Create Your Unique Selling Proposition

 

Set Yourself Apart from the Pack

When you attempt to be known for everything, you don’t become known for anything. So although you may match a competitor in every single way, you need to excel in one key way or have some element of value that they don’t have.

My name is Deb Goeschel and we’re going to talk about developing your Unique Selling Proposition (USP.) In other words, the answer to why I’m working with you or buying from you specifically.

Be Unique

This is actually a fairly simple process in structure, but it may take some time to think it through.

Too many of us downplay the very things that make us unique and stand out. But when it comes to your business, this is exactly what you want to show your prospective customers and clients. There are essentially three ways to stand out.

One: Be unique. Literally create a unique product, a unique offer, or offer a unique guarantee to fix a problem.

Two: Provide solutions. You need to be very clear about how you’re going to do that and how you can solve your customer’s problems.

Three: Share the big benefit. What are you promising? There’s a big difference between what your product does and what it does for your customer. And this is the language you need to use. Talk less about features and more about benefits.

Related: Creating a Business Plan for a New or Existing Business

Put Yourself in your Customer’s Shoes

Start with putting yourself in your customer’s shoes. You need to step back from your daily operations and carefully scrutinize what your customer really wants. The answer might be quality, it might be convenience, reliability, friendliness, or great customer service. Find out what is most important to them and whether your business

The answer might be quality, it might be convenience, reliability, friendliness, or great customer service. Find out what is most important to them and whether your business answers that need. Can it solve that problem? If not, what other problem can you solve?

Related: How to Set up Your Ideal Customer Journey

Do One Thing Excellently

Maybe your USP is in the “how?” Is it how you do business? Is it about how you create, innovate, and deliver? Is it how you manage your customer/client relationships? Do you do any of these things differently from your competitors? How do you stand out?

It doesn’t have to be huge. If you do one thing excellently, you can create an enormous impact.

Starbucks does this really well. Starbucks stands for high premium coffee beverages and they’re known for that, but they aren’t known for high premium coffee beverages at the lowest price. So their USP is an experience of high-quality coffee that is less expensive than the local corner coffee shop. But that’s their brand and they do it very well. They are very clear about what they’re offering.

Don’t Forget YOU

And the last thing you want to think about and not forget is YOU. There is no one like you on the planet, and that’s one of the most unique things you can bring to your business. So think about yourself and figure out what personal or professional qualities that you’re bringing to that table that might be unique and beneficial to your business and to your customers.

What is it about you that is different than anyone else offering a similar service or product? You want to be that business that offers that quirky, unique something to your customers. How you do your business and what you do is exactly what’s going to bring your customers to you.

For another take on the USP, click here