Most people who call sales a career don’t necessarily take the time to compose a specific value proposition. They have a loose idea of what they bring to the table, but they haven’t compressed it something concrete that they can memorize like a prayer and rework like a proposal.

In sales, when we go to sell a specific product or service, the first thing we do is learn a pitch word for word. After we can recite it in our sleep, we are poised to make some subtle adjustments and infuse it with our personality. The same approach should be taken to a personal value proposition. In life, we have to sell ourselves every single day, and when it comes time to make a pitch, we need to have our talking points on lock.

Answer these three questions and you will be well on your way to having a solid value proposition.

What makes you different?

Chances are there is someone else in direct competition with you. In most cases there are thousands of contenders all vying for the same business. We all bring something special to the table. What makes you different, why should you get the job or the deal over everyone else?

What’s your shining achievement?

Always keep a few anecdotes in your pocket where you can humbly paint yourself as the hero. Draw on real life experience to show prospects why you are the right person for the job.

What do you love most about your job?

When prospects can tell you love what you do, they will be more inclined to give you their business, even if you don’t have the most experience or the best price. We’re all drawn to positivity. They will know that your passion is part of the deal when they do business with you.

Take an hour to write out these answers. Use the results as the foundation of your value proposition. Once you have three solid answers, stitch them together and practice it the same way you would a pitch. Having made a manifesto for yourself will fortify you to sell to anyone.

For a deeper dive check out Above the Noise