It’s no secret that in order to be successful in the competitive eCommerce space, you need a strong value proposition, an edge!
This is what convinces customers that your brand is worth their time and money. A Value Proposition is a statement that defines the unique value your brand offers customers. It tells them what you’re selling, how it’s different, and why they should care.
But crafting a good value proposition can be tricky. It needs to be compelling and communicate the unique benefits of shopping with your brand.
In this article, we’ll help you through the process of crafting a powerful value proposition for your Shopify store that attracts more customers.
What a value proposition is and why it’s so important
A value proposition is a powerful way to communicate the unique benefits of your brand to potential customers. It’s essentially a short, catchy statement that sums up what you offer and why it’s valuable. It’s a critical part of any business, but especially important for eCommerce brands.
After all, online shoppers can buy from any number of stores, especially if you source from the same supplier, so you need to make sure your brand stands out.
In simple terms, your value proposition is a way of differentiating your brand from the competition, explaining why your product is worth buying, and convincing shoppers to choose your brand.
It’s a key part of any successful marketing strategy to attract more customers and boost your sales.
In the context of eCommerce, a strong value proposition can be the difference between success and failure.
So, how do you go about creating a killer value proposition? First, you’ll need to figure out what makes your brand unique, i.e. its Unique Selling Proposition (USP).
Your Unique selling proposition (USP)
What makes your brand different from all the others out there. Once you know what that is, you can start highlighting the benefits of shopping with you. Some questions that you should consider when thinking about the USP are:
- What makes your products or services the best option for customers?
- How will they be able to save time or money by choosing your brand?
- And most importantly, what problem are you solving for them?
Make sure all of your messaging emphasizes the value that you provide and how it’s going to make the customer’s life better.
What are the problems you solve or the needs you fill that no one else does? Once you know that, you can start drafting your value proposition.
A good value proposition should usually be clear, concise, and relevant to the target audience. It should also highlight the unique benefits of your product or service, and be believable.
While all brands are trying to be unique in their own ways (hence the value proposition), there are some essential components that we can work with. Let’s deconstruct the key elements.
The elements of a good value proposition that attracts more customers
Source: Pexels
Your value proposition should be specific
Your eCommerce brand’s value proposition should clearly state what makes it unique and why shoppers should choose you.
- What do you offer that no one else does?
- Why should customers choose you over the competition?
When you can answer these questions, you’ll be able to create a value proposition that’s hard to resist.
It should be believable
Shoppers need to feel like you’re offering them a fair deal, not just trying to take their money. Your value proposition should explain to your customers why they need to do business with you, something that your customers can understand and connect with.
Phrases like “we offer the best prices” or “we have the best selection” don’t really mean anything to your customers. What’s important is explaining how you’re different and why that should matter to them.
For example, if you’re a clothing brand, you could talk about how your clothes are made of high-quality materials, how they make you feel when you wear them, or how you can have a unique style that sets you apart from your friends and makes you special.
It should be easy to understand
Keep it simple and skip the buzzwords no one understands.
When writing your value proposition, it’s important to keep it clear and easy to understand. Don’t use complex language or buzzwords; your customers won’t know what they mean and they’ll just be confused and leave.
Instead, use concise and straightforward language that captures what your brand is all about, using an ai writing software to do the heavy lifting may help with this.
Just make sure your value proposition communicates the benefits of doing business with you, not just the features of your products or services.
It should be appealing
Your value proposition should be enticing to shoppers. It should make them feel excited about the prospect of buying from you, and it should showcase the unique benefits that your brand offers.
Be sure to target your message to your target audience, and make sure it resonates with them. If you can do that, you’ll be well on your way to attracting more customers!
What are the benefits?
When you boil it all down, your unique selling proposition is really about the benefits your product or service offers.
What will the customer gain by using your brand? Maybe it’s cheaper prices, easier access to products, more convenience, or a better overall experience.
Whatever it is, you need to focus on the tangible benefits that your customers will enjoy. And don’t forget to highlight how using your product or service will improve their lives!
If you for example run a print-on-demand business, you may offer cheap printing and shipping rates, quick turnaround times, and high-quality products. Plus, an easy-to-use website that makes it simple for customers to get the exact products they need.
Communicating all of these benefits add up to a great overall experience for the customers, and you want them to know!
Proof points
So, you’ve nailed your value proposition, but how can you be sure that your potential customers actually believe you? Proof points can help. These are specific facts and statistics that support the claims in your value proposition.
They can come in the form of customer testimonials, surveys, social media metrics, or any other type of data that backs up your assertions.
Use credible sources to support your proof points, and make sure they’re relevant to your target audience. This will help convince customers that you’re a brand they can trust.
How to test your value proposition
If you’re not sure whether the draft of your value proposition is effective, you need to test it out.
One way to do this is to create a landing page for your store that’s specifically designed to promote your value proposition and collect feedback in form of views, click-through rates, signups, emails collected, and paying customers.
Source: Hubspot
You can also send out a survey to your current and potential customers to get their feedback. Another way is by showing it to colleagues or even friends and family and seeing what they think.
Are they intrigued? Excited? Or does it just not make sense to them? If it’s the latter, then it’s back to the drawing board!
By collecting data from your target audience, you can gauge their level of interest in your offer and make necessary changes. Keep tweaking until you have a statement that really speaks to your target audience.
Keep in mind that it takes time and effort to create a value proposition that resonates with your customers—but it’s definitely worth it in the long run!
Examples of irresistible value propositions
It can be tough to create a value proposition that stands out and that’s why it’s helpful to take a look how other brands, check out these examples of great value propositions to get some inspiration for your own store and analyze their value propositions.
1. GoPro
Most people barely need an introduction to GoPro, the small action camera that lets you create stunning videos, anywhere.
They recently came out with a new camera, and the first thing they hit you within the copy is the value proposition.
- Unbelievable image quality
- Super-versatile hand grip
- All-day charge
- Unlimited cloud backup
Notice how they directly address the most common questions a potential customer may have, such as image quality, if the battery lasts, and where to store your videos.
While most cameras tend to have superb image quality, GoPro hammers on the “effortless to use” value proposition, which is a great angle as most cameras can be clunky to manage.
2. Oura ring
The Oura ring is a neat biohacking gadget, a ring that you wear at all times that monitors your heart rate, sleep, body temperature, and more.
But there is plenty of other gadgets and heart rate monitors out there. Even your smartphone has the capability, so what makes Oura unique?
Their unique value proposition:
- Seamless
- Unobtrusive
And that’s the thing, Oura knows the pain point of people and what their competitors have to offer. Most are obtrusive, hard to use, and not accurate or reliable. There is a reason why Oura is probably the best HRV monitor out there for retail that also looks good on you.
Makes you want to buy one right? World-class value proposition.
3. Logitech MX Keys Mini
Logitech has been around the block for over a decade, and launching a new keyboard is not revolutionary. There are countless brands with countless keyboards on the market, so how does Logitech position its value proposition?
- Created for creators
- Mini size, huge comfort
- Shaped for your fingers
- Ultra-fluid typing
Clearly, Logitech goes after the minimalistic keyboard with an “out of this world” comfortable typing experience, and it works!
The most common issue with keyboards is that they are not comfortable to write with, and if they are, they’re bulky and sound a lot.
Creators want to look cool, and Logitech speaks directly to its target audience’s desires, which makes them stand out from the run-of-the-mill competitors.
Wrap up
A value proposition is a promise to your customers that they will get more than what they paid for when they buy from your store.
When you get it right, you’ll naturally attract and align with your target audience, and turn warm leads into raving fans.
Following the tips above, create a powerful statement, and communicate your brand’s unique values to inspire customers to take action, and see the results for yourself!
Author bio
Chris is an engineer turned synthesizer, combining tech expertise with content marketing. Chris writes and carefully curates the best tools for new technical trends, content creation, and marketing.