stop saying you're providing value
"You need to demonstrate value."
"Explain your value proposition."
"It's all about value."
"Value, value, value."
"Value" is a term used by people attempting to sell things.
Plumbers don't have "value propositions."
Neither does my doctor.
Or my accountant.
Only sales and marketing people "provide value."
Prospects don't care about your value proposition; they care about getting their job done.
No matter what you sell, people are making progress.
They have a solution.
They're getting the job done without you.
They're moving from point A to point B.
Selling pest control?
People are getting the job done.
Selling running sneakers?
People are getting the job done.
To get attention, you need to illuminate a meaningfully different idea related to a problem your prospect might not know about.
In other words, what terrible, not good, very bad thing happens if your prospect does nothing?
Example for Adam's Grit Guard:
"When you wash your car with one bucket, grit can settle at the bottom, get trapped in your sponge, and scratch your car. How do you ensure that doesn't happen when you wash your car?"
Antibacterial Dog Bowl Cleaner:
"The FDA states that not washing your dog’s bowl daily can lead to bacterial contamination and foodborne illness. How often do you wash your dog's food and water bowls?"
I call this poking the bear. You're asking a neutral question that makes people think differently about how they're currently getting the job done.
The takeaway?
Your solution has no "value" without a problem.
The shift?
Value proposition -> Cost of inaction.
Josh Braun
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