someone uses “brand proposition” as a synonymous term for value proposition, then all hell breaks loose.

A brand positioning statement  is a persuasive one-line statement that captures the reason the business exists and the legacy the brand wants to be remembered for. This internal-facing statement aligns your team around your brand’s purpose.

A value proposition focuses on your brand’s promise to deliver rather than your brand’s purpose of existence. A positioning statement is created from the value proposition to bring in the deeper “why” or essence of your brand.

Value proposition vs. mission statement

Confusion happens between mission statements and value propositions simply because the mission is a more prominent figure. A brand is much more likely to have an optimized mission statement… that they try to repurpose into other statements with different purposes.

A mission statement might appear on the About page of your website for all to see, but it is very much about the internal perception of the brand. Your mission defines what you do, and it is the core of your business. A unique value proposition is about external perceptions, and it clearly states why a customer should buy your product or service.

A value proposition can most certainly draw inspiration from your mission statement. In mere moments, we’ll explain and show how it can be an extension of your mission statement — and still maintain its structural integrity.

4 Elements of a Value Proposition that Instills Trust

At this point in the game, you have leveraged content to drive awareness of your brand and nurture existing and future customers. Then a wee pandemic comes along, and you don’t know where you stand anymore as a brand. Suddenly, trust and value play a more prominent role for all of us.

When making a big purchase,  trust plays a major role for 92 percent of Americans, 89 percent of U.K. residents, and 95 percent of Canadians. Trust is perhaps another word we content marketers have exhausted as much as value. However, for customers to trust brands in today’s changing business environment, they must immediately recognize the value you offer.

It’s a good time to revisit your value proposition. Make sure you are  staying relevant in uncertain times  and presenting a solution that is responsive to your customer’s current needs.

The basic elements of a value proposition include the following:

• Offering : The product or service that solves problems/adds value. (WHAT)
• Audience : The ideal customer, or target audience, who will benefit from your offering. (WHO)
• Value : The recognizable benefits that matter most to the customer. (WHY)
• Differentiator : The reason the customer should trust you over someone else. (HOW)

Your unique value proposition needs to have meaning; otherwise, your customer will not connect with your brand or your offering. Without that connection, your customers will not have any foundation to build trust upon. Instead, they will turn toward someone else they feel they can trust, such as Competitors X, Y, or Z.

So… how do you write an effective value prop? Five experts in the branding and content marketing space shared their perspectives on what it takes to master the unique value proposition statement. Learn from tried-and-tested themes and templates they have developed — and see examples that bring more context to these strategies.

Value Proposition Examples: Extension of the Core Mission

A value proposition – done right – is an extension of your core mission, which shouldn’t change. For more than 20 years, our mission at Kinesis has been ‘Transformation.”

We help our clients transform their organizations, our employees to transform their careers, and our community to be a place of positive change. This one-word mission idea is the driving force in everything we do… think of it as our ‘why.’

Most folks don’t get this right, or they lean on clichés and platitudes, like ‘Integrity’ or ‘Excellence.’ However, once you get the mission right, then you can craft a meaningful value proposition that connects to your internal and external audiences — that’s your value proposition.

And, even better, when you know what your mission is, you can adapt and change your value proposition and business model to meet any new challenge. That’s especially important as we enter a time of certain uncertainty.

— Shawn Busse , CEO/Founder, Kinesis

TOMS Shoes value proposition

When you’re buying apparel, it can feel pretty meaningless, right? Yet, TOMS Shoes turned purchasing shoes into a way to make progress. Using its One for One business model, for every pair of TOMS shoes purchased by a customer, the company provided a pair of shoes to a child in need.

Just last year, TOMS moved away from its one-for-one model to instead give a third of its net profits  to the company’s giving fund. During COVID, the donations have been redirected to support organizations on the frontlines.

The name TOMS is short for Tomorrow’s Shoes.  Improving lives and communities  are the heart and soul of the TOMS mission statement. This company doesn’t just use their value proposition as an extension of their mission, they also extend their philanthropic nature into all aspects of the business. And, their customers get to be a part of that.

Improve the lives  of millions of people around the world while creating a for-profit sustainable business model, based on a fashionable product for aware consumers.

• Offering : Shoes
• Audience : Conscious consumers
• Value : Giving back with every purchase
• Differentiator : Improving lives and communities

Value Proposition Examples: Short, Punchy, and Powerful

In my agency life and as a freelance writer, I’ve had to write a value prop for a client or two along the way. Whether for a website rewrite or a complete rebranding, it always comes down to one thing: Saying the most powerful thing possible in the fewest amount of words.” In that vein, my No. 1 goal is to first identify what makes this client’s product or service most unique when held up against their competitors. Oftentimes, that means researching the competition to make sure I’m positioning this business in a way where they’ll stand out successfully — not just sound like the rest. Once that element (or elements) is identified, keeping it short and sweet is always my next goal. Because if you can’t express what makes your client different in a short, punchy, and powerful way, then you’re missing the most important chance to connect with customers right from the start. — Gregg Rosenzweig, Writer/Creative Director, GR ink

Glo value proposition

Working out from home has suddenly become the new normal. Glo (formerly known as YogaGlo) launched in 2007, long before subscription-based online fitness classes were a thing.

Convenience and expertise are big perks for busy wellness enthusiasts. Glo subscribers take unlimited classes virtually for the cost of a single studio class. This has always been Glo’s differentiator in the wellness space, as their model makes yoga widely accessible. Throughout COVID, they have provided  a selection of free classes as well .

Glo has an  entire manifesto  that incorporates its mission and vision statements…

…yet Glo keeps its value proposition short, punchy, and powerful while demonstrating how its unique business model helps it stand out in the wellness market.

Thousands of classes at our customers’ fingertips . World-class teachers. A subscription that costs less than one class a month. Anytime, anywhere…

• Offering : Online yoga, meditation, and Pilates classes
• Audience : Wellness-conscious consumers
• Value : Unlimited access to reasonable on-demand classes with expert instructors
• Differentiator : Practicing wherever and whenever.

Value Proposition Examples: Delivering With Distinction

The purpose of a unique value proposition (UVP) is to clearly articulate a brand pillar that is defined during the brand development process. In my first draft, I always start the sentence with ‘only’ and the brand name as a reminder the statement must be a claim of distinction in the market. After the first round of reviews with the client, I often edit that out because it’s implied. The rest of the sentence defines ‘what’ the brand delivers, ‘how’ that is unique in the market, and ‘why’ that matters to the customer. A final statement might look like this: ‘The XYZ experience is crafted to delight our customers and their clients, creating lasting and profitable relationships.’ Finally, I always list current proof points that make the statement true today, along with future-looking ideas that will make the delivery of that promise even stronger down the road. A value proposition should always have room for growth as it drives decision-making in the company to consistently deliver a brand promise to the customer. — Grant Kimball , Certified Brand Strategist, Brand Incite

Alaska Airlines value proposition

Humor me for this next value proposition discussion, as we harken back to pre-COVID times when we all used to travel by plane. Flying is a royal pain in the ass, and we just want to safely get from Point A to Point B. It’s not common to hear people say they love an airline. But, I’ve said “I love Alaska” many, many times.

This is what makes Alaska so distinct — and what makes them stand out from other airline carriers. Passengers legitimately love this airline. People who fly on Alaska can actually agree with their tagline: “Fly Smart. Land Happy.” They are delivering on their brand promise to their customers.

Alaska Airlines focuses on being a  socially responsible company that is all about quality and care . In the midst of the COVID pandemic, Alaska’s home page demonstrates their commitment to relationships in being “on the journey together.” They put their customers at ease with the second section of the page, which has a slideshow with safety and wellness features.

Low fares, great service, and a range of cabin options are the foundation of our offering. The Alaska experience centers around  building long-term relationships  with our guests.

• Offering : Plane tickets
• Audience : Passengers, primarily those flying between West Coast destinations
• Value : Low fares, great service, range of cabin options
• Differentiator : Long-term relationships

Value Proposition Examples: Voice the Value

When a content marketing client asks me to write a value proposition statement for their website — perhaps on a landing page or a product page — I immediately review their branding documents. What tone should I take? Conversational and friendly, or business professional and straightforward? Then I look to the company’s mission statement and product descriptions to discover their core values and the benefits of what they sell so I can highlight those in their value proposition statement. I strive for being relatable and concise to keep viewers on the page, intrigued and informed. —  Angela Tague, Content Marketing Writer and Founder, Web Writing Advice

Zoom value proposition

Raise your hand if you’ve been on a Zoom call this month. How about this week? Everything from birthday celebrations to live educational classes — along with a substantial uptick in virtual meetings and events — is now happening on Zoom.

“With any other solution, I spent a great deal of time trying to start the conference, let alone maintain it. Zoom has made the experience of  collaborating with people as simple as clicking on a link  and zipping right into the conversation.”

Zoom is on a mission  to make video communications frictionless . The aforementioned testimonial by Dr. Joseph Morgan, Texas A&M University validates their platform’s ease of use.

As communication has shifted from in-person to digital environments, Zoom has become a huge value-add for people who want to stay connected and have some semblance of face-time during COVID. The “frictionless” value is clear, as people who have never used Zoom before are rapidly well-versed in the platform.

Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done.

• Offering : Video communication platform
• Audience : Enterprise teams in finance, education, healthcare, and government
• Value : Connect and accomplish more
• Differentiator : Frictionless or “easy to use”

Value Proposition Template: Content Mission Statement

Lastly, I will leave all of you content marketers in good hands… with Andy Crestodina. Your content mission statement is a type of value proposition — one that is very often forgotten by busy content creators. Andy shares his thoughts and a useful value prop template…

How do you write an effective value proposition? This makes me think of a specific type of value proposition: the content mission statement. The value prop for your content (also known as the content marketing mission statement) is an important foundation for content strategy. If you haven’t made yours yet, you can use this handy template… Our company is where [audience X] finds [content Y] for [benefit Z]. It’s important partly because it keeps the marketer focused, but also because it can be repurposed into a killer call to action. Your email signup box is basically a simplified version of this. It uses the [content Y] and sometimes the [benefit Z]. The highest converting ‘email subscribe’ CTAs are just versions of the content value proposition. — Andy Crestodina , Co-Founder/Chief Marketing Officer, Orbit Media

Creating Your Value Proposition

Albert Einstein’s words continue to be relevant a hundred years after his time: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

By striving for success, you fall into the brand camp that exhaustively weaves the word “value” into every possible opportunity — so that the word eventually loses its meaning. By focusing on being of value, you show value without needing to talk about it. Rather than having a value proposition that has no meaning, you have a meaningful statement instead.

Creating a value proposition statement is yet another creative chance to use the “show, don’t tell” approach to writing. String together words that create an immersive experience for your intended audience. When you allow your audience to be in the room, you establish credibility and connectivity… and invite them to stay and do business with you.

Need help creating your value proposition? Look no further. ClearVoice has your back. Easily speak with a content specialist today regarding your needs, wants, and content goals.

More popular posts:

• Creating Content to Support Your Vision, Mission and Goals
• How to Write a Brand Positioning Statement (With Examples)

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• Building Your Business
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• Business Plans

How to Write a Business Plan "Concept and Value Proposition" Section

A key component of your business plan is your business concept and value proposition, which is the clear articulation of why customers should choose your solution over that of your competitors.

This section of the plan for developing your business concept and positioning your value proposition follows the executive summary and company history , so readers should already have a general idea of what your company does, who it's for, and what your long-term goals are for the business.

The business concept comprises your vision of the company, explaining the value your product or service will bring to the customer, why you are especially qualified to offer it, as well describing your offering's uniqueness and growth potential  within your industry.

This section enables you, as well as interested parties and potential investors, to research and analyze the concept for feasibility, both from a market and financial perspective. Keep in mind that everything in your business plan must relate back to the value and benefits your product or service provides to your target customers.

The Feasibility Test

Think of a feasibility test as a reality check for your business idea. The goal of conducting a feasibility test is to prove to yourself and your team or investors the probability of your product or service being successful within your industry.

A feasibility test should be as low-cost as possible and should revolve around creating a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) or simple proof of concept, which communicates the most simple, basic value propositions of your future product or service.

According to Entrepreneurship For Dummies, by Kathleen Allen, a feasibility test weighs the validity of your business concept by examining four main points:

• The product your firm will offer.
• The customer you will target.
• Your value proposition.
• How you will get the product to its intended users.

By this stage in your business plan, you should have a firm grasp on what product or service you intend to offer, as well as who you believe will be your primary customer. The final item requires weighing various distribution channels, but, again, should be answerable with a little legwork.

The Value Proposition

Your value proposition is what makes customers choose you instead of the competition. It's part marketing, part operations, and part strategy; your value proposition is the foundation of your competitive advantage.

On a subconscious level, customers will compare the value proposition of your company against those of your competitors when deciding where to take their business. With that in mind, here are a few things to remember when writing your value proposition:

• Keep it short and uncluttered. Your value proposition explains why customers should buy from you. If you can't sum it up in 10 words or less, chances are you won't be able to execute it, either.
• Be precise. Your customers have specific needs; your value proposition should offer targeted solutions
• It is about your customer, not you. Your value proposition should discuss only what matters to your customers and the value you can bring to them.
• Value comes in numerous forms. Money, time, convenience and superior service are a few of the ways you can help deliver value to your customers.

Distribution Strategy

After you've validated your business idea with a small group of paying customers, the last part of the business concept is to determine how you will deliver your product to your customers at scale. Taking a manual approach to reaching your first customers is necessary, but won't work as you grow your business. Are you going to sell directly to consumers? Through strategic partnerships? Retail distributors?

Consider these several factors when planning the distribution strategy for your business:

• Will you set up a brick-and-mortar shop or office, sell online, or both?
• What unique obstacles exist for your company in these two different channels?
• If your company sells a product, will you have the space to keep enough inventory on hand, or will customers have to agree to waiting periods?
• Can you strike exclusive deals with any particular distributor or retailer? Do your competitors have any such deals that hinder your operation?

Vision is important if your business is going to grow. The more focus your business concept has in terms of clear solutions for a like-minded niche group of people, the greater the likelihood that you'll attract the best investors and customers.

Kellie O'Brien Media

Online marketing consultant, how to write a value proposition for business (+ examples).

November 19, 2021 By Kellie O'Brien 8 Comments

Knowing your value proposition for business is such a fundamental part of business plan and a key element in your brand messaging.

As part of two New Business and Entrepreneur programs I’ve been delivering this year, we’ve focused a lot on messaging to ensure you can articulate your value to potential clients. One of the tasks is creating a succinct statement for their Business Model Canvas.

The reality was that both groups struggled with this exercise. By the end of the day, they each admitted to a little brain drain. What often happened in these groups is that it was easier for someone to help another business owner come up with their statement, while they struggled to do their own.

I’ve done this many times now and I know that the more minds that are working on crafting this with you, the easier it is. The closer we are to our businesses, often the harder it is.

So let’s look at what you need to do to start creating your own…

What is a value proposition for business?

If you’ve never heard the term before or someone’s suggested you need to create one, but you don’t quite understand what is it you’re creating, then break it down into its simplest form.

A value proposition is the value you’re promising your ideal client you will deliver. It’s answering “why” they should invest with you over anyone else.

Too often we know why our business is the best choice for someone, but we just don’t articulate that – or know HOW to articulate that.

While a value statement is only a simple statement, rather than a long marketing message, the simplicity of it is what often prevents business owners from coming up with their statement in the first place. You don’t need to get too fancy with this one., but you do need to explain the:

• Problem : Identify the problem or pain you help solve
• Benefits : What are the benefits of what the client will receive?
• Advantage : Highlight why they should invest with you rather than your competitors. What’s your advantage?

all in one statement.

Why do you need a clear value proposition?

When you clearly state your value on your website, within seconds you can capture their attention by sharing the benefits of why they should stick around. Effectively, it can help confirm you as the best option and encourage someone to take action with you.

You may get a little confused by all the different terms you need to create within your business fundamentals and marketing messages. I get it. It can feel like all these different pieces are a little too alike and you may wonder why you have to create each.

Here’s how it fits into the bigger picture:

• Your tagline conveys your ONE big idea
• Your value proposition for business bridges the gap between what your customer wants and what you offer. It, should support the one big idea.
• Your brand message is the story that creates a visual for people to better understand your tagline and value proposition. This brand message then allows you to create marketing messages that align with your overall business.
• Your content spreads your value and brand message to a wider audience.

Do you need ALL of these? My thoughts are that you do what’s right for your business. Some have combined their tagline and value statements into one short heading. As long as someone can clearly see the value of your business to them when they land on your website, that’s the main goal. Without it, they’ll leave.

How to write a value proposition for a business plan, website or speaking

One thing before we start is to understand that your first version won’t be perfect. You’ll need to keep refining it over a period of time to capture the perfect statement. You may even notice the big brands are continually evolving their statements as well.

During the New Business program I facilitate, we bring together all the assets we’ve created BEFORE starting to write our value proposition for Business Model Canvas . This can make writing the statement must easier and ensures you stick to what’s important to your brand and your customers. These assets include:

The vision is the why of your business. It shares your aspirations and is a guide for your team on where you’re going.

The mission is the “what” and the “how”. This shares what you do and helps you focus on your core purpose and key goals to help achieve your vision.

You need to align your actions with your values. Whether it’s marketing your business or getting team members to truly represent the brand, they first need to know what the values are. What characteristics tie your past successes together and what do clients thank you for?

Unique Selling Proposition

What is it that makes your business unique? This is your distinct advantages that helps you stand out from other businesses. It could be anything from price, quality, value, design, the way you deliver your service, the performance, a guarantee or choices on offer. It may even come down to concepts or words. Or even a small element of your offer that’s different, but highly valued.

Ideal Client

You need to know who your ideal client is . This isn’t a broad “target market”, but drilling down to a specific person (or a few key client types) to help you better visualise who it is you’re creating your services and products for. The clearer you are on your client avatar, the easier it is to do all of the above elements – and your value proposition for business .

The basic question you want to ask is “how is my business different and why should they choose my business over a competitors?”.

There are different models you can use to create your statement. You can capture that first version using what is probably one of the simplest temples – the Steve Blank model:

We help X do Y by doing Z.

• We help X = Pain Island

Who is your ideal client and what is the problem or pain your ideal client is experiencing? What is their “before state”?

• Do Y = Pleasure Island

Where do they want to be.? What does life look like once you’ve helped them? What customer needs are you satisfying?

• by doing Z = The Canoe

What value are you delivering to the customer as the canoe to take them from pain island to pleasure island? Why is your offering unique or different to what others are doing? Your unique selling proposition should help you here.

Other frameworks include the Value Proposition Canvas from Peter Thomson. This is a more complex model if you want to delve deeper

The real challenge with a value statement is that there are different formulas but no real set rules around how best to format it. Some create a one-sentence statement or headline, others go over two or more sentences, then there are bullet point form.

I think that’s one of the reasons people struggle with writing it, because there’s no formula for it.

Ultimately though, it needs to speak to a customer’s challenge, position your business as the solution and highlight your value to the client. Yeah, easy right ?

Let’s try some examples.

Value proposition examples to inspire you

It’s often easier to see how to write one when you can look at different types. So here are some example to help inspire you:

• The ecommerce platform made for you: More than a million of the world’s most successful brands trust Shopify to sell, ship and process payments anywhere.

This tells me that they’re a preferred provider and references the “more than a million users” which creates social proof. Not to mention, it sells me on how I can do every element of my shop all in one platform, creating ease.

WordPress.org

• Beautiful designs, powerful features, and the freedom to build anything you want. WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

I love that their statement is empowering to the user, which especially appeals to the creative soul. However, the real key to this one is “both free and priceless”, which shows that while it won’t cost you anything to use, its value is hard to put a price tag on.

• Everything you need to start selling online in 1 place

LIke Shopify, they’ve zeroed in on being a holistic solution for your marketing and sales. Having used a myriad of different tools over the years and now being signed up to Groove myself, I can see the benefits of having everything in one place. No more using third party tools to help one tool “talk” to another. Many a launch has gone wrong because these integrations have failed.

There’s even a statement at the top of the page that says “Over 550,000 new users this year made us the world’s fastest growing CRM and marketing automation platform for digital and eCommerce marketers”. This statement adds plenty of social proof and confidence in why you’d want to invest in this option. Of course, if you’re going to use a statement like that, make sure you can back it up with proof.

Shirley Dalton

• I partner with overwhelmed, pissed off or stuck business owners to align your business, people and systems so you can reclaim your freedom and enjoy your ideal business lifestyle 

Shirley is a client of mine who specialises in leadership development. She focuses on three areas – people, processes and possibilities. Creating the value proposition first, enabled us to more easily create her tagline. Often people feel they have to come up with the tagline first, then the value statement, then the brand message. You’ll find it much easier if you start with the value first.

The eventual tagline was then:

RECLAIM YOUR FREEDOM – Align Your Business, People and Systems 

Kellie O’Brien Media

• Empowering service businesses to use storytelling, strategies and systems to build a legacy business that repays you and your family long into the future.

As an online marketing business coach and consultant, a key strength of mine is having spent 16 years as a journalist, having written a biography of a high profile business couple, and a few other things that all centre on the skill of storytelling. My goal is to help business owners build assets that will build upon the next, in turn building their business for longevity.

I use elements of this in my elevator pitch and on my Online Marketing Mastermind  sales page.

My tagline then became: Share your story. Build your brand

Where to use your statement?

You can be as creative as you like when it comes to using your value proposition, but a few key areas you want to focus on is:

• The homepage of your website to ensure people who visit instantly know why they should care about your business or offer
• Any online or offline marketing you’re doing, including within your social media, brochures, automated email sequences etc
• Your elevator pitch or within conversations when meeting new people

How to achieve the best value proposition possible

As mentioned, it’s rare to create the perfect proposition on the first go. If you’re working with a team, it may require a few sessions together to come up with the perfect copy. The truth is, it will evolve over time. If you go into this exercise with that mindset, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress.

You also need to remind yourself that your ideal client will evolve and, therefore, so will your statement. Revisit it each year to ensure it still aligns with your business and clients.

If you need help in writing your value proposition for business or even your vision, mission, unique selling proposition or brand story, become part of the next Online Marketing Mastermind or simply reach out.

November 22, 2021 at 8:39 pm

I am struggling to write a brand strategy

November 24, 2021 at 10:06 am

I’ll look at writing something on brand strategy in the coming weeks, Grace. In the meantime, if you need a deeper level of help, feel free to reach out.

[…] what’s the difference? In one of the last blogs, we went through putting together your value proposition. So you may be wondering what the difference is and whether you need […]

[…] business stories and messages you’re going to share. Knowing your value proposition can really help […]

[…] thing to always focus on when it comes to product development, is knowing the value proposition of a product. If you can’t […]

[…] that in a different way. And package means use a different story for the same theme or the same marketing message you have. But I want you to be sharing your why story because it’s so important in […]

[…] you understand your value proposition, it’s easier to know how to create your vision and mission statement for business. That was […]

[…] different stages of creating a brand. There is your vision and mission statements, along with your value proposition. These are important and can help develop the copy for your website as […]

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How to Deliver a Value Proposition That Drives Business Growth

“So, what do you do for a living?” This might be a question you ask as an icebreaker to get to know others.

However, if you’re on the receiving end of this question, your answer could possibly initiate the beginning of a new referral for potential clients or centers of influence.

Always be prepared to respond with a clear and concise value proposition. Give a response that goes beyond a basic job title, explaining why you do what you do and how it offers value to your audience.

What Is a Value Proposition?

A value proposition is a clear, concise statement summarizing who you serve, what you do for them, and why they need you. A value proposition makes a promise to your market segment and offers easy-to-understand reasons customers should choose to work with your firm.

A financial advisor value proposition must be relevant to the clients that you want to attract and serve; credible and simple for clients, prospects, and the media to understand and trust; and unique to you and your financial advisory practice.

Why Do You Need a Clear Value Proposition?

A well-defined, easy-to-find value proposition can drive growth, especially for small businesses that might not have the name recognition of larger brands. This simple statement should clearly communicate the benefits you offer, helping clients determine if your firm is right for them.

For financial advisors, having a unique value proposition helps you differentiate your financial planning, wealth management, or estate planning services for your target market.

Grab the Attention of the Right People

Prospective clients spend mere seconds on your website deciding whether to leave or explore further. A compelling value proposition, front and center, encourages visitors to linger on your site longer than the average 54 seconds that is spent on most financial services websites.

Your value proposition should impact every part of your outreach efforts, even if indirectly. Value-centered messaging can encourage visitors to click through your social media post, ad, or email link to learn more about your business. You can use your value proposition to start a conversation surrounding industry expectations, changing client needs, and more.

An effective value proposition appeals to your targeted potential clients and tells them why they need you.

Enhance Community Marketing Efforts

Independent financial advisors miss a tremendous opportunity to be relevant and connect to their target audience when they offer a weak value proposition—or no value proposition at all. When your value proposition clearly defines the community you serve, you reinforce your community-based marketing efforts .

Establish Enduring Principles for Operating Your Business

Your value proposition is your business’s North Star and part of your business plan, guiding decision-making and planning initiatives. A well-defined declaration helps you chart a straight course forward.

Your firm’s value proposition should become the underpinning of both the client and employee experience.

These principles should be the “why” behind every decision you make—from what technology you put in place to what services and product offerings you provide.

Give Your Team Reasons to Be Proud

A value proposition informs employee conduct and helps establish your firm’s culture. If your employees truly buy in to your value proposition, they will provide a more unified, branded front.

A solid value proposition is a great motivator and, on challenging days, a reminder of why you do what you do. Make your team proud to work with your company, and they are likely to become more than just employees—they’ll become advocates for your firm.

How Do You Write a Value Proposition?

If you haven’t formulated your value proposition or need to update the one you have, now is the right time to get started. Here are the best practices for creating a strong value proposition to help you get moving in the right direction.

1. Understand Your Client

It’s imperative you understand what resonates with your ideal client. Don’t assume you know the answer and skip this part. Uncover what truly matters to your target audience by speaking with existing clients that best represent the types of investors you want to attract.

Find out why they chose to work with you instead of other advisors. What do they like best about your relationship? Where do they think you could improve?

Often times advisors expect clients to reference their savvy financial advice, timely investment advice, tailored solutions that optimize cash flow, expertise on niche financial situations, or financial life strategies. The reality is often much more personal. 

Your clients will appreciate that you value their opinion, and you’ll come away with important insights to help you understand the demographic of your ideal client base. Use the insights gained from these discussions to inform your marketing efforts going forward.

2. Understand Your Unique Offering

What makes you different than other financial advisors? Do you have a special story, a shared interest, or provide services like no other in your community? To answer these questions, you’ll need to understand yourself and what you bring to the table. 

You don’t have to limit yourself to looking within; you can draw from your research in the previous step. What drew clients to you, made it easy to work with you, or made them stay with you? In their eyes, what made you unique? Your value proposition is an opportunity to tell your story and create a stronger connection with your audience.

3. Focus on Your Clients’ Needs and How They Benefit

Finally, as you put it all together, focus on what the customer gets out of your service—not on the service itself. What will prospective clients care about? How do you help clients? 

Connect emotionally, but be practical. Clients want to feel good about working with you and are looking for high-quality service. Demonstrate your values and be clear about how they will benefit from choosing your firm.

Where should you use your value proposition?

Use your value proposition wherever you can! The value proposition is the cornerstone of financial advisor marketing . Use language from it in all your marketing materials and in your “About Us” boilerplate. Use a simplified version as part of your professional bio for spaces like LinkedIn, as well as times when you do things like host a webinar or guest start on a podcast. 

In many cases, you won’t use your value proposition in its entirety. Select a few core concepts and include them in your communication efforts. The more often people see you referencing these words and ideas, the more they will associate them with your brand. Websites, social media ads, brochures, and presentations should all stem from your value proposition.

Value Proposition Template

You want your value proposition to stand out and be totally unique. To be effective, there are four things your value proposition should communicate to your audience.

• Resonate: Clarify your ideal client and how your firm is uniquely positioned to help with their financial needs.
• Differentiate: Define how you will deliver uniquely positioned services and benefits designed to help solve their challenges.
• Demonstrate: Highlight why clients should work with you rather than someone else.
• Substantiate: Illustrate the outcomes clients can expect and touch on the benefits that matter most to them.

Here is a simplified value proposition template you can start with:

"I help __insert target client persona (ex. women business owners) . __

with __insert your top offerings (ex. with investment management and retirement planning for themselves and their small business) __ ,

so they can __insert why they need you (ex. focus on their business, stress less, achieve their financial goals, etc.) _ .

Get the Value Proposition Worksheet

This Value Proposition Worksheet can help you create a more robust value proposition. You’ll find financial advisor value proposition examples that illustrate how key components come together to provide differentiation and offer clients peace of mind.

As you consider your value proposition, keep in mind what kind of new clients you want to work with. Don’t waste valuable time and resources trying to engage an audience that doesn’t contain potential clients for you. You want to focus on and impact your ideal client . 

Learn More About Marketing Tools to Build Your Business

So, what will you say next time someone asks you what you do for a living? We hope you’ll say more than “I’m an investment advisor.” or “...financial planner” .

Your value proposition is a promise you’re making to your audience and a key element of your overall marketing plan. But there are many other important marketing components that help you build your brand, generate business, differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace, enhance authenticity, and increase impact.

Learn more about key marketing tactics in our new guide, Marketing Matters in Every Business Environment . 

To hear more about how our industry-leading platform can benefit your business, reach out to one of our consultants today.

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What is a value proposition? Definition + examples

Business & tech.

Why do people buy your product? It should be obvious, right? If you sell groceries, people buy them because they’re planning their next meals. If you sell books, people buy them because they want something to read. If you sell B2B software, customers buy to improve their business processes.

In reality, it’s not that simple. People who are hungry could go to the grocery store, or they could order take-out. People looking for a new book could go to your bookstore, or they could go to a library. Companies looking to improve processes could buy software, or hire a specialist.

Your company, product, customer, and price point all contribute to your value proposition. Your value prop details the exact usefulness that your product provides. It is also your differentiator.

Value proposition definition

Value proposition is a promise of value stated by a company that summarizes how the benefit of the company’s product or service will be delivered, experienced, and acquired. (Corporate Finance Institute)

A value proposition is what you do, and how you do it.

Why is a value proposition important?

A value proposition is crucial for your company’s success. Here’s why.

A value proposition centers your company

Value propositions define exactly what your company should be doing. Oftentimes growing companies can be tempted to pivot or adjust their vision. A value proposition serves as an investment to keep the company focused on the task at hand.

A value proposition explains your company to your customers

At the end of the day, a customer doesn’t care about your marketing spend. They don’t care about how many social media posts you publish, or how many blog posts are on your site. They care about what your product does, and if it serves their needs and meets their expectations. The value proposition is the bridge to your customer having brand awareness .

A unique value proposition sets you apart from your competitors

Your product, value and price point are different from those of your competition. But does your audience know that? Your value proposition allows you to outline what makes your offering unique, and how it disrupts the market .

How to create a value proposition statement

Value proposition statements are best done when developing your business plan. Yet, many CMOs may want to go through value proposition exercises later on, as they refine and improve marketing programs. You can adjust your value prop as your company grows and changes. Use these steps for new and revised value proposition statements.

Identify the features of your product

Start simple: list the products that you offer and their useful features. If you are a software as a service (SaaS) company you may have many features that allow users to do many different tasks. If you are a restaurant, your products may offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can include outstanding customer service or special events as your offerings.

Features can be large or small, many or few, original or unoriginal. By listing each feature, you get an idea of exactly what you are offering to your customers.

Identify the benefit of each feature

Features and benefits are often lumped together, but they are distinct. Each feature should provide a benefit. For example, Uber’s app for requesting a carshare is a feature. The driver picking you up and taking you where you need to go is a benefit.

Map each of your features to their customer benefit. By doing this exercise, you’ll start to see which features provide the biggest benefits.

Define your target customer

You’ve likely completed many exercises aimed at understanding your target customers. By clarifying their identity, you’ll better understand their journey to your product.

Dive deep into your customers wants & needs

Sure, your customer might want to buy a new software solution because they need a new software solution. But—what do they really need? Say, you sell financial management software. If your target customer is a finance manager, they might need your solution. Yet, what they really need is to free up some time during their end-of-month close. This will give them the time they need to still have 1-on-1s with team members. They might be searching for a financial solution, but what they are really looking for is time.

Clarify your price point

It takes time and research, but you must understand if your product has a price below, at, or above market rate. This allows you to understand if your product is a value product, a typical product, or a premium product. Your unique value proposition allows customers to understand if they are getting their money’s worth.

Put it all together

Steve Blank (Lean Startup) suggests the following simple phrasing for your value proposition. “We help X do Y by doing Z.”

Mapped to the above framework, this may look more like:

“We help our [TARGET CUSTOMERS] do [CUSTOMER NEEDS] by doing [OUR FEATURES AND BENEFITS].”

If you offer a low-cost or premium product, include your pricing in your value proposition statement well.

Examples of effective value propositions

These seven digital technology companies each offer a unique product, but also face stiff competition. Each of these value props outlines their target customer, their needs, and how they meet them—setting them apart from their competitors.

Calm is a mobile app based in San Francisco.

Value proposition example

Calm helps people who have trouble relaxing sleep, rest, and meditate by providing an app that offers these experiences.

Curology is a custom skin care solution based in San Francisco.

Curology helps people in need of skin care by providing custom skin care products. They also include their competitive pricing and delivery mechanism.

Duolingo is a language-learning app based in Pittsburg.

Duolingo teaches second-language enthusiasts how to speak a new language by providing an app that gamifies language education.

Impossible Foods

Impossible is a meat-alternative company based in Redwood City, CA.

Impossible Foods provides an option for health-and-environmentally-conscious consumers to eat sustainably, by offering a meat product alternative.

Slack is collaboration software based in San Francisco.

Slack provides busy professionals a way to avoid using email, by offering a more comprehensive and easy-to-use collaboration and communication tool.

Zendesk is a customer support SaaS based in San Francisco.

Zendesk provides customer service professionals a way to manage their operations with a comprehensive software solution.

Setting your value proposition is an exercise that helps everyone. It aligns your internal focuses and it better communicates your company to customers.

TAYLOR COTTER

Taylor Cotter is a content marketer and social media strategist who has worked with leading B2B software companies to increase their reach and exceed their customer acquisition goals. Taylor is passionate about marketing that sits at the intersection of creativity and functionality. You can learn more about her at taylorcotter.com or connect with her on LinkedIn .

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• How to write an inspiring value proposi ...

How to write an inspiring value proposition (with template and examples)

A value proposition (VP) explains how customers can benefit from purchasing your product. In this declarative statement, you’ll convince your target audience why they should buy your product instead of your competitors’. Read on to learn how to write an inspiring and effective VP.

Every time someone buys your product or service, they’re making a choice. They’re choosing you over your competitors because they’ve decided your product is more valuable. But when two companies offer similar items with similar features, how do customers reach that decision?

That’s where a value proposition comes in. An effective value proposition convinces your target audience why you’re better than the competition. This statement is a way for you to differentiate yourself from others in your market and explain what customers will gain by purchasing from you. In this article, we walk you through how to craft your value proposition to set yourself apart.

What is a value proposition?

A value proposition (VP) convinces customers to buy your product or service by highlighting your product’s value and unique features. A value proposition goes by various other names, including:

Value statement 

Value positioning

Brand proposition

​​Unique selling proposition (USP)

Unique value proposition (UVP)

Regardless of the term you use, the meaning is the same. Your goal should be to develop a succinct statement—often paired with a visual element—that declares how your services are notable and unique. 

A company can also have multiple value propositions for different campaigns or to show different areas of value. 

The four main types of value propositions include:

Price value: You’re highlighting why your product or service is the most cost efficient option.

Unique product value: You’re highlighting the unique features of your product or service.

Customer ease or convenience: You're highlighting how your product makes your customers’ lives easier.

Customer results: You’re highlighting how your product or service gets customers results.

Value proposition vs. mission statement

You may show your mission statement to others outside of the company, but it’s meant to be your internal “why” statement. The value proposition should be your “why” statement for customers, explaining why they should buy your product.

4 questions of a value proposition

There are a variety of strategies to write your value prop, but all of them harken back to four key questions. If you can answer these questions about your company and the product or service you offer, then you have all the tools you need to write an effective value proposition.

What do you offer? Explain what your product or service is.

Who is your audience? Identify your target audience .

What value do you deliver? Outline the need you’re meeting or the opportunity you’re providing your audience.

What makes you different? Explain the features and benefits that set your product or service apart.

Other tips to consider when crafting your value propositions include:

Be direct with your audience. Clarity is key.

Use your value prop to explain clear results the customer can expect when purchasing your product.

Avoid sales jargon and buzzwords.

Keep it brief.

How to create a value proposition

The tools below will help you dive deeper into the customer experience and get to know your product or service better. Not only will this help you when crafting your value proposition, but it’ll help you in various aspects of your go-to-market strategy .

1. Map your value proposition canvas

The value proposition canvas is a tool where you map out your customer profile and product side by side in order to visualize how they connect. Your potential customers will have needs, expectations, and pain points. Your product should seek to meet these areas.

Jobs to do: Customers use products and services because they have physical, social, and emotional tasks to complete. 

Gains or expectations: When searching for a product or service, a customer will have expectations for the product, including things like price point, ease of use, and design quality.

Pain points: Customers won’t buy products if it has certain pain points, including things like high price point, bad customer service, if they are too complex, or of subpar quality. 

Products or services: Your product or service should help the customer accomplish a specific task.

Gain creators: Your product should seek to create gains for the customer, such as providing the highest quality product for the lowest price.

Pain relievers: Your product should seek to relieve pains, be easy to use, and reliable.

The value proposition canvas is the best way to see how you’re meeting your customer’s needs with your product. This tool is also useful during product creation because you can map out the customer journey first, then use that information to align your product or service to their needs and expectations. 

2. Go deeper with your questions

After you’ve mapped out your value proposition canvas, you’ll have a solid idea of how your product features meet the needs of your customer. But because you can never do too much analysis, here are more questions from Harvard Business School that you can use as you brainstorm possible statements with your team:

Which customers are you going to serve?

Which needs are you going to meet?

What relative price will provide acceptable value and profitability for the customer? 

The unique question here is analyzing the price point of your product. HBS explains that price can be an important factor for your value proposition, depending on your target audience and what needs you’re trying to meet. While companies like Apple place more emphasis on product quality and service, other companies like Walmart rely on low prices to bring in business. 

3. Use a value proposition template

Many business leaders have created formulas to make value propositioning easier. Once you know your customer and your product value, you can input your information into these formulas and the result will be a succinct and powerful statement to your audience. 

Here are a few options from Steve Blank , founder of the Lean startup movement; Geoff Moore , consultant and organizational theorist; and Guy Kawasaki , author and Apple alumni.

Steve Blank’s formula: We help [target customers]do [customer need] by offering [product features and benefits].

Cooper & Vlaskovits’ formula: [customer] with [customer problem]. Our [product] offers [customer solution].

Geoff Moore’s formula: For [your target customer] who [need or opportunity] our [product or service] in [product category] that [product benefit].

An SEO company may use the slogan, “We help others find you.” But when using the above formulas, their value proposition could read something like this: 

Example 1: “We help businesses get seen on the SERPs by offering a user-friendly content optimization tool. 

Example 2: “Get seen with a content companion that makes SEO simple.”

Example 3: “For businesses who struggle to understand Google algorithms, our user-friendly content optimization tool makes SEO simple so you can rank in the SERPs.”

Use the free value proposition template below for each of these formulas.

Value proposition examples

Here are some examples of companies and their value propositions. Many companies use a version of their value proposition in their tagline, but if you go to their website’s homepage, you’ll learn even more about the value they offer. 

Another strategic place for companies to display their value proposition is in the sub-headline on their main landing page. After a short and punchy headline, a sub-headline can be a great place to elaborate on what problem you hope to solve for your customers. Look below. 

1. Asana: “Work works better with Asana.”

Here at Asana , our slogan is, “Work works better with Asana.” The goal of our work management software is to make it easier for companies to perform their work processes. 

One version of our value proposition is, “Asana helps cross-functional teams overcome their organizational growing pains and ensures that goals, processes, and collaboration can continue to scale.” One thing to note is that you don’t have to stick to a single value proposition as long as you stay consistent with your messaging. 

2. Pinterest: “Welcome to visual discovery.”

If you check out Pinterest’s About page, you’ll find a value prop that says, “Welcome to visual discovery.” Their sub-headline expands on the message by tying in the idea-based function of their discovery platform. It says, “When it comes to a great idea, you know it when you see it.”

On the Pinterest homepage, they use visual elements to give you a teaser of how the platform looks once you sign up. It prompts you to scroll down as images appear, tempting you to dive in. 

3. Spotify: “Listening is everything.”

Spotify keeps their message simple with three large words displayed across their homepage: ”Listening is everything.” In the sub-headline, they elaborate on what their platform provides by saying, “Millions of songs and podcasts. No credit card needed.” 

You can find different versions of their value proposition on other parts of their website. For example, on their Contact page, it says, “Soundtrack your life with Spotify. Subscribe or listen for free.”

Put plans into action with Asana

You must set yourself apart if you want to build a strong customer base. When creating your value proposition, remember to point out the needs of your audience, show what you have to offer, and explain how you’re different.

Use work management software , like Asana, to plan, organize, and execute your value proposition. Incorporate your VP into a larger digital marketing strategy so your brand will have room to grow.

Related resources

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Unmanaged business goals don’t work. Here’s what does.

How Asana uses work management to effectively manage goals

10 Best Value Proposition Examples (and How to Create a Good One)

Consumerism in 2022 and beyond is serious business.

Shoppers are inundated with options, which means competition among businesses can get pretty fierce.

According to research, you only have 15 seconds to wow a new website visitor before they potentially lose interest and leave.

That’s why your value proposition is so important – if you can’t prove your worth fast, you’ll unfortunately be left in the dust.

But what is a value proposition , and how do you go about ensuring that you’re nailing yours?

That’s just what we’ll do in this article.

I’ll define the term and walk you through 10 awesome brand value proposition examples. Then, I’ll give you some pointers on how to create a value proposition for your own business.

Let’s do this.

Start selling online now with Shopify

What Is Value Proposition?

In a nutshell, your value proposition is a succinct explanation or illustration of why a customer should do business with you.

Your value proposition should cover three elements:

• The promise of what you’ll deliver to your customers
• The benefits that your customers will reap
• Why they should choose you over your competition

There’s no “correct” approach to creating a value proposition.

But there’s a big rule to follow: your business value proposition should be among the first things website visitors see when they interact with your business.

This means that you should aim to put this information above the scroll on the homepage of your website, which is the area that visitors see first when the page loads, before they scroll down the rest of the page.

And those messages should be reinforced throughout many – if not all – of the touchpoints in your customer’s journey with your brand.

If you have one, your value proposition should also include your unique selling proposition , or the thing that sets you apart from all of your competitors.

To give you a better idea of the many ways to express a strong value proposition, let’s look at some awesome examples.

10 Best Value Proposition Examples

Shopify’s customer value proposition essentially says that it can do everything you need it to, all on a single platform.

This speaks to some of the fundamental needs and concerns of someone who’s starting a new business : it can all get real overwhelming, real fast.

But Shopify soothes that anxiety and comforts visitors in knowing that they have a helping hand.

The company’s website says that the platform supports customers “from first sale to full scale,” and features everything you could need to start, sell, market, and manage your business.

To back it all up, those four items have their own page in the website’s main navigation, allowing users to directly explore how Shopify can help with each of those facets of starting, running, and growing a business.

2. Luxy Hair

Luxy Hair does a solid job of “selling” its clip-in hair extensions below the scroll on their homepage.

The product value proposition starts with an “As seen and featured in” section that lists out all the big names that have promoted the brand, like Teen Vogue, The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, and Glamour.

This technique is called social proof , and it’s a slam-dunk approach for generating trust fast.

The site goes on to give five strong points that explain the product, its benefits, and how it solves the common pain points that many people face when looking for the right hair extensions.

It also shows great “before and after” photos for a visual display of real results.

3. charity: water

The non-profit organization charity: water is dedicated to providing communities around the world with clean drinking water.

The company’s leaders state that they believe they can end the water crisis during our lifetime. Above the scroll of the website, you see a headline that says that 100% of your donations will go to the cause.

This is an example of using their company value proposition to cut straight to the heart of controversy in the non-profit sector. A lot of organizations use donations to cover their operational costs, which can upset some donors when they discover that only a portion of their donation went to the cause.

4.  Crossrope

Crossrope is a unique jump rope with a very clear product value proposition. They flat-out say that they’ve perfected the jump rope with “meticulous engineering” and “hours of testing.”

It’s clear that the makers behind the Crossrope have put a lot of work into it, and they clearly explain the elements of their design that make these workout tools unique and high-quality.

Right below the fold on the homepage, you’ll see four points that support why it’s the perfect jump rope: they’re weighted, durable, interchangeable, and they have high-performance handles.

The company also has clever names for the two types of Crossrope: the “Get Lean” set and “Get Strong” set. These differentiate the two types while clearly stating the benefit for the customer.

5. Evernote

Everyone is busy. Evernote’s homepage showcases right off the bat how it can help save you time and boost your efficiency on a daily basis.

It immediately speaks to the key desires of their customers, which include things like effortless organization, taking notes anywhere, sharing them with anyone, and finding all of their information faster.

Anyone with their notes scattered around various physical notebooks, emails, and Word docs can attest that this is an inconvenient problem, which makes Evernote’s promises all the more appealing.

Plus, the call to action (CTA) button brings you straight to a free signup, which is extremely useful for proving value in the face of competitors.

6. ClassPass

Above the scroll on the company’s homepage, ClassPass swiftly gives you the key benefits of their business model:

• There’s no need to commit to a single gym or type of workout
• You can choose any gym or workout directly through the ClassPass app

This tool fulfills a specific niche in the health and fitness industry, which is that some people find it inconvenient to limit their fitness options to a single location or type of gym or studio.

Sometimes you just wanna take a Krav Maga class on Monday and a Bikram yoga class on Wednesday. And no one’s judging you for that.

As you scroll down the homepage, you find more juicy benefits and unique selling points like the ability to save on drop-in rates and the ability to stream classes from home for free.

7. hardgraft

Hardgraft has a beautiful website that showcases everything that it promises it’s about: “luxury lifestyle accessories with down to Earth aesthetics.”

The headline also notes that the company is “driven by instinct,” which suggests that the products are a natural extension of the lifestyle they cater to.

It instills confidence in the reader by saying something like, “Relax, we’re experts. We’ve got this.”

This is a good example of a brand value proposition that’s short, but extra sweet – too many words here would probaby lessen the luxurious image they’re after.

8. Crazy Egg

Crazy Egg is a website optimization platform that offers heatmaps and A/B testing .

Above the scroll on the homepage, the website says that you can instantly make your website better.

I don’t know about you, but that strikes me as a pretty enticing offer.

Of course, you’ll need to be sure that you’re putting your money where your mouth is when you make a bold claim like this – which is what Crazy Egg goes on to do.

The next line says that over 300,000 customers use the platform, and how they make their websites better (improving what’s working, fixing what isn’t, and testing new ideas).

This follows right into the ability to get a 30-day free trial to see for yourself.

9. Manitobah Mukluks

Manitobah Mukluks has a more purpose-driven story and brand value proposition than many other ecommerce stores .

On the homepage of the website, you’ll learn that the company is Indigenous-owned, with products that are handmade by Indigenous artists who receive 100% of the proceeds.

The company states its vision above the scroll, which is to build a vibrant brand that impacts Indigenous communities.

Throughout the website, the team at Manitobah Mukluks does a great job of weaving the stories of their ancestors throughout the brand’s products.

It’s building a more intimate relationship with visitors, and appealing to those who want to feel more connected and contributing to the brands they choose to do business with.

10. Mailchimp

If you’ve never heard about Mailchimp, it’s a popular all-in-one marketing platform that had a humble start as an email marketing platform.

After it exploded, it expanded into a full-service marketing company.

Above the scroll of the homepage, Mailchimp shows its key customer value proposition of helping businesses scale and grow.

As you scroll down the homepage, you see four key benefits that the platform offers for growing businesses, with the option to click each one for more information.

The company goes a great job of addressing the needs of a growing company while clearly showing how it can help fulfill those needs.

Now that you’ve seen some juicy value proposition examples, let’s go over a few tips for writing a value proposition for your own brand.

Tips on How to Write a Value Proposition

Clarify the purpose and vision of your company.

If you want to create an effective value proposition, you need to identify who you are and why you’ve set up a company in the first place. The easiest way to do this is by documenting your:                                                                                            

• Mission statement, which explains why your business exists
• Vision, which includes the current and future objectives of your business
• Core values, which are the key principles that guide and direct your company and its culture

This simple measure will help you define your value proposition with better clarity, which is crucial to creating a more powerful identity for your business.

Research your audience

Your value proposition isn’t written to appeal to you. It’s written to appeal to the audience you want to do business with. It is, therefore, crucial to understand who your buyers are and what motivates them. This can be done with the help of interviews.  

You can interview your existing or prospective customers about:

• What companies they like
• What they look for in an industry-specific product or service
• What type of language resonates with them

This research will help guide the language and voice you’ll use to communicate with your audience .

Conduct a competitive analysis

Your interviews with existing or prospective customers may reveal other companies they’ve worked with before discovering your business. Analyze those businesses and figure out whether they’re in competition with your firm.

If the analysis reveals any potential competition, consider using your value proposition to communicate how and why you’re different from other similar businesses.

Examples of differentiators include higher quality, better service, and cheaper or faster shipping.

Jot down the benefits of using your solution

Consider what challenges or pain points your customers have and how you are addressing those problems. Think about both the practical and psychological benefits your solution provides.

For example, if you’re a property management firm, you aren’t just buying and selling real estate on behalf of your customers. Hopefully, you also offer specific advice that makes them feel their money is safe and well-invested.

Reiterating exactly how you can make people’s lives better and more fulfilling will help you guide your value proposition clearly. 

Whether you’re on track to becoming a million-dollar company or you’re the proud owner of a startup, taking these measures will help you put together a compelling value proposition every time around.    

A Strong Value Proposition for a Strong Business

In the wide world of business – especially ecommerce – you only have a sliver of time to prove that you’re worth a customer’s attention, let alone worth their hard-earned money.

When it’s clearly defined and clearly communicated, a customer value proposition can be the make-or-break between winning a customer over and falling into obscurity.

What makes you so great? Why are you the better choice over all the others? Customers need to know these answers ASAP, and a strong value proposition is one of the best ways to do so.

Whether you’re just starting a new business or looking to improve and strengthen your existing business, take some time to think critically about the value that you provide your customers and how you deliver that value.

Do you have any favorite value proposition examples that we didn’t discuss? Let us know in the comments below.

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• Entrepreneurship

12 Components of a Strong Value Proposition in Your Business Plan

A value proposition is a statement that articulates why someone should buy from your business instead of your competitors. It is the foundation of your business plan and helps you stand out in a crowded market. A strong value proposition is essential to attract customers and investors. Here are 12 components that can make your value proposition strong and compelling.

1. Problem statement

The first step in creating a value proposition is to identify the problem you solve. Your value proposition should clearly state the problem your customers face and how your product or service solves that problem. This helps your customers understand why they need your product and how it can benefit them.

For example, if you’re selling a weight loss program, your problem statement could be “Losing weight is difficult and time-consuming, and most diets don’t work in the long run.” Then, you can explain how your program solves this problem.

2. Target audience

Your value proposition should be tailored to your target audience. Identify who your ideal customer is and what they need. This helps you create a message that resonates with them and encourages them to buy your product or service.

Create a customer persona that outlines their demographics, interests, and pain points. This helps you understand their motivations and how you can meet their needs.

3. Unique selling proposition

Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from your competitors. It’s the reason why customers should choose your product or service over others.

Identify what makes your product or service unique. This could be a feature, benefit, or experience that your competitors don’t offer. For example, if you’re selling a skincare product, your USP could be that it’s made with all-natural ingredients.

4. Benefits

Your value proposition should clearly communicate the benefits of your product or service. Benefits are different from features because they explain how the product or service improves the customer’s life.

Create a list of benefits that your product or service offers. This could include saving time, increasing productivity, or improving health. Make sure your benefits address the pain points of your target audience.

5. Competitive analysis

A competitive analysis helps you understand your competition and how you can differentiate yourself. Identify your main competitors and analyze their value propositions.

Create a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to identify areas where you can improve and areas where you have a competitive advantage.

6. Pricing strategy

Your pricing strategy should align with your value proposition. Your customers should feel that they are getting good value for their money.

Research your competitors’ prices and determine how you can price your product or service competitively. Consider offering discounts or promotions to attract new customers.

7. Marketing strategy

Your marketing strategy should be aligned with your value proposition. Determine the best ways to reach your target audience and communicate your message effectively.

Consider using social media, content marketing, or paid advertising to reach your customers. Make sure your marketing messages are consistent with your value proposition.

8. Customer testimonials

Customer testimonials can help build trust and credibility. Use customer testimonials to highlight how your product or service has helped others.

Include customer testimonials on your website, social media, and other marketing materials. Make sure the testimonials are authentic and specific.

9. Call to action

Your value proposition should include a clear call to action (CTA). A CTA encourages the customer to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a free trial.

Make sure your CTA is clear and easy to understand. Use action-oriented language, such as “buy now” or “sign up today.”

10. Metrics

Metrics help you measure the success of your value proposition. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your value proposition.

For example, if your value proposition is to save customers time, your KPI could be the amount of time customers save by using your product or service. Use these metrics to monitor the effectiveness of your value proposition and make adjustments as needed.

In conclusion, a strong value proposition is essential to the success of your business. Use these 12 components to create a value proposition that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from your competitors. Remember, your value proposition should be clear, concise, and compelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions and answers about the 12 components of a strong value proposition in your business plan:

What is a value proposition?

A value proposition is a statement that explains why a customer should choose your product or service over your competitors. It highlights the unique benefits and advantages that your business offers.

A strong value proposition is essential for attracting and retaining customers, as it helps to differentiate your business from others in the market and communicates the value that you provide.

What are the 12 components of a strong value proposition in a business plan?

The 12 components of a strong value proposition are:

• Target customer
• Customer problem
• Product or service solution
• Unique selling proposition (USP)
• Pricing strategy
• Sales and distribution channels
• Marketing and promotion
• Competitive advantage
• Revenue model
• Key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Key resources and capabilities
• Financial projections

These components work together to create a compelling value proposition that addresses the needs and desires of your target customers.

Why is a strong value proposition important for a business plan?

A strong value proposition is important for a business plan because it helps to communicate the unique value that your business offers and why customers should choose your product or service over your competitors. This can help to attract and retain customers, increase sales and revenue, and differentiate your business from others in the market.

A well-crafted value proposition can also help to guide your business strategy and decision-making, as it provides a clear understanding of your target customers, their needs and desires, and how your business can meet those needs in a unique and compelling way.

How can I create a strong value proposition for my business plan?

To create a strong value proposition for your business plan, start by identifying your target customer and their specific problem or need. Then, develop a unique and compelling solution to that problem that differentiates your business from others in the market.

You should also consider your pricing strategy, sales and distribution channels, marketing and promotion, competitive advantage, revenue model, key performance indicators, key resources and capabilities, and financial projections. These components should all work together to create a cohesive and compelling value proposition that communicates the unique value that your business offers.

How can I test my value proposition to ensure it is strong?

There are several ways to test your value proposition to ensure it is strong. One way is to conduct market research and gather feedback from potential customers about your product or service. This can help you to identify any areas where your value proposition may need improvement.

You can also test your value proposition by conducting A/B testing or split testing on your website or marketing materials. This involves creating two versions of your value proposition and testing them with different audiences to see which one performs better.

What is Value Proposition Statement | Value Proposition Explained (With Examples)

Remember to be clear and concise in your messaging, highlighting the benefits your product or service can provide. Use data and statistics to back up your claims and always keep your target audience in mind.

By putting the time and effort into developing a solid value proposition, you can set your business up for success and ensure that you stand out in a crowded market. So don’t hesitate to dive in and start crafting your own compelling value proposition today!

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How to Create a Unique Value Proposition + Examples

Lisa Furgison

10 min. read

Updated March 15, 2024

If you’re starting your own business you’re probably already thinking about what sets you apart from competitors in your space. Coming up with your unique value proposition (UVP) or unique selling proposition (USP) creates a strong foundation for all your marketing messages and strategies for engaging new customers.

This article is a handy guide that will define what a UVP is, and help you write your own.

• What is a unique value proposition (UVP)?

Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the promised value customers can expect from your business. It explains what separates your business from your competitors, how your solution solves your customers’ problems, the specific benefits, and why your target customers should choose you.

In a nutshell, your UVP covers: 

• How your product or service works
• What makes it valuable
• Why it’s better than the rest

Your UVP should be front and center on your website, and it should be completely free of jargon—it’s like a very short elevator pitch that someone who has never heard of your company before would understand immediately.

• What is the purpose of a value proposition?

Your value proposition is designed to introduce your company’s brand to potential customers. It defines what you stand for, what you do, how you operate, and why you should be chosen over the competition. 

Every competitor in your field is vying for attention. From marketing plans to advertisements, consumers hear a lot of noise. To cut through this clutter and turn your target audience into loyal customers, you need a value proposition that mere mortals can understand easily—and remember. You want your customers to hear your name and think, “oh, that’s the company that does (your unique solution).”

• How do you write a unique value proposition?

Finding a value proposition takes some time and legwork. A real UVP is more than a clever tagline. For it to be meaningful, you have to know your customer and your business. Plus, you have to understand how your product or service fits into our consumer-driven world.

So while your UVP is probably always in the back of your mind, don’t write it based on what you think is true about your solution and your customers. Do some research and testing so that you are sure.

And for that matter, keep testing. Once you’ve come up with your UVP and put it all over your marketing materials and website’s landing pages, it might be tempting to set it and forget it. Keep testing it over time—the more your business grows, the more you’ll know about your customer’s pain points and how your solution helps them. Here are the five steps needed to develop a value proposition.

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1. Define your target market

First, you need to figure out who your customers are. Who will buy (or is buying) your product or service? A lot of first-time business owners want everyone to be a customer; this is a rookie mistake. Marketing to everyone is the opposite of marketing to your target market. If you try to appeal to everyone, your business and product will get lost in the noise. An example of this kind of mistake is a shoe company trying to market to everyone with feet! You’ll waste a lot of time and money that way.

Instead, hone in on exactly who your audience is. Do some market research—both based on your existing customers (if you have them) and other populations you think might be good potential customers. You want to know and understand their pain points—the problems they have that you might be able to solve.

But you’re also interested in their demographic information, income statistics, and family makeup. How old is your target audience ? Are they male or female? What kind of income does your target audience have? Get specific. What does your target audience do on the weekend? What kind of music do they listen to?

You might think these last questions are a bit far-fetched, but you want to create a buyer or user persona of your target audience. A buyer or user persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer—but it’s a very useful tool to help you hone your messaging and who you consider to be a part of your target market.

You can’t create a unique value proposition alone in your basement, either. You have to test it. Run it by a small group of customers, or people you think are in your target market to ensure it resonates with customers you’re trying to reach.

2. Explain why customers should buy from you instead of a competitor

To separate yourself from your competitors, you have to know who they are and what they stand for. Research your competitors inside and out , from their mission statement to the types of employees they have. You can only set yourself apart if you know what’s already been done.

Putting together a competitive matrix can be a helpful way to visualize how you stack up against them. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you don’t have any competition. Every business has competition , even if you’re in a brand new industry. When you’re writing your UVP, see if you can articulate why your customers should buy from you instead of your competitors in ten words or less. If you can’t, keep revising.

3. Define the pain point your product or service solves

Write down how your business or product solves a problem or alleviates a pain point for customers. Can your product do something that other products can’t? Does it save time? Is it more affordable than other products? What about your product or service makes it a must-have for customers—why can’t they live without it?

Take that list and cross off any need pain point that your competitors can claim to address too. Your competitive matrix might be helpful here.

This exercise is meant to help you find areas where your business is different than others. Simply having the best product or the best customer service in the market isn’t enough differentiation.

Remember, every business thinks they have the best product. Take some time to figure out how your product meets the needs of your target audience in a way that others can’t.

4. Connect to your company mission and what you stand for

What does your business stand for? It’s a big question, one that takes some time to figure out. Once you have a solid and clear answer, see if your mission overlaps or coincides with the list of things that sets your business apart. Now you’re starting to hone in on your value proposition.

Once you’ve done your digging, write down a few different possible value propositions that fit your business. Again, this isn’t going to be something you whip up in 20 minutes. Write a few down, stew on them for a bit, and refine them. Ask yourself if someone could read your UVP and think it’s talking about another company. If the answer is yes, you have a selling or value proposition, but it’s not unique yet.

Rework it until you have one succinct sentence that makes you stand out from your competitors. What do you want your customers to remember about you when they hear your brand or product name?

5. Craft a single message

Once you’ve defined what you will cover in your value proposition, you need to land on a single core message. Not every pain point or benefit needs to be listed here. You’ve done the research to ensure you are landing on the right message for your audience, the last thing you want to do is overcomplicate communications

Focus on communicating one key value that connects to your customer’s pain point. The goal is to hook their interest so that they want to explore what else you have to offer. If they take that first step, then look for opportunities to elaborate on the additional value you provide.

Additionally, just because you’ve honed in on a core value proposition, doesn’t mean that it can’t change. You may need to make adjustments for sub-sections of your audience, change out keywords for different platforms, and even fully restructure your UVP if it doesn’t resonate. 

The key here is to not just write up your UVP and walk away. Look for opportunities to test it directly with your target audience either through interviews, surveys, or even through live testing. 

• 4 examples of great value propositions

One of the best ways to learn is by example, so let’s take a look at a few businesses that have created unmistakably unique selling propositions.

The Mast Brothers Chocolate

This duo of bearded, lanky brothers creates chocolate bars by hand . Their dedication to their craft alone is unique, but the brothers have infused their love of old-time traditions into their business.

When they need to purchase more cocoa beans, they charter a wooden sailboat to stay true to their pioneer-like roots. Now that’s a unique position you can market.

Dollar Shave Club

This online business sells and ships razors and blades to its audience for a buck. They poke fun at the fancy, vibrating 10-blade razors that are on the market today and encourage men to go back to basics.

But, don’t think that means they’re selling an inferior product. Their slogan is: “Our blades are f***ing great,” a tagline that points to (but isn’t the same as) their selling proposition. Remember, if other companies can also say their product is “great,” you have a catchy tagline, not something that sets you apart from the competition.  

Ellusionist

Here’s a business that created a value proposition by catering to a very specific audience. Ellusionist is an online store that sells playing cards to magicians.

Some of the decks are marked, others have a vintage appearance, but the variations are meant to build showmanship for its unique target audience.

Palo Alto Software

Shortly after publishing this article, one of our readers asked if we could share our own USP. Bplans is a resource offered by Palo Alto Software, so here’s what Noah Parsons, our chief operating officer, has to say about our UVP:

For Palo Alto Software, our goal is to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and know-how to help them grow faster and better than their competition.

We’re not just in it to make a buck—we actually want to help people succeed in business as much as possible. Our commitment to entrepreneurs is shown in our thousands of pages of free content that helps demystify the complexities of starting and running a business.

We also provide simple yet powerful tools for entrepreneurs so they can focus more on doing what they love and less on trying to build and understand complex reports and spreadsheets.

• Create a compelling value proposition

The process to land on what differentiates your business and resonates with your audience is well worth the effort. Not only will it help you define a compelling value proposition, but it will make it far easier to streamline your focus as a business owner. Everything from developing audience personas to crafting and testing copy, it encourages you to work through the needs of your customer.

If you’re struggling to work through these steps the best thing you can do is revisit your business plan . It should have everything you need including the problem you’re solving, how your business operates, who your ideal customers are, and what your business stands for. 

*Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2018. It has been updated for 2021.

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.

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Press Release April 9, 2024

Spectrum Mobile Launches Innovative Anytime Upgrade and New Low-Cost Device Protection Plan

New Offerings Deliver More Value with Industry Leading Mobile Device Flexibility and Protection

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STAMFORD, Conn. – Spectrum today announced the launch of two new features, delivering Spectrum Mobile customers more value, control and peace of mind. Anytime Upgrade, which is now included in the Spectrum Mobile 1 Unlimited Plus data plan at no extra cost, allows new and existing customers to upgrade their phones whenever they want, as many times as they want, eliminating the traditional wait times and condition requirements associated with phone upgrades. Delivering even more value, Spectrum's new Mobile Repair and Replacement Plan offers customers device protection at a more affordable rate than competitors 2 .

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Spectrum Mobile Anytime Upgrade: Delivering More Value for Less

With Anytime Upgrade, Spectrum is the first mobile provider to include this level of freedom within a rate plan. While some other carriers offer early upgrades, Anytime Upgrade allows Unlimited Plus customers to get the latest device anytime without traditional waiting periods 3 or early upgrade fees, providing unparalleled choice and flexibility. There is no need for customers to wait until they have paid 50% of their device payment plan balance, and customers can upgrade as many times as they want. Unlimited Plus customers, including those who bring their own device, can upgrade to any new available smart phone regardless of their device’s condition, as long as it powers on and is free of liquid damage 4 .

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As the nation’s fastest-growing mobile provider 5 , Spectrum Mobile delivers exceptional value with flexible plans designed to meet various needs and budgets. In addition to enjoying new industry leading benefits like Anytime Upgrade and the Repair and Replacement Plan, Spectrum Mobile provides the fastest wireless speeds by combining WiFi and Mobile 6 . Spectrum Unlimited Plus plans also include 50GB of premium data, cellular video streaming up to 720p 7 and free roaming in Canada and Mexico 8 .

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More information about Anytime Upgrade and the Spectrum Mobile Repair and Replacement Plan is available at spectrum.com/mobile .

1 Spectrum Internet required. Auto-pay required. For Unlimited/Unlimited Plus, speeds are reduced after 30/50 GB of usage per line. Restrictions apply. For details, refer to Spectrum.com/policies/mobile-terms.

2 As compared to Verizon, AT&T & T-Mobile as of Feb. 2024

3 Anytime Upgrade only available for customers subscribed to Spectrum Mobile Unlimited Plus for one billing cycle and in good standing. Trade-in devices must be operable; if not operable then trade-in may be subject to an additional redemption fee. Must enroll in new Device Payment Plan and remain on Unlimited Plus for 2 billing cycles.

4 $99 fee applies to “Beyond Economic Repair” devices

5 Based on Q4 2023 subscriber data among top 3 carriers

6 Based on analysis by Spectrum of Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data for overall mobile WiFi and Cellular performance for Q4 2023 in Spectrum's cable footprint. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

7 Video resolution not restricted when connected to WiFi

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25 million student loan borrowers could see their balances shrink under Biden’s new forgiveness plan

President Joe Biden and his administration are moving forward with plans to provide student debt relief to as many people as possible.

The administration announced Monday the details of its new plan to reduce student debt balances for millions of borrowers. The proposed regulations — which were drafted as part of the months-long negotiated rulemaking process — feature several different ways for borrowers to see their debt balances reduced, if not eliminated entirely. 

The provisions of the plan include forgiving excessive interest that has accrued, discharging balances that have been in repayment for 20 years or more and relief for borrowers who attended now-closed or insolvent institutions.

"[The] plan is focused on the reasons that people are struggling with their student loan debt," James Kvaal, Under Secretary of Education, told CNBC Make It. 

"People who are upside down on their student loans because interest has racked up faster than they could pay it, people who have been making payments on their loans for decades and still owe those loans — it's a sign of how aggressive the President is [being] in tackling the student loan crisis," he said.

The relief provisions will soon be open for a public comment period where the administration will consider revisions to its proposal before it goes into effect. Some provisions are expected to roll out as early as this fall, the administration said.

As with Biden's previous student debt forgiveness proposals, it's possible this plan will come under legal scrutiny if challenged by opponents. But this plan differs from his previous action by using a different legal authority — the Higher Education Act — and narrowing the scope of borrowers eligible for relief.

In the event this plan is enacted and a future presidential administration wanted to repeal it, it would need to go through the same lengthy rulemaking process, Kvaal said.

Here's the relief borrowers may expect to see in the coming months.

Up to $20,000 of accrued interest forgiven

Interest accrues daily on student loans and some borrowers have interest rates as high as 8%. As a result, many borrowers wind up with balances higher than what they initially took out for school, despite making regular payments.

Biden's plan aims to address that "runaway interest" by canceling up to $20,000 of the amount a borrower's balance has grown due to unpaid interest after entering repayment. Single borrowers who earn $120,000 or less and married borrowers earning $240,000 or less who enroll in an income-driven repayment plan would be eligible to have their entire excess interest balances discharged, the administration said. 

Some 25 million borrowers stand to benefit from their interest balances being reduced if the plan goes into effect as proposed. An estimated 23 million of those borrowers will have their entire balance growth forgiven, according to the administration.

Automatic loan discharge for forgiveness-eligible borrowers

The Biden administration has canceled debt for over 1 million borrowers through existing forgiveness programs, including Public Service Loan Forgiveness , income-driven repayment and closed school loan discharges.

The administration estimates another 2 million borrowers are eligible to have their debt forgiven under these programs, but have not yet applied .

The new plan will allow the administration to use available data to identify and automatically clear balances for these borrowers as they are eligible, without borrower action.

Debt forgiveness for long-term borrowers

Another 2 million borrowers could benefit from a provision that will clear debt balances that are at least 20 years old for undergraduate borrowers and 25 years for graduate borrowers. It will apply to undergraduate borrowers with direct loans or direct consolidation loans who entered repayment on or before July 1, 2005, and graduate school borrowers who entered repayment on or before or July 1, 2000.

Currently, borrowers enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education plan or other income-driven repayment plans are eligible to have their remaining balances discharged after 20 or 25 years, but the new regulation would eliminate the IDR requirement.

Relief for attendees of 'low-financial-value' programs

The Biden administration has made a concerted effort to "hold colleges accountable when they leave students with mountains of debt and without good job prospects," it said in its statement. 

As such, the new plan would waive loans for borrowers who attended institutions or programs the administration identifies as "low-financial-value."

That includes schools that have lost eligibility to receive federal student aid or were denied recertification due to cheating or taking advantage of students, as well as programs that have since closed or have a history of leaving students with high debt loads and poor earnings outcomes.

Help for borrowers facing financial hardship

The administration says it is committed to pursuing a "specific action" for student loan borrowers experiencing a variety of financial hardships , although it's not yet clear who may receive relief and to what degree their balances will be reduced.

"This could include delivering automatic forgiveness to borrowers predicted to be likely to default on their loans, or through an individualized applications where borrowers could detail their financial hardship that is preventing them from being able to fully pay back their loan, such as a child care or medical expense," the administration said in its statement.

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