How do you make your products compelling to your intended audience? The most successful businesses are able to develop value propositions that clearly lay out the benefits of their products and address how they solve specific problems. A value proposition should always keep the target customer in mind and demonstrate how your offering is both unique and better than competitors’ alternatives. In writing a value proposition for industrial products, it’s also important to understand the specific needs and concerns of relevant industries. Speaking their language ensures that the value proposition will resonate with them.
When trying to develop a persuasive sales tack, make sure to avoid some common pitfalls. For example, a value proposition has to be more than just a simple slogan or a brand differentiation statement. It also shouldn’t be too complicated. Most importantly, it cannot simply copy the approach of a competitor; it has to provide differentiation. Let’s look at how to write a value proposition that’s successful.
Key Components
A value proposition should first explain how a particular product solves the problems of potential customers. This helps to establish the product’s relevance. Once this is laid out, it’s important to emphasize the specific benefits that the product provides. Finally, you need to explain why your product is specifically better than the competition.
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Suggested Formatting
A value proposition should consist of:
- A headline
- A more detailed sub-header
- Supporting bullet points
- Visuals that reinforce the message
Let’s examine these in more detail.
The headline should be a short sentence that mentions the product and its most important benefits in a way that grabs the target audience’s attention. This is where you get to make your first impression. The headline will be the largest font size on the page or the first thing you tell a customer. It’s the starting point for any sale. If you miss the mark here, it’s difficult to recover.
Once the product is established, it’s important to give a more specific explanation in a sub-header, which should consist of a few sentences. This provides an opportunity to link the product to a specific pain point using key terms, telling potential clients that this product is meant for them. Don’t overly rely on jargon but avoid vague language as well. This section can also provide some details about product options or emphasize quality standards.
Listing key features as bullet points provides an opportunity to distinguish the product from those of competitors by further highlighting its benefits. For industrial products, one would emphasize dependability, strength, longevity, resistance to the elements, or other qualities in this vein.
Visuals, like graphics, diagrams, or photos, can signal to customers that the product is for them, help to drive a point home, or just provide immediacy. Sometimes, it’s beneficial to use iconography associated with the industry. For industrial products, showing tools of the trade or machinery may have the right effect. In other cases, a representation of the product or how it will be used can do the job. Another approach is to use simple graphics to create a positive impression or reinforce the product’s value.
Value Proposition Goals
A value proposition must check off some common boxes in order to be successful. It should clearly articulate the product being sold and why it’s beneficial for the potential buyer. Someone should be able to read it and immediately get the message. On top of this, the language in the value proposition should also demonstrate that you understand the target audience and how they might use this product. Competitive differentiation is probably the most essential goal of any value proposition. Remember, you are trying to set yourself apart from competitors. Why should they stay on your page or listen to you instead of moving on to the next option? This goal should be foremost in your mind during this process.
Tailoring for Industrial Products
When writing a value proposition that involves industrial products, it’s important to demonstrate value that’s meaningful to your customers. In particular, it should preemptively tackle some of the challenges that may arise in such sales. For example, decision making in buying industrial products over involves several stakeholders in the organization. The value proposition should try to implicitly address a variety of possible concerns in order to get as many stakeholders onboard. With a product like industrial fabrics, the value proposition could be tailored for military or agricultural uses.
A value proposition is a key selling tool. Taking the time and effort to ensure tht it presents your product in a persuasive way can make it easier to complete a sale with purchase managers.
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