What is your unique value proposition?
A lot of times we’re told to do a great job and you’ll get lots of customers or receive or see return business when that just isn’t true. Customer loyalty isn’t as easily won nowadays. Consumers want more than just good service, they want value. Are you properly showcasing your unique value proposition?
Everyone is guilty of being a tire kicker from time to time. The real reason behind it is that When a customer doesn’t understand the value of what you offer, that is when they resort to comparing apples to apples when in fact you are selling oranges. If someone is on the lookout for a service that you’re offering and they don’t understand the value proposition that you offer then they’re gonna start looking at other businesses and comparing on price alone.
So how then does an awesome service provider go about changing a potential client’s perception and showing how much value is offered? Well, the answer is actually a lot simpler than you think. Just straight up tell them. Don’t get hung up on giving every detail of all your services. Your ideal customer already knows what you do. You just have to show the value in how you do it differently.
Storytime!
Jennifer was looking for a great personal trainer. She searched Google for an ‘Edmonton Personal Trainer’ and came up with two that she likes. Personal trainer A offers everything personal trainer B offers. The biggest difference is that personal trainer B states on her website that she always has dog treats on hand and also has a kid-safe play zone that is always in view of the workout area.
While this might not mean much to the average client, it means a lot to Jennifer as a young mother and owner of a puppy. Personal trainer B has identified her ideal client and showing them added value in choosing her business.
What Not to Do
First of all here are 3 things to keep in mind when putting your value add proposition together
- Don’t put down the competition
You shouldn’t have to make your competition look bad in order to make your services look good. In fact, all that does is make you look like you’re coming from a place of fear rather than a place of confidence. - Don’t discount your services
Discounts are not a Value Add. While they make your services more affordable, discounts do not actually add value to them. - Don’t make Unsubstantiated claims.
Unless you have specific awards that are relevant to your products and services, don’t brag about being #1 or claim that your business is the best.
What you need to do
As I mentioned before the process is simple.
Step 1.
Grab 2 pens of different colours or highlighters and write down a list of the benefits that your business offers and that your ideal clients will appreciate. We will call these you ‘+1’ meaning what you are doing is above the average.
Step 2.
Circle the items that are unique to your business.
If you don’t have at least the ‘+1s’ left on the list you need to review your processes, and services. Where can you do more? Talk to your staff. If you are a solo business owner and don’t have a staff, talk to your clients. You can use a survey using a service like Survey Monkey or Google Forms to make it official and gather responses all in one place. Once you have them incorporate them into your website and you will be well on your way to changing perception and getting showing value.
If you need help on incorporating your unique value proposition into your branding or website contact us and we can discuss how we may be able to give you a hand.
