The Proposition
Measure the message against realized value
"Move on up" - Curtis Mayfield
Good messaging informs. Great messaging informs and inspires. In business and technical terms, inspiration comes from value.
It’s tempting to align your messaging to what your product does and how it works. That’s what most messaging defaults to. But it’s table stakes – you’re not setting yourself apart unless you find ways to tie your unique value to measured outcomes that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Value messaging moves up a ladder. The abstraction line is where most live – solving use cases in interesting ways. It's necessary, but it lacks measured impact. The program line ties your outcomes to the KPIs a team is on the hook for. That's where messaging earns credibility. But the power line is where breakout propositions live – speaking directly to the measures the business lives and dies by. That's where messaging earns real attention (and budget).
Cross all three lines. That's how you turn messaging into revenue. Design accordingly.
MENTAL MODEL
frame current state to desired state
Every value message needs a measured before and after. The gap is the opportunity. Make the gains tangible.
may the force multiply
Incremental improvements don't inspire. If the outcome isn't demonstrably 10x better, you're not crossing any value lines.
make it defensible under scrutiny
When asked to prove value, your answer has to be concrete, specific, and tied to something they can't get anywhere else.
MESSAGING TIPS
aim for the tracked metrics
Don't introduce new measures. Tie your value to the number that's already on their dashboard, in their board deck, in their performance review. That's instant relevancy.
make the before painful and specific
The current state has to sting. 'Your team spends 20 hours a week on X' hits harder than 'you're losing productivity'.
write the outcome as a headline
If your value statement wouldn't work as a case study title, it's not sharp enough. 'Reduced deployment time from 2 weeks to 2 hours' tells the story in one line.
TROPES TO AVOID
incremental gains
15% improvement doesn't move anyone. If the value isn't a force multiplier, it's not worth leading with. Save the small wins for the appendix.
that's my quant
Hiding behind numbers you don't understand kills credibility. If you can't explain how you got there, don't put it in the deck. Value has to be defensible, not just impressive-sounding.
buzzword claims
Drive efficiency, reduce complexity, improve outcomes – these are filler words dressed as value. If you can swap in any competitor's name and the sentence still works, it's not a proposition.
OPERATING MODEL
back the message with a model
our value claims need something behind them. Whether it's a calculator, a framework, or a simple formula – have a way to show the math when asked.
keep the receipts
Customer wins, measurable outcomes, quotes that land. Build a library of evidence tied to each level of value. The proposition gets stronger with every data point you can pull from.
pressure test defensibility
Run your value claims through scrutiny. Can you back up the numbers? Can you explain the methodology? If a skeptical buyer pushes back, you should have the answer ready.
All Revenue Design Method Pillars
Design a Narrative
The Scenario
surface the forces reshaping your audience's reality
Design a Narrative
The Inflection
Reveal the turning point that makes acting now the only option
Design a Narrative
The Advantage
Own the market position only your unique approach can hold
Design a Movement
The Space
Shape the domain into a direction you can lead
Design a Movement
The Moments
Guide your audience on the path towards conviction
Design a Movement
The Reason
Convert true champions into industry advocates
Design a Machine
The People
Stay dialed in to the tune of your audience
Design a Machine
The Journey
Make the message in tune and in time
Design a Machine
The Proposition
Measure the message against realized value