Here are the five steps I took to develop my business's value proposition. I hope they will give you a template for structuring your business to get the best value for you and your clients.
Define your value proposition, Your unique worth, In a crowded world
You want to define your value proposition without sounding generic, and that starts by getting practical, curious, and focused about who you help, why it matters, and what success looks like for them. Here are five steps you can follow.
Step one - What is your client's main pain, concern, or aspiration that they need outside help to resolve? After all, no one buys stuff they don't need or desire enough to cross their buying barrier.
I have a useful Mnemonic - CHIRPY? - that covers all the pain points that draw clients to me:
Costs reduction,
Hassle, crisis management and
distractions
Income, more clients
Risk reduction
People morale and performance
Recovering Your sense of
purpose
and ? Something else
Listening to what my clients most often say to me, the
reason they signed up to work with me is to resolve the dilemma between earning
more income whilst staying true to their sense of purpose. Their
integrity and sense of fulfilment. Often described as “Making a
difference”, “Staying off the hamster wheel” or maintaining their “Why”.
Step Two- Define your niche. Often called your target market or segment. Or describing an individual persona of your ideal client. The clearer and more focused you are, the easier it is for you and others to recognise potential clients for you. It is also easier for your clients to recognise you as the solution to their pain if you pitch your marketing straight at them.
My niche started out as small business owners, but when I analysed who actually bought from me, it became focused around independent consultants who are juggling running a small business, acquiring new clients, and providing excellence in delivery in a manner that makes them feel fulfilled.
Step Three - Clarifying outcome. With the client, describe what they will have after you have delivered your services. This is what your client is buying. So refer back to their pain and get them to describe what their world looks like when it has been resolved. Ask more questions to get clients to describe their future.
Using my example: they mention that they wanted a solution to their concern that they find themselves doing more and more work trying to find new clients, and less time doing delivery.
Imagine you could offer them a solution where you could significantly reduce the hours they spend each week on marketing activities? What would that mean for their business? And what would that mean to you? Keep asking questions until the client dries up. Add your observations to check if they keep avoiding something
Step Four - Offer your interventions. Start with the one that resolves something the clients feels most strongly about or quick wins and work out from there.
In my example, I usually start with getting the client's networking under control with three interventions:
Wake Up Their Network - Increasing their visibility with the people they already know.
Contact Relationship Management lists - Stage of relationship. Categorise which list each person belongs to by strength and relevancy.
Key marketing messages to inform and educate networks.
Step Five - Package interventions as a product and have different levels of intervention prepared that take clients along a road map as part of the complete Maturity model from Discovery to Excellence on their Referral Relationship Road map. Then price the package based on your market research, personal experience, and confidence in what it's worth to the clients to get their pain removed in this manner.
To close, here's my full value proposition: "Smart growth for independent consultants - more clients, more fulfilment and less compromise. Smart growth isn't about doing more - it's about doing what matters. I work with independent consultants who want to grow their business without losing sight of why they started it."
Using TheAX.ai Maturity Model, together we design a roadmap to build you a collaborative network of trusted specialists who share your standards and complement your skills.
This approach helps you reach your ideal clients, strengthen your marketing impact, and generate sustainable results - without the overwhelm of constant hustle or compromise. My work blends practical tools, human connection, and coaching insight so you can expand your influence and enjoy your work.
And that means you'll stay true to your professional integrity.
I recall a fellow attendee at my first sales training course, when I was preparing for my own transition from employee to consultant. She confided in me that before her first sales meeting, she threw up in the car park ......
Speaking to your ideal clients works when your process is simple, repeatable, and human. Keep your strategy clear, your messaging calm, and your next steps easy. Do it regularly, and you'll build a steady, compounding pipelin...
'Added value' - it's a phrase we hear all the time, isn't it? And almost always, when consultants talk about it, they're thinking about their pricing or their Unique Sales Proposition. Then they can't differentiate their serv...
Leaving the corporate world after many years can feel a little like stepping off a high-speed train into open countryside. The pace, structure, and predictability you've known suddenly give way to freedom, and perhaps a touch...
Over the weekend, someone shared with me a poster that compared running a business with an iceberg. The author wanted to make the point that all other people saw was the success ......
I had a lovely email when I first published this blog post from one of my clients, a graphic designer of many years, but new to running his own business and feeling lost in how to generate clients ......
I wish I had a pound for every time I've heard that. It's a common reason given by people who dislike networking because they see the banality of talking about nothing ......
This started with some client feedback. Whilst they were delighted with the client-led approach I offered, they wanted more structure and processes to help them with the sheer volume of things they had to address as a solo co...
Considering Relocating To Milton Keynes? Short Stay: MK offers flexible accommodation solutions, making your transition easy while you explore your ne ...
Imagine setting out on a mountain climb without a map or destination in mind. The path feels uncertain, the terrain unfriendly, and doubts creep in at ...
What are the company car taxable benefits for 2025/26? Well, with CO2 bands, list price rules, and future rate rises, this is a clear, upbeat take on ...
Here's how small businesses waste time without even noticing, and how a Virtual Assistant fixes it. Expect calm inboxes, smoother workflows, and bette ...
