Value Proposition

Everyone has value, bar none.

The challenge for most is discovering their value and translating that into a clear, concise and compelling value proposition letter. 

Your value proposition is a statement of the benefits an employer will receive when they hire you. It tells the employer what they will get for their money, in dollars ($) or percent (%).

If you can’t measure it, it doesn’t count.

To help drive this point home, try this: I turn lead into gold at $50,000 per day. If you must know, I can't read or write, I dropped out of 5th grade, and I learned how to do it last week. Plus, I am old, fat and ugly; and take a nap every day from noon to three. I do however turn lead into gold at $50k per day - want some?

Education and experience are not substitutes for value.

Your value proposition depends on your Targeting and Mailing List.

For example, you might be the best telephone booth designer in the world, but the industry is declining and you won't find too many on your mailing list. No matter how perfect your telephone booth designer value proposition is, it just won't get traction. See the Sweet Spot page for more.

Don't send a resume

When going directly to decision-makers, send only a letter.

Our clients (all $100k+ and average $300k) helped us test the "Don't Send a Resume" theory in 2006. We gave them a free website in exchange for split mailings - half with a resume and half without. After tens of thousands of letters, here were the results:

• Value proposition letters without a resume averaged 6 times the response rate
• For letters that specifically referred decision-makers to our client's website for their resume (thinking that's what they wanted), only 13% looked at the resume
• Decision-makers consistently told our clients that the letter would have never reached their desk if a resume was attached

Do you like to read resumes? Do you know anyone who does?

Well, connect the dots - give decision-makers what they want.

Almost all job-seekers believe their resume is the first thing they should prepare for a job search. Yet, almost all JobBait clients rewrite their resume once we've developed their value proposition letter. Some spent thousands of dollars putting the cart before the horse (ouch). Here's the take away: Resumes are support documents not lead documents - do them last.

Email and fax

In case you're wondering, email and fax cost more per interview than sending a letter - we've tested all three. Plus, decision-makers describe email and fax as tasteless, inappropriate and unbecoming for 6 and 7 figure executives. 

Having said that, if you still want an email list, here's a Complete Email Marketing Guide.

When to send a resume

If you're focusing on the visible job market through networking, recruiters and job boards, you must send a resume ... you're competing with hundreds or thousands to prove that you will do a better job for less money.

Our clients don't compete - they go direct.