What is a Value Proposition?
Your value proposition is a concise and dynamic description of the innovation, service, or features which make your cultural organisation or event attractive to your potential audience. Your value proposition is what will capture the attention and imagination of your target audience. Clarifying your value proposition is the single most important dimension of your Arts Marketing Strategy.
Where is your Value Proposition Displayed?
Across every touch point online for your cultural organisation your Value Proposition should deliver the same message. On your website your Value proposition should be displayed clearly & prominently at the top of your homepage. This will help to reduce your Bounce Rate and will instantly engage the user keeping them in your Marketing Funnel.
How do define your Creative Organisations Value Proposition
There is a standard template that is used across the cultural and creative industries for defining your Value Proposition. It always consists of the same core elements:
Target: A definition of your target market. This could be based on features such as location, gender, age, beliefs or behaviour. As a rule of thumb it is more beneficial to have a well defined niche audience identified. This will make it easier for you to identify where they hang out online when building your digital marketing strategy and hence what channels should be used to reach them.
Insight: A clear description of what it is you are providing. What problem it is that you organisation solves? What is your event? Sometimes your creative organisation maybe providing additional insights that you have not considered but are of great value to a potential audience member or attendee. For example; Adult acting classes in Dublin, might be providing its primary stated function, however what it is actually providing is a way to “meet new people”, “build you confidence” etc.
Alternatives: Who already solves those insights and what makes you better? It’s important to identify the next best alternative and find a way to display why your cultural organisation will improve the situation for the key target user. Often this is to do with price/cost/location. If there is no alternative that’s equally a feature to leverage in your Value proposition.
Reason: Reason to believe that your cultural event or organisation can deliver. We’re creating trust with the potential target. This is often displayed by your previous knowledge/experience/prestige.
Differentiator: Your differentiator is the equivalent to your Unique Selling Point (USP). This is your point of superiority and often comes as the last line of your value proposition. It should shoot for the stars. For example: “Voted Ireland’s Number #1”. Users like an emotional attachment and a display of passion. Your differentiator is the place to articulate this.
An example of a Value Proposition for a Creative or Cultural Organisation. To create this example we used a fictional Online Arts Magazine covering Arts and Culture in Limerick.
TARGET: “Readers aged 20-35 interested in art & culture based in Limerick City”
INSIGHT: “providing a platform for discussion on contemporary art & culture in Limerick”.
ALTERNATIVES: “Limericks ONLY online magazine for contemporary art & Culture”
REASON: “Limericks longest running magazine for contemporary art”.
DIFFERENTIATOR: “PROUD to be Voted Ireland’s Number #1 blog for contemporary culture 2019”.
An effective Value proposition for our Online Art Magazine might be:
"The longest running magazine for contemporary art & Culture in Limerick. Featuring Limerick based artists and events. We provide a platform for discussion on contemporary art & culture in in the city. Proud to be voted online arts blog of the year 2019".
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