'Producting' or 'Marketing'?

Every marketer knows that you need to define a value proposition for your product or service.

But what really is a value proposition?

A value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services.

The more focused and clear your value proposition is, the better.

To be honest though, a lot of people and companies have pretty lousy value propositions.

They’re weak because they don't really say anything. Often they’re simply a description of features or capabilities. Or they’re just self-congratulatory becuase they just focus on what the product/service is or does.

But come on. If marketing were supposed to focus on your product, it would be called “producting.”

It’s not though is it? It’s called “marketing,” which means that marketing is supposed to focus on the market — and that is made up of people: customers and prospects.

The commonsensemarketing way of doing it is to focus on marketplace instead of product. When you lose this focus, or if you just focus on product, your marketing loses its meaning.

Products exist only to satisfy a need or solve a problem. They have no inherent meaning outside of how well they do that for the people who use it.

It doesn’t matter if your product uses advanced technology, or the latest alloys, or some wizzy gadget. It only matters that it solves a problem or satisfies a need.

And when you sit down to devise your marketing strategy, or when you begin to start putting it into practice, this basic principle must guide every decision you make.

Look at the thing you’re trying to market. Turn it around in your hand. Look behind it. Underneath it. Touch it. Use it. Understand it.

Then ask yourself the simple question: What does this actually do for my customer?