by Thomas Alford

Created on: August 27, 2008   Last Updated: August 28, 2008

To make a strong value proposition you need to have a clear idea of your target audience, a thorough knowledge of your product or services attributes, plus the color of an imaginative wordsmith.

The holy grail of value proposition is...MARKET BRANDING. This is easier said than done and if anyone can come up with a 400 to 600 word essay that someone else could read, follow, and market a brand successfully they would not only be a genius but a multi-millionaire.

However we can say this, how a presentation is framed can make the difference between success and failure even between two identical products in the same market. (This brings up another very important point. No matter how good you think your ad or presentation is, it should always be tested on small target audiences. This saves you a lot of money on ads that do not work and may make you a lot of money on ads you did not think would work.)

Allow me to give you a few examples of strong value presentation, and a few that have attained market branding status.

1.) A few years back a group of motivational speakers were making the rounds in major cities. There were 6 or 7 big names all at the same rally in a big auditorium. Normal price would probably be about $20.00 a seat. Instead they advertised with a blitz on the radio for $30.00 for up to 10 people from your company. This was a great value. It was also mentioned in their ad, that work books where an additional $7.00 per person. This was strong value presentation.

The result was phenomenal. Very few companies sent 10 people. I don't have the stats but I believe the average was about five per office. So say 5 x $7 = $35.00. Plus $30.00 = $65.00. Divide that by 5 = $13.00 per head in a sold out auditorium. It was a win, win for everybody.

2.) Another great ad I saw for a new glue that had come out. At the top of the magazine ad it simply said, "THE WORLD'S STRONGEST GLUE". Simple, to the point, no matter the price, this glue is the best in the world. If you need the best this is it! This is strong value proposition that could become market branding. We will have to wait and see.

3.) The same point could be made for the watch ads that feature Tiger Woods and other celebrities wearing a particular watch. The implication is, "These people are very discriminate and they can wear any watch in the world, but they wear ours. If you want the best this is it". If you can afford their watch it becomes a value, even though expensive.

4.) The best value propositions that are able to evolve into the elusive market branding realm touches a place beyond intellect. An example would be "The Marlboro Man". The imagery used is incredible. It had nothing to do with the truth of a very bad habit. Its imagery hits an emotion inside of people that they want to associate with, and it made Marlboro the best selling cigarette in the world.

One more tip to writing a strong value proposition: MAKE THE PRODUCT THE HERO! It can be as simple as making your product, the one that won't make a mess, "M & M's, melt in your mouth, not in your hands!"

Remember, know your target audience. Sample your ad campaign and find out for sure what will work. Plan your coverage so that whatever you start you can follow through all the way. Stick with what works until it stops working. Good luck!

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