Building on Solid Ground: Your Value Proposition is the Foundation of Your Marketing Plan

Running a small business is tough, and it can feel like you’re working around the clock just to be noticed. You might have a great business idea, but to run a successful business, you have to be able to articulate how your business creates value. If you are having a hard time attracting your ideal customer, the issue might not be your marketing tactics, but your value proposition. 

In marketing, your Value Proposition (VP) is the foundation of your entire plan. Just like a house, if your foundation is weak, everything you build on top of it—like your ads, emails, and social media is doomed to fail.

What is a Value Proposition?

A Value Proposition is a simple statement that explains exactly how your product or service helps your customers. It’s the most important part of your business model because it answers one big question: "Why should I buy from you?".

When your foundation is strong, everything else gets easier:

• Hiring: You attract employees who actually care about your mission.

• Funding: You can show investors exactly why your business is a smart bet.

• Partnerships: You find vendors and partners who help you get the job done.

• Sales: You connect with the specific customers who need exactly what you offer.

8 Ways to Build Value

At Your Path Coaching & Consulting, we use the Business Model Canvas to help leaders define their business model.  Here are eight ways you can provide value to your customers:

1. Help Customers: Focus on a specific problem your ideal customer has and solve it better than anyone else.

2. Design: Create something that looks better or works better than what’s currently out there.

3. Convenience: Make your product or service much easier for people to get or use.

4. Accessibility: Serve a group of people that other businesses are ignoring.

5. Status: Offer something that helps your customers feel good about themselves or their image.

6. Price: Win over customers by offering a better price than your competitors.

7. Save Them Money: Help your customers lower their current bills or expenses.

8. Lower the Risk: Make your customers feel safer and more secure when they choose you.

Try This: The "Help" Formula

We used this simple template in our recent Entrepreneur Bootcamp to help owners get clear:

Our [Product or Service] helps [Customer Group] who want to [Job to be Done] by [Solving a Pain] and [Creating a Gain], unlike [The Other Option].

For example, a pest control company might say: "We help homeowners who want to keep their houses pest-free by fixing issues fast and giving them peace of mind, unlike doing it yourself".

Your Next Step

Are you interested in learning more about Value Propositions and how they can help your marketing efforts? Join us on February 4th, 2026, at 6 pm at the Ashland Library. We are partnering with the Downtown Ashland Association to host a free workshop where we will explore this topic in more detail. It should be a great opportunity for you to network with other business owners and get answers to your marketing questions.

Learn Morre

Did you miss the Workshop?

Here is a free worksheet that was shared. Download the PDF and use it to create your value proposition. If you run into obstacles or want a thought partner to help you think through things, email Dorian Cunion at dcunion@yourpathexcutivesolutions.com as ask to schedule a time to review the worksheet.

Value Proposition Worksheet Creation (3).pdf

Download PDF • 111KB