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Having trouble figuring out what makes your business different Heres a simple exercise that can help

Having trouble figuring out what makes your business different Heres a simple exercise that can help

One of the keys to successful marketing is identifying what makes your business unique and letting everybody know about it. This helps your prospects to understand why they should buy from you rather than the "other guy", and when used successfully makes you the obvious choice. This is often called a USP or Unique Selling Proposition.

The best USP's consist of unique concepts that set your business favorably apart from the competition. When you do this, you effectively make the prospective customer a promise that you do things a certain way, and get certain results. Therefore, it's vitally important that you never use a USP that you can't honestly fulfill.

Companies who employ USP's have a basis for competing in the marketplace that goes way beyond price. And, since there always seems to be someone who can do it cheaper, it puts your business into a different league.

Surprisingly enough, there are many companies that don't use USP's. Somehow they manage to exist; often they lose steam and fail. For marketing that really packs a punch and for those of you who "hate" selling and USP is one of the things that will make the sale for you.

Here's a simple exercise to help you identify your USP:

1. Gather together a couple of people from your team, or who know something about your business.

2. Put yourselves in the shoes of others in your industry, especially your prospective customers.

3. Pinpoint the types of things these others might say about companies/people that provide your particular services or products. Don't holdback - include stereotypes and globalisms - sometimes even funny ones will help.

4. Make a long list.

5. Step back into your own shoes.

6. Now, read your list. What makes YOU or your company different?

7. Select the most compelling ones that you honestly come by and incorporate them into your marketing program.

Some ways to use your USP:

* Sound-bites or elevator speeches

* Marketing messages

* Brochures

* Value Propositions

* Advertising

* Press Releases

* Proposals





Having trouble figuring out what makes your business different Heres a simple exercise that can help - To learn more about this author, visit Susan Martin's Website.

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 Having trouble figuring out what makes your business different Heres a simple exercise that can help very useful, difficult to find information on selling ones business, that did not entale buying something. I appreicated this unquie information-Thanx
Commented on Having trouble figuring out what makes your business different Heres a simple exercise that can help.
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Cheryl Matthynssens

Cheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur.  Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well.  A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles.  She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide-  to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being.  Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com

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David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website

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Susan Martin
(Visit Susan's Website) Susan Martin created Business Sanity to help business owners, executives and professionals who struggle with sales, marketing, management and productivity; who want to increase profits, avoid burnout and run their businesses most effectively. Visit Susan on the web at http://www.business-sanity.com.

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