CREATING YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT
WHAT IS YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINT?
A unique selling proposition (USP), or a unique selling position, is a statement that clearly/effectively outlines how your business, product, or service is different from that of your competition. It identifies what makes your business the better choice, and why your target clients should choose you over your competitor.
Your USP can be an effective tool that helps you focus your marketing goals and verifies that every piece of marketing collateral you create successfully sets you apart from the competition. Your USP can also be an important part of your branding that makes your business memorable.
Have you identified your unique selling position? Read on as we address & redefine our sales processes using effective unique selling points.
Writing your USP
Let us run through more insights on identifying and telling the USP of your business.
The first step of writing a USP requires that you take a step back and review some of the basics included in your mission statement ,business plan, market analysis, and overall business goals. (Are you yet to have these, we can run through them for you.)
Start by answering some preliminary questions that recap what your business is selling, who you’re selling it to, and why you’re selling it.
For example, a company that sells boxes used for moving large deliveries may compile and answer questions like this:
What products or services are you selling?
Boxes and moving supplies.
Who is your target audience?
Local homeowners who are moving and don’t have a lot of time to look for used boxes in order to pack.
What does your business do well?
We provide quick, responsive service while making the purchasing process easy for our customers.
What is your most important customer-focused business goal?
Helping our customers get the moving supplies they need quickly, easily, and affordably.
For the business in example above, it will be easy to create a Unique selling proposition beginning from the above.
Your USP should solve a problem
After reviewing your mission statement, the next step is to identify your target audience’s problem and explain how your product or service solves that problem.
The company from of our example of above that sells moving boxes may identify the potential customer’s problem as not being able to easily locate the proper containers when they are packing their belongings and preparing to move.
Identifying the needs of your audience will definitely make it easier to sell to them.
Identify the differentiators
The third step focuses on identifying what it is about your solution to your customer’s problem that is different, or better than the solution your competition offers. The value you identify here will be one of the primary reasons why your customers will choose you instead of a competitor.
The potential differentiators of our moving supply company may be that they offer stronger boxes, less expensive boxes, complete packing solutions, same-day delivery, or exceptional customer service.
Identifying and sticking to the differentiator between your business and that of the competition will always make it easy to sell to your customers.
Make a promise
The last step of creating your Unique Selling Proposition combines the most important elements of the previous steps into a concise statement that embodies the value your company has to offer. Keep in mind that your USP essentially implies a promise or a pledge you are making to your customers.
The moving supply company, which we have been using as an example, may create a USP that says simply, “Sturdy Boxes in 24 Hours,” aimed toward their overwhelmed customers who are getting ready to move and quickly need boxes that won’t collapse.
Once you have a working USP, it’s always a good idea to sleep on it, run it by others in your company, or even create a focus group or a test run with a few customers to measure the impact it has. It may take several tries, but once you hit the perfect USP, it can be an integral element of your marketing toolbox.
Remember you can always reach out to us with all your concerns or support that you may need.