Value proposition

A clear statement of what you do, for whom, and why it is better.

What it means

A value proposition names the customer, the problem, the outcome and the reason to believe you rather than an alternative.

Why it matters

It is the sentence everything else is built on — the website, the pitch, the advert. Businesses without one produce marketing that describes rather than persuades.

What it looks like in practice

A workable format: for [customer], who [problem], we provide [solution] that [outcome], unlike [alternative].\n\nTest it on somebody outside the business. If they cannot repeat it back, it is not clear.

What to watch out for

Propositions that describe your process. Customers buy the outcome, not the method, and the method matters only as evidence.

Where to get proper advice

Your own customers, asked why they chose you and what they nearly did instead.