Product proof

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.