Create Your Value Proposition from the Inside

A client of mine works at the intersection of financial services, technology, and sales. It’s a busy, crowded intersection.

He struggled with his articulating his value proposition. He felt his work was underappreciated, undervalued, and not sexy or interesting.

It wasn’t about metrics. He knew how to measure his contribution to the top and bottom lines. He struggled with describing his value beyond the math he created.

He believed his value proposition – in other words, “he” – didn’t measure up to others, which made it difficult for him to convey to others his impact on the business.

My client was stuck in a cycle of craving external validation and comparing himself to others. He lost his focus on what made him and his problem-solving style unique.

We spent a lot of time on attachment to rewards and compensation, as those are ultimately external validations. His core motivation centered on feeling secure and providing for his family.

Once we landed there, we shifted to the inner work of bringing confidence and clarity to his value proposition.

Here is some of what we discussed:

  • What motivates him INTERNALLY to do the work he does?

  • What problems does he like to solve?

  • What is so compelling about these problems?

  • What are the unique skills, strengths, and capabilities he brings to creating solutions?

Taking the discussion to the “inside” stripped away his perspective of “outside” judgment and comparisons holding him back.

I loved what he came up with, which included in part:

  • It’s important and essential to future-proof the business. Robust mastery of sales data keeps the sales force relevant.

  • I solve problems associated with building businesses and growing revenue.

  • With my deep understanding of sales and market data, I uncover opportunities that are overlooked or hard to see but ultimately easy to solve.

This speaks powerfully to the impact he delivers and the value his work provides. He has stories and examples to amplify all these points.

And it comes from the inside.