How do you use a value proposition canvas?

1 Customer Profile

The customer profile is the part of the canvas that describes who your customers are, what they are trying to achieve, and what challenges or problems they face. It has three sections: jobs, pains, and gains. Jobs are the tasks, activities, or goals that your customers want to accomplish or fulfill. Pains are the negative outcomes, risks, or obstacles that your customers experience or fear in relation to their jobs. Gains are the positive outcomes, benefits, or desires that your customers expect or hope to achieve from their jobs. To create a customer profile, you need to conduct research, interviews, surveys, or observations to gather insights and data about your customers' segments.

2 Value Map

The value map is the part of the canvas that describes how your products or services create value for your customers. It has three sections: products and services, pain relievers, and gain creators. Products and services are the tangible or intangible offerings that you provide to your customers. Pain relievers are the ways that your products or services reduce or eliminate your customers' pains. Gain creators are the ways that your products or services increase or create your customers' gains. To create a value map, you need to list your products and services, and then identify how they address your customers' pains and gains.

3 Value Proposition

The value proposition is the result of matching your value map with your customer profile. It is the reason why your customers choose you over your competitors, and how you differentiate yourself in the market. It is also the core message that you communicate to your customers through your marketing and sales channels. To create a value proposition, you need to find a fit between your pain relievers and gain creators, and your customers' pains and gains. You can use a simple formula to write your value proposition: For (target customer segment), who (statement of the need or opportunity), our (product or service name) is a (product or service category) that (statement of the benefit).

4 Fit and Test

The fit between your value proposition and your customer profile is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of validation and improvement. You need to test your assumptions and hypotheses about your customers and your value proposition, and collect feedback and evidence to confirm or invalidate them. You can use different methods and tools to test your fit, such as experiments, prototypes, landing pages, minimum viable products, or customer interviews. The goal is to learn from your customers and iterate your value proposition canvas until you achieve a product-market fit.

5 Examples and Tips

Using a value proposition canvas effectively requires some examples and tips. For instance, Airbnb is an online platform for travelers who want to find unique and affordable accommodation, reducing their pain of finding and booking hotels while increasing their gain of having a more authentic and personalized travel experience. Spotify is another example, offering music lovers access to millions of songs and podcasts, relieving their pain of buying and storing CDs while creating their gain of having personalized playlists and recommendations. To create your value proposition canvas, use sticky notes or online tools to make it visible and collaborative, allowing you to add, remove, or change elements. Additionally, use simple and clear language to describe your customer profile and value map to ensure it is understandable and compelling for your customers and internal audience.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?