We’ve frequently seen phrases on company website homepages like these:
- We save you time!
- We are revolutionizing the way you do business!
- We value our people!
The idea is noble: to quickly communicate unique value and a reason to learn more about what they are offering (i.e., a Unique Value Proposition (“UVP”)).
Yet, sadly, most companies fail at this.
It’s not too difficult to see that the phrases above neither communicate anything unique nor address why the customer should care (or both).
“We save you time” is beyond generic. “We are revolutionizing” focuses too much on us. “We value people” is nice. Yet, none of these truly translate into how we uniquely solve a problem the customer cares about. I.e., why choose us?
I have failed here too.
We fail for two key reasons:
- We don’t emphasize uniqueness.
- We don’t let the customer in.
Fortunately, we can fix both by focusing on the uniqueness that matters to the customer’s problems.
I’ve developed the Mirror and Lens test for this exact purpose.
Let’s discover what I mean.
Uniqueness That Matters
Much has been written about identifying what makes our offerings unique.
But before we even start, remember:
A great UVP isn’t a standalone concept.
It must be an extension of our Foundational Work (our North Star, Ideal Customer Profile and Buyer Personas that I’ve written about in recent weeks).
Without that base, any UVP is pure guts, guesswork and luck.
Furthermore, finding the unique aspect of the offering isn’t an easy task for most companies.
Standard questions I’ve seen include:
- What is the one thing our company does better or differently than anyone else?
- What pain points do we solve that others ignore or fail to address well?
- If a customer had to explain why they love our product, what stories would they tell?
These are all good questions and if we can answer them, that’s a great start. But we need to be sure we’ve found the uniqueness that truly matters.
Try this internal litmus test: compare our answers above to this question:
What would our best customers fight to keep if we disappeared tomorrow?
In other words, what would they desperately seek or demand from other providers if we were no longer available?
The next and often overlooked step is to validate this directly with our best customers. Many companies skip this step, assuming they already know the answer.
Customers see value differently than we do. Validating with them ensures our uniqueness will truly resonate.
The Mirror and Lens Test
Uniqueness is important, but it’s not enough.
Too often, we present uniqueness focused on ourselves rather than how it helps our customers.
“We are revolutionizing…” sounds impressive, but the focus is on us, not the customer.
That’s the reason we need the mirror.
The mirror lets the customer see their current reality. The problem, frustration, or inefficiency they already feel.
When they see themselves, they know we understand them.
If we are truly “revolutionizing,” the question should be: what problem in the customer’s world are we improving?
Only after the customer recognizes their own situation will they be open to a solution.
That’s when we introduce the lens.
The lens gives them a view into what could be. A sharper version their future.
We connect the dots between their current pain and the future relief we make possible.
Too often, companies skip this step, assuming the customer will automatically imagine that better world.
They won’t. That’s our job.
If we don’t create a clear image, we lose their attention and their belief.
To be clear, an effective UVP should operate as a mirror and a lens.
Mirror: Reflect the customers current reality so they feel understood.
(”That’s me!”)
Lens: Let them see what could be. A sharper, better version of that reality.
(”That’s what I want!”)
Now, let’s run through two examples of well-known brands to illustrate this point.
Mirror and Lens Examples
Salesforce: “Grow faster and work smarter.”
It sounds fine. Upbeat, efficient, and business-friendly.
Yet does it reflect the daily struggle their customers face: disconnected data, missed handoffs, and inconsistent customer experiences?
What if, instead, we worked to include a mirror and a lens into the message:
Headline: See the whole customer. Act as one team.
Sub header: One trusted record across the company so no opportunity is missed.
Instead of talking to everyone, the message is talking to people with a problem – disconnected interactions and they can see their new world clearly.
The mirror shows their chaos.
The lens shows clarity and connection.
Here’s another example:
Deloitte: “Making an impact that matters.”
It feels noble, but vague. Impact on what? For whom?
The customer can’t see their situation or their way forward.
Using the mirror and lens framework, we may suggest:
Headline: You’ve outgrown the playbook that got you here.
Sub header: We’ll help you find the next one.
Here, the mirror captures a hard truth every leader faces.
The lens offers progress with purpose.
Wait a minute…
Now, before I get a comment on this, I acknowledge that both these firms are highly successful. So, we may question whether it matters to have an effective UVP that allows the customer to identify themselves.
My answer to this question is not to let the exception rule the path.
Meaning, we always need to be thinking about how we position ourselves to give us the greatest odds of success. That’s what a mirror and lens test can do.
The Takeaway
A UVP’s job isn’t to sound clever.
It’s to make our best prospects stop and think, “That’s me.”
When they see themselves, they listen.
When they see their future, they move.
Most UVPs fail because they talk about the company.
But customers don’t buy our story.
They buy themselves in it.
If our UVP doesn’t help them see who they are and who they could become, it’s not doing its job.
Show the mirror and look through the lens.
Try This
Review your UVP.
Does it talk more about you or your customer?
Can your customer see themselves in it?
Can they picture their future with you?
If not, it’s time to rethink it.
Want some feedback? Share it below or send me a note.
We help companies assess and refine their Go To Market engines (and UVP improvements is an important part of our work).
