Unique Selling Proposition – Create it with 5 Questions
So what’s a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)? It’s your reason for success. It’s the reason why people will buy from you instead of the other guy.
Clarifying your USP is not only important but essential. It goes beyond just sharing your widget’s features and benefits. Here’s how to do it!
Answer the following questions in order:
1. What are you selling?
2. Who is your target audience?
3. What problem does it solve for them?
4. What makes your product solution unique over the competition?
5. What’s so great about that?
In answering the forth question, sometimes it’s obvious. It may be the only of it’s kind – a unique attribute that nobody can miss. However, often it’s not so clear. So, consider the following three points in constructing your Unique Selling Proposition:
- Get More – Often you can offer more than the other guys. “2 for 1” is the classic offer in this case. Why would they buy from the competition when you offer twice as much. However, “Get More” can also be done with creativity. What more can you throw in to sweeten the offer? For example, can you offer a complementary coaching session with your product? Sometimes you can even charge a little more when you are offering a lot more!
- Make it Easier – Life is complicated and there’s a big advantage for those who make things easier. Always look for the “Easy Button” with your product. Many sites today simply offer an easier way to do things. iTunes offered an easy way to get music fast. The Kindle offered an easy way to read and store books. How can you make someone’s life easier?
- Save Time – People are busy. Is there a way you can save people time? Restaurants On The Run is a business that understands the value of time. Fifteen years ago they started delivering food to people from a handful of restaurants. Today, they’ve served over 3,000,000 people. Can your product save people time somehow?
In answering the final question, ask it over and over. So, that’s my USP…okay, and what’s so great about that? And, what’s so great about that? Continue till you are at the root of it. Otherwise you may still be talking features and benefits.
Tag Lines
The marketing of your product must always remember your USP. And, a powerful tag line that incorporates your USP can make all the difference in the world…
“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”
“Fresh hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed”
“The night time, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medicine”
“Melts in your mouth … not in your hand”
Network Marketing
For those building a network marketing business, you get the opportunity to determine TWO USPs. Remember, you are making two sales, not just one. Most network marketing entrepreneurs don’t realize this and it’s a primary reason they fail.
First, you need to determine the USP regarding your product. Why will someone be a customer? What are you offering them that stands out? What about your product’s solution is unique – why should I buy it over all the competition?
Second, you need to determine the USP regarding YOU. Why will someone be in business with YOU? Let’s face it, maybe I do want to create additional income and I like your company and the product, but there’s 10 zillion other distributors out there so why would I register with you? Too often, people just assume that by promoting the product’s USP that covers them as well. Not a chance.
People don’t register into your business, they go into business with YOU! Just like your product, figure out what YOUR Unique Selling Proposition is that YOU can offer. Can you offer them more (more support, more experience, more…)? Can you offer them an easier path (better system, marketing tools, teamwork,…)? Can you offer them a savings of time (working with you will leverage their time by xyz…)
Regardless of your industry, step up from your competition and stand out! As my Dad used to say, “Remember, you’re unique – just like everyone else.” Determine what makes you unique and share it with the world!
Hi Chuck,
A few years back you gave a talk that asked the audience questions about values, where you narrowed down our life values from a large list to a small list of 3. Do you have that link or access to that?
thank you,
Jeannie
Hi Jeannie,
Yes I do! The actual exercise is in both my free ebook (click here for it) as well as in my book, Simon Says. The actual talk I gave is recorded and I give a free copy of it with my book. You can find them here: http://HowDoIChangeMYLife.com
Hope that helps! Let me know!
Chuck
This is very useful piece of information. Like I often say, “a business that does not stand for something will eventually fall for anything”. This is what having a USP is all about, standing for something that your prospects or target audience consider value.
A key thing I learn from reading this is the part of network marketing, as I am also into the industry. Besides talking about your company’s USP you need to create one for yourself in order to get their buy in, without which can frustrate your network marketing activities.
Thanks Tito – great key!
Yes, I’d say one of the biggest mistakes Network Marketing entrepreneurs make is mistaking the fact that their product and comp plan is what they are exclusively selling. The reality is the biggest sale they are making is themselves – since they are asking people not just to buy from them but to go into business with them! So, they must have a USP personally as well as what they’re promoting.
Great article. I used your image for an article I wrote about finding USPs for hotels. Your article definitely covers essential points, and what’s good is you didn’t put all your focus on “being different” but on finding things that are going to benefit the customer. Which in my opinion is much more important.
Here is my article: http://hospitalitymarketingonline.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/figuring-out-a-hotel-usp/
Thanks Martin! Yes so often I see the same thing…people talking about their “features” per say rather than how they can uniquely benefit the customer.
Wow Chuck! What a power packed article. Awesome advice with some great refreshers that I needed and some great new things to think about and put into action too.
Thanks Robert! Glad you enjoyed!
I agree with Joan, this article covers exactly what I’ve been trying to figure out. How can I distinguish myself from the other “Photographers” near me? My images are completely different but it’s sometime difficult to get people to see that.
Thanks Chuck 🙂
Robert
Robert it’s everything that people understand your uniqueness! There are lots of photographers but share what makes you the standout that you are!
This is wonderful timing Chuck, thanks!! I was in somewhat of a dilema to share with a friend of mine who is from South Korea and returning home in October, just how and why she could benefit by becoming a MonaVie distributor. By answering these 4 questions. I’ve got it figured out now!!! YOU ROCK CHUCK!!!
Joan
Right on Joan! That’s great. Glad it got you thinking!