Writing Value Propositions For Digital Products

Most B2B SaaS companies miss the mark when it comes to messaging and positioning. They try to pack in EVERYTHING, including buzzwords, every feature, every new industry trend and end up with some convoluted SaaS-speak nonsense that most of the buyers don't understand—and certainly don't act on. The biggest mistake? Competitive copycats echo buzzwords no human has ever said aloud. And "final" copy ships without hearing a single customer heartbeat. Companies forget that every line is a promise of a better workday. When the promise feels real, your buyers remember. Here's my 6-step plan, built on research, refined by emotion: 1. Immerse yourself in your customers' day. Note every frustration and workaround. 2. Interview for emotion. "What stressed you out? What would have made you proud by week's end? What keeps you up at night?" Record their exact phrases. 3.. Map the gap. Tear down five competitors to spot the pains they ignore; the problems they're not solving. Plot where your buyers are feeling underserved. 4. Write the narrative from the lens of empathy. Keep it simple: A one-sentence value prop plus three proof pillars. Tie each of these to a concrete benefit (e.g., time back, confidence up, career impact stronger). Keep it simple. Read it aloud. Read it to someone outside of your industry. Do they grasp it quickly? Or do you have to explain it? If you do, this is a big 🚩🚩 and you need to go back to editing. 5. Draft your MVP and test, test, test. Drop lines from your narrative into ads, nurture emails, and BDR scripts. Track not just the clicks, but the RESPONSE. Did your message resonate? Did the prospects repeat your promise back in their own words? 6. Take your test winners and create a one-page playbook with example stories and customer quotes so that every single teammate can deliver it verbatim—and believe it. ⚠️ Pitfalls to avoid: - Buzzwords that sound impressive but echo no real pain - Internal acronyms or lingo that your buyers have never heard - Value props so long your reps need cue cards - Claims with no data or customer voice behind them - Skipping sales and CS feedback—the people closest to the emotional stakes Great messaging is a mirror reflecting your hopes and headaches. Start with their words, show the better life your product unlocks, and they'll feel—and respond—to the truth.

𝗜𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗢𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀? Most of the time, you're making the 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿 the value your products & services bring to them. Don't despair: here's a powerful tool to help you create impactful messaging that resonates with potential customers.  It's called the 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲-𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁-𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 (𝗩𝗕𝗙) 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 Begin by addressing the underlying personal values that drive your audience's behavior. This sets the stage for why your product matters to them on a deeper level. Instead of: "Our software has advanced AI capabilities." 𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: "Empower your team to make data-driven decisions that drive business growth." 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 Showcase the direct advantages your offering provides to the customer. This answers the crucial question: "What's in it for me?" Instead of: "Our platform features real-time collaboration tools." 𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: "Boost team productivity by 30% with seamless communication and project management." 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 Use specific product attributes to back up your claims and provide concrete evidence of how you deliver value and benefits. Instead of: "Our solution uses machine learning algorithms." 𝗗𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: "Leverage cutting-edge AI to automate repetitive tasks, freeing up to 5 hours per week for strategic work." 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗩𝗕𝗙 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 1. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲:  Conduct thorough research to identify your target customers' pain points, goals, and desires. 2. 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:  Clearly articulate how your product solves customer problems better than alternatives. 3. 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀:  Create 3-4 core themes that support your value proposition and resonate with your audience. 4. 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲:  Avoid jargon and communicate your message in simple, compelling terms. 5. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗳:  Incorporate data points, testimonials, and case studies to substantiate your claims. 6. 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘀:  Adjust your messaging to address the specific needs of various customer segments. 7. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗹𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲:  Regularly update your messaging as your product evolves and market conditions change. Remember, effective messaging is about showing customers how your product/service will improve their lives or businesses, not just listing features. Don't make customers work to decipher the value. #marketing #positioning #valuemessaging

The hardest thing I do is fix value props. The most fun thing I do… is wreck them first. Especially the ones that start with: “We are a leading provider of innovative solutions…” Which is corporate code for: we’re not quite sure what we do either. If your value prop needs a slide, a warm-up, or a translator, it’s not a value prop. It’s bedtime reading for bored executives who secretly open Slack during keynotes. Most tech companies don’t have a product problem. They have a clarity problem. And clarity? Converts. So here it is --> pulled straight from the my GTM ER (all sources in comment section): 10 Do’s of Great Value Props Backed by real data, not marketing groupthink. 1) Start with pain: 82% of buyers want brands that solve real problems. 2) Map the journey: Teams that map increase ROI by 54%. 3) Use their words: Customer language = 30%+ lift in conversions. 4) Be clear: Clarity beats clever. Every time. 5) Offer exclusive value: Unique benefits boost brand perception by 50%. 6) Test it: A/B testing improves conversion by 50% or more. 7) Highlight your edge: Differentiation improves NPS by 20 points. 8) Mix heart + brain: Emotion increases perceived value by 44%. 9) Keep it under 20 words: Shorter = 2x better performance. 10) Align early: Teams that align early see 70% stronger adoption. 10 Don’ts of Value Props Also backed by data. And maybe a little trauma. 1) Don’t overpromise: Broken trust drops LTV by 34%. 2) Don’t copy competitors: Mimicry kills retention (-20%). 3) Don’t list features: Feature-first messaging underperforms by 35%. 4) Don’t use jargon: Buzzwords drop conversion by 18%. 5) Don’t ignore feedback: Ignored users churn 25% faster. 6) Don’t skip testing: Untested = underperforming by 50%. 7) Don’t go text-only: Visuals improve retention by 60%. 8) Don’t cram everything in: Overstuffed = -42% message recall. 9) Don’t work in silos: Siloed GTM = 33% slower to market. 10) Don’t delay value: Late realization tanks NPS by 15 points. I turned this into a clean, no-fluff infographic. It belongs in your next team offsite. Or better yet, taped over your homepage headline. Want the high res version? Comment or DM me “value prop” and I’ll send it over.