Are you struggling to find ways to get people to visit your website or pay attention to your business online? The marketing world has a special trick up its sleeve to help you with this. It’s one that has proven to be highly impactful over the years: your online value proposition (OVP). When done right, a well-written OVP can get you the exposure you need to run a successful brand online.
We’ve spoken before about online value propositions, what they are, and why you need one. With this knowledge in mind, it’s about time we told you how to craft your own.
Step 1: Don’t duplicate your strategic positioning
Your online value proposition needs to be compelling and credible, and it needs to have the ability to stand the test of time. You may be tempted to simply duplicate your mission statement and apply it to your digital channels, but this isn’t the best idea.
Your OVP should state your unique selling point/s (USPs) and why customers should choose you over others. It’s different from a mission status or an ‘about us’ section. It’s about how you uniquely solve your customers’ problems and how you provide value.
Most companies have something they offer that is relatively unique – whether it is their product, qualification, sustainability, or packaging. What they don’t all have is a clear way to let their customers know that.
Your mission statement is how you want to do business with your consumers. Your OVP is showing your consumers why they should do business with you.
Step 2: Determine who you’re speaking to
Now it’s time to dive deeper into the audience you’re going to be speaking to through your OVP.
You need to know who your customers are, their main pain points, and how your product or service is the ideal solution to help solve their problems. Without this crucial information, your OVP won’t be directed at anyone specifically, essentially making it a waste of time.
Ask yourself questions like: what job do my customers have? What are they most interested in? What is the biggest problem they’re facing right now? How does my product or service address that problem? This will help you create and map out your target audience.
Step 3: Know what to include
The next step to creating a strong online value proposition is to understand the purpose of having one. An expertly crafted OVP should do the following:
- Attract more customers and give them a reason to convert.
- Improve existing customer loyalty.
- Clearly describe how your brand provides more value than the rest.
Your OVP should cover who you are, what you offer, what markets you serve, and – most importantly – what makes you different from your competitors.
A good OVP is easy to understand and very quickly communicates value. Consumers don’t have very long attention spans these days; you need to pique their interest right off the bat.
Top tip: Take your ideal client’s main pain points and list them. Now write a solution for each one. Make sure you include each solution in your OVP.
Step 4: A strong headline
Armed with the above insight, you can now sit down to actually write your OVP. Our best advice is to start with a strong headline – something captivating that draws the customer in. Some examples include:
- Uber: Tap the app, get a ride
- Apple iPhone: Why there’s nothing quite like iPhone
- Slack: A messaging app for teams who put robots on Mars
The catchiest headlines are the ones that ask questions or make bold statements. Your headline should be concise and to the point, using the body of the text to explain yourself further. Don’t worry if creativity is not your speciality, we can help (more on this later).
Step 5: Elaborate with a paragraph or two
This is where you’ll get down to the nitty-gritty. Following your headline, you’ll need one to two paragraphs that cover all the essentials listed above. Again, keeping it to the point is key. Be sure to use language that speaks to the audience you are targeting. For example, you wouldn’t use the same language if you’re talking to corporate executives as you would if your product or service was aimed at Gen Z.
Step 5: Consider a visual element
There’s no denying that words are powerful. But what would make your OVP even stronger is the addition of a visual element such as a video, infographic, or static image. This takes your message to a whole new level.
Step 6: Pair your OVP with a strong call-to-action
Once you’ve written your brilliant online value proposition, it’s a good idea to either include a call-to-action (CTA) at the end of it or as a button right underneath it. After all, you want people to act once they’ve read what you have to say.
Examples of great OVPs
To give you a real feel for what we’re talking about, here are some snippets from two great OVPs:
Uber
“Uber is the smartest way to get around. One tap and a car comes directly to you. Your driver knows exactly where to go. And payment is completely cashless.”
Apple iPhone
“Every iPhone we’ve made – and we mean every single one – was built on the same belief. That a phone should be more than a collection of features. That, above all, a phone should be absolutely simple, beautiful, and magical to use.”
If all of this sounds a bit intimidating or if you don’t believe you’ll get your online value proposition right, contact us. We have a team of content and marketing specialists on hand to help you create an OVP that takes your brand to new online heights.
