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Small Business Help: What Makes You Different or What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition?
| Guest post by: Leanne Hoagland-Smith |
Article Overview: Small businesses continue to grow at a phenomenal rate as more and more veteran employees are leaving corporate America and young people embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. Learning how to differentiate your business from your competition is critical to your sustainable success. Read where to begin this process of discovering your unique selling proposition or USP.
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Free Download - How to Craft an Engaging Message That Highlights What You Do to Increase Sales By Leanne Hoagland-Smith |
Small Business Help: What Makes You Different or What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition?
Recently, I met a possible center of influence or significant referral resource at a networking event. We scheduled a meeting to get to know each other better. She specifically wanted to know what made me different from all the other small business or executive coaches within the Chicago market place.
I immediately knew what my response would be when we meet – I double results through a proven quarter of a century process that builds sustainable change within the K.A.S.H. Box. Since many coaches focus on intangible outcomes, I have learned that by bringing the results out first is one of the three differences that makes me unique. The second is that I use a process that has a proven 25 year history. With coaching a relatively new field, many coaches can’t make that claim. Finally, my third difference is the use of building sustainable change through the concept of the K.A.S.H. Box.
For many small business owners or entrepreneurs being able to answer this question – What Makes You Different? or What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition? – quickly, succinctly and with assured confidence is a significant challenge. In working with my executive coaching clients (many of whom are small business owners seeking small business help) having them identify what makes them the red jacket in a sea of gray suits is one of my first coaching actions.
The central reason most small business owners or entrepreneurs cannot provide their USP is because they have never formulated a strategic plan – who does what by when. The strategies created within the strategic plan are based upon a thorough assessment of the market place. Through this research, the executive analyzes what make him or her different from the competition.
With this new found knowledge, crafting the 30 second infomercial or the 60 second elevator speech is much easier and far more accurate. With continued practice and reflection, these 2 marketing tools become even more honed and can cut a path through that sea of gray suits allowing your potential clients to easily see you in your red jacket.
If you are having difficulty answering this question, - What is Your USP? – possibly your first action is to begin with your strategic plan, check your data, update your market research, review your marketing plan and align your USP to your strategic plan. If you don’t have a strategic plan – who does what by when – then maybe your next action is to write a plan. Remember – if you don't have a written plan, then you are on someone else's plan. This inaction has placed the future of your business out of your control and probably in the control of your competitors.
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About the Author: Leanne Hoagland-Smith RSS for Leanne's articles - Visit Leanne's website Her book, Be the Red Jacket is a no-nonsense and quick read to help discover potential gaps that may be keeping you from your goal to increase sales. The forward is by Evan Carmichael of EvanCarmichael.com Remember if you think you cannot or you think you can either way you are right. (Henry Ford). Sales Coaching Tip: Change your thoughts; improve your results. Click here to visit Leanne's website   Leadership Audit For Business Business Building Check List Leadership Assessment |
Related Forum Posts
Re: This is Marketing Warfare!
- Hey GT,
I guess this was from a while back, and it'll test your memory a bit but could you possibly elaborate on Unique Selling Proposition?
Can you give us some examples of good USPs?
Blog pinging
- Thanks Martin - yes, I do ping and it has been very effective. I'm currently on the first page of Google for Mastermind Group and on the second page for Selling to Small Business.
My entry
- 1. The Best Business Books Ever: The 100 Most Influential Business Books You'll Never Have Time to Read
- this is a fascinating book about the history of Business theory, and I'd recommend it to anybody.
2. The Big Book of Small Business: You Don't Have to Run Your Business by the Seat of Your Pants, by Tom Gegax. Ditto.
3. PADI: The Business of Diving Book
Okay, so this book won't be of use to anyone who doesn't want to start a scuba store, but I did, and this book was of course invaluable to me in reaching that goal.
Re: Readers, Money or SEO? Which comes first?
- [quote="WebBizIdeas.com":35az7o03]Hi Chris,
Do you have any great PR strategies to share? [/quote:35az7o03]
Be different. Its hard to promote anything that doesn't have strong Unique Selling Points. Read 'Purple Cow' by Seth Godin for inspiration and why good PR and promotion starts with a great product.
As a publisher, our content is a significant part of our product lineup.
Following that you need to reach out and network with influencers.
I've managed to get mainstream press coverage a few times in the past, but I'm certainly not an expert on this though and I'm always learning.
These maybe the coldest franchises out there:
- Here are the worst 15 performing franchises in regards to having the highest Small Business Administration (SBA) loan failure rates. The list is dotted with sub sandwich shops, fitness centers and car shops.
WORST FRANCHISE LOAN FAILURES Failure %
1 OBEE'S SOUP SALAD SUBS 55.56%
2 LADY OF AMERICA 41.94%
3 COUNTRY CLUTTER (BED & BREAKFAST) 41.18%
4 COPY CLUB 36.36%
5 ALL TUNE AND LUBE 35.71%
6 PICKERMAN'S 35.71%
7 PHILLY CONNECTION 35.59%
8 ROLY POLY ROLLED SANDWICHES 34.78%
9 COTTMAN TRANSMISSION 34.48%
10 HAIR COLOR EXPRESS 33.33%
11 LEE MYLES AUTOMOTIVE TRANSMISSIONS 33.33%
12 GODFATHER'S PIZZA 33.33%
13 SMOOTHIE FACTORY 33.33%
14 BLIMPIE 31.39%
15 GOLF U.S.A. (RETAIL GOLF EQUIP.) 30.77%
Source: Small Business Administration, SBA Loan Performance Within Franchise Code for the Period of FY 2001 - 2005
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