Boost Your Business Using a Unique Selling Proposition

A unique selling proposition, or USP, could skyrocket your business if done properly. No matter your business, you most likely have competition, even if it’s not local to you. Many people look for deals on the Internet to find the best deal on the product or service. A good USP sets you completely apart from the competition, which makes a person want to order from you, even though your price may be a bit higher — you have to be the best choice.

Look at your product or service. What makes it unique from others offering the same thing? Sometimes, there isn’t much, and, if that is the case, you must find something that makes yours better than theirs. Determine what your customers’ motivation may be. One way is to determine how your product or service can help someone in a way that no one else can, or has a trait that another product or service offers — even if the trait is something as small as free overnight shipping or 24-hour turn-around for services, along with exceptional, personalized customer service.

Once you figure out what makes you and your product special and what motivates your customers, you have found your unique selling position, and you need to implement it. Use it in all of your advertising. Flaunt it. Why should you do this and what does a Unique Selling Position do for you? It sets you apart from others offering the same product or service. Since this aspect of marketing sets you apart from everyone else, your unique selling position should be incorporated into or should be your brand. When you brand your business, you market with a logo or saying on post cards, letter head, signs, web site and other marketing avenues.

While geographic information is a help with selling, it is becoming obsolete if you have an online presence. For example, if your product or service of use to a certain age, but others outside of that age range may be interested or may benefit from the product, choose a unique selling position that appeals to all ages. All ages are influenced by peer pressure and convenience.

Samples of unique selling positions include:
~ Revlon: The founder said he sold hope, not makeup.
~ Coca Cola: “Have a Coke and a smile.”
~ Neiman Marcus: Luxury items
~ L’Eggs: First to sell hosiery in grocery stores.
~ Wal-Mart: Bargains

Each company found its niche and built sales upon a marketing campaign based on their unique selling positions. How can you find your own unique selling position? The first thing you must do is to put yourself on the other side of the counter. If you were purchasing your product or service, what would make you buy it over someone else’s that might cost less or be more convenient to gain access to? Forget about price. Price is not the only thing that makes people buy.

Figure out something about your product or service that would make customers want it more than like products or services. You may not be able to meet their price, especially if you are a small company and your competition is a large company.

Use psychological ploys as your unique selling position. For example, car, boat and motorcycle ads often feature sexy women. Department stores use family-oriented scenes. Restaurant ads often show a couple enjoying a romantic dinner. Sports bars show people having fun and enjoying good food and drink. Cosmetic companies show glamorous women. A psychological ploy digs to the root of why a person might purchase your product or service and reaches out to grab the prospective customer by the heartstrings.

To get some ideas about what your unique selling position should be, ask your customers how you should improve your business, products and services. If you are just starting the business, visit your competition and see how it presents its products and services. Pay attention to what the sales people tell customers about the product. You could even get into a conversation about your competitors’ products or services with their customers — outside of the establishment, of course.

You may come up with several ideas for a unique selling position. Weigh each idea and discard the idea that reaches the least people. Look at the pros and cons of each idea, if that idea reaches out to your biggest audience. Continue working the list, eliminating one idea at a time, until you are left with the best idea. The process does take some time. Since your unique selling position is going to be used in marketing, take your time and don’t get discouraged. Think everything through, as this one line or idea could make or break you.

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Tags: ActionCOACH, Jodie Shaw, marketing campaign, Sales, unique selling position, USP