Value Proposition Development: How to Create Value Props That Resonate With Buyers

Your homepage says: "The fastest, easiest, most powerful solution for modern teams."

A prospect asks: "What does it actually do?"

You realize your value prop says nothing specific.

This happens because most value propositions are built from internal brainstorming instead of customer research. They use vague superlatives (fastest! easiest! best!) without proof.

Good value props aren't marketing speak. They're specific, credible claims about outcomes you deliver, backed by evidence.

Here's the framework for creating value props that convert.

The Value Proposition Framework

Bad value prop: "The best project management solution for teams"

Good value prop: "Launch products 10x faster with the only GTM platform built for product marketers"

The difference:

• Specific outcome (10x faster launches)
• Clear differentiation (only GTM platform)
• Target audience (product marketers)
• Credible (specific claim, not superlative)

The 4 Components of Strong Value Props

Component 1: Target Customer

Who is this for?

Bad: "For teams"
Good: "For product marketing teams at B2B SaaS companies"

Why specificity matters:

• "For teams" could be anyone (vague, doesn't resonate)
• "For product marketers" speaks directly to them (relevant, immediate connection)

Component 2: Problem/Job-to-Be-Done

What problem do you solve?

Bad: "Helps you work better"
Good: "Helps you coordinate complex product launches across sales, marketing, and product teams"

Why specificity matters:

• "Work better" is vague
• "Coordinate complex product launches" is specific pain they feel

Component 3: Outcome/Benefit

What specific outcome do customers get?

Bad: "Improve productivity"
Good: "Reduce launch coordination time from 15 hours/week to 3 hours/week"

Why specificity matters:

• "Improve productivity" is unmeasurable
• "15 hours to 3 hours" is specific, credible, measurable

Component 4: Differentiation

Why you vs. alternatives?

Bad: "We're better"
Good: "Unlike generic project management tools, we're purpose-built for GTM teams with launch templates and sales enablement workflows"

Why specificity matters:

• "Better" is claim without proof
• "Purpose-built with specific features" is differentiated

The Value Prop Development Process

Step 1: Customer Research (Interview 10-15 Customers)

Questions to ask:

1. What prompted you to look for a solution? Listen for: Trigger event, pain point

2. What were you doing before us? Listen for: Alternative solutions, workflows

3. What problem were you trying to solve? Listen for: Specific pain points, job-to-be-done

4. What value are you getting from our product? Listen for: Outcomes, benefits, metrics

5. How would you describe our product to a colleague? Listen for: Their language (not yours)

6. What makes us different from alternatives? Listen for: Differentiation they perceive

Example findings (after 15 interviews):

Trigger: 80% said "launches were chaotic, coordinating across spreadsheets"

Pain: 70% said "spending 15+ hours/week just coordinating, not doing real work"

Outcome: 85% said "cut coordination time by 50-70%"

Differentiation: 75% said "purpose-built for launches, not generic PM tool"

Customer language: "Launch chaos", "too many spreadsheets", "sales wasn't ready"

Step 2: Identify Value Drivers

From research, extract 3-5 core value drivers:

Value Driver 1: Time Savings

• Reduce coordination time by 70%
• 12 hours/week saved on average
• "Gave me my life back" (customer quote)

Value Driver 2: Launch Quality

• Sales is ready on day one
• Nothing falls through cracks
• 95% on-time launch rate

Value Driver 3: Scalability

• Launched 3x more products with same team
• Onboard new PMMs in days, not weeks
• Repeatable process across launches

Value Driver 4: Visibility

• Measure what's working
• Track launch impact on pipeline
• Prove marketing ROI

Value Driver 5: Specialization

• Purpose-built for GTM (not generic)
• Launch templates and best practices
• Speaks product marketer language

These become your value proposition components.

Step 3: Craft Primary Value Prop

Formula: [Outcome] for [Target Customer] by [How/Differentiation]

Option 1 (Outcome-focused): "Launch products 10x faster with the only GTM platform built for product marketers"

Option 2 (Problem-focused): "Stop drowning in launch chaos. Coordinate GTM in one platform instead of 10 spreadsheets."

Option 3 (Differentiation-focused): "The GTM platform purpose-built for product launches (not generic project management)"

Test all 3 with customers. Pick winner.

Step 4: Validate with Customers

Test value props with 10 prospects:

Show each variation:

• "Which one resonates most?"
• "What does this tell you we do?"
• "How is this different from alternatives?"

Example results:

• Option 1: 60% prefer (clear outcome)
• Option 2: 30% prefer (problem-focused)
• Option 3: 10% prefer (too focused on differentiation)

Winner: Option 1

Comprehension test:

• 90% could explain what you do after reading
• 80% could explain how you're different

If <70% comprehension, iterate.

Step 5: Create Supporting Value Props

Primary value prop (homepage headline): "Launch products 10x faster with the only GTM platform built for product marketers"

Supporting value props (homepage subheads):

1. "Coordinate launches in one platform, not 10 spreadsheets"
2. "Ensure sales is ready on day one with built-in enablement workflows"
3. "Measure launch impact on pipeline with analytics dashboard"

Use case-specific value props:

• For frequent launchers: "Ship 20+ launches per year with a team of 3"
• For scaling teams: "Onboard new PMMs in days with templatized processes"
• For exec buyers: "Prove marketing ROI with launch analytics"

The Value Prop Hierarchy

Level 1: Company Value Prop What you do for whom

Example: "Launch products 10x faster with the only GTM platform built for product marketers"

Level 2: Product Value Props If you have multiple products

Example:

• Product A: "Coordinate launches"
• Product B: "Enable sales"
• Product C: "Measure impact"

Level 3: Feature Value Props What each feature does

Example:

• Templates: "Start launches in minutes with pre-built playbooks"
• Analytics: "Measure launch impact on pipeline"
• Integrations: "Sync with Salesforce and HubSpot automatically"

All levels must align with Level 1.

Value Prop Testing Framework

Test A: Message Comprehension

Show value prop to 10 prospects. Ask:

• "What does this company do?"
• "Who is this for?"
• "How is this different from alternatives?"

Success: 80%+ answer correctly

Test B: Preference Testing

Show 3 value prop variations. Ask:

• "Which resonates most?"
• "Why?"

Pick winner (highest preference).

Test C: Conversion Testing

A/B test value props on homepage:

• Control: Current value prop
• Variant: New value prop

Measure:

• Time on page
• Scroll depth
• Demo requests
• Trial signups

Success: 10%+ improvement in conversion

Common Value Prop Mistakes

Mistake 1: Generic superlatives

"The best solution for modern teams"

Problem: Vague, no differentiation, not credible

Fix: Specific outcomes for specific audience

Mistake 2: Feature lists instead of benefits

"We have analytics, integrations, and templates"

Problem: Features don't communicate value

Fix: Lead with outcomes, features support

Mistake 3: Not differentiated

"Project management for marketing teams"

Problem: Could be anyone

Fix: "GTM platform purpose-built for product launches (not generic PM)"

Mistake 4: Too clever/abstract

"Synergize your go-to-market velocity"

Problem: What does that even mean?

Fix: Clear, specific, jargon-free

Mistake 5: Made up without research

You brainstorm value props internally

Problem: Not grounded in customer reality

Fix: Interview 10-15 customers first

The Value Prop Document Template

Create one source of truth:

---

VALUE PROPOSITION HIERARCHY

Primary Company Value Prop: "Launch products 10x faster with the only GTM platform built for product marketers"

Target Customer: Product marketing teams at B2B SaaS companies, 50-1,000 employees

Core Problem: Coordinating complex product launches across sales, marketing, and product teams using spreadsheets and generic PM tools

Key Outcomes:

• Reduce launch coordination time from 15 hrs/week to 3 hrs/week (70% savings)
• Ensure sales is ready on day one (95% on-time launch rate)
• Launch 3x more products with same team size

Differentiation: Purpose-built for GTM teams (not generic PM tool) with launch templates, sales enablement workflows, and launch analytics

Supporting Value Props:

For homepage:

1. "Coordinate launches in one platform, not 10 spreadsheets"
2. "Ensure sales is ready with built-in enablement workflows"
3. "Measure launch impact on pipeline with analytics"

For use cases:

• Frequent launchers: "Ship 20+ launches per year with team of 3"
• Scaling teams: "Onboard new PMMs in days with templates"
• Exec buyers: "Prove marketing ROI with launch analytics"

Customer Proof:

• TechCorp: Reduced launch time by 40%
• FinServ Co: Shipped 3x more launches with same team
• 95% customer retention rate

Competitive Comparison:

• vs. Asana/Monday: Purpose-built for GTM, not generic
• vs. DIY spreadsheets: Automated, scalable, measurable
• vs. Nothing: Time saved = 12 hrs/week = $30K/year value

---

Share with: All teams (Sales, Marketing, Product, CS)

How to Use Value Props Across GTM

Homepage: Primary value prop in headline

Product pages: Product-specific value props

Sales deck: Primary value prop on slide 1

Email campaigns: Use case-specific value props by segment

Sales calls: Primary value prop in intro, supporting props in discovery

Case studies: Outcomes that validate value props

Battlecards: Differentiation component

Pricing page: ROI-focused value props

Quick Start: Develop Value Prop in 2 Weeks

Week 1: Research

• Day 1-2: Interview 10 customers (ask 5 key questions)
• Day 3-4: Analyze patterns (outcomes, differentiation, language)
• Day 5: Extract 3-5 value drivers

Week 2: Creation

• Day 1: Draft 3 value prop variations
• Day 2: Test with 10 prospects (preference + comprehension)
• Day 3: Refine based on feedback
• Day 4: Create supporting value props
• Day 5: Document and share with team

Deliverable: Value prop hierarchy document

Impact: 10-20% improvement in homepage conversion (vs. generic value prop)

The Uncomfortable Truth

Most value props are created in conference rooms, not from customer conversations.

They say:

• "The best solution"
• "Modern, powerful, easy"
• "For teams who want to work better"

Customers don't care about:

• Vague superlatives
• Generic claims
• What you think is important

Customers care about:

• Specific outcomes they'll achieve
• Problems you'll solve for them
• How you're different from alternatives

What works:

• Interview 10-15 customers (ask about outcomes)
• Use their language (not marketing speak)
• Be specific (numbers, timeframes, metrics)
• Differentiate clearly (why you vs. alternatives)
• Test and validate (preference + conversion)

The best value props:

• Grounded in customer research
• Specific and measurable outcomes
• Clear differentiation
• Customer language (not marketing jargon)
• Tested and validated with prospects

If prospects can't explain what you do after reading your value prop, it's not clear enough.

Research deeply. Be specific. Test relentlessly.