Grow with values

Selling your 'Unique Value Proposition' (UVP) is growing in importance for gaining and retaining customers.

Customers don't just simply buy products; they want to acquire something with a personal and individual value for them. This is especially relevant for top customers that are interested in the premium segment.

Such values are for example the image, individuality, quality, uniqueness. Sales effective are only those values that are relevant for this special customer and posses a real competitive advantage in comparison with the products or services of other companies. Which values really will make or break the deal can be logically deducted in the following systematic approach:

• First you have to define the market and all important competitors - let's take for example the luxury car market.

• In a second step, it is important to find out and describe the product or service features - in our luxury car example, an innovative feature is the 7-gear automatic gearshift.

• Thirdly, you have to derive the potential benefits of that product or service. Concerning the 7-gear automatic shift these are lower fuel consumption, a more powerful driving and yet a more comfortable handling and ride through the smooth shifting of the many gears.

• Fourth and last step: all benefits have to be ranked concerning your different customer groups. If the gasoline price is not relevant for the premium customer or the fuel costs are very low (like in the Arab world) and the dynamic and powerful driving is also offered by the competition, then the benefit of the more comfortable handling and driving is the special 'Unique Value Proposition' (UVP). This is the benefit that is ranked number one and has to be explicitly communicated to the potential customer.

Those sales and service employees that know in depth the market, its products and customers, are able to use this 'Unique Value Proposition' to gain and retain customers. The UVP allows you to offer to the client what he or she wants. It also enables you to optimize the pricing structure to get more sales and profit. The macro-economic climate then only plays a minor role as well.



The UVP ('Unique Value Proposition'), a competitive advantage of your product or service that is beneficial and relevant for your customer - convincing on a rational and emotional level.