It’s not enough to have a good idea. In order to be successful, a product needs a value proposition to clearly answer the question “Why would someone be willing to purchase this product?” A value proposition is a clear statement that explains your product’s relevancy, quantified value, and unique differentiation. Communicating this persuasively is difficult though.

In this session you will learn to create a value proposition that answers the questions:

• How does your product solve customers’ problems?

• What specific benefits does your product deliver?

• How is your product different from competing ones and why should someone buy it?

A value proposition is a critical element of strategy, core to the business model, and the foundation from which your communication messages are created. The significance of the value proposition should not be underestimated and validating it with customers is a must-have. Getting feedback on your value proposition can help you avoid wasting time on ideas that won’t work — and that’s inVALUEable.

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Greg Coticchia, MBA, PC, is an award-winning technology executive with over thirty years’ experience in high tech products and services. He currently serves Carnegie Mellon University as its founding Executive Director for its Master’s Program in Product Management (MSPM). He previously served the University of Pittsburgh as both its founding Director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Student Startup Accelerator, ‘The Blast Furnace’, and as its first Executive in Residence (EIR) for software and information technology. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh in Industrial Engineering, where he also received his MBA, he currently teaches several courses including B2B marketing at the University of Pittsburgh Katz School Of Business. He holds certificates in Entrepreneurial Management from Carnegie Mellon University and Professional Coaching from Duquesne University.