The eighth and final eBook in the Foundations category. It turns the positioning statement into a working value proposition - the short block of words that runs across the homepage, the about page, the offer page, the proposal template, the social profiles, the ads and the elevator answer to "what do you do?".
Members ebook·5 chapters· 15 minute read
Chapter 2
Problem, Promise and Proof
The three working pieces every value proposition needs - the problem you name, the promise you make and the proof you point at.
Inside every good value proposition there are three pieces doing different jobs. The problem - the situation the customer recognises themselves in. The promise - the specific outcome you commit to delivering. The proof - the reason a stranger should believe you can deliver it. Take any one of those pieces away and the copy weakens dramatically.
Most weak value propositions are missing one of the three. Usually proof - the copy promises a lot and backs none of it up. Sometimes problem - the copy lists what the business does without naming what the customer is going through. Occasionally promise - the copy describes the offering without saying what changes for the customer.
By the end of this chapter you'll be able to point at each piece in your own draft and rewrite the weakest one.
The full chapter has the three pieces, the audit that finds yours and the rewrite recipes for whichever piece is weakest.
Problem
The problem isn't a category like "plumbing" or "therapy" - it's the specific situation the customer is in. "You're getting weekend emergency calls and they're costing you tenants." "You're holding work together but it's costing you sleep." "Your homepage gets traffic but barely any demos." Specific problems earn the second sentence. Generic ones don't.
Promise
The promise is what changes for the customer if they work with you, said in concrete terms. Not "better service" - "weekend calls drop to one or two a year". Not "feel better" - "a six-session programme with tools you use after each session". The promise has to be specific enough that the customer can picture having it.
Proof
The proof is the reason a stranger should believe the promise. Numbers from past customers. Named clients in the same segment. Reviews quoted with the situation attached. Photos of finished work. A guarantee that costs the business if the promise isn't kept. The proof piece is the one most often left out and the one that lifts conversion most when added.
The audit
Find the three pieces in your draft
Underline the problem - is it specific?
Circle the promise - is it concrete and felt?
Box the proof - does it actually back the promise?
If any piece is missing or vague, that's the next rewrite. Strengthening one piece often makes the whole proposition feel twice as solid - the three pieces work together.
Rewrite recipes
When the problem is weak
Go back to the customer profile sheet. Borrow the customer's own words for the situation - the phrase they used when they first enquired. Replace the abstract version with the customer's words. "Properties to manage" becomes "five to twenty rentals you don't want to spend Sundays running around for".
When the promise is weak
Make it concrete. Replace adjectives with numbers, durations or named outcomes. "Better marketing results" becomes "three new demo bookings a week from the homepage instead of one". "Improved well-being" becomes "three nights a week of actual sleep again by week four".
When the proof is weak
Add one piece at a time. A specific review with the customer's situation attached. A named client. A countable result. A guarantee that means something. One strong proof point beats five vague ones. Companion eBook Trust and Authority Building goes deeper.
Worked example - the homeware shop
Weak version: "Beautiful homewares for your home, with a personal touch." Problem missing, promise vague, proof absent. Stronger version: "Your living room feels nearly right but doesn't quite finish itself. We help you finish it - we pair the furniture you already have with the lighting and textiles that pull the room together. 90 percent of customers come back for at least one more piece in the year. Photos of finished rooms below." Problem named, promise concrete, proof present.
What to do this week
Run the audit on your current homepage opening. Identify which of the three pieces is weakest. Rewrite that piece using the relevant recipe. Don't try to fix all three at once - one solid edit changes the page noticeably.
The recurring principle this chapter sits on is build trust before asking for action. The three pieces together are the trust foundation. The next chapter, Features, Benefits and Outcomes, handles the way most owners list what they do and how to fix it.
The rest of this chapter walks through the practical steps, the templates and the checklists you need to put it into action. It includes worked examples, copy frameworks and the small decisions that make the difference between a plan that sits in a drive and one that gets used.
Inside you'll find a step-by-step playbook, a downloadable template, a checklist you can run this week and a short list of common mistakes to avoid before you start.
The full action plan, broken into weekly steps.
Ready-to-use scripts, templates and checklists.
Worked examples for different sized businesses.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them.
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