I help statements are out. Value statements are in.
You see them all over the place on social. “I help xyz to reach abc,” or “I help this-oddly-specific-audience achieve this-oddly-specific-thing.”
And while “I help….” statements are a good first step to figuring out who you serve and how you serve them, it’s time to start thinking about and incorporating your value statement instead. Do you see well-known brands like IKEA using an “I help…” statement? (actually… this could be a fun one, what do you think IKEA’s I help statement would be if they had one 😂) No, instead IKEA leads with the value they bring, “Togetherness and enthusiasm; Together, we have the power to solve seemingly unsolvable problems. We do it all the time.”
Value statements are the heart of your business. They share the soul of your business, your core beliefs, while also sharing the advantage of working with you over the next person. Where an “I help…” statement puts a lot of the attention on YOU and how YOU do things, a value statement puts the attention on what matters to you and, ultimately, to your clients as well. Because when a client resonates with your value statement and sees themselves in what you offer, you don’t have to try nearly as hard to sell yourself. Or, put another way, your value statement is an intimate sneak peek into what it’s like working with you.
Three Tips To Create Your Value Statements
1. Clarity
Start first by getting super clear on your values, priorities, and core beliefs. Write them all out in one big brain dump and don’t hold back here. What would you want to see in an ideal company? What do you think will change the world? What lights a fire under your butt? What inspires passion, drive, motivation, and inspiration for you?
These can be single words or short sentences to start – we’ll build on these more later. But get it all out here. Consider grouping similar values and beliefs together to narrow down the list.
2. Unique
Next, take a moment to consider what makes you different from your competitors out there? Include your unique value proposition in your value statement here because we’ll tie that in. Take a moment to create a second list of all of these standout traits, and remember to avoid overly broad or generic ones here.
Questions to ask yourself as you’re moving through these: Why would a customer pick you over the competitor? What trait would strike a nerve with your audience in a way that they HAVE to work with you? What do you bring to the table that no one else in your industry does? And how do you think about things in a way that others would disagree with?
And yes, it’s OK to disagree with your industry – it’s what makes you unique. Just be ready to back up why you disagree to inspire confidence with your consumers.
3. Concise
Narrow it down and start creating your statements. String your clarity statements and your unique statements together to create powerful value statements. And remember, you can have more than one value statement, in fact many businesses have a whole slew of them.
Want to replace that “I help…” statement in your bio with your value statement? Weave the two together. Lead with your values and be sure to include the results you provide.
Example Value Statements
The below examples are a taste of what you could create with your own. To see value statements in action, turn to your favorite companies and check out their about pages (such as mine, here).
We Embrace Everyone: “With more than 130,000 colleagues across more than 70 countries, we embrace all cultures, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, perspectives, and ways of thinking. Our culture is one that empowers every individual to be his or her best, and such authentic connection inspires the way we care for each other and for our guests.”
We embrace and win with diversity: “Diversity is more than just the sum of our many parts. It’s our superpower — not just the right thing to do but how we win. Whether through diversity of background, experience, opinions, or views, it’s how we build a sustainable business.”
We Win With Diversity: “We value each of our unique experiences and how they shape us. We learn from all to build for all.”
Work-Life Balance: We work hard wherever and whenever inspiration strikes—but we don’t let work take over our lives. We make life better and easier for our customers and we never miss a soccer game or dentist appointment.
Clarity Doesn’t Stop Here
If you really want to get ahead and wow your audience with the value of working with you, also consider a mission statement and vision statement (and, no, these aren’t just for “big” businesses). Not sure what those are? Stay tuned! I’ll be back with another post on the value of incorporating these into your business, so be sure to follow @supremelyyou on Instagram.
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