What Is an Irresistible Value Statement?

First off, let’s talk about what an irresistible value statement isn’t: It’s not a tagline or a slogan, like “the fastest delivery in the industry” or “the lowest prices.” These types of statements, which companies may position as their unique selling proposition, are not enough to hook your customer — because anyone can claim to have the fastest delivery or lowest prices. If a company doesn’t deliver on those promises, then customers may feel cheated, even if the products are excellent in other ways. The USP also doesn’t tell a customer why they should buy from you; that is, even if your USP is true, if it doesn’t actually solve their problems, then who cares?

An irresistible value statement goes beyond mere claims about your brand to speak to customers’ pain points. It’s about delivering real value to your customers — solving problems for them, making their lives easier, giving them more free time, or otherwise improving their lives. In short, an irresistible value statement is a promise to solve your buyer’s problem.

Here’s why an irresistible value statement is superior to a USP and why it should be the driver of your sales conversations:

• The irresistible value statement focuses on the customer experience. It explains how your offerings will leave them transformed in some way.
• It speaks to how people will feel when they use your product, not just what they do with it. For example, “We help people who struggle with their finances get control of their money so they can stop worrying about it.”
• Instead of focusing on what you do, the irresistible value statement focuses on what customers get. To put it another way, as Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”

The key point to remember is that the differentiating factors defined in your USP do not matter as much as the difference you can make in your ideal customers’ lives. Because it addresses a customer’s needs and wants, a well-written irresistible value statement is much more engaging and more likely to draw in your ideal customer base than a USP.

How to Write an Irresistible Value Statement

Your value statement is the most important thing you can write about your business. It’s what you share with the world when someone asks, “What do you do?” And it’s the first thing people think of when they hear your brand name. To write an effective irresistible value statement, follow these steps.

Step 1: Define your target customer.

In order to create a successful value statement, you need to be able to answer the question, “Who is your perfect client?” If you don’t know the answer, start by asking yourself these questions:

• What do they look like?
• What do they do for a living?
• What is their backstory?
• What are their challenges?
• What do they want?

The more specific you can be in defining your perfect client, the better. When you have clarity about who this person is, it’s much easier to figure out what they want and how to deliver it.

Step 2: Find out what’s missing in their life.

If your client doesn’t know something is missing, they aren’t going to be looking for a solution. And if you don’t know what’s missing, then you won’t know how to speak to whatever they are lacking and tell them how your products or services will transform their lives in some way. 

So how do you find out what’s missing? You need to do some research on the problems of your target market and then figure out how your product or service can solve those problems. For example, a personal trainer targeting people who have no time or motivation to eat right and exercise might say, “I help my clients be the healthiest version of themselves by teaching them how to make healthy, 5-minute weeknight meals and move their bodies with fun, quick exercises they can do at home or in the gym.” This is much more effective and solutions-oriented than saying, “I help people lose weight and get fit.”

Step 3: Identify how your product or service makes clients feel.

Once you find out what’s missing in your ideal client’s life, dig deeper to inquire how they feel about that missing piece. Imagine what your ideal customer would say if they had only two minutes to tell you about their problem and how they solved it. What words would they use? Write down each emotion that describes how they feel about having this problem.

In the personal training example above, the ideal client might say they feel frustrated by not having enough time to eat right and exercise. Or if you sell accounting services for small businesses, some of your client’s possible emotions might include stress and worry. Knowing the emotions that your ideal customer is likely to have without your product or service in their life will help you create an emotional connection rather than come at your prospect with facts like “I create exercise plans” or “I do taxes for small businesses.”

Step 4: Combine steps 1, 2, and 3.

Now that you know who your ideal client is, what they are missing, and how it makes them feel to be missing this piece, it’s time to put it all together into the problem you solve and for whom. The problem statement should be specific and clearly describe the gap between where people are now and where they want to be. It should also be clear that it is a problem your business solves.

Here are some examples:

• “I help busy moms create delicious recipes in 30 minutes or less, so they can spend more time with their kids.”
• “I provide online courses that teach busy executives how to easily manage their work-life balance so they can get more done at work without sacrificing personal time with their families.”

Initially, you may find it uncomfortable to define and state the problem your clients are having, as though you’re telling people what’s lacking in their lives. However, what you’re actually doing is relating to people with that problem — so that when they hear their problem articulated, they think, “Yes, that’s exactly right.” If they don’t relate to your statement, then they don’t need your product or service, and they’re not your target customer. And you don’t have to spend time chasing after them!

It’ll take practice to get into this mindset, because most of us are trained to talk about ourselves and our qualifications. But that’s not what your customer wants to hear; they want to hear how you’re going to help them.

Step 5: Start with empathy.

If you need help drilling down into the details of your irresistible value statement, consider how you can personally empathize with your client’s situation. This empathy is the flip side of the emotion you’ve identified in step 2; it allows you to feel the same emotions that your ideal customer feels.

On some level, you already understand the problem your prospects have — so much so that you’ve created a solution to address it. To build on this understanding, imagine yourself in your customer’s shoes, with regard not only to their current situation but also their hopes and dreams. What do they want most in life? The more deeply you can relate to these emotions with examples from your own life, the more powerful your message will be when it comes time to talk about what you do or sell.

It’s not just a theory; it’s science: Research has shown that affirming someone’s feelings triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin, which encourages a closer relationship between buyer and seller and makes a prospect more open to change.

Step 6: Define your solution.

It’s time to solve the problem you identified in step 4. This is your elevator pitch — the clear, concise statement that conveys in seconds how you solve this problem. It’s what takes your prospect from confusion or lack of interest to clarity, trust, and eagerness to buy. Play around with the ways you present your solution to determine which version resonates the most with your ideal customer. Here are some tips for nailing your elevator pitch and getting your prospect curious enough to want to learn more:

• Make it short. One sentence is all you need if it’s your ideal client.
• Keep it simple. Don’t try to include every detail; focus on the most important points that address your customer’s pain points.
• Be memorable. Make sure the message sticks with them after they leave the “elevator.”

Step 7: Identify the transformation.

Your prospects only buy transformation, so it’s critical to define the transformation you’re offering. If you don’t have a clear idea of what transformation your product or service provides and the “after” state that people can expect, it’s unlikely that anyone else will either. Keep these tips in mind as you identify the transformation your product or service creates:

• Identify the specific problem your target market faces and how your product or service solves it. This is the “before” state that your customers are currently experiencing.
• Highlight the obstacles that prevent people from solving it now and explain how you overcome them.
• Be relatable. Let your customers know you have been in their shoes and you found a way to make a change.
• Be specific about the transformation people can expect. This is the “after” state that paints a picture of what life will look like for a customer after they’ve purchased your product or service.

Step 8: Write the script for your irresistible statement of value.

When writing the script for your value statement, you can approach it in one of two ways: the irresistible statement of value or the networking introduction.

The irresistible statement of value

This statement is great for introducing yourself in most circumstances and creating a powerful emotional connection with prospects. It allows people to “get you” instantly. Here’s an example for a hypothetical wedding planner:

“You know how stressful it is for couples to plan a wedding? I’ve been there! I didn’t have anyone helping me plan my wedding, and it was a mess; the flowers didn’t show up on time, and the venue almost got double booked. That’s why I created my virtual wedding planning service for busy couples. Once you start using our platform and services, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the process, while our simple checklists and helpful planners handle every detail.”

The networking introduction

In a networking situation, start with your name and what you do, as though you’re shaking hands with someone for the first time — only frame it as a solution in disguise. Here it is using the same wedding planner example:

“My name is Joanna. I’m a wedding planner, and I take the hassle out of planning a party for couples who prefer to leave the details of wedding planning to a professional, so they’re able to relax and enjoy their big day. Once they start working with me, they go from stressed and anxious to excited about their wedding — something every couple deserves!”

Conclusion

There’s no denying that an irresistible value statement is better than any USP you could ever create. It has the power to build a loyal customer base and guide your business in a more profitable direction.

Are you too close to your own company to figure out what makes it so irresistible? Be sure to check and download our free irresistible value statement template for help crafting a statement that allows you to sell like a pro.