PlusOne - Musings of a marketer

Today we are not limited by choice, but a proliferation of product/service choices and the challenge to get the consumer’s attention in an attention deficit society.

What we need is a USP

What is a USP? The USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is all about answering the customer’s question, “Why should I do business with you instead of your competitors?” A good USP is all about how it benefits the customer.

The USP has a lot to do with dominating your market niche. This niche is identified through several avenues, including business experience and market research or desk research.

This research includes clearly identifying:

• what groups of potential customers (or markets) exist
• what groups of customers you prefer to serve (target markets)
• what their needs are
• what products or services you might develop to meet their needs
• how the customers might prefer to use the products and services
• what your competitors are doing
• what pricing you should use and
• how you should distribute products and services to your target markets.

What’s Unique About You

For many businesses, on the surface you’re offering the same thing that the others are offering. How do you set yourself apart? A good solution is to look at what you do and how you do it. Look at your current customers (or those you wish to attract).

• What do you do? If you have a broad offering, can you focus on one or two key services that are most in demand? List your specialties or niche areas.
• How do you do business? Is there something special, unusual, or significant about the way you do business? Do you offer 24 or 48-hour turnaround? Do you deliver for free? Do you offer exceptional customer service, or unexpectedly go that extra mile…
• Who are your customers? Look at the demographics - age, interests, location – are any ‘different’ and is it a big enough niche to capitalise upon?
• What do your customers want? Is it low-price, your personality, your location, your reputation, or something else that attracts customers to your business? List the benefits that customers derive from you.

There may be very little difference between your product or service and your competitors’ — but if you can’t find a way to communicate whatever uniqueness exists and connect it to a need of your target, you might as well quit fighting your competition and sell out to them.

The USP must be used repetitively in your marketing literature to build the customer or client’s identification of your company with your product or service. It also needs to be constantly reinforced with staff because this USP is a large part of what the culture of your business is based on.

To recap so far - There are two major benefits in developing the USP.

1. First, it clearly differentiates your business in the eyes of your current and potential customers or clients.
2. Second, it focuses your team on delivering the promise of the USP, helping to improve your internal performance.

For example, who do you think of when you hear the phrase, “Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed”?

Dominos virtually took over the delivered pizza market with that USP. Notice Dominos didn’t even promise the pizza-tasted good.

Beware of the “cutesy phrase.” The USP does not need to be expressed in 25 words or less. It could be a detailed set of performance standards. It should be tested to assure the USP addresses a need that is truly important to the buyer.

Would you like some assistance in developing your USP? Contact us to act as a facilitator for you and your team in this process.

What are some of the USP’s of local businesses, or your business?

The famous USP of FedEx is “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”.

Eagle Boys – Fresha

A scan of a New York advertising directory for over 246 carpet cleaners produced the following taglines, messages or unique sales propositions:

• We Do It All
• High Quality Carpet Cleaning
• Choose The Best
• Job Done Right
• Experience The Difference
• No Job Too Big or Small
• Number 1 in Carpet Care
• Reliable Service

None really exhibits anything really unique. Does yours?

Please feel free to add USP in the comments section and your thoughts about it. Does your business or company have a USP that you think has made a significant difference - tell us about that too!