{"id":112339,"date":"2026-11-02T17:03:36","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:03:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/value-proposition\/"},"modified":"2026-11-02T17:03:38","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T17:03:38","slug":"value-proposition","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/value-proposition\/","title":{"rendered":"Value proposition"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A value proposition<\/strong> is the short text that explains what you offer, to whom and why it is better than the alternatives that customer has.<\/p>\n\n

It answers the question anyone who lands on your website or opens your email asks themselves: why should I choose you?<\/p>\n\n

It is not a slogan or a list of features. It is a concrete promise that the customer has to understand in a few seconds and that your product has to be able to deliver.<\/p>\n\n

What are the elements of a value proposition?<\/h2>\n\n

A good value proposition usually has four parts. They don’t have to be in the same sentence, but they should be together: at the top of your website or at the start of your welcome email.<\/p>\n\n

Element<\/th>What it answers<\/th>Example for an online language school<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Headline<\/td>What the customer gets<\/td>“Speak English at work in 6 months”<\/td><\/tr>
Subheadline<\/td>Who it is for and how they get it<\/td>“30-minute live classes for busy professionals”<\/td><\/tr>
Benefits<\/td>The 3 or 4 main reasons<\/td>Flexible schedule, native teachers, vocabulary for your industry<\/td><\/tr>
Proof<\/td>Why they should believe you<\/td>Student reviews, a free trial class<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

If the headline needs an explanation to be understood, it is not a value proposition yet. It is a draft.<\/p>\n\n

What is the difference between a value proposition, a USP and a slogan?<\/h2>\n\n

They are often confused because all three talk about what makes you interesting. The difference lies in their scope and how they are used.<\/p>\n\n

Concept<\/th>What it is<\/th>Where it is used<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Value proposition<\/td>All the value you offer a specific customer<\/td>Website, landing page, welcome email, sales presentations<\/td><\/tr>
USP<\/a><\/td>The trait that only you have compared with the competition<\/td>Within the value proposition, as the main argument<\/td><\/tr>
Single-minded proposition<\/a><\/td>The single idea of a specific campaign<\/td>In the brief for each campaign<\/td><\/tr>
Slogan<\/a> or tagline<\/a><\/td>The brand’s short, memorable phrase<\/td>Next to the logo, in ads<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

In other words: the USP is one part of the value proposition, and the slogan is the way to remember it.<\/p>\n\n

Some authors call a value proposition that includes a clear USP a “unique value proposition”.<\/p>\n\n

What is the value proposition canvas?<\/h2>\n\n

The value proposition canvas<\/strong> is a template for designing your value proposition based on what the customer needs, not on what you would like to sell.<\/p>\n\n

It was created by Alexander Osterwalder with the Strategyzer team and popularized in the book Value Proposition Design<\/em> (2014).<\/p>\n\n

It complements the Business Model Canvas<\/a>: it expands its value proposition block and places it opposite the customer segment. It has two sides.<\/p>\n\n

Customer profile (circle)<\/th>Value map (square)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Customer jobs:<\/strong> what they are trying to achieve<\/td>Products and services:<\/strong> what you offer<\/td><\/tr>
Pains:<\/strong> what bothers or worries them<\/td>Pain relievers:<\/strong> how you reduce those pains<\/td><\/tr>
Gains:<\/strong> what they would like to get<\/td>Gain creators:<\/strong> how you give them those benefits<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

There is fit<\/strong> when your pain relievers and gain creators address the pains and gains that matter most to your customer.<\/p>\n\n

If you fill in the value map without looking at the customer profile, the canvas loses its purpose.<\/p>\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n
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Test your value proposition with your subscribers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Send two versions of your message and find out with an A\/B test which one is more convincing. Start with Mailrelay’s free account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

How to create your company’s value proposition<\/h2>\n\n

You can do it in an afternoon with these five steps:<\/p>\n\n

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  1. Choose a single type of customer.<\/strong> If you have several, create a proposition for each one. Your buyer persona<\/a> is a good starting point.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Fill in the customer profile.<\/strong> Write down their jobs, pains and gains in their words, not yours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Fill in the value map.<\/strong> For each important pain, note which part of your product solves it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Write the proposition.<\/strong> A headline with the result, a subheadline with the how and three benefits. Check that your competitive advantage<\/a> appears.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Test it with real customers.<\/strong> Ask, measure and adjust.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    How do you know which words to use? Ask your customers.<\/p>\n\n

    A single open question in your next newsletter (“What do you value most about our service?”) will give you the exact words that convince others.<\/p>\n\n

    Value proposition examples<\/h2>\n\n

    These are examples from well-known companies, summarized in our own words, and two made-up ones for small businesses:<\/p>\n\n

    Company<\/th>What it offers and why choose it<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Netflix<\/td>Unlimited series and movies on any screen, for a monthly fee you can cancel whenever you want<\/td><\/tr>
    IKEA<\/td>Designer furniture at low prices, in exchange for customers taking it home and assembling it themselves<\/td><\/tr>
    Spotify<\/td>Millions of songs and podcasts free with ads, or ad-free with the paid version<\/td><\/tr>
    Airbnb<\/td>Staying in private homes, with more space and a more local touch than a hotel<\/td><\/tr>
    Online accounting firm (made up)<\/td>Your freelancer taxes up to date for a fixed fee, without going to the office<\/td><\/tr>
    Neighborhood bakery (made up)<\/td>Sourdough bread baked every morning and reserved via WhatsApp so you can pick it up without waiting in line<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

    Notice that none of them talk about the company. They all talk about what the customer gains.<\/p>\n\n

    How to convey your value proposition in your emails<\/h2>\n\n

    Your value proposition can’t stay on your website. Email is one of the places where it shows most whether it is clear or not:<\/p>\n\n