Just Another Head Count to Indispensable: The Value Proposition Advantage

This article is based on a recent Career Workshop session that took place in our Discord server.

In today’s competitive landscape, having a clear value proposition is essential for success. Whether you’re a freelancer, an entrepreneur, or an employee, knowing what sets you apart helps attract opportunities and build trust. A strong value proposition not only differentiates you but also enhances customer retention and long-term growth.

Here’s the workshop video

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction
00:12 – Defining Value Proposition
01:04 – Explaining the Value Proposition Canvas
05:42 – Example of a Freelance Developer working in a SCRUM Team
17:33 – Using the Canvas for Upselling Lead Management issues in the team
21:54 – Example of a Hired Content Writer working in a SaaS Company
24:00 – What is TOMA in Marketing?
26:04 – Using the Canvas for Upselling Content Strategy issues in the team
32:19 – Pitching the Upsell to the Marketing Manager
33:22 – Negotiating an Upsell as an Employee
35:20 – Parting ways with Toxic Clients & Companies
37:30 – Closing Notes/Live Q&A on Discord

Defining a value proposition isn’t just about listing skills or features—it’s about aligning with your audience’s needs. Understanding what problems you solve and how you provide unique value is crucial. This clarity makes it easier to communicate your strengths effectively.

Frameworks like the Value Proposition Canvas help structure this process. By mapping out customer pain points, expectations, and how your solution fits, you can refine your approach. Whether you’re launching a product or strengthening your career, mastering this concept is a game-changer.

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What is a Value Proposition?

A value proposition is a clear statement that explains why a customer should choose your product or service over the available alternatives. It directly addresses the pain points of the target audience and highlights the benefits that your offering provides.

A strong value proposition typically consists of the following key components:

1. Target Customer – Who are you solving a problem for?
2. Problem/Pain Point – What specific issue does your product or service address?
3. Unique Solution – How does your offering solve the problem in a way that competitors do not?
4. Benefits and Outcomes – What tangible improvements will customers experience as a result of choosing your solution?
5. Differentiation – What makes your product or service better, faster, cheaper, or more efficient than the alternatives?

Because value is subjective, what one customer finds valuable may not be important to another. This is why identifying your target customer and their specific needs is crucial when defining a value proposition. One of the most effective tools for structuring this thought process is the Value Proposition Canvas, which helps businesses and individuals map out key aspects of customer needs, product offerings, and expected outcomes.

Example of Value Proposition in CRM Software Industry

To better understand how value propositions work in the real world, let’s examine an example from the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software industry.

Imagine a mid-sized company that relies on a C-suite executive team to manage business operations. One of their biggest challenges is accessing real-time sales data across multiple departments.

Currently, they use Salesforce, which is one of the most well-known CRM platforms, but they face difficulties due to the following issues:

• Complex setup and integration: The software requires additional technical expertise to configure properly.
• Unnecessary features: The platform is loaded with functionalities that the C-suite executives do not need, making navigation cumbersome.
• High costs: Salesforce comes with a significant price tag, making it less cost-effective for mid-sized companies that only need basic sales insights.

How a New CRM Product Can Offer a Better Value Proposition

If a new CRM solution enters the market, targeting the same audience, it can differentiate itself by addressing these specific pain points. The new CRM might offer the following advantages:

1. Simplified Setup: A plug-and-play model that requires no technical expertise to get started.
2. User-Centric Design: A minimalistic and intuitive dashboard that provides only the most relevant sales data for executives.
3. AI and Automation Features: Automated sales reporting, predictive analytics, and AI-driven insights for better decision-making.
4. Lower Cost Structure: More affordable pricing, ensuring that mid-sized companies get the features they need without overspending on unnecessary tools.

By clearly articulating these unique advantages, the new CRM software can establish a strong value proposition that makes it a compelling alternative to Salesforce.

Upselling through Value Proposition Framework as a Freelancer

Freelancers often struggle with positioning themselves effectively in the market and differentiating their services from the competition. Many freelancers ask themselves a common question:

“I already have a few clients, but I feel like I could be doing more. Should I find new clients or focus on upselling my existing ones?”

The answer often lies in leveraging the existing client base first before seeking new opportunities. If a freelancer has built trust with a client and has delivered quality work, the chances of selling additional services to that client are significantly higher than finding and converting a new client.

This approach requires freelancers to think about their value proposition in a structured way, just as businesses do.

Example: A Front-End Developer in a Scrum Team

Let’s take the example of a freelance front-end developer who is working as part of a Scrum team for a small startup. The key client in this case is the Product Owner (PO) or Project Manager (PM) who initially hired the freelancer to contribute to the development team.

Defining the Freelancer’s Value Proposition

• Freelancer’s Role: A front-end developer specializing in modern frameworks like Next.js and Tailwind CSS.
• Client’s Initial Need: The startup needed someone to handle the front-end development for their web application.
• Existing Solution Before Hiring the Freelancer: The company did not have a dedicated front-end developer and relied on back-end developers to handle UI-related tasks, resulting in poor UX/UI.
• Outcome of Hiring the Freelancer: The development team now has a specialist handling front-end tasks efficiently, leading to faster UI development and an improved user experience.

This structure helps freelancers clearly define how they added value to the company.

Now, if the freelancer has been working with this startup for two to three months, instead of immediately looking for a new client, they should explore the possibility of upselling additional services to their existing client.

How a Freelancer Can Upsell Effectively

1. Identify Additional Pain Points: The freelancer should analyze the client’s workflow and identify related pain points that align with their expertise. For instance, they may notice that the startup lacks strong performance optimization for front-end code.
2. Offer a New Service as a Solution: If the freelancer has expertise in front-end performance optimization, they can propose a solution, such as improving loading times, enhancing SEO, or implementing accessibility improvements.
3. Demonstrate Potential Value: Instead of simply stating that they can optimize performance, the freelancer should provide an example: “By improving front-end performance, your website could achieve a 40% reduction in load time, leading to better user retention and conversion rates.”
4. Propose a Trial or One-Time Project: If the client is hesitant, the freelancer can suggest a trial period (e.g., two weeks of free optimization work) to showcase measurable improvements before committing to a long-term contract.

By following this approach, freelancers can increase their earnings, strengthen their relationships with existing clients, and position themselves as indispensable team members rather than temporary contractors.

The Freelancing Approach: Upselling Through Learning

Imagine you’re a freelancer working with a client who struggles with lead management. Currently, they handle everything manually, which is slow and frustrating. You identify that automating this process could be beneficial, so you take the initiative to research HubSpot integrations. You watch a few videos, set up a demo account, and experiment with different integrations.

One of the most effective ways to advance in your career, whether in freelancing or a corporate job, is by identifying inefficiencies and proactively offering solutions. This mindset not only helps you gain new skills but also makes you invaluable to your employer or clients. Let’s explore how this works in different scenarios.

Once you have a grasp of how it works, you approach your client with a solution:

• Step 1: Explain the problem and its impact.
• Step 2: Demonstrate that you have found a solution.
• Step 3: Offer to implement a small part of it (e.g., automating Facebook leads) for free.
• Step 4: If the client likes your work, propose expanding it to other channels for a fee.

By doing this, you have not only solved a problem but also expanded your skill set. Now, you can market yourself as both a front-end developer and someone with CRM integration expertise. This proactive learning approach allows you to keep growing professionally while increasing your value in the market.

Upselling through Value Proposition Framework as an Employee

In a corporate setting, no one will explicitly tell you to take on additional work. It’s up to you to observe inefficiencies and propose improvements. Let’s consider an example of a content writer in a mid-sized B2B SaaS company.

Example of a Content Writer upselling for Content Strategy

• Job Role: Content Writer
• Company Type: Mid-sized B2B SaaS company
• Direct Manager: Marketing Manager
• Current Responsibilities: Writing SEO-optimized blog content
• Existing Challenges:
  • Cover images for blogs take too long to be designed.
  • Publishing is delayed due to dependency on developers.
  • Content strategy lacks proper research.
  • No analytics exist to measure blog performance.

Identifying an Opportunity for Growth

After working for three months, you notice that content strategy is rushed. Your marketing manager picks blog topics without thorough research, leading to weak engagement. You realize that a structured content strategy based on keyword research and audience needs could improve traffic and conversions.

Taking Initiative

Instead of waiting for your manager to address this issue, you decide to act:

1. Research: Learn about effective content strategy models and how to use analytics tools.
2. Experiment: Create a revised strategy for a small section of the content calendar using SEO best practices.
3. Present the Idea: Approach your marketing manager and demonstrate how your strategy could lead to better results.
4. Implement a Test Case: Offer to optimize a few upcoming blog posts based on your research.
5. Measure Results: Track engagement and conversion rates to prove your method’s effectiveness.

If your approach proves successful, your manager might entrust you with broader content strategy responsibilities. Over time, this could lead to a promotion or a salary increase.

The Key Takeaway: Continuous Exploration Leads to Career Growth

The best way to accumulate new skills and grow in your career is by actively seeking out opportunities to solve problems. Whether you’re a freelancer or an employee, the process remains the same:

• Identify an inefficiency.
• Research potential solutions.
• Experiment and gain hands-on experience.
• Pitch your solution in a way that adds value.
• Measure impact and iterate.

By doing this consistently, you not only expand your skill set but also become a key asset in any professional setting. Instead of waiting for growth opportunities to come to you, create them yourself.

Conclusion

A compelling value proposition can significantly impact your success, whether you’re building a business or advancing in your career. It helps highlight what makes you unique and why people should choose you over others. Clearly communicating your value ensures better engagement and growth.

To stay ahead, regularly refining your value proposition is key. Understanding customer pain points and providing tailored solutions strengthens your positioning. The more relevant your offerings are, the more likely you are to create meaningful impact.

The Value Proposition Canvas is a powerful tool for this purpose. It provides a structured approach to align customer needs with your strengths. Using this framework can enhance your ability to attract opportunities and stay competitive in any field be it in a freelancer or a corporate setting.

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