Now that you've got input from your clients about why they hired you, It's time to start crafting your value proposition.

I like to do this in a fairly structured way. And even if you're not mathematical by nature I think this helps.

What I do is list all the big areas of value I think that the business I'm looking at brings to their clients – based on what they say and what their clients have given them feedback on.

I think of the big problems they solve. The big goals they help them achieve. Then bounce around the financial, emotional and practical value that brings. Eventually, I want to rate the size of the value on a 1-5 scale just to make sure I'm focusing on the biggest ones.

Once I have a shortlist of the big areas of value I try to think about how each one is different to what their competitors offer.

Again, I'm going to try to use a 1-5 scale to rate the size of difference.

Sometimes – though it's very, very rare – you might offer some type of value that no one else does. A problem or solution only you can provide.

But normally you're focusing on the same areas of value as your competitors – you're just delivering them in a different way.

I help my folks get more clients and I'm certainly not the only one who does that. So when I'm thinking about how I'm different I need to think about how I deliver that differently.

Do I help them get more new clients than anyone else? Are they higher quality clients? Do we get them faster? Is it easier for them to do, or does it take less time?

Perhaps I use a different methodology that they find easier to fit into the way they work? Perhaps it's more in line with their values and they feel more comfortable doing it? Perhaps it's more reliable and consistent?

Think through all the ways in which you deliver the different types of value you've listed and rate how different they are to what others are doing.

By now you should have a ranked list of the types of value you can bring to your clients rated on how big the value is, and on how different it is to what your competitors are offering.

So if you were a sales trainer, the chances are that the primary value you bring is always going to be about helping your clients get more sales. But perhaps you have a number of unique ways you do that, for example:

• Your services are specifically focused on reinforcement of learning after the training course – meaning your clients really get results rather than having their people forget what they learned.
• Your training is based on a deeper understanding of the psychology of buyers and so it leads to a greater success rate.
• You're specialised in pharmaceutical sales – so your training is tailored to that market and the people you train can apply what they learn immediately rather than having to reinterpret it for their situation.

Which of these should you focus your value proposition on?

Most likely the one that's the most different from what others are offering.

So check: how many other trainers I compete with focus so much on reinforcement after the training course? How many go deep into buyer psychology? How many are specialised in pharma?

The answer to those questions tell you what to emphasis in your value proposition.

But don't jump to creating your value proposition quite yet. We still have one last step which we'll cover in the next email.