5 ms·

Ask HN: Help me craft my unique value proposition

6 points by marcamillion 16y ago

I am trying to articulate my unique value proposition but I think I have been too close to the development of the app for too long, that my mind is getting cloudy. So I would love to hear some thoughts and feedback on some of the language I can use. The coming soon page is: http://www.compversions.com I have A/B tested a few different ones (there are four actually), so I would love if you could post the one you see and post your suggestions based on what you understand. Also, if you don't understand it, please let me know so I can explain and we can go from there. Thanks!

petervandijck 16y ago
"Basecamp for designers" is pretty good I think. Can you explain the value of your product to us in a few paragraphs? Then we can try to come up with some language.
- marcamillion 16y ago
  The problem I am trying to solve is this: Say you hire a designer to do a logo for you. They come up with 5 versions. How do you compare them? What some people do is literally print them out and hold them up - or tape them to a whiteboard, etc. So the way I am solving this is, allowing designers to upload multiple versions to one place (my web app) and they notify their client. Their client can then go and easily compare the multiple versions of the design, comment on them and chose from there. It's like Hot or Not, but for designs. Of course, it will do everything else that you expect from a simple project management solution - like Basecamp. I should also mention that this is not specific to designers ONLY, but I am starting with designers because that is a targeted niche that I think this will help. I imagine photographers/ad agencies and others can use this. If you happen to have other suggestions for other niche markets I would love to hear them too.
  - petervandijck 16y ago
    "They come up with 5 versions. How do you compare them?" -> I just look at them all and then give feedback. For me, this has never really been a problem. I think it would help if you would target it to an even narrower niche than just "designers" at first. Perhaps a certain type of designer.
    - marcamillion 16y ago
      Right...but how do you compare them? As in, exactly what is the process? Do you resize your browser window ? Or download them to your machine and resize windows like that? Or do you print them out and put them side by side? Perhaps I experienced this because I was dealing with multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions. It just got unsustainable after a while. But I don't quite know how to target those people. I was thinking just let price be the discriminator. This won't work for those people that have 1 client every few months and a few revisions. But those with multiple clients and multiple designs going to those clients and multiple revisions of those designs - can typically use something that simplifies that process. Basecamp definitely doesn't simplify it. That's where my frustration/pain point came from and subsequently this solution.
      - petervandijck 16y ago
        "As in, exactly what is the process?" -> depends on the format. If they attached a few png's, I just open then in new browser windows. If they send me a PDF with many versions, I open it and scroll through it. If they send me a ZIP file, I ask them for something more userfriendly ;) "multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions" -> now we're getting somewhere. This is your target audience, not just "designers".
        marcamillion 16y ago
        Two things are interesting about this comment. 1) that the process you highlighted in the first sentence doesn't annoy you royally. That's exactly what my issue was. There is no standardized way to get feedback from all clients. 2) You are absolutely right. Maybe I should be drilling down deeper. The question now is, how do I reach those clients with 'multiple projects and multiple revisions' ? I know how to reach designers - i.e. the design communities, the design blogs, etc. But how do I then segment my marketing even further. Thanks for helping me flesh this out some more...it's REALLY helping me :)
kingsidharth 16y ago
Basecamp for Designers doesn't sound like a good idea. 37Signals won't be happy if you get rich. Anyways, based on the problem you are trying to solve. Tell them the benefit. Something like "Let your Clients choose the best" or something like that. There is feature (compare the diff versions) and then there are benefits (hassle free decision making for client - faster work done). Benefits sell. To be honest, you can't make your USP alone - you can just try and give it a direction. Your users will define your USP. They might end up using it for entirely different purpose. Or might fall in love with USP. So don't worry about USP. Just tell them: 1) What is it 2) What it means for them (benefit) 3) What can they do here 4) How to get started.
- marcamillion 16y ago
  Thank you kingsidharth. What I was really getting at is, help me brainstorm about how to articulate the benefits I am providing. You gave me some good ideas for starters. Have any more benefits I can use ? :) Btw, I am not too worried about 37Signals getting upset with me. The market will decide. If the market doesn't think there is space for me, I will have to pivot :)
  - kingsidharth 16y ago
    Hmmm.. usually one 'pain-in-the-ass-problem' solved is enough of a benefit. But can't add more without using it. Just get started with if you have some ideas (as you said). As a designer, the best thing that I see is faster decision from client's side which saves my time and makes me happy. Dunno how many will agree - so yeah testing (you were very wise there, I must say). My addition: "Help your clients decide Faster!" Faster decisions, faster projects - easier your life gets ---some bullet points here to tell about more features--- There you go, did some copy-writing for you ;)
    - marcamillion 16y ago
      I love it. If you feel inspired and have more, keep em coming :) Thanks.
yoseph 16y ago
I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but hopefully, it helps! To properly articulate your unique value prop, you need to truly understand the value you are providing to users of your product. I know how difficult that can be when you're too close to your product. About a month and a half ago, I was in the same position. Luckily, around that time, I heard the CEO of FreshBooks speak on the subject. Here's the gist of what he said: Be able to tell users what life was like BEFORE your product and what it's like AFTER your product. Quantify it to make it real! For example, if I've invented a teleporter... BEFORE: On average 45 minute commute to work AFTER: 0.015 second commute Obviously, the big benefit of my invention is saving time. For yours, it could be cost, time, etc. Just make sure it's quantifiable! And from there, writing your one sentence UVP will (hopefully) be much easier.
- marcamillion 16y ago
  Yoseph, Thanks for taking the time to share that story. It really helps. You are absolutely right. One of the earlier commenters, kingsidharth (I hope I got his name correct) to be exact, suggested exactly that and he gave me some solid suggestions. "Faster decision making." Then it clicked to me, that's what I am selling. A decision-making engine. Something that helps their clients make decisions quicker. I wish there was a way for me to quantify this and articulate that, without it looking cheesy. Any ideas? Thanks again for that story. Love it. P.S. By any chance do you happen to have a link to the talk that the CEO of FreshBooks gave?
  - yoseph 16y ago
    No problem. Happy to help! Hmm, this probably sounds very simple, but how long do clients generally take to decide? And maybe it's also better to think of it in terms of how long it takes to attach your design, photo, etc to an email, for the client to open the files from that email and align it on his screen... I'd imagine that must take at least 5 minutes? I'm not particularly familiar with the area compversions is operating in, but you get the idea. I like "Faster decision making". Unfortunately, I don't have a link. I saw him give this speech in Toronto.
petervandijck 16y ago
This: "multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions" Plus this: "Faster decision making." Leads to this value proposition: "Your clients take ages to choose between design versions? They're overwhelmed by the options? Make your client's lifes easier, help them decide better and faster." It may be way off, or on the right track, not sure. (I think it's still a little off.) It's hard since the pain you're solving for your clients (the designers) isn't actually their pain, it's their clients pain. So your value is: solve the pain of your clients with my product? Mmmm..
- marcamillion 16y ago
  That's interesting. You are right. It's not exactly the designers' pain, but it is the clients pain. But the way I see it is, ultimately it becomes the designer's pain. For instance, say you have a large client that is not tech savvy in the least (or barely tech savvy) - but he wants to see many options. How do you get it to them? Setup your own ftp server? Email? Basecamp? Then how do they reply? That's another one of the pains I am trying to solve. So it's not JUST allowing them to easily chose from multiple versions, it's also taking away that headache from designers of trying to figure out how to get the revisions to clients.
  - petervandijck 16y ago
    "say you have a large client that is not tech savvy in the least" -> You present to them in person. I'm not a big believer in the "let the client choose between options" approach in any case.
    - marcamillion 16y ago
      Fair enough. I hear you. Maybe the tool isn't applicable to you then - as you said earlier :) Perhaps future iterations will interest you.
iworkforthem 16y ago
I think you should not ask the users to fill in so much details in your form. Just ask for email first.. Let them confirm it first, then follow-up with a request for more details.
- marcamillion 16y ago
  Great point. This is the second time I am hearing this. Will make that change now :) Edit: Done!

6 points by marcamillion 16y ago

petervandijck 16y ago

"Basecamp for designers" is pretty good I think. Can you explain the value of your product to us in a few paragraphs? Then we can try to come up with some language.

marcamillion 16y ago
The problem I am trying to solve is this: Say you hire a designer to do a logo for you. They come up with 5 versions. How do you compare them? What some people do is literally print them out and hold them up - or tape them to a whiteboard, etc. So the way I am solving this is, allowing designers to upload multiple versions to one place (my web app) and they notify their client. Their client can then go and easily compare the multiple versions of the design, comment on them and chose from there. It's like Hot or Not, but for designs. Of course, it will do everything else that you expect from a simple project management solution - like Basecamp. I should also mention that this is not specific to designers ONLY, but I am starting with designers because that is a targeted niche that I think this will help. I imagine photographers/ad agencies and others can use this. If you happen to have other suggestions for other niche markets I would love to hear them too.
- petervandijck 16y ago
  "They come up with 5 versions. How do you compare them?" -> I just look at them all and then give feedback. For me, this has never really been a problem. I think it would help if you would target it to an even narrower niche than just "designers" at first. Perhaps a certain type of designer.
  - marcamillion 16y ago
    Right...but how do you compare them? As in, exactly what is the process? Do you resize your browser window ? Or download them to your machine and resize windows like that? Or do you print them out and put them side by side? Perhaps I experienced this because I was dealing with multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions. It just got unsustainable after a while. But I don't quite know how to target those people. I was thinking just let price be the discriminator. This won't work for those people that have 1 client every few months and a few revisions. But those with multiple clients and multiple designs going to those clients and multiple revisions of those designs - can typically use something that simplifies that process. Basecamp definitely doesn't simplify it. That's where my frustration/pain point came from and subsequently this solution.
    - petervandijck 16y ago
      "As in, exactly what is the process?" -> depends on the format. If they attached a few png's, I just open then in new browser windows. If they send me a PDF with many versions, I open it and scroll through it. If they send me a ZIP file, I ask them for something more userfriendly ;) "multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions" -> now we're getting somewhere. This is your target audience, not just "designers".
      - marcamillion 16y ago
        Two things are interesting about this comment. 1) that the process you highlighted in the first sentence doesn't annoy you royally. That's exactly what my issue was. There is no standardized way to get feedback from all clients. 2) You are absolutely right. Maybe I should be drilling down deeper. The question now is, how do I reach those clients with 'multiple projects and multiple revisions' ? I know how to reach designers - i.e. the design communities, the design blogs, etc. But how do I then segment my marketing even further. Thanks for helping me flesh this out some more...it's REALLY helping me :)

kingsidharth 16y ago

Basecamp for Designers doesn't sound like a good idea. 37Signals won't be happy if you get rich. Anyways, based on the problem you are trying to solve. Tell them the benefit. Something like "Let your Clients choose the best" or something like that. There is feature (compare the diff versions) and then there are benefits (hassle free decision making for client - faster work done). Benefits sell. To be honest, you can't make your USP alone - you can just try and give it a direction. Your users will define your USP. They might end up using it for entirely different purpose. Or might fall in love with USP. So don't worry about USP. Just tell them: 1) What is it 2) What it means for them (benefit) 3) What can they do here 4) How to get started.

marcamillion 16y ago
Thank you kingsidharth. What I was really getting at is, help me brainstorm about how to articulate the benefits I am providing. You gave me some good ideas for starters. Have any more benefits I can use ? :) Btw, I am not too worried about 37Signals getting upset with me. The market will decide. If the market doesn't think there is space for me, I will have to pivot :)
- kingsidharth 16y ago
  Hmmm.. usually one 'pain-in-the-ass-problem' solved is enough of a benefit. But can't add more without using it. Just get started with if you have some ideas (as you said). As a designer, the best thing that I see is faster decision from client's side which saves my time and makes me happy. Dunno how many will agree - so yeah testing (you were very wise there, I must say). My addition: "Help your clients decide Faster!" Faster decisions, faster projects - easier your life gets ---some bullet points here to tell about more features--- There you go, did some copy-writing for you ;)
  - marcamillion 16y ago
    I love it. If you feel inspired and have more, keep em coming :) Thanks.

yoseph 16y ago

I know this isn't exactly what you asked for, but hopefully, it helps! To properly articulate your unique value prop, you need to truly understand the value you are providing to users of your product. I know how difficult that can be when you're too close to your product. About a month and a half ago, I was in the same position. Luckily, around that time, I heard the CEO of FreshBooks speak on the subject. Here's the gist of what he said: Be able to tell users what life was like BEFORE your product and what it's like AFTER your product. Quantify it to make it real! For example, if I've invented a teleporter... BEFORE: On average 45 minute commute to work AFTER: 0.015 second commute Obviously, the big benefit of my invention is saving time. For yours, it could be cost, time, etc. Just make sure it's quantifiable! And from there, writing your one sentence UVP will (hopefully) be much easier.

marcamillion 16y ago
Yoseph, Thanks for taking the time to share that story. It really helps. You are absolutely right. One of the earlier commenters, kingsidharth (I hope I got his name correct) to be exact, suggested exactly that and he gave me some solid suggestions. "Faster decision making." Then it clicked to me, that's what I am selling. A decision-making engine. Something that helps their clients make decisions quicker. I wish there was a way for me to quantify this and articulate that, without it looking cheesy. Any ideas? Thanks again for that story. Love it. P.S. By any chance do you happen to have a link to the talk that the CEO of FreshBooks gave?
- yoseph 16y ago
  No problem. Happy to help! Hmm, this probably sounds very simple, but how long do clients generally take to decide? And maybe it's also better to think of it in terms of how long it takes to attach your design, photo, etc to an email, for the client to open the files from that email and align it on his screen... I'd imagine that must take at least 5 minutes? I'm not particularly familiar with the area compversions is operating in, but you get the idea. I like "Faster decision making". Unfortunately, I don't have a link. I saw him give this speech in Toronto.

petervandijck 16y ago

This: "multiple designers and multiple projects and multiple revisions" Plus this: "Faster decision making." Leads to this value proposition: "Your clients take ages to choose between design versions? They're overwhelmed by the options? Make your client's lifes easier, help them decide better and faster." It may be way off, or on the right track, not sure. (I think it's still a little off.) It's hard since the pain you're solving for your clients (the designers) isn't actually their pain, it's their clients pain. So your value is: solve the pain of your clients with my product? Mmmm..

marcamillion 16y ago
That's interesting. You are right. It's not exactly the designers' pain, but it is the clients pain. But the way I see it is, ultimately it becomes the designer's pain. For instance, say you have a large client that is not tech savvy in the least (or barely tech savvy) - but he wants to see many options. How do you get it to them? Setup your own ftp server? Email? Basecamp? Then how do they reply? That's another one of the pains I am trying to solve. So it's not JUST allowing them to easily chose from multiple versions, it's also taking away that headache from designers of trying to figure out how to get the revisions to clients.
- petervandijck 16y ago
  "say you have a large client that is not tech savvy in the least" -> You present to them in person. I'm not a big believer in the "let the client choose between options" approach in any case.
  - marcamillion 16y ago
    Fair enough. I hear you. Maybe the tool isn't applicable to you then - as you said earlier :) Perhaps future iterations will interest you.

iworkforthem 16y ago

I think you should not ask the users to fill in so much details in your form. Just ask for email first.. Let them confirm it first, then follow-up with a request for more details.

marcamillion 16y ago
Great point. This is the second time I am hearing this. Will make that change now :) Edit: Done!