1. 39 Wrentham Drive Medford, NJ 08055  609-636-9893  HarryHecht@gmail.com  www.linkedin/in/harryhecht
The Leader. The Expert. The Source.
You can't get far without a strong value proposition.
You've started a business (or are about to start one) as you think you have a great idea. And it may well be one. But the
true test isn't how great you think your product or service is or how wonderful some others think it is. Praise from
potential customers means little as well. What matters is getting customers to pay you!
I start every mentoring match with two questions.The first is about what the individual personally wants out of his or
her business.The second is “tell me about your business in ONLY TWO SENTENCES”. At this point, the best folks
usually stumble for two to three minutes (insert Charlie Brown's teacher here – Wah, wah. Wah, wah, wah). Often I
have to ask several more questions to figure out what exactly they do. Many times, they don't really know themselves.
Customers won't be as patient – make it short and clear!
That's why you need a strong value proposition.Simply put, a value proposition is something that appeals to a
potential customer and will solve a problem better than something else.
We like to scale this using the following guidelines - and I'm a harsh grader.
Value to Customer if Value Proposition is...
0 - If unknown or undefined
1 - Unclear or low
2 - Recognizable, but only some value
3 - Value is clear, but not quantified
4 - Value is clear, but only moderate
5 - Value is very clear and the return on investment (ROI) to the customer is high and quantifiable
A clear and concise explanation of your value proposition is crucial. A good example of this is “Helix is toothpick size
pieces of steel wire which increases the strength ofconcrete by 40%, virtually eliminates cracks, reduce the cost by at
least 20% and is safer and faster than rebar.” Generic sounding statements like “Helix is stronger, faster and cheaper.”
aren't very useful.
If you only rank at 3 or 4, maybe a few folks will buy, but getting lots of folks to make that critical first purchase will
definitely be an uphill battle. Most people are inherently not risk takers. Buying something new for the first time may
be no big deal to you or me, but it is to most of the population. They are much more likely to buy if they are convinced
that you will help them save money or solve a problem which causes themreal pain. There's a huge difference between
'your reason to sell' and the customers 'compelling reason to buy'.
You must do a lot of things well to be successfulin business.But with a clear and attractive value proposition to your
customers, you'll be off to a great start.
About the Author
Harry Hecht, Business Coach and Consultant has more than 30 years of industry experience and was the
former Regional Manager for US Banks` Office Equipment Finance Division. His extensive business
experience includes a 22 year distinguished career as the Vice President US Dealer Sales for Konica
Minolta Business Solutions and 5 years as VP/ General Manager for Global Imaging Systems, a Xerox
Company. Harry Hecht is a member of the MPSA has been actively involved for over 10 years in the
development, creation, implementation and growth of Managed Print Services programs throughout the
independent dealer channel.