Catchy Developer Marketing Framework: Value Proposition

In this blog post we will cover another component of the Catchy Developer Marketing Framework: Value Proposition.

Creating a value proposition may sound like an easy and simple task, but creating a value proposition that is truly compelling requires thought, testing, and iterating. Summarizing the essence of a product or service is tricky, but spending time in the exercise of creating a value proposition framework will help you craft a message that is worth the investment. At Catchy, we help our clients build this framework to provide a structure and guide to how messages are developed and used to convey value to the target developer audience.

Traditionally, value propositions are crafted to describe the claimed benefits a product or service can deliver. The benefits are designed to generate interest and demand by the developer audience. In this sense, the value proposition begins with the product benefits and features that may hook the audience (“our product is 10x faster”).

From Product-Centric to Developer-Centric

At Catchy, we flip it. We move from a product-centric value proposition to a developer-centric framework. The value proposition framework starts with a deep understanding of the developer audience. We call this the Developer Profile. The profile is discussed objectively without a solution in mind and considers the developer’s tasks, gains, and pains.

Tasks: What is the developer motivated to get done or build?

Gains: What benefits or outcomes is the developer motivated to achieve?

Pains: What outcomes, risks, or obstacles is the developer trying to avoid?

If you already have developers using your product or service, ask them these questions. Get to know their existing tasks, pains, and gains, and you will learn how help your team hone in on the right value proposition from the people who actually use your product.

After completing the Developer Profile, the second half of the framework is built: the Value Map.

The Value Map addresses the identified tasks, pains, and gains from the Developer Profile and aims to verify that you are addressing what matters most to developers.

There are three parts to the Value Map: products & services, gain creators, and pain relievers.

Products & Services: What do you offer to help developers build the right solutions?

Gain Creators: How do your products and services help achieve gains? What are the expected or desired outcomes and benefits?

Pain Relievers: How do your products and services alleviate pains by eliminating undesired outcomes or obstacles?

This exercise must be completed for each identified audience segment, as different types of developers and stakeholders have different tasks, pains, and gains.

After the Value Map is built, the final exercise is evaluating the fit between the Developer Profile and the Value Map to explore any gaps or missing links. The outcome is a strong connection between your products and services and the identified tasks, pains, and gains. This exercise can be a bit messy and we often recommend performing it as an in-person workshop with your team.

From here, you can start to build statements that explore the connection between the Developer Profile and the Value Map. You probably won’t nail it in one statement and that’s okay. Typically you will narrow downIn this blog post we will cover another component of the Catchy Developer Marketing Framework: Value Proposition. to 3 – 4 variations. From here, you will test and iterate via marketing campaigns to see which value proposition lands best with your developer audience.

With a compelling value proposition in your back-pocket, you’re ready to take the next step in building your developer program.

Need help building your value proposition or just want to learn more about crafting developer-centric value proposition frameworks? Don’t hesitate to reach out to Catchy. We’re here to help.