The Art (and Science) of Crafting a Unique Value Proposition That Sticks
Why Your Value Prop Isn’t Working (And How to Fix It)
If you’re like most building materials brands, you’ve probably written some version of a value proposition already. Maybe it’s on your website. Maybe it’s in a deck. Maybe it’s buried in a folder labeled “Messaging 2022 FINAL FINAL.”
But here’s the question:
Is it actually driving demand?
During the brand and messaging audit phase of our AEC Strategy, we often find that most brands aren’t leveraging their UVPs to drive demand.
Because a true Unique Value Proposition (UVP) isn’t just a sentence. It’s the core of how you differentiate, connect with your audience, and win more of the right work.
Let’s break down what a high-performing UVP really takes and how to build one that sticks.
Start with Insight, Not Assumptions
A strong UVP lives at the intersection of three things:
- What your audience needs (Audience Insight)
- What only you can claim (Brand Insight)
- What your competitors don’t do well (Competitor Insight)
This is not a “sit in a room and brainstorm” exercise. You need research, stakeholder interviews, and competitor audits to find the white space that your brand can truly own.
Watch Out for These UVP Traps
Not everything that sounds good is a UVP. Avoid these common mistakes:
- It’s not your mission statement. That’s about you. A UVP is about the customer.
- It’s not a tagline. It can be short, but it has to convey real value.
- It’s not loaded with jargon. Architects, contractors, and distributors want clarity, not buzzwords.
Great UVPs Are Three Things
- Ownable: It has to be something only you can say.
- Genuine: It should reflect the emotional truth behind why customers choose you.
- Aspirational: It has to point toward where you’re going—not just where you’ve been.
Ask “so what?” until you uncover something no one else can claim—and your audience actually cares about.
Build Your Brand House Before You Build Campaigns
Once you’ve clarified your UVP, the next step is turning it into a Brand House—a simple but powerful framework that outlines what your brand stands for, how you support it, and how it comes to life across marketing.
At the top of the house? Your UVP.
Beneath it? The USPs (reasons to believe).
Framing it all? Your brand pillars, attributes, and positioning statements.
When done right, your Brand House becomes the go-to message map that ensures everyone—from marketing to sales to leadership—is speaking from the same playbook.
It also gives you the flexibility to tailor messages to specific audiences (like architects vs. installers) while staying rooted in a consistent brand truth.
Bring It to Life—Everywhere
Once you’ve nailed the message, bake it into everything:
- Ad campaigns
- Landing pages
- Spec sheets
- Social posts
- Sales decks
- Rep scripts
And yes—tailor how you deliver it to different audiences (installer vs. architect vs. dealer), but keep the core message consistent.
Keep Refining
A UVP isn’t a one-and-done. Track performance, test copy, gather customer feedback, and evolve as the market shifts. This is how brands stay relevant—and why we call it both art and science.
Get the Spec
If your value prop isn’t clearly showing why you matter more than anyone else, it’s costing you the spec.
Ready to tighten it up and lead with a message that wins?
Let’s talk about how Point To Point can help your UVP actually do its job.