Unique Value Proposition or Unique Sales Proposition

What is the difference between a unique value proposition and a unique selling proposition?

This question has come up several times in the last few months. 

And the truth: there are varying views on this. 

But the most common consensus is: 

• A value proposition is about your client
• A selling proposition is about you

Unique value proposition

There is quite a lot on this blog already about value propositions. 

Your business’s value proposition is a statement about how your service increases the value of your client’s organization (or life, if you are a business-to-consumer company). 

Your value proposition describes what a client receives by working with you. Not the product that they buy, but what that product enables for them. 

Some examples:

If you sell pens, your client gets the ability to write a postcard. 

If you sell running shoes, your client gets the comfort and support for meaningful exercise. 

If you sell family law services, your client gets a simple and quick settlement with minimal disruption. 

Note that if we have ten people in a room selling pens, we could easily have ten different endings to the above sentence, as is true for ten shoe stores and ten family law attorneys. 

Do you know what makes you unique in your clients’ eyes? Contact me to work on your unique value proposition: 3 meetings, a bit of homework in between, and a fully bespoke result.

Unique selling proposition

With a unique selling proposition, you can start talking more about yourself. 

A selling proposition describes how you do things, what it is like to work with you, and how your operations make you stand out. 

If you sell pens, your unique selling proposition might describe your unique manufacturing process, the quality of your ink, and how you consult with clients to ensure they get the best pen for their needs. 

If you sell running shoes, you would talk about the tailoring, the fabrics, the innovative technology, and the buying experience that gives you a perfect fit each time. 

If you sell family law services, you may focus on the special experience you have, how you communicate with clients, how well you know the judges and their preferences, and how easy it is to get you on the phone. 

With your unique selling proposition, you are selling the store. 

They both matter

It is worth the time to know the difference and know what each one is for your business.