Value proposition

Why the value proposition matters more than design

A visitor decides within seconds whether to stay on your page. In that time they read one headline and maybe one line under it. If those two lines don't tell them they are in the right place, a beautiful design won't save the visit. That is why I treat the value proposition as the first piece of a website or campaign, not the last.

A clear value proposition also lowers your ad costs. Google rewards ads and pages that match what people search for, and Meta's algorithm finds more buyers when the message speaks to a specific need. A vague message costs more per lead on both.

What a good one contains

• Who it's for. A specific group, not "individuals and businesses".
• The problem or the result. Said the way the customer would say it.
• The difference. What you do that the alternatives don't, or do worse.
• Proof. Reviews, a number, a process step, a clear price or timeline.

Everything else can go further down the page.

Where the words come from

I don't invent value propositions in a brainstorm. They come from customer research and reviews: the reasons customers give for choosing you, in their own phrasing. Then I lay those reasons next to the competitor analysis and cross out what everyone else already says. What's left is usually short and a little surprising.

A cleaning company may discover that customers don't praise the cleaning at all. They praise the fact that the same person comes every time and a text arrives when the job is done. That becomes the promise.

Testing instead of guessing

Before a new headline goes on the website, I test two or three versions in ads. Same budget, same audience, different message, judged by inquiries and calls rather than clicks. Ad copy is cheap to change; a website rebuilt around the wrong idea is not. Once a winner is clear, it goes on the site, ideally on a focused landing page first.

Keeping claims honest

US rules on advertising claims are strict. The FTC expects claims to be truthful and backed by evidence, "Made in USA" must meet specific standards, and the 2024 FTC rule bans fake reviews and invented endorsements. Industries like healthcare, law and finance have their own advertising rules. I write propositions that state facts you can prove and leave out promises nobody can keep. For anything regulated, check the wording with your attorney.

Rolling it out everywhere

A proposition that lives only on the homepage is half used. It belongs in the Google Business Profile description, the ad headlines, the first line of every quote, the email signature and the script for whoever answers the phone. Consistency is what makes a small business feel established.

Examples of the shift

The change is usually from describing yourself to describing the buyer's outcome. "Family-owned HVAC company since 1998" becomes "AC fixed the same day in most of the metro, with the price agreed before we start". "Full-service accounting firm" becomes "Bookkeeping and tax prep for restaurants, with a monthly report you can read in five minutes". Both versions are about the same business. Only one tells a stranger why to call.

Signs your current proposition isn't working

Visitors leave quickly from the homepage, callers ask "so what exactly do you do?", and people compare you only on price. If that sounds familiar, the marketing strategy at $1,900 includes this work, and a free consultation is a good way to see where your current message stands.