CXL Minidegree: Conversion Optimization Part [4/12]
Where should you position the Value Proposition
- on every page where you want people to take action.
- “make them an offer they cannot refuse.”
What does a good value proposition look like?
- you need to address the problem the user is having
- You should be able to target your target audience.
- It delivers specific benefits.
Why should they buy from you?
- If it’s not different, you will not sell.
- you are competing on value
- Clarity trumps persuasion
- don’t use jargon or fancy language
Page layout
The amount of copy will be predetermined by the type of page your on.
What is a value proposition?
In a nutshell, a value proposition is a clear statement that
- explains how your product solves customers’ problems or improves their situation (relevancy),
- delivers specific benefits (quantified value),
- tells the ideal customer why they should buy from you and not from the competition (unique differentiation).
- You want people to read and understand what it is that you do. By avoiding jargon or fancy speak, you’ll be able to convey your message that much more clearly.
That being said, the purpose of marketing is to communicate your value to your target. Your copy should reflect the way that your user speaks. Not how you talk.
Figuring out your value proposition is no easy task. It takes time and effort to figure out what makes your business unique. We’ve spent so much time talking about what value propositions are that I’d like to discuss what value propositions are not…
They are not things that are (or should be standard).
- Excellent service — well, you wouldn’t promote that you had terrible service. Unless that’s your shtick
- High quality — This is a quality that should be perceived, not presented. You walk into a Mercedes dealership. Odds are the best salespeople don’t say that The C63 AMG is High Quality.
- “We Care” — Well, I’d hate to see what you’d do if you didn’t.
They are not slogans.
- “I’m loving it” — McDonald’s.
- “Just Do It” — Nike
- “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE” — Kevin Garnett (Side note: make sure your influencers don’t misrepresent your brand)
Creating a value proposition if what you sell is NOT unique
Your value proposition should come from what you do better than the competition, not from forcing copywriters to be innovative.
Look at the weaknesses of your competitors & ask yourself:
- Is your website more comfortable to use? How specifically?
- Can your product be better tailored to the market?
- Do you have a kick-ass customer service team?
- Is your return policy or customer guarantee superior?
- Are your prices lower?
- Do you have faster shipping options?
- Is your atmosphere better?
Realistically, there will be problems you can’t solve.
For example, If you can’t offer free shipping, and the competition can — that’s not a good value proposition, and it could hurt you if you tried to force it without a plan.
But being more knowledgeable, having a friendlier staff, or a cooler inventory are things you could work into a unique value proposition.
If your value proposition makes the benefit immediately apparent to the customer, you’ll be a step ahead — because everyone else is still trying to compete on features.
What should your value proposition look like?
There isn’t a cut and dry way to create a value proposition, but Peep suggests using the following as a framework.
- Headline. What is the end-benefit you’re offering in 1 short sentence? Can mention the product and/or the customer — attention grabber.
- Sub-headline or a 2–3 sentence paragraph. A specific explanation of what you do/offer, for whom, and why is it useful.
- Three bullet points. List the key benefits or features.
- Visual. Images communicate much faster than words. Show the product, the hero shot, or an image reinforcing your main message.
Once you have a value proposition, you can by using the following questions to determine its strength.
- What product or service is your company selling?
- What is the end benefit of using it?
- Who is your target customer for this product or service?
- What makes your offering unique and different?
Most people check out 4–5 different options/service providers before they decide. You want your offering to stand out in this critical research phase.
Value proposition Boosters
These are things that most of your competitors are capable of but are just not doing. By adding some or one of these to your value proposition, it can make you stand head and shoulders above the competition.
- Free shipping
- Fast shipping / Next day shipping
- Free bonus with a purchase
- Free setup/installation
- No setup fee
- No long-term contract, cancel any time
- License for multiple computers (vs 1)
- (Better than) Money-back guarantee
- A discounted price (for a product)
- Customizable
- Examples of good VP’s
Comments
- It’s clear what it is and for whom
- Specific benefit-oriented sub-headline
- Relevant visuals
- Smooth transition into features and benefits
Comments
- A different kind of layout, but well done. It tells the story of ‘what’ and ‘how.’ Easy to follow.
- Key features/benefits listed along with relevant imagery
- ‘Remember everything’ is a good slogan, but I’d add a specific sub-headline underneath it for improved clarity.
- Examples of Bad VP’s
Comments
- No fair value proposition in place at all. The readability is extremely poor. The text is for reading. It should be a minimum of 14px.
- Don’t ever waste precious attention on useless headlines like “Welcome to our website.” Have you ever seen a website where the visitors are not welcome?
- The text is all about “them.” We are, we offer, we have. It should be about the customer.
- Jargon!
- The image is relevant, but kind of cheesy stock photo. Use a more authentic picture.
- What to do once you have a Value Proposition you like?
Test it…
Yea, that’s it. There is no way that you can just “know” what the customer will respond to the best. This is why you must always test several variations.
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed the material this week. I found it to be thoughtfully l laid out. The Lecture structure has contributed to my comprehension of the topics. There is a lot of information that is excluded from my above post. This session of the mini-degree, but the content in these courses are
