The real reasons why
A common approach to drafting a value proposition is to start by identifying value drivers, then reverse-engineering your way to a value proposition. My opinion is that this approach often starts with the wrong question: what the product has rather than what the product does.
I've seen this play out firsthand in a training, where the subject was, of all things, a teddy bear. The session attendees were highly skilled in their own areas of expertise, but for many, the concept of true value proposition development was relatively new.
"To get us started," the facilitator said, "let's brainstorm the value proposition for this teddy bear. How would you sell me this teddy bear?"
What followed was a masterclass in how easy it is to default to features over value. Hands went up, and one by one, attendees asked questions and made observations:
"What material is it made of? Organic cotton? Is it machine washable? What's the country of origin? Are the eyes embroidered or plastic? Can you personalize it with a name?"
The list went on, focused entirely on the bear itself. It's features, it's attributes. And while all accurate, it missed the point. Finally, I raised my hand. I wasn't interested in the bear, however; I wanted to know about the owner of the bear: the facilitator's daughter.
"What is she doing when she's typically playing with the bear? Where does she take it? When does she reach for her bear most often? What does she use when she doesn't have the bear with her?"
Because while all the features might sound appealing and feel important, they miss the emotional connection - the "job" that teddy fulfills, like providing comfort, companionship, or security. For a child, a teddy is a trusted companion, a protector at bedtime, or a silent friend on a long car ride.
And the features - what it's made of or where it comes from - are only relevant insofar as they enable it to do one of those jobs.
This is the essence of the Jobs to be Done Theory: People don't buy products for what they are; they "hire" them for what they do.
When we focus solely on features, we tell our audience what we think they care about instead of understanding what they truly value. Instead, by observing actions and behaviors - like a kid clinging to a teddy bear as they fall asleep - we uncover the real reasons why they choose the product.
The next time you're building out your value proposition, don't start with the product. Start with the customer. Because whether it's a teddy bear or an industrial solution, people don't care about features - they care about what your product does for them.