The value proposition of your business is arguably the most crucial aspect of your marketing strategy. It explains to potential customers why they should choose you over competitors and clearly outlines the advantages of your products or services from the start.
Surprisingly, many businesses fail to effectively communicate their value proposition. They might bury it in jargon, use generic slogans, or neglect to highlight it on their website and in marketing campaigns. Some haven’t even identified their value proposition!
This article showcases seven exceptional and unique value proposition examples. We’ll examine what makes them so effective, explore ideas for creating or refining your own, and provide tips on incorporating it into your website and marketing materials.
Contents
- Uber – The Easiest Way to Travel
- Apple iPhone – Experience as Product
- Unbounce – Effortless A/B Testing
- Slack – Boost Workplace Efficiency with Ease
- Digit – Save Effortlessly
- LessAccounting – Stress-Free Bookkeeping
- CrazyEgg – Affordable, Powerful Website Behavior Analysis
1. Uber – The Easiest Way to Travel
Uber is a company that evokes strong opinions and has faced significant criticism. As a prominent advocate for the “gig economy,” Uber has been under fire for its treatment of drivers, criticized for its tax strategies, and become a symbol of Silicon Valley’s controversial approach to disruption.
However, one thing Uber excels at is its unique value proposition.
Uber’s value proposition: Unmatched Convenience Without explicitly stating it, Uber cleverly highlights the drawbacks of traditional taxis and emphasizes how its service is superior. The concise yet impactful copy from their homepage effectively conveys the simplicity and ease at the core of their appeal:
- Request a ride with a single tap.
- Drivers navigate directly to your location.
- Enjoy the convenience of cashless payment.
Every aspect directly contrasts with the usual taxi experience—no more frustrating calls to dispatchers, struggling to communicate your destination, or fumbling for cash. It’s a swift and efficient way to reach your destination. This is reinforced by the aspirational message on their homepage: “Your day belongs to you.”
Let’s compare this to competitor Lyft. Both offer practically identical services, making a comparison intriguing. Consider this from Lyft’s homepage:
Lyft’s step-by-step value proposition Lyft’s homepage structure and themes mirror Uber’s, but key differences highlight Uber’s stronger value proposition.
Lyft scores points for visualizing the experience with step-by-step images. However, the copy for the first step merely lists service tiers (Lyft, Lyft Line, Lyft Plus) without explaining their differences or benefits.
While Lyft clarifies the final steps (payment and rating), it implies mandatory user actions, unlike Uber. Personally, I try to rate Uber drivers (considering the supposed “secret” rating of 4.6 many believe acts as the performance benchmark for Uber drivers), but it’s not required. Sometimes I forget and move on—it’s not mandatory, nor is manual payment. For a service emphasizing efficiency, this is significant.
One could argue that Lyft’s transparency about user expectations is a plus, especially regarding Uber’s surge pricing. However, for such similar services, Uber’s value proposition is clearer and more persuasive—a crucial advantage in a crowded market.
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2. Apple iPhone – Experience as Product
In the saturated consumer electronics market, few products are as iconic as the Apple iPhone. It also faces intense competition. So, what distinguishes the iPhone from hundreds of rivals?
Apple iPhone’s value proposition: The Unique Experience Apple, known for its sleek design and user-centric approach, emphasizes its value proposition in the copy for its iPhone range. This includes the device’s design, the user-friendliness synonymous with Apple since OS X, and the aspirational qualities associated with owning an iPhone.
This aspirational messaging is Apple’s value proposition.
The copy states that a phone “should be more than a collection of features,” which ironically describes a smartphone perfectly. While we could humorously critique Apple’s design philosophy (the #freejonyive hashtag on Twitter, joking about their lead designer’s isolation, comes to mind), it’s undeniably effective, keeping Apple at the forefront of a cutthroat market for almost a decade.
Jony Ive (#freejonyive) Aware of the fierce competition, Apple focuses on the experience of using an iPhone rather than specific features (few of which are exclusive to iPhone or iOS). Most companies couldn’t use words like “magical” to describe a smartphone, but Apple can.
Of course, Apple doesn’t solely rely on aspirational messaging. Their website highlights genuinely unique features, such as security:
Apple iPhone’s value proposition: Unwavering Security This clever move, especially after the disastrous FBI San Bernardino iPhone unlocking lawsuit, uses copy that aligns perfectly with Apple’s messaging. It simplifies a complex topic like encryption into understandable language, making users feel secure.
Apple understands that even unique features aren’t enough in such a crowded market. By emphasizing the overall experience, their value proposition becomes as unique as their design philosophy.
Discover more great Apple marketing campaigns in our comprehensive product marketing examples post.
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3. Unbounce – Effortless A/B Testing
Shifting from consumer electronics to B2B, our next example is Unbounce, a landing page optimization platform.
Unbounce’s value proposition: Ease of Use As expected from a company specializing in conversion optimization, Unbounce’s value proposition is crystal clear upon landing on their homepage: build, publish, and test landing pages without IT support. For many businesses, the perceived technical barrier to A/B testing is significant, making Unbounce’s proposition highly attractive.
Their homepage further entices visitors with a strong CTA, a simple three-step visualization of their solution, and copy explicitly targeting marketers. The mention of creating mobile-responsive landing pages addresses another specific need.
Overall, a well-executed value proposition.
4. Slack – Boost Workplace Efficiency with Ease
People seem to either love Slack or haven’t tried it yet. For the uninitiated, Slack is a deceptively simple yet robust workplace productivity and messaging app suitable even for large teams working on complex projects (as evidenced by the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab example on their homepage). What sets it apart?
Slack’s value proposition: Credibility and Enhanced Productivity Slack’s value proposition is clear: making work lives “simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.” The NASA JPL example cleverly implies that if it works for rocket scientists, it works for anyone.
While this might seem generic, Slack has advantages supporting its core value proposition.
Firstly, few productivity apps boast as many integrations, fitting seamlessly into existing workflows. This has helped Slack dominate the workplace productivity space.
“Slack: All your tools in one place.” Simplicity is key to Slack’s value proposition. Increased productivity is pointless if the app is difficult to use. “Find anything, anywhere, anytime, from any device” is another selling point resonating with users.
“Slack: Search your entire archive.” While a complete dissection of Slack is beyond this article’s scope, its messaging addresses common pain points of workplace collaboration and simplifies them compellingly. Slack’s popularity (achieving a breathtaking $3.8 billion valuation) can be attributed to its seemingly “too good to be true” proposition. Their website almost makes you feel the relief Slack promises.
“Be Less Busy” isn’t just a slogan; it’s their value proposition condensed into three powerful words.
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5. Digit – Save Effortlessly
Personal finance is another competitive space, with countless apps aimed at helping people manage money better. However, few have a value proposition as strong as Digit, a service that helps users “save money, without thinking about it.”
Digit’s value proposition: Effortless Savings Digit securely connects to bank accounts and analyzes spending habits to “optimize” accounts by setting aside small amounts into an FDIC-insured savings account.
Digit’s key differentiator is automation. Users don’t need to lift a finger; the app handles everything. It might not be for everyone, but its unique approach to saving makes its value proposition compelling.
6. LessAccounting – Stress-Free Bookkeeping
For most people, bookkeeping is a dreaded chore—confusing, time-consuming, and generally unpleasant. That’s what makes LessAccounting’s value proposition so appealing.
LessAccounting’s value proposition: A Better Quality of Life LessAccounting is built on simplifying accounting, and its messaging consistently reinforces this. The tagline—“Make your life easier with our accounting software”—is instantly clear. Throughout the site, you’re reminded that no other software makes accounting as simple and painless.
While suitable for larger businesses, LessAccounting targets freelancers and small businesses. Blog posts address common accounting questions, and case studies feature small business owners praising its simplicity. Every aspect emphasizes how much easier life becomes with LessAccounting.
7. CrazyEgg – Affordable, Powerful Website Behavior Analysis
Understanding user behavior on your website is crucial. CrazyEgg, an analytical tool, provides heatmaps showing how people interact with websites, including cursor movements, scroll depth, and more.
However, CrazyEgg isn’t alone in the behavioral tracking market. So, what’s their value proposition? No other service offers comparable functionality and insights at such an affordable price with minimal hassle.
“CrazyEgg: Want to make your site better?”
“CrazyEgg: Like a pair of x-ray glasses”
The team at CrazyEgg understands that not everyone understands heatmaps. They provide a user-friendly overview of features, simplifying what the product does. Scrolling further reveals the core of their value proposition:
CrazyEgg’s value proposition: Answering Questions and Driving Action The site lists CrazyEgg’s capabilities using active verbs, showcasing its benefits. It tempts users with the prospect of stretching budgets, making data-driven decisions, streamlining analytics, boosting conversions, and increasing engagement.
It emphasizes the ease of implementation and lack of technical overhead before highlighting another key aspect: its comprehensive features at its price point.
The page’s flow is clever: piquing interest with a question, providing a clear overview, and sealing the deal by highlighting the value proposition.
Nailing your own value proposition
These examples provide insights into improving your business’ value proposition. You don’t need a huge budget, just focus and the ability to see your site from your users’ perspective.