Todd Cohen posted a podcast on Value Propositions over on ToddCohen.com. He talks about value proposition from the point of view of a salesperson, but a lot of the same issues apply to networking and to managing your career growth.
As Todd says, a value proposition is not a recitation of features and functions. It is a statement targeted to a specific customer that shows them how a product or service is specifically going to help them.
Translated into networking, your value proposition is not your current title (that is a function) nor is it your skills, experiences, and competencies (those are features). Rather your value proposition addresses exactly how you can help the person you are talking with (which implies that you've spent a great deal of time listening to their story first). You can save them $50,000 a year. You can accelerate development of their new product so that they can get to market 4 months faster.
Todd gives a list of things that go into a great value proposition:
As Todd says, a value proposition is not a recitation of features and functions. It is a statement targeted to a specific customer that shows them how a product or service is specifically going to help them.
Translated into networking, your value proposition is not your current title (that is a function) nor is it your skills, experiences, and competencies (those are features). Rather your value proposition addresses exactly how you can help the person you are talking with (which implies that you've spent a great deal of time listening to their story first). You can save them $50,000 a year. You can accelerate development of their new product so that they can get to market 4 months faster.
Todd gives a list of things that go into a great value proposition:
- A great value proposition motivates and inspires
- A great value proposition uses action words, backed up with specific numbers
- A great value proposition creates clarity and is immediately understood
There is much more to the podcast, and I invite you to listen to it, even if you don't think you are in sales. Guess what? You are in sales, and you are selling you.
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