106: Lisa Dennis - Everything Value Proposition

Guest: Lisa Dennis     

Guest Bio: 

Lisa Dennis is a global marketing and sales strategist and consultant. She brings over thirty years of marketing and sales experience to her work with business-to-business clients. She founded the consulting firm, Knowledgence Associates, in 1997 with a core focus of helping sales and marketing teams “see the world through their customers’ eyes™." In 2021, Lisa launched a monthly online show, The Messaging Workshop LIVE on The Sales Expert Channel hosted by BrightTALK.

She has worked with companies across a broad range of industries (specialty in high technology, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing, and professional services) including Akamai, Citrix, CSC (now DXC Technology), Dell, FedEx, HP, Hitachi, IBM, Microsoft, Mutual of Omaha, Tufts Health Plan, Verizon, Wipro, and many others.

Guest Links:

Value Propositions That Sell

Key Points:

Lisa’s Books

• "Value Propositions That Sell: Turning Your Message Into A Magnet That Attracts Buyers"
• Upcoming: "Do You Speak Buyer? An Integrated Messaging Playbook for Marketing and Sales" (2025)

Career Journey

• Initial interest in value propositions stemmed from her experience as a product manager for an unpopular product.
• Influenced by Jill Conrath, who encouraged her to focus on value propositions.

Understanding Value Propositions

• Common Definition: A statement about what a product/service offers and how it differs from competitors.
• Lisa's Definition: A buyer-focused statement that demonstrates understanding of the buyer's goals, challenges, and how the solution meets those needs.

Process for Creating Value Propositions

1.     Research and Segmentation: Understand different target audiences; avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

2.     Two-Page Template:

·       First Page: Value proposition statement outlining customer pains, target audience, and offer.

·       Second Page: Detailed value drivers and proof points to support the messaging.

Emphasizing Buyer-Centric Messaging

• Use buyer language rather than jargon
• Focus on emotional context: what challenges buyers face and their aspirations.
• Conduct interviews with customers to capture their language and sentiments.

Common Mistakes

• Inwardly-focused value propositions that prioritize company over buyer needs.
• Using technical jargon that may alienate prospects.
• Failing to differentiate messages for varied target audiences.

Effective Messaging Techniques

• Start with the buyer's perspective, using language and issues they relate to.
• Develop messaging frameworks that allow for customization without starting from scratch.

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