What's your one thing? Tips for creating your USP.
What's your one thing? Tips for creating your USP.
In other words, what is your Unique Selling Proposition - also known as a USP?
Your USP is basically how you distinguish yourself from your competition. It helps you go from being just one of the crowd, to a head-and-shoulders standout. The USP is the core around which you build your company. It's the promise you make to your customers, to your employees, and to yourself.
Given the importance of a USP, you would think that all small businesses would have one. Unfortunately, most don't. Instead, they adopt a "just buy it...because" mentality for no particular reason. Many think that if they throw enough money into advertising, the customers will come. That may work in the short-term, but if you're in it for the long haul, and you want to grow your business to its maximum potential, you need to develop your USP.
Ready to get started? Before you begin, keep the following three points in mind:
Simplicity
Don't load up your USP with all the things you think your product/service has going for it. Pick the "one thing" you can own. Are you more experienced than your competition? Maybe that's your USP. Are you faster, cheaper, more expensive (but worth it)? Keep it conceptually simple and you will have a USP that sells. I may be showing my age here, but remember Wendy's "Where's the beef?" campaign? There were a lot of claims Wendy's could have made, but they chose to focus on a bigger-meat burger. Genius simplified...and the rest is history.
Specialness
Your USP needs to reflect a quality that your competition can't (or don't) claim. Other competitors might have or do what you have or do, but if you claim it, you own it. If you are the only one who claims the USP, then in your customers' minds, you're the only one. Think about Heinz ketchup. They became the number-one selling ketchup by being the slowest. Obviously, other ketchups are thick and rich, but Heinz claimed it in a very unique and creative way.
Sales Appeal
Ultimately, you want to position your product / service as the best choice for your customer. But it will be difficult for you to do this if your USP doesn't reflect a real customer need. Before you decide what your USP is, make sure you're in touch with your customers' needs and desires and your competitors' positions.
Realize that your USP is different than an advertising slogan. It's the basis for your advertising slogan, but it's not the same. Typically, a USP stays fairly consistent year after year, while an advertising slogan sometimes changes every couple of years.
Creating a dead-on USP and using it as the basis for all your marketing and advertising materials can transform your business. Think about just how powerful that can be to your bottom line.
© Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Whats your one thing Tips for creating your USP - To learn more about this author, visit Donna Williams's Website.
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Have you ever thought about what sets your service or product apart from your competitors? What's the "one thing" you can say your small business has that no one else can claim?
In other words, what is your Unique Selling Proposition - also known as a USP?
Your USP is basically how you distinguish yourself from your competition. It helps you go from being just one of the crowd, to a head-and-shoulders standout. The USP is the core around which you build your company. It's the promise you make to your customers, to your employees, and to yourself.
Given the importance of a USP, you would think that all small businesses would have one. Unfortunately, most don't. Instead, they adopt a "just buy it...because" mentality for no particular reason. Many think that if they throw enough money into advertising, the customers will come. That may work in the short-term, but if you're in it for the long haul, and you want to grow your business to its maximum potential, you need to develop your USP.
Ready to get started? Before you begin, keep the following three points in mind:
Simplicity
Don't load up your USP with all the things you think your product/service has going for it. Pick the "one thing" you can own. Are you more experienced than your competition? Maybe that's your USP. Are you faster, cheaper, more expensive (but worth it)? Keep it conceptually simple and you will have a USP that sells. I may be showing my age here, but remember Wendy's "Where's the beef?" campaign? There were a lot of claims Wendy's could have made, but they chose to focus on a bigger-meat burger. Genius simplified...and the rest is history.
Specialness
Your USP needs to reflect a quality that your competition can't (or don't) claim. Other competitors might have or do what you have or do, but if you claim it, you own it. If you are the only one who claims the USP, then in your customers' minds, you're the only one. Think about Heinz ketchup. They became the number-one selling ketchup by being the slowest. Obviously, other ketchups are thick and rich, but Heinz claimed it in a very unique and creative way.
Sales Appeal
Ultimately, you want to position your product / service as the best choice for your customer. But it will be difficult for you to do this if your USP doesn't reflect a real customer need. Before you decide what your USP is, make sure you're in touch with your customers' needs and desires and your competitors' positions.
Realize that your USP is different than an advertising slogan. It's the basis for your advertising slogan, but it's not the same. Typically, a USP stays fairly consistent year after year, while an advertising slogan sometimes changes every couple of years.
Creating a dead-on USP and using it as the basis for all your marketing and advertising materials can transform your business. Think about just how powerful that can be to your bottom line.
© Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Whats your one thing Tips for creating your USP - To learn more about this author, visit Donna Williams's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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