Value Proposition

---
name: value-proposition
description: >-
  Designs a value proposition with a 6-part JTBD template (who, why, before, how, after,
  alternatives) and turns it into segment- and channel-specific value prop statements for
  marketing, sales and onboarding. Use when creating or sharpening a value proposition, explaining
  why customers should choose us, or writing value prop statements. Not for positioning statements
  or messaging pillars (use positioning-workshop).
---
# Value Proposition

## Metadata
- **Name**: value-proposition
- **Description**: Generate a detailed value proposition using a 6-part template with JTBD framing. Includes practical examples for designing compelling customer value.
- **Triggers**: value proposition, value prop, customer value, JTBD value, value map, value proposition statements, segment messaging

## Instructions

You are a product strategist designing a clear value proposition for $ARGUMENTS.

Your task is to develop a comprehensive value proposition that articulates the customer value delivered by the product.

## Input Requirements
- Product description and features
- Target customer segment and their problems
- Competitive alternatives and current solutions
- Customer insights or market data

## Value Proposition Template

### 6-Part Structure

**1. Who**
- Who is this value proposition for?
- What customer segment are we addressing?
- What are their characteristics and constraints?

**2. Why (Problem)**
- What is the customer's core problem or need?
- What's the Job to Be Done (JTBD)?
- What desired outcomes are they trying to achieve?

**3. What Before**
- What is the customer's current situation?
- What are they using today to solve this problem?
- What friction or pain exists in the current approach?

**4. How (Solution)**
- How does the product solve the problem?
- What specific features or capabilities deliver value?
- Why is this solution better than alternatives?

**5. What After**
- What is the improved outcome or future state?
- How does the customer's life/work change?
- What becomes possible that wasn't before?

**6. Alternatives**
- What other solutions could customers use?
- Why would they choose us instead?
- What's the switching cost or friction from alternatives?

## Example: Canva
- **Who**: Non-designers who need to create marketing graphics
- **Why**: They need professional-looking designs but can't hire designers or use complex tools
- **What Before**: Using PowerPoint, Photoshop (too complex), or hiring expensive designers
- **How**: Drag-and-drop templates, built-in design elements, AI design assistance, intuitive interface
- **What After**: Create professional designs in minutes, launch campaigns faster, save design costs
- **Alternatives**: Photoshop (complex), Fiverr (slow, expensive), Canva competitors (fewer templates, harder UX)

## Output Process
1. Identify and profile the target customer segment
2. Define the core problem and JTBD
3. Describe the current state and friction points
4. Articulate how the product solves the problem
5. Envision the improved outcome
6. Compare against competitive alternatives
7. Create a concise value prop statement (1-2 sentences)
8. If a category-level positioning statement is needed, hand the completed value proposition to positioning-workshop; do not create a competing positioning framework here
9. Write value proposition statements per segment and channel (below)

## Value Proposition Statements (per segment and channel)

Once the 6-part value proposition exists (or the user supplies one), write one statement per target segment or use case, and adapt it for where it will be used: marketing (website, ads), sales (deck, talk track) and onboarding (welcome email, first-run screen). Each statement must:
- Address one specific segment or use case directly
- Lead with the primary benefit and desired outcome
- Name the key capabilities that make that outcome possible
- Use the audience's own language, in the brand's tone

**Example (Canva):**
1. **For social media marketers:** Canva lets social media marketers create on-brand designs without expensive design software or a dedicated designer, producing professional graphics that lift engagement and keep the brand consistent across channels.
2. **For small business owners:** With drag-and-drop editing and thousands of templates, small business owners can launch polished campaigns in minutes: website graphics, social posts, flyers and promotions, with no design experience.
3. **For content creators:** Canva lets creators spend their time on storytelling instead of design logistics, producing consistent, platform-ready visuals at scale.

Ask for: existing value props or key benefits, target segments and their pains, differentiators, the distribution channels, and any tone-of-voice guidelines.

### Domain Context

**This template vs Strategyzer's Value Proposition Canvas**: Strategyzer's canvas (by Alexander Osterwalder) is widely used but has structural limitations. This 6-part JTBD template (by Paweł Huryn and Aatir Abdul Rauf) addresses them:

- **Customer first**: This template starts with the customer (Who/Why) and works toward the solution. Strategyzer's canvas places the product on the left, which often leads teams to start with their solution rather than the customer's problem.
- **One segment at a time**: This template is designed for one segment per pass. Strategyzer's canvas encourages mapping multiple products/services simultaneously, which dilutes focus.
- **Explicit alternatives**: Section 6 (Alternatives) forces you to name what customers would use without you and articulate why you're better. Strategyzer's canvas has no equivalent — you don't directly confront substitutes.
- **Simpler structure**: "What before → How → What after" is easier to fill out than separating Customer Jobs, Pains, and Gains on one side and Pain Relievers, Gain Creators, and Products on the other. The separation often creates confusion about where things go.
- **Actionable output**: The final Value Proposition Statement is ready for marketing, sales, and onboarding. Strategyzer's canvas doesn't produce a reusable statement.

Use Strategyzer's Value Proposition Canvas when you need a detailed pains/gains decomposition for a mature product with complex customer needs. Use this 6-part template for clarity, speed, and actionable output.

## Notes
- Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework focuses on the progress the customer is trying to make, not demographics
- Value propositions are segment-specific; you may have different value props for different customer groups
- The stronger your value prop, the easier marketing, sales, and product decisions become
- Test value props with real customers before finalizing
- Use a **Value Curve** (Blue Ocean Strategy) to visually compare your offering against competitors across key factors

---

### Templates

- [Value Proposition Template (PPTX)](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RXH1Udj71aXQJzGeqYSOStnfQ-6dNz14/edit?slide=id.g2a98aeea3b1_0_247#slide=id.g2a98aeea3b1_0_247)

---

### Further Reading

- [How to Design a Value Proposition Customers Can't Resist?](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/how-to-design-value-proposition-template)
- [How to Achieve Product-Market Fit? Part I: Market and Value Proposition](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/how-to-achieve-the-product-market)
- [Jobs-to-be-Done Masterclass with Tony Ulwick and Sabeen Sattar](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/jobs-to-be-done-masterclass-with) (video course)
- [Product Innovation Masterclass](https://www.productcompass.pm/p/product-innovation-masterclass) (video course)