One of the most important aspects of a unique value proposition is that it pre-selects customers in and of itself based on its own message and interpretation. In other words, a unique value proposition speaks of what makes your product and service both different and valuable. You can see this often in car advertising. If a company boasts the highest speed and performance possible, you could guess that they are not talking to someone about purchasing a family vehicle. Same with shoes. A sneaker that claims to have the best arch support for runners is targeting athletes and not someone looking for dress shoes. In other words, the customer is already embedded in the message.
The structure of selling a unique value proposition is not rocket science. It’s all based on who, what, when, where & why. The more specifically you can answer those questions in your value proposition, the more unique and effective it becomes. This would be a good time to acknowledge that, yes, there are very few people that you would exclude as customers but you really have to hone in on what it is you really want. Just because someone’s grandmother bought the sports car and basketball sneakers mentioned in the previous paragraph doesn’t mean that we should pivot our value proposition to that; it’s a one-off. Let’s explore how the who, what, when, where & why can help us sell our unique value proposition.
Who – Everyone should have a profile of an ideal customer. Sometimes multiple customer profiles exist, but they usually have one or two things in common. Focus less on mass appeal and really dial in to who your market really is.
What – What is the unique attribute of your product or service that actually matters to the group you assigned to the ‘who’ section? This can really accelerate your pre-selection process and get you more comfortable with speaking to customers.
When – I know this should be obvious, but what part in the customer’s cycle are they ready to buy what you are selling? Timing is everything and if you can include it in your unique value proposition and can sell it even easier.
Where – There is still a sense of tribalism that exists among your customers whether they realize it or not. The ‘where’ is part of the customer’s identity and if you can tap your unique value proposition into your customer’s sense of identity (the ‘where’) the more they will be inclined to see you as their best option.
Why – This should be obvious, and chances are if you answered the who, what, when, and why you will already have your why. Why me? Why this? Why now? Why here? This actually will become implicit for your customers and this is what will really sell your unique value proposition.
