How to Create a Unique Value Proposition That Attracts High-Paying Clients

Why Your UVP Matters More Than You Think

[Image placeholder: Peter Thomson speaking or presenting]

Let me share something with you that took me years to truly understand.

Over my many years in business, I've come to realise that one of the most powerful tools we can have at our disposal is our Unique Value Proposition — the UVP.

Now, as you and I know, it's not just a fancy marketing term. It's the very essence of what we bring to our clients and to the marketplace.

Think about it this way. When a potential client is deciding whether to work with you or someone else, what makes them choose you? What makes them see you as the obvious choice rather than just another option?

That's what your UVP does. It answers the question every potential client is asking: "Why should I work with you?"

And here's the thing — if you can't answer that question clearly, specifically, and memorably, neither can they.

So let me share with you a five-step formula I've developed to create a UVP that can really attract those "love to work with" high-paying clients.

What Is a Unique Value Proposition?

Your Unique Value Proposition is essentially your professional identity boiled down to its most compelling essence.

It's not your job title. It's not a list of your qualifications. It's not even a description of what you do.

It's the answer to one simple question: What specific transformation do you provide, and why are you uniquely positioned to provide it?

Your UVP should communicate three things instantly:

1. Who you help — Your ideal client
2. What you help them achieve — The outcome or transformation
3. Why you're different — What makes your approach unique

When these three elements come together clearly, you've got something powerful. You've got a statement that makes the right people sit up and think, "That's exactly who I need."

The Problem: Why Most UVPs Fall Flat

Here's where many people go wrong. They create a UVP that's far too bland. Something that could apply to almost anyone in their field.

And that's a mistake.

I see it all the time. Consultants, coaches, and professional advisors who describe themselves in the most generic terms possible:

• "I help businesses grow."
• "I'm a business coach."
• "I help people with digital transformation."
• "I'm a marketing consultant."

Do you see the problem here?

These statements could apply to thousands of people. They give potential clients nothing to grab onto. Nothing that differentiates you from everyone else making similar claims.

When your UVP is bland, you become a commodity. And when you're a commodity, clients compare you on price alone.

But when your UVP is specific, resonant, and memorable, you become the obvious choice. Price becomes secondary because they can see exactly why you're worth it.

Your UVP needs to be specific. It needs to resonate. And it definitely needs to be memorable.

The 5-Step Formula to Create Your UVP

Now let me walk you through the formula I've used and taught for years. It's not complicated, but it does require some honest reflection.

Step 1: Define Your Specific Problem-Solving Abilities

We need to get crystal clear on what problems we can solve for our clients.

Now, this isn't about generic statements like "I help businesses grow." No, we need to be far more specific.

Ask yourself these questions:

• What specific problem do I solve?
• What is the painful situation my ideal client finds themselves in?
• What keeps them awake at night?
• What have they tried before that hasn't worked?

For instance, if we're working with small business owners, we might say: "I help small business owners achieve not just growth, but sustainable growth by implementing real-world proven financial strategies."

See the difference? We're not just helping them grow. We're helping them achieve sustainable growth through proven strategies. That's specific. That's tangible. That's something a client can actually evaluate.

The more specific you can be about the problem you solve, the more magnetic your UVP becomes to the people who have that exact problem.

Step 2: Identify Your Unique Skills and Experiences

We need to consider what unique skills or experiences we have and what we bring to the table.

This is where your personal journey comes into play.

Perhaps you've overcome significant challenges in your own life or business. Perhaps you've had great successes that you can draw upon. Perhaps you've worked in a variety of different industries that give you a broader perspective than most.

These experiences shape your perspective and add depth to your offering.

Ask yourself:

• What have I done that most people in my field haven't?
• What challenges have I overcome that my clients might be facing?
• What industries or contexts have I worked in?
• What results have I achieved, for myself or for clients?
• What do people consistently come to me for advice about?

Your unique combination of skills and experiences is just that — unique. Nobody else has walked your exact path. That journey is part of your value.

I've interviewed 172 successful people over the years. I've built and sold companies. I've written over 50 books. These experiences inform everything I teach. They're part of what makes my perspective valuable.

What experiences inform your perspective?

Step 3: Align Your Personal Values with Your Professional Services

Yes, it's crucial that our personal values and our identity align with our professional services.

We both know, don't we, that clients today are looking for authenticity. They want to work with consultants and coaches who not only talk the talk but walk the walk.

If integrity and transparency are core values for you, then you need to ask yourself: How do these show up in what I do?

Here's why this matters. When your values align with your services, you attract clients who share those values. And when you work with clients who share your values, the work is better, the relationship is stronger, and the results are more meaningful.

Consider these questions:

• What do I believe about how business should be done?
• What standards do I hold myself to?
• What would I never compromise on, even if it cost me business?
• What do I want to be known for?

Your values aren't just nice-to-haves. They're differentiators. They help the right clients find you and the wrong clients self-select out.

Step 4: Craft a Clear and Concise Statement

Now, here's where many people go wrong. They create a UVP that's far too bland. Something that could apply to almost anyone in their field.

And that's a mistake.

Your UVP needs to be specific. It needs to resonate. And it definitely needs to be memorable.

Let me give you an example.

Instead of somebody saying, "I help businesses with digital transformation" — which is a common concern for business owners — they might say something along the lines of:

"I guide established family businesses through digital transformation, preserving their legacy while future-proofing both their business and its profits."

Can you see the difference?

The first statement could be anyone. The second statement is specific about who they help (established family businesses), what they help them achieve (digital transformation that preserves legacy), and what makes them different (the focus on both preservation and progress).

That's memorable. That's something a potential client can immediately relate to — or not. And that clarity is valuable either way.

Here's my UVP as another example:

"I help consultants share their knowledge, experience, and expertise with more people than they ever dreamed possible by showing them how to write, create, and market their very own informational products — and be richly rewarded for the value they deliver and the cascading impact they make in our world."

Yes, that's a lot of words. But it's specific about who I help, what I help them achieve, and the outcomes they can expect.

Step 5: Test and Refine Your UVP

Creating your UVP isn't just a one-off occasion.

We need to revisit it regularly. We need to test it with our clients and then refine it based on the feedback we get, making certain that it accurately represents the value we provide as our businesses change and grow.

Here's how to test your UVP:

Use it in conversations. When someone asks what you do, use your UVP. Watch their reaction. Do they lean in with interest? Do they ask follow-up questions? Or do their eyes glaze over?

Ask for feedback. Share your UVP with trusted colleagues or existing clients. Ask them: Does this capture what I do? Is anything unclear? What questions does this raise?

Track the response. When you use your UVP on your website, in your marketing materials, or in your emails, pay attention to what happens. Are you getting more enquiries? Are they from the right kind of people?

Iterate. Based on what you learn, refine your statement. Sharpen the language. Clarify the outcome. Make it even more specific.

Your UVP should evolve as you evolve. The work you did five years ago might not be the work you want to do today. Your UVP should reflect where you are now and where you're going.

Real Examples: Bland vs Specific

Let me give you a few more examples to drive this home.

Financial Advisor:

• ❌ Bland: "I help people plan for retirement."
• ✅ Specific: "I help business owners in their 50s create an exit strategy that funds the retirement lifestyle they've earned — without selling to private equity or watching their legacy disappear."

Marketing Consultant:

• ❌ Bland: "I help businesses with their marketing."
• ✅ Specific: "I help professional service firms generate a steady stream of qualified enquiries without spending money on advertising — using authority-building content that positions them as the obvious choice."

Executive Coach:

• ❌ Bland: "I help leaders be more effective."
• ✅ Specific: "I help newly promoted executives survive their first 90 days without the overwhelm, imposter syndrome, and relationship damage that derails most first-time leaders."

Accountant:

• ❌ Bland: "I provide accounting services for small businesses."
• ✅ Specific: "I help creative agency owners understand their numbers, pay themselves properly, and stop the feast-or-famine cycle that keeps them trapped in their business."

In each case, the specific version immediately tells you who they help, what outcome they provide, and gives you something memorable to hold onto.

Which one would you choose to work with?

Putting It All Together

Your UVP is the foundation of your personal brand. It should be up front and centre in everything that you do — your marketing materials, your website, your conversations.

It basically tells potential clients: "This is why you should work with me."

When you get this right, it makes it so much easier to attract the right clients. Those "love to work with" clients who are happy to pay for your expertise.

As I often say, money is the silent applause for a job well done and value delivered to other people.

Let me leave you with a simple exercise. Take 15 minutes right now and answer these questions:

1. What specific problem do I solve? (Not generic — specific)
2. What unique experiences or skills do I bring to solving it?
3. What values guide how I work?
4. Who exactly do I help? (Be specific about the person, not just the industry)
5. What transformation do they experience as a result of working with me?

Your answers to these questions are the raw material for your UVP. Shape them. Refine them. Test them. And keep refining until you have a statement that makes the right people think, "That's exactly who I need."

Your Next Step

If you've found this valuable and want to go deeper, I'd like to invite you to take the next step.

Your UVP is just one element of building a business that attracts premium clients. In my book PAID!, I cover the complete system for positioning yourself as the obvious choice, charging what you're worth, and being richly rewarded for the value you deliver.

For those who want ongoing support and a community of like-minded professionals, The Paid Up Club provides weekly training, direct access to ask questions, and the accountability to actually implement what you learn.

So let's take some time to really work on our UVP. Let's make it strong. Let's make it unique. And let's make it truly represent who we are and the value we bring.

Because when we get this right, it makes everything else so much easier.

To your success,

Peter Thomson

The UK's Most Prolific Business Development Author