What is a Value Proposition?

A value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered. It’s the primary reason a prospect should buy from you.

 A value proposition is a clear statement that

• explains how your product solves customers’ problems or improves their situation (relevancy),
• delivers specific benefits (quantified value),
• tells the ideal customer why they should buy from you and not from the competition (unique differentiation).

Value proposition needs to be in the language of the customer. It should join the conversation or connect with issues and motivations that is already going on in the customer’s mind.

Value proposition usually consists of a block of text (a headline, sub-headline and one paragraph of text) with a visual (photo, hero shot, graphics).

• Headline. What is the end-benefit you’re offering, in 1 short sentence. Can mention the product and/or the customer. Attention grabber.
• Sub-headline or a 2-3 sentence paragraph. A specific explanation of what you do/offer, for whom and why is it useful.
• 3 bullet points. List the key benefits or features.
• Visual. Images communicate much faster than words. Show the product, the hero shot or an image reinforcing your main message.

The best value proposition is always clear: what is it, for whom and how is it useful? If these questions are answered, we’re on the right path. We should always strive for clarity.

If our value proposition makes people go guessing or wondering about the claims, we’re doing it in a wrong way. If the reader has to read a lot of text to understand our offering, we’re doing it wrong. Yes, sufficient amount of information is crucial for conversions, but we need to draw them in with a clear, compelling value proposition first.

So a good value proposition should have

• Clarity! It’s easy to understand.
• It communicates the concrete results a customer will get from purchasing and using your products and/or services.
• It says how it’s different or better than the competitor’s offer.
• It avoids hype (like ‘never seen before amazing miracle product’), superlatives (‘best’) and business jargon (‘value-added interactions’).
• It can be read and understood in about 5 seconds.

The key thing to remember is that we need to be unique in the customer’s mind.  

There is an interesting article on Value Proposition on Forbes. Read Here.   

How will we work in future?

The realities in the physical and virtual worlds are fast disappearing. Augmented Reality is nothing but something that enhances the physical with digital. Augmented reality is a new medium for communication. Virtual reality requires stepping out of the physical world into the digital world, while augmented reality merges both the physical world and the digital world. 

One of the fascinating examples of augmented reality that I have come across is the DAQRI Smart Helmet that will change how we work in future. 

Have a look!!  

  

  

Who is an Inclusive Leader?

One of the pertinent questions on leadership is that how do we become more inclusive?

Inclusive leadership benefits everyone. It positively impacts everyone. It doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, young or old, of any skin color, race, ethnicity, or nationality. Anyone can be an inclusive leader. You can be an inclusive leader, and inclusion benefits everyone.

So you must be wondering what exactly is inclusion. The dictionary says, inclusion is the action or state of being included, or including others in groups and structures.

Inclusion happens when we value both the differences and the commonalities of others.

When we value differences it means that we value uniqueness or distinctiveness in others. Standing out from a crowd and being recognized for what we bring to the table, what's unique about us?

When we value commonalities we value belongingness in others. Being and feeling accepted as part of the crowd, regardless of our differences or similarities with others. It really is about fitting into that group.

Inclusion happens when we value both the differences and the commonalities of others.

Now, let us also try to dissect who is a leader and who is a follower?

A video that appeared on the internet a few years ago was used in a TED talk given by Derek Sivers explains the concept of a leader and a follower very aptly.





The best line that I liked in the video is when Derek says

"The biggest lesson...is that leadership is over-glorified. That, yes, it was the shirtless guy who was first, and he'll get all the credit, but it was really the first follower that transformed the lone nut into a leader....If you really care about starting a movement, have the courage to follow, and show others how to follow.”

Cabela's encouraging customers to disconnect

It's no secret that a dependence on technology affects individuals and families, with studies showing that 80 percent of teens own mobile devices. Kids in general spend only four to seven minutes playing outside daily, according to the American Camp Association.

To rally against this over-connectivity, Cabela's, in partnership with country singer Justin Moore, announced today the launch of Disconnect Day, a nationwide campaign encouraging Americans to step away from their devices for a day of their choosing to enjoy outdoor activities, while reconnecting with themselves, family and friends.

The core idea behind Disconnect Day is to remember how rewarding the outdoors can be in strengthening the relationships in our lives, said Scott Williams, Cabela's chief marketing officer.

"When our children grow up, they aren't going to remember how many likes they got on a status update, but they will remember their family camping trips and the first fish they caught," he said.

To launch the initiative, Moore will take the Disconnect Day pledge and is challenging others to do the same at the Third Annual Cabela's Great Outdoors Archery Event.

The campaign anthem is Moore's new rendition of the classic song, "What a Wonderful World," which can be downloaded for free on www.MyDisconnectDay.com starting May 1, 2015

Diversity and Inclusion: Best Video Ever

Awesome way to teach the message of diversity and inclusion....This is pretty interesting; probably the best ever video on diversity and inclusion...  

 

CMO Interview Roundup

CMOs need to work ceaselessly to keep up with trends in the digital marketing ecosystem. From mobile apps to the marketing technology stack, early adopters and digital laggards alike are evolving along with the consumer media landscape.

eMarketer has curated a Roundup of interviews with CMOs at brands, publishers and more to collect insights about the challenges and opportunities on marketers’ horizons today. Key elements of the report include 

Key elements include:

• How CMOs are implementing technology as part of the marketing stack
• Why major brands are still using traditional media for big campaigns
• What retail CMOs hope to achieve with visual search
• How CMOs decide what to do—and not do—on mobile
• Interviews with CMOs at Dun & Bradstreet, Arby's, Neiman Marcus, AOL and more

  EMarketer CMO Interview Roundup

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE U.S. RETAIL INDUSTRY

According to the study by PWC and NRF, retail is the largest private employer in the United States. Retail directly and indirectly supports 42 million jobs, provides $1.6 trillion in labor income and contributes $2.6 trillion annually to U.S. GDP.
The report also makes clear that retail is American small business. An overwhelming majority of retail businesses (99%) employ fewer than 50 people. In fact, these retailers provide 40 percent – or 11.5 million – of the 29 million jobs in retail.

2014 HOLIDAYS: WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AND WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW FOR 2015

2014 holiday season: What really happened in retail and what you need to know for 2015

No two holiday seasons are the same, whether it’s an economic swing, unexpected weather or a shift in gas prices — retailers must be prepared for the consumer response. The 2014 holiday season was by most accounts a successful season for the retail industry. With a strong national economy and individual economies, consumers felt confident in shopping for gifts and décor and retailers were prepared with deals and customer services.

  Holiday Season Deep Dive 2014

'The Power of Emotion: People don't buy a product, they buy an emotional experience

For decades, athletes saw emotional vulnerability as something to be shunned, a personal shortcoming that must be internalized and kept out of the limelight at all costs. Competitors seemed to hatch into life as fully formed adults—stoic, hardened and almost inhuman in their single-minded fortitude.

Nico Calabria, born with one leg, is not a professional athlete. But his story and accomplishments sparked Coca-Cola's sports drink brand to feature him as part of its 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign.

In the ad, by Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam, we watch home videos as Nico grows from a toddler to a confident child and finally into his teen years, when his talent for soccer becomes truly remarkable.

For all the amazing moments in the video, one subtle scene stands out above the rest: Asked how old he is, Nico says he's 8—and the look he gives speaks volumes. In the span of a minute, we've watched him learn to make the most of the body he was born with, and his hard-earned confidence comes across clearly, with little more than a raise of his eyebrows.

Nico went on to climb Mount Kilamonjaro, became a YouTube sensation and landed a spot as the youngest member of the U.S. national amputee soccer team. You can read more about his life in a profile written by Coke to announce the ad.

While brands will continue to bring us more emotional backstories of athletes from every walk of life (with many ending up more cloying than compelling), if even a small number can generate this kind of sincere impact and inspire future generations, the trend definitely won't be a bad thing.

The Future of Payments

Approximately 2.37 billion chip cards have been issued worldwide, helping countries create more secure payment experiences for consumers. 

Countries that accept EMV chip cards have seen a variety of benefits. For example, the UK has seen a 72% drop in face-to-face fraud since 2004. Between 2011 and 2013, Canada has seen domestic counterfeit card fraud decrease by 48%. 

Know more in the infographic below