Be honest, be reliable, and be lasting.

Being solid means to consistently deliver what’s promised.

Consistency is the key.

And it takes three layers of consistency to build a solid value proposition.

The base layer: be honest.

Be honest with your promise. Say it when you mean it. You don’t have to be the best – you just need to be honest. People are more forgiving of an under-promised value proposition than of an over-promised one. They want to be surprised, but not in the wrong way. Make honesty a part of your virtue – off you are for a solid start.  

The middle layer: be reliable.

Be reliable and keep your promise. Remember, a promise is a promise. Keep it, and over-deliver it if you can. That adds one more layer of consistency to your business. Consistency in quality speaks volumes about who you are and what you do. After all, talk is cheap. What people really want to know is if you can walk the walk. Talk your talk and walk your walk. That’s how people find out if you mean business.

The top layer: be lasting.

Be lasting in delivering your promise. You’re not a dinosaur out there to be loud, be significant, and then be gone. You’re here to stay, be relevant, and be indispensable. Sure, most products are meant for a quick fix. Their time horizon is short and near. But that does not necessarily mean that your product has to be that way. Make your product a lasting solution for years to come.

After all, time is a filter. It doesn’t keep anything transitory. It only saves those that can withstand the test of time. These are the heirloom ones with a time-tested stamp, and they are hard to find. People are willing to go out of their way to find them. Once they find one, they will collect it, treasure it, and pass it on from generation to generation.

Needless to say, not every business can be honest, few can deliver quality work, and even fewer can produce heirloom products.

If you can get all these three layers straight, you make your solidness complete.