A value proposition answers three questions: What do you do? Who is it for? Why is it better than the alternatives? If your landing page doesn't answer all three clearly within the first scroll, most visitors will leave.
The problem isn't usually that companies don't have a value proposition. It's that they bury it under jargon, express it in internal language, or assume visitors have context they don't. "The intelligent automation platform for modern enterprises" is an internal description. "Automate your team's busywork so they build what matters" is a value proposition.
Testing your value proposition
Show your hero section to someone unfamiliar with your product. After 5 seconds, close it. Ask them: "What does this company do, who is it for, and why should someone choose them?" If they can't answer all three, your value proposition isn't communicating.
The best value propositions are specific and differentiated. "We help companies grow" is generic — it could apply to any business tool. "We show you which landing page changes will increase your conversion rate, with specific fixes you can implement in an hour" is differentiated — it tells you exactly what you get and how it's different.