| All of your advertising, both offline and online, needs to | | | | From this Value Proposition, you can begin to lay out |
| be centered around the value proposition that you use | | | | an effective advertising campaign based on keywords |
| to identify the actual and inherent value that you | | | | that pertain to it. Again using the same example, some |
| provide to your customer or client in exchange for their | | | | important keywords for Joe's Italian might be "southern |
| money. This is really what you bring to the market. | | | | Italian Cuisine Birmingham, AL" or "Affordable Italian |
| In order to succeed with your online marketing efforts, | | | | Food Birmingham AL" or "Fine Italian food 35244". |
| though, having your value proposition very well defined | | | | Each of these keyword phrases captures the |
| will provide you with some great benefits. In the online | | | | essence of Joe's value proposition and then combines |
| world, you will stake out your space through the | | | | that with a geographic locator to appeal to the local |
| expeditious use of certain keywords and keyword | | | | search community. |
| phrases that point directly to the value that your | | | | Since those searching for a Birmingham dining spot on |
| company brings to the market. | | | | the Internet probably have an immediate need, Joe |
| Traditionally, sales people were taught to invent a | | | | must then direct that traffic to his website where the |
| "Unique Sales Proposition" or USP that distills their | | | | searcher can learn of the location, directions, his menu |
| whole sales pitch into a single sentence that "says it all" | | | | and even the menu prices. |
| about what they are selling. They are taught that their | | | | Now if Joe's Italian also specialized in Pizza, he could |
| USP has to be the underlying mantra on which their | | | | further refine his Internet marketing plan by using an |
| sales program is built and that each person will | | | | entirely different set of keywords that will provide |
| necessarily invent their own USP to put the situation | | | | recognition to those who are searching for "Pizza" |
| and the values in their own words. | | | | rather than "Italian food". While pizza is certainly an |
| Defining Your Value Proposition | | | | Italian food, somebody looking for a carryout pizza is |
| Much the same is true for the "Value Proposition" for | | | | usually searching for a different result than if they |
| your business. You need to do some thinking and | | | | were searching for fine Italian cuisine. Therefore, Joe's |
| clearly define, in as few words as possible, what it is | | | | should also use a keyword like "carryout pizza 35244" |
| that a customer or client receives from transacting | | | | to make their business available to those searching for |
| business with your company. You need to cut out all | | | | pizza. |
| of the fluff, here and get down to specifics. For | | | | So, the crux of the issue is to begin with the value |
| example, a family owned Italian restaurant famous for | | | | proposition for your business and make that the |
| its dishes from Southern Italy might have the following | | | | central part of your Internet marketing plan. Then, from |
| as their Value Proposition: "Joe's Italian serves the | | | | that, create a list of keywords and keyword phrases |
| finest in Southern Italian cuisine at affordable prices in a | | | | that potential customers would use to search for you. |
| family atmosphere" This statement clearly states the | | | | Be sure to include some geographical reference to |
| values that Joe intends to present to his customers. | | | | make your business readily available to those in your |
| Extracting Keywords From Your Value Proposition | | | | local market. |