Do you want more customers to choose you over your competition? Smart marketers use a compelling value proposition to show prospects why their company is better than the competition. In this guide, we’ll share 32 value propositions that are impossible to resist.
Regardless of your product or service, you almost certainly have competition. So what makes a customer choose you over another company? The answer lies in a great value proposition.
Before we get started, here is a quick overview of what we’ll cover in this guide (feel free to use the links below to jump to a particular section).
- What is a value proposition?
- 32 Value Proposition Examples
- How to Write a Value Proposition
- 6 Value Proposition Templates
Ready to start writing your unique value proposition? First, let’s briefly cover the basics…
What is a Value Proposition?
It’s a term you’ve heard thrown around, but do you know what it means, and do you have one?
Dozens of descriptions are circulating around the web, but one of the best explanations comes from entrepreneur Michael Skok:
Value Proposition Definition
“In its simplest terms, a value proposition is a positioning statement that explains what benefit you provide for who and how you do it uniquely well. It describes your target buyer, the pain point you solve, and why you’re distinctly better than the alternatives.”
The key term in this definition is “uniquely.” A compelling value proposition is a promise designed to convey how the brand stands apart from its competition, and why your target audience should choose it over the rest.
You also want to make sure that you convey this in a single sentence or phrase. If you can’t make it very clear, there’s a fundamental flaw in your positioning.
32 Value Proposition Examples
Here are 32 of the top value propositions currently in use by leading brands. Use these as inspiration to blow your own competition out of the water…
1. Stripe: “Web and mobile payments, built for developers”
Product: A set of tools that empower businesses to accept and manage online payments.
Target market: Developers and business owners.
Primary benefit: Simple and streamlined payments.
What makes it unique? It shows Stripe’s emphasis on simplicity.
2. Lyft: “Rides in Minutes”
Product: On-demand car service.
Target market: People who need a simple method for getting from “point A” to “point B”.
Primary benefit: Immediate response.
What makes it unique? Lyft focuses on providing local service without any delays.
3. Uber: “Get there: Your day belongs to you”
Product: Low-cost taxi service.
Target market: People who need low-cost, on-demand transportation.
Primary benefit: Eliminates the frustrations of travel.
What makes it unique? The proposition focuses on the needs of the customer by using the word “you.”
4. Periscope: “Explore the world through someone else’s eyes”
Product: Live streaming video content.
Target market: Millennials who want real-time visual content.
Primary benefit: The ability to experience moments without borders.
What makes it unique? “Explore” is a powerful word that shows how users have control over the experience.
5. Bovada: “Raise Your Game”
Product: Online sports betting and casino games.
Target market: Competitive people with a tolerance for risk.
Primary benefit: A place to be competitive and a chance for rewards.
What makes it unique? It’s short and sweet, which says something about the simplicity of the brand and its service.
6. Budweiser Beer: “The Great American Lager”
Product: Low-cost, high-quality beer.
Target market: The average American.
Primary benefit: Familiar-tasting beer at a fraction of the price.
What makes it unique? The use of “great American” ties the beer to something more than the drink itself.
7. Target: “Expect More, Pay Less”
Product: Thousands of SKUs across many industries.
Target market: Cost-conscious shoppers who expect quality.
Primary benefit: Quality products at prices that are lower than the competition.
What makes it unique? You don’t have to compromise on price or quality; you can get both.
8. Walmart: “Save Money. Live Better.”
Product: Virtually any product a customer wants.
Target market: Lower- and middle-class bargain shoppers.
Primary benefit: You get to buy the things that will make your life better, without the heavy price tag.
What makes it unique? In addition to touching on the money aspect of the transaction, it also highlights the intrinsic benefits.
9. Skillshare: “Learn a New Skill Each Day”
Product: Online classes and lessons.
Target market: Entrepreneurs and creative minds.
Primary benefit: The ability to learn via bite-sized lessons.
What makes it unique? The focus on quick, on-demand learning.
10. Evernote: “Remember Everything”
Product: App for organizing.
Target market: Busy individuals and professionals.
Primary benefit: Easy and integrated task management.
What makes it unique? The ability to organize your notes all in one place so you never forget a great idea.
11. Square: “Start Selling Today”
Product: Credit card processing services.
Target market: Small business owners.
Primary benefit: Easy payment processing regardless of location.
What makes it unique? The focus on immediacy.
12. Zapier: “Connect Your Apps and Automate Workflows”
Product: App integration platform.
Target market: Busy professionals with lots of apps.
Primary benefit: The ability to streamline workflows.
What makes it unique? It highlights the relationship between connectivity and automation.
13. Spotify: “Music for Everyone”
Product: Online streaming music.
Target market: Families and single people alike.
Primary benefit: Music on the go.
What makes it unique? Moms, dads, kids, singles… there’s music to suit everyone’s tastes, all in one app.
14. Intuit: “Simplify the Business of Life”
Product: Finance and tax software.
Target market: Small business owners.
Primary benefit: Simplification.
What makes it unique? The benefit extends far beyond just business… it simplifies your life.
15. LegalShield: “Worry Less. Live More.”
Product: Legal protection.
Target market: Individuals and small businesses.
Primary benefit: Legal protection you can trust to be there whenever you need it.
What makes it unique? It takes the stress out of legal situations.
16. Gusto: “Payroll and Benefits Designed for Modern Businesses”
Product: Payroll and benefits software.
Target market: Busy business owners.
Primary benefit: Streamlined payroll and benefits management.
What makes it unique? It shows that Gusto is designed with progressive businesses in mind.
17. Gengo: “People-Powered Translation at Scale”
Product: Custom translation services.
Target market: Travelers, businesses, and more.
Primary benefit: Access to professional translating services at any time.
What makes it unique? The ability to scale according to size and need.
18. Listia: “Sell Your Old Stuff. Get New Stuff for Free.”
Product: A service that lets you profit from selling.
Target market: People who want to get rid of unwanted items.
Primary benefit: The ability to replace old stuff with new items.
What makes it unique? The mutual focus on giving and getting.
19. Proven: “The One Stop Shop for Small Business Hiring”
Product: A streamlined platform for finding employees.
Target market: Small business owners.
Primary benefit: Quick and easy searches for applicants.
What makes this value proposition unique? “One stop shop” for all of your needs.
20. Fundly: “Raise Money for Anything”
Product: Online fundraising platform.
Target market: People and groups who need funding.
Primary benefit: The ability to reach a large number of people.
What makes this value proposition unique? Users can fund any project, regardless of need.
21. Locu: “Get Found Online”
Product: Online visibility services.
Target market: Small business owners and marketers.
Primary benefit: Increased Internet visibility.
What makes this value proposition unique? Simplicity and automation.
22. DogVacay: “Find the Perfect Pet Sitter Near You”
Product: Pet sitting services.
Target market: Pet owners that travel.
Primary benefit: Loving sitters in your area.
What makes this value proposition unique? The focus on finding the “perfect” sitter for your pet, so you can rest at ease and enjoy your vacation.
23. Thumbtack: “Consider it Done”
Product: Professional services for hire.
Target market: People who need professional services and help.
Primary benefit: The ability to get help anywhere, anytime.
What makes this value proposition unique? The concise nature of the proposition is reflective of the simple service being offered.
24. WP Engine: “WordPress Hosting, Perfected”
Product: WordPress hosting.
Target market: Small business owners and people who need websites.
Primary benefit: Web hosting without issues.
What makes this value proposition unique? The focus on perfection at all levels so you don’t have to worry about your site going down or having any issues. This is the most important aspect of WordPress hosting that many companies ignore mentioning in their marketing.
25. JORD: “Luxury Hand-Crafted All-Natural Wooden Watches”
Product: Wooden watches.
Target market: Stylish men and women with a taste for craftsmanship.
Primary benefit: Hand-crafted, unique watches.
What makes this value proposition unique? The focus is on luxurious, hand-crafted products.
26. Vimeo: “Make Life Worth Watching”
Product: Online video streaming.
Target market: People who want to upload and/or watch video.
Primary benefit: A simple platform for watching, uploading, and sharing video.
What makes this value proposition unique? Focuses on the intrinsic value and artistic nature of a well crafted video.
27. Tortuga Backpacks: “Bring Everything You Need Without Checking a Bag”
Product: Travel backpacks.
Target market: Young travelers and weekend road trippers.
Primary benefit: The ability to travel light.
What makes this value proposition unique? There’s no need to deal with the cost and hassle of checking bags at the airport.
28. Ladders: “Move Up In Your Career”
Product: Career advice and related services.
Target market: Ambitious and motivated professionals.
Primary benefit: Ability to move up in your career.
What makes this value proposition unique? Emphasis on career growth, versus simply finding a job.
29. Pinterest: “The World’s Catalog of Ideas”
Product: Access to ideas and inspiration.
Target market: Creatives, DIYers, women planning their wedding or looking for a masterpiece to cook tonight.
Primary benefit: Ability to find something beautiful to create.
What makes this value proposition unique? Emphasizes the vast depth and size of the platform.
30. Salesforce: “Connect to Your Customers in a Whole New Way”
Product: CRM solution.
Target market: Business owners and marketers.
Primary benefit: Easy-to-use CRM solution without compromise.
What makes this value proposition unique? Focuses on building a deeper relationship with your customers.
31. Bitly: “Shorten. Share. Measure.”
Product: Link management platform.
Target market: Small business owners and digital marketers.
Primary benefit: Simple access to the power of link management.
What makes this value proposition unique? Focuses on the three key elements of link management without any superfluous language.
32. Dollar Shave Club: “A Great Shave for a Few Bucks a Month”
Product: Subscription-based razors.
Target market: Cost-conscious millennial males who want to look great with less hassle.
Primary benefit: A high-quality shave that’s convenient and low-priced.
What makes this value proposition unique? Focuses on the total monthly cost.
How to Write a Value Proposition
Now that you’ve seen some examples, here are some tips for writing your own value proposition.
The first thing you’ll need to get started with writing your value proposition is a value proposition canvas.
A value proposition canvas is very similar to a business plan canvas: it’s a simple, visual framework for brainstorming your value proposition.
When filling out your value proposition canvas, you’ll want to answer some questions about your product and your customer. Here’s an example from Peter Thomson.
Some questions you’ll want to ask yourself include…
Product
- What does your product do?
- What does it fell like to use your product?
- How does your product work?
- What features does it have?
Customer
- What are the emotional drivers of purchasing?
- What are the hidden needs?
- What are the rational drivers of purchasing?
- What are the risks of switching to your product?
- What do people currently do instead?
Once filled out, your value proposition canvas might look something like this.
OK, now that you have your canvas filled out, you should have a good idea of how your product and your customer’s needs fit together. Now it’s time to write your customer value proposition!
Here are some templates to get you started…
6 Value Proposition Templates
Use these value proposition templates to start crafting your own. You probably won’t end up using these ideas word for word, but they’ll give you a great starting point.
1. Geoff Moore’s Value Positioning Statement
In Geoff Moore’s seminal book, Crossing the Chasm, he suggests the following template for writing your value proposition.
For [target customer] who [statement of the need or opportunity], our [product/service name] is [product category] that [statement of benefit].
Example: “For non-technical marketers who struggle to find return on investment in social media, our product is a web-based analytics software that translates engagement metrics into actionable revenue metrics.”
2. Steve Blank’s XYZ
Here is perhaps the simplest value proposition template from Steve Blank.
We help [X] to [Y] by [Z].
Example: “We help parents spend more quality time with their kids by providing parent-friendly play areas.”
3. Venture Hacks’ High-Concept Pitch
This value proposition template from Venture Hacks leverages businesses that already exist in your industry to craft your own unique value proposition.
[Proven industry example] for/of [new domain].
Example: “Flickr for video.”
4. Peter Sandeen’s Value Proposition
Peter Sandeen says the idea is to “hit people over the head with what makes you different.”
What makes you valuable? (Collect all of the most persuasive reasons people should notice you and take the action you’re asking for.)
Can you prove that? (Use studies, testimonials, social proof, etc. to prove your claim.)
5. Customer-Problem-Solution
Vlaskovits and Cooper use what they call a Customer-Problem-Solution value proposition template.
Customer: [who your target audience is] Problem: [what problem you’re solving for the customer] Solution: [what is your solution to the problem]
Example: “Customer: I believe my best customers are small and medium-sized business (SMB) markets. Problem: Who cannot easily measure campaign ROI because existing solutions are too expensive, complicated to deploy, display a dizzying array of non-actionable charts. Solution: Low cost, easy to deploy analytics system designed for non-technical marketers who need actionable metrics.”
6. Dave McClure’s Elevator Ride
Dave McClure suggests a 3-step checklist for writing your unique value proposition.
Short, simple, memorable; what, how, why.
3 keywords or phrases
KISS (no expert jargon)
Example: “Mint.com is the free, easy way to manage your money online.”
That’s it! In this guide, you learned what a value proposition is, and you saw 32 value proposition examples that are impossible to resist. You also learned how to write a value proposition with a value proposition canvas and 6 templates.
Now it’s your turn. Go ahead and use these examples as inspiration to craft your own value proposition, so you can start standing out from the competition!