Services > value propositions

Propositions that sell >

Our aim is your aim - to improve your win rates, increase revenues and profits, and reduce cost of sales.

OnPoint helps companies define and communicate their value proposition in order to maximise profits per product/service offering. We specialise in the sales and marketing of services into public sector market and outsourcing industries.

Conventionally, the Marketing function develops the value propositions aimed at groups of customers or market segments.  These generic value propositions must create interest and leads.   It is the job of Sales to take those interested potential customers, developing the unique value proposition that fits their specific needs.  If sales merely reiterate the generic value proposition, you are going to lose big time.

Customer focused organisations (that's all successful organisations) start defining elements of their value propositions in product definition and development.  This assures that real needs of customers are addressed. This is the stage in the product development lifecycle that OnPoint is usually engaged in order to validate their assessment of the target market, itsshape and size and competitive landscape, and refine the offering to maximise success.

Our role >

During the launch planning phase, we lead your teams of multi-discipline employees through semi-structured workshops to:

• Review the characteristics of the target markets and customers in order to be absolutely clear about the business problem your offering solves.  Starting with the customer needs and wants might seem a little too obvious, but all too often organisations are selling "cures for which there is no disease" and consequently no customers want to buy. Even if the solution is potentially a winner, ask your sales representatives, senior managers, AND prospective customers to concisely articulate your value proposition and the chances are you will receive ambiguous answers, 'me too' statements, and blank looks

• Build the offering's features, benefits and ultimately value statements. These value statements are the building blocks of your value proposition and marketing literature. They combine the value from the product/service and the unique value-add of your organisation. We use techniques to widen your team's thinking of the benefits and consequences, because to focus only on features and benefits is a certain way of losing

• To win in the short and long term, prospectives customer must perceive that your value proposition is superior to every alternative being considered.  This includes competitors, or the possibility of the customer doing nothing.  The outcome of our engagement is a superior value proposition that differentiates you as perceived by customers. 

We build upon the final value propositions to kickstart your initial launch and navigate you around any pitfalls and obstacles. We can help you develop professional marketing and sales messages through to comprehensive eye-catching marketing literature; tailored selling techniques and communication statements to help your sales force deliver winning presentations; overcome customer objections; and help with commercial pricing constructs.

Now this will hardly strike you as rocket science. Yet, it is also far from the trivial exercise that many organisations assume when they embark upon the task alone and subsequently fail. Everyday, businesses make fundamental mistakes in defining and communicating their value proposition. These include:

• Attempting to develop THE value proposition.  There is no such thing as a singular all encompassing value proposition.  Value is in the eye of the beholder so even if the product is standard, each customer has different needs and business problems.  Effective value propositions are customised to the specific needs of each customer

• The needs and wants of customers change, and effective value propositions must be updated to meet the changing needs

• Value based solely on a product feature, functions, performance, and pricing is not sustainable.  Everyday, competitors announce new capabilities.  Basing your value proposition solely on product features functions, performance, and pricing may win today, but tomorrow when your competition introduces better capabilities you will lose

• The greatest value often lies outside the product you are selling.  The greatest value may in many intangibles such as the relationships the customer has with the sales team or the company, the ease of buying a product or service, the reputation of the sales person or company, the responsiveness of the organization, the flexibility of the company, the ease of doing business, the integrity or trustworthiness of the sales people and the organization, the performance of the company in meeting commitments, the services offered in addition to the product, and many more things.  Sales people must think “outside the product box” when developing the value proposition for each customer

• Elements of value may be business or personal oriented.  Many sales people tend to focus only on business elements in defining value, but more often, it is the personal elements that are more important.  To an individual, “getting his boss off his back,” may be the single most important thing in making a decision.  When trying to discover what customers value, look for both the business and personal elements of value and try to respond to each in presenting your offer

• Developing unique value propositions for each customer means each person involved in making or influencing the decision in the customer organisation.  Each of them has different needs or hot buttons, these change with time.  To be successful, sales professionals need to present the value of the offer that means the most to each individual at the time the decision is being made

• There are no silver bullets!  Developing, communicating, and delivering value requires real understanding of what your customer seeks to accomplish, the roadblocks they face, and what is important to them

• Focus on customers, but be mindful of your competition. They are also trying to develop and communicate their value proposition.  To be successful your value proposition must be differentiated and superior to all others.  Never lose sight of your differentiation.

• Finally, make sure you are delivering real value in the eyes of the customer.  Failing to deliver on the value the customer thought they were buying will destroy the relationship over time