Product proof

Product Equity Product Proof
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This section focusses on Proof of Value (PoV). This means demonstrating that the product will achieve the benefits it claims. This can help strengthen a product’s perceived value. PoV is not the same as a Proof of Concept (PoC). A PoC is focussed on proving a solution works, whereas POV is about outcomes. For example, I have a performance monitoring product and a customer who is interested in diagnosing issues in less than 30 minutes. I could run a PoC to prove my software will integrate with a customer’s systems or run a PoV to show how fast it can diagnose.

Product proof is valuable when you want to:

  • Increase trust and convince customers who are evaluating a product to buy it.

  • Differentiate a product in a crowded market.

  • Demonstrate real outcomes or benefits tied to the product or specific features.

  • Can reduce the need for a custom proof-of-concept to demonstrate expected benefits.

  • Can speed up the buying process by reducing the need for customers to carry out research.

Product proof techniques

Creating a custom PoV each time can be expensive and potentially not cost efficient. Consider the following techniques:

  • Case studies - Using a real case study of the benefits a customer achieved. These can be at a product or feature level. These are very powerful, as they can show how a problem was solved for a similar customer. Pay careful attention to context. For example, improving strategy at a small company is not the same as doing this at a major high street bank. See the picture below for a simple view of this structure.

  • Customer testimonials - Make sure they include what they achieved.

  • External reviews - Third-party reviews or benchmarks.

  • Showing results - Before and after visuals or data.