Karthik Siva on how to create a Brand Value Proposition?

A brand value proposition is how a product, service or solution strives to be valuable to customers. The first step in creating a value proposition is to start with the customers rather than the product or service.

Find a customer first and then create a product for her instead of creating a product and then finding a customer afterwards.

The second step is to look at what are the pain points faced by customers and convert this pain into gain. All customers face inconveniences of various kinds. A brand which reduces these friction points invariably wins these customers.

UBER is a great example. Earlier, in the pre UBER days, when you booked or hailed a cab, there was always some apprehension – Is this driver reliable? Will this driver over charge me? Does this driver know my place and the destination? How will this driver charge? Is it safe? Will the car be clean? etc.

These apprehensions get exaggerated when you choose a taxi in another big city – say Chicago or New York. Uber has solved all these challenges because it takes a few seconds to make a booking. You know exactly who the driver is and what car is going to pick you. You know how this driver has been rated and exactly what the taxi fare is. The driver knows your name and your precise location.

Hence the potential apprehensions of a customer are alleviated and the pain points are addressed. UBER’s tagline effectively captures how it delivers value to its customers. Its tagline – the Smart Way to get around is right on the money! It is no wonder the company has a valuation in excess of USD $100 billion.

Karthik Siva is a highly acclaimed and respected international strategy consultant, nation branding expert and leadership mentor to CEOs and entrepreneurs. He is the founding Chairman of Global Brand Forum, Asia’s most influential Forum for brands, business and leadership, described by BBC as the “Davos of Branding” and by Straits Times Singapore as the “World Cup of Branding”.

After obtaining his Masters in Business Administration from India, Karthik has spent more than 25 years in senior leadership positions advising Governments, regulators, global brands, regional corporations, NGOs and SMEs across Asia Pacific, U.S. and the U.K. Karthik currently advises and enables business owners and SMEs to globalise and scale their businesses through strategy, innovation, branding and leadership development.

Karthik is also a highly sought after keynote speaker and trainer in international and regional forums. Karthik’s leadership and expertise has been recognized and commended by several CEOs and entrepreneurs including Nobel prize winner and former Vice President of the United States – Al Gore. Karthik is also the author of Tools, Tips & Thoughts for Entrepreneurs, SPARK and How to Present and Persuade with Power?.