MARCH 2024 WLP NEWSLETTER

Whether you work for yourself or someone else, how well can you communicate the value you provide to those who matter most? 

A value proposition communicates the outcomes you, your team, your organization, your program, or your service provide to those you serve.

Uber: “The smartest way to get around.” 

Apple iPhone: “The experience IS the product.”  

The challenge is when we forget to clearly describe the expected outcomes of our meetings, programs, or services. Unmet expectations can cost us time, energy, and money and, more importantly, result in feelings of disappointment.  

While our worth isn’t tethered to others’ opinions, it’s undeniably uplifting when our awesomeness syncs up with their perception. 

Carol Boston once said, “Leadership is sales, and sales is leadership.” Therefore, we are either enrolling someone in our value proposition or being offered to enroll in theirs. 

 According to our research, 42% of respondents hesitated to assert their value proposition because they were unaware of what truly matters to the individuals or groups they aim to impact. 

This suggests a crucial gap in understanding and underscores the importance of listening to our audience’s needs and desires. 

Moreover, 37% of respondents cited another obstacle: over-attunement to others’ needs at the expense of neglecting their own. While empathy and consideration are vital traits, it’s equally essential to recognize and communicate our value proposition confidently. 

So, how can we bridge these gaps and effectively harness the power of value proposition? 

1. Know Your Audience: Invest time in understanding their needs, preferences, and pain points. Tailor your message to resonate with their specific interests and priorities.
2. Clarify Your Offering: Identify and articulate what sets you apart. Highlight your benefits and solutions, clarifying why your proposition matters to your audience now.
3. Strike a Balance: While empathizing with others, keeping sight of your value is essential. Strike a balance between meeting your audience’s needs and confidently communicating your own.
4. Continuous Feedback: Seek feedback from your audience regularly. Understand how they perceive your value proposition and be willing to adapt and refine your message accordingly.

Now remember, the best business leaders think like business owners. So, take a moment and think to yourself: If I were the CEO of this company, what would be important for me to care about as it relates to other business leaders, direct reports, clients, strategic partners, etc.? What would be my concerns? 

The second step is to put that into a clear sentence with a solution. For example, if you’re speaking to your leader, “I want to ensure you don’t have any unpleasant surprises so you can make a good decision. Therefore, my recommendation is..”. 

Here’s the formula: I support (e.g. C-Level Executives) without (their dislikes/concerns) so that (an outcome they want). 

For example, “I support business leaders in reducing operating expenses while keeping their best employees. “  

Although this is the standard formula, I prefer to share a value proposition with a powerful question pointing to a possibility. For example, ”Wouldn’t it be cool if your teams showed up energized, excited, and eager to collaborate so that together they not only anticipated your needs, but they also anticipated the needs of your culture and, most importantly, your customers?”  

Metaspire is a boutique management consulting firm. We keep companies profitable, productive, and in their prime so that the best employees and clients stay for a lifetime (hey, that rhymes). Let’s make every day feel fun & fulfilling – like a Friday!” 

Since 2023, I’ve had the honor of working with Charlene & Jess, Co-Founders of CC Advisors. They started in our membership program with the desire to start their own business together as CPA Sisters; in less than a year, they started their business, reaching their income goals. Yay Charlene & Jess! 

With gratitude,

• Spearhead Organizational Strategies
• Transcend Industry Norms
• Disrupt The Status Quo
• Accelerate Their Level Of Influence