If someone can’t see the value of working with you, it’s because you haven’t shown them the value of working with you. Ouch. That hurts to toss that back onto your shoulders. As the business owner it’s important to include your value in your marketing, in your web copy, and in your correspondence. Expressing your value (aka UVP – unique value proposition) should be a large part of your branding and that kind of branding should become second nature in how you respond online and in quotes. After all, branding aims to establish a significant and differentiated presence in the market that attracts and retains loyal customers. You want to stand out from the crowd.
Identifying Your Value
Use these five questions to help clarify the value that your business and/or product possesses:
- What makes your business and/or product different than your competitor’s business/product?
- Name one element that your business and/or product truly excels?
- On a scale of 1 to 10 where would your ideal customer rank their desire for your business and/or product?
- How exclusive is your offering?
- How affordable is your offering?
These questions can be applied to each of your service offerings and products. I encourage you to take the time to answer the questions for your top sellers – services and/or products.
Consistently Expressing Your Value
Whenever you are discussing one of your top sellers remember to weave value points from the above questions into your web copy, marketing materials and into the response for your next proposal. I think you’ll notice that when the value becomes clearer to your customers that you’ll quickly realize how these areas sell themselves. It gets much easier because you’re no longer convincing someone to buy. You’re sharing solutions or how-to’s or information – the three main things that lead customers to your doorstep.
Without delay you’re giving customers exactly the information that they crave first and foremost. You’re not hiding it low on the page. You’re not waiting until the last paragraph in a proposal to reveal the best pieces. Suddenly, it’s easier for a customer to say “yes” because all of their concerns have been answered from the start.
Keeping It Simple
When you compose the text around your value or hold a conversation always boil it down to only the information that’s most relevant to what each customer is seeking. Nothing more is needed. Be specific and concise. Your customer will quickly understand and grasp this information. Again, your services, products, and ideas will stand on their own.
And if for some reason they can’t stand on their own, then it’s time to rework your offerings or products until they can. Break away from the crowd and dare to be different in your approach.