Customer Value Propositions
Discover how a strategic Customer Value Proposition increases acquisition by 34%, reduces costs by 24%, and creates customer loyalty that drives sustainable growth.
Your customers are drowning in options. Every day, they're making countless decisions about who deserves their attention, their trust, their money. What if you understood what drives your customers so they could feel more connected to your brand and empowered to choose you over competitors. Or you promoted your value proposition with authenticity and your customer acquisition costs dropped. These are all outcomes that a successful Customer Value Proposition strategy can directly impact.
Your Customer Value Proposition lives in the hearts and minds of your customers, prospects and people who come in contact with your brand. It's what they think it is, not you! However, you can influence their perceptions through compelling messaging, visuals and storytelling. The strongest CVPs are the most human and leverage authenticity in a strategic way across your customer communication channels. More importantly, your CVP becomes the strategic foundation that informs your Corporate Branding. A well-considered CVP is designed to support your business objectives which in turn drives sustainable growth. So the question is: are you controlling the narrative?
Get access to our strategic CVP framework and discover the proven way to transform your customer acquisition.
Our end-to-end, strategic Magnetic Brand Builder™ process is designed to help Business Leaders, Brand Managers and Marketing Professionals who may be struggling to attract and retain customers because of an unclear, or outdated value proposition and/or sub-optimal brand reputation. Our proven framework works from the ground up to build a data-led Customer Value Proposition and then craft and activate compelling brand messaging and design. The phases also work individually, so you can align wherever you are on your customer experience journey.
Optimised for over 15 years, our CVP development process has delivered superior results for market-leading brands across 14+ industries.
A strategic CVP can help drive business performance, improving acquisition, loyalty, retention and advocacy. The research is clear:
- McKinsey found that a strong CVP can increase customer acquisition rates by up to 34% (McKinsey & Company).
- Bain & Company reports that organisations with a clear CVP reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 24% (Bain & Company).
- Forrester Research shows that a well-articulated CVP can boost customer lifetime value by up to 67% (Forrester).
- Nielsen, via Harvard Business Review, highlights that brands with strong value propositions enjoy customer retention improvements of 20–30% and advocacy increases of up to 71% (Harvard Business Review).
A CVP definition expressed simply is - 'why choose you'. It should be authentic; a value promise you can deliver on that helps customers achieve their goals. Also relevant; resonates with your ideal customers and most importantly - differentiating; sets you apart from competitor offerings.
To give CVP meaning, you have to start with research. Externally what are prospects attracted to? What sets your customer experience apart from competitors? If you want your CVP to be authentic (and by the way, it has to be, to work), you must build it from the bottom up. To get to the heart of your value exchange, you must hear from a diverse range of customers across your target segments, not just assumptions from leadership. Having an external CVP research specialist conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups ensures customers can offer their views anonymously and therefore are often more open and honest.
Fit is oh-so important for both customers and business. To enhance the 'values-matching' exchange, you need your CVP to be crystal clear. That's why having a proven Customer Value Proposition development framework to help you distill and focus on what makes your business valuable to customers is critical. Start by building from the ground-up. The foundation is proof points; tangible evidence like track record, capabilities, results and intangible things like culture, aspiration and how customers feel. We then collate these into 5 strategic pillars (themes), which work together to differentiate your customer offer. Sitting above your pillars is a short sharp narrative that perfectly sums up your customer value exchange.
- Research what your customers value most about your solutions
- Identify the gaps between what customers value and what you and competitors offer
- Define your CVP based on authenticity, relevancy and differentiation
- Construct your CVP messaging framework that reveals your company's purpose
- Integrate CVP with Corporate Branding strategy for authentic customer attraction, engagement and retention
- Activate your unified brand story across all customer touchpoints
A strategic CVP is built from five interlocking pillars. Together they explain not just what you deliver, but why it matters, how it fits into people’s lives and who will bring it to life. Use these to make your CVP clear, credible and memorable.
WHY — Brand purpose and reputation
Why will this brand matter to me? Ground the CVP in purpose and reputation: your mission, values and track record that make you relevant beyond the transaction. Leading with purpose creates alignment and trust.
WHAT — Product and service offering
What difference will this make in my life? Describe outcomes not features, the practical and emotional benefits customers gain (time back, confidence, performance, reduced stress). Anchor this in plain language.
WHERE — Customer journey and growth
Where will this experience take me? Show the progress customers can expect. Use storytelling and proof points to paint the before-and-after and set realistic expectations for the future.
WHO — People, community and support
Who will support and guide me? Surface the human element: your team, customer care culture and community. Real people and behaviours make your CVP feel authentic and reassuring.
HOW — Experience and ways of engaging
How will this fit into my life? Define usability, channels and moments that remove friction and add value, from first click to ongoing advocacy. Thoughtful experience design turns transactions into relationships.
When these five pillars align, your CVP becomes a north star for marketing, product and leadership, creating clarity, consistency and ultimately belonging.
A strategic CVP can help drive business performance, improving acquisition, loyalty, retention and advocacy. The research is clear:
- McKinsey found that a strong CVP can increase customer acquisition rates by up to 34% (McKinsey & Company).
- Bain & Company reports that organisations with a clear CVP reduce customer acquisition costs by as much as 24% (Bain & Company).
- Forrester Research shows that a well-articulated CVP can boost customer lifetime value by up to 67% (Forrester).
- Nielsen, via Harvard Business Review, highlights that brands with strong value propositions enjoy customer retention improvements of 20–30% and advocacy increases of up to 71% (Harvard Business Review).
Customer Value Propositions and Employee Value Propositions (EVPs) are distinct but interconnected strategic assets. While each serves different audiences with different needs, the most successful brands ensure both propositions authentically reflect the company's core purpose and values. As experts in both customer value propositions and employee value propositions as well as employer branding, we help you develop propositions that are individually compelling yet strategically aligned.
The strongest brands maintain consistency between what they promise customers and what they offer employees - because both stem from the same authentic company purpose, vision and values. This alignment creates a cohesive brand experience where customer promises and employee experiences reinforce each other, building trust and belonging across all stakeholder relationships.
Attracting ideal customers is one of the biggest challenges businesses face today. With increased competition for both market share and talent, companies are discovering that the same strategic foundation that attracts customers also attracts employees - a clear, compelling value proposition.
Here's the connection most businesses miss: Employees want to work for companies that create meaningful value for customers. When your CVP clearly articulates the positive impact you make in the world, it becomes the authentic foundation for why talented people should want to be part of your mission.
Defining your company's CVP first gives you the strategic foundation to build authentic Employer Branding. Rather than manufacturing reasons why people should work for you, you can authentically communicate the meaningful customer value they'll help create. This approach attracts employees who are genuinely aligned with your mission, not just looking for any job.
The best Employer Brands are built on companies with compelling customer missions. Start with your Customer Value Proposition, then build your Employer Brand from that authentic foundation.
Belong Creative has partnered with over 50 clients across 14 different industries since 2009. It's been a privilege to enhance customer connections; helping drive better business performance for many of Australia's market-leading and challenger brands. It's all part of our mission to create more belonging for 1/4 million people every year.
"We continue to receive amazing feedback regarding our brand and positioning developed by Belong Creative. We have worked with Simon for 10+ years - he is a deeply trusted advisor to Carrera. Simon is passionate, creative and has an incredible balance of commercial and strategic skills with a unique ability to deeply understand our business and market."
- Michel Floyd
"Belong Creative were able to discover the essence of our CCH Integrator brand and develop a suite of creative solutions that helped create, shape and define our complex yet constantly evolving software product. Their strategic thinking and research process also gave clarity to our value proposition and we are very happy with the quality of deliverables received."
Anne Charlesworth
"We engaged Belong Creative to assist us with our customer communication at 477 Pitt St in Sydney during redevelopment. They created a key message document and look and feel, which resulted in a clear, consistent and identifiable communication across a number of channels. Simon was a delight to work with, last minute items were never a problem."
Jane Falconer
Our strategic Customer Value Proposition development process has worked for leading brands across multiple industries. Click on the link below to get access to our proven CVP framework and discover how to transform your customer acquisition strategy.
Featured insights
Every brand wants to stand out, but the ones that truly resonate start with clarity. This article explores the power of a strong Customer Value Proposition (CVP) and how it helps your brand speak with purpose, not just volume. We unpack what makes a CVP effective, how it differs from tools like your USP or EVP, and why it’s more than just clever words. It is a bridge between what you offer and what your customers value most. Using our 5 Pillar Framework, we show how a CVP can create real connection, foster trust and spark a sense of belonging. For anyone serious about building a brand that feels as good as it looks.
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