How to Write Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

 

When it absolutely, positively, has to be there

You need a USP or a UPB (unique perceived benefit). Theoretically a UPB is more customer focused, but either way, you need one to give your customers a reason to choose you ahead of the competition and your USP is a great way of doing this.

This is what a USP should do…

• It’s the one thing that really differentiates you from your competition.
• It helps give you the WOW factor that makes your customers stand up and take notice.
• It makes your prospects think I must have this product or service.

The reason it’s perceived is that is doesn’t have to be unique to you but must be perceived as such to your prospect. All your competitors may do the same thing but if they don’t tell anyone about it and you do, you’re unique in the minds of your customers. 

Very few small businesses do this and if you do, it will give you the edge. It will be the cornerstone of all your marketing efforts.

Here are some great USP examples…

• Fed Ex – when it absolutely, positively, has to be there.
  
• Dominoes Pizza – red hot pizza delivered to your door in less than 30 minutes or its free.
  
• Avis Car Rentals – we’re number two, we try harder.
  
• Polo mints – the mint with the hole.

Often, you find you're doing them anyway but just aren’t telling your customers.

How To Find Your USP or UPB

 
Your USP must convey a benefit.

The difference between features and benefits…

Features	Benefit
ABS Brakes	Stopping on ice won’t kill you
Accountant- accounts in 30 days or you don’t pay	You will never get a late filing penalty and have your accounts ready to help raise finance whenever you need them
Mobile Phone	You can make calls wherever you are
A dog	Never be lonely

Now look at all the features of your product or service and write down all the benefits that go with those features.  Areas to consider, especially compared to your competition are…

• Product/Service Quality – cost, build, image
  
• Delivery of product – speed, efficiency & quality
  
• Employees – friendly, happy & efficient
  
• Billing – prompt, fair, easily understood
  
• Complaints – speed, effectiveness of resolution
  
• Customer – satisfaction & loyalty

The best benefit could be the basis of your USP. Keep this list as you can make use of all the other benefits in later marketing tools.

Other ways to develop your USP…

• Think of why should your customers choose your business product/service as against every other competitive option available to them. This is the essence of a USP.
  
• What do you offer that your customers can’t get for themselves. What keeps them awake at night, what are they afraid of, what are their angers and frustrations & how can you solve them. What would customers  love from your business.
  
• Do your customers have a bias in how they make decisions, such as engineers may be analytical, so having a USP that compliments this may be beneficial.
  
• Are you unique because of something you have done such as written a book, invented a product, etc so you could be the basis of your USP.
  
• Packaging your service can also make it easier for customers to see the benefits and so be less price resistant as customers can now no longer directly compare what you do with your competitors. You can package services by writing down everything you do for a customer with a specific service, giving it a USP, give it a name and draw it in a flow diagram.
  
• Have you got a trademark? If your product is trademarked then that is unique and you can build this into your USP. It costs to get a trademark for your name but it can be worth it as it adds credibility.
  

Write every idea down, no matter how crazy it seems. Once you’ve written down the above, think about the possibilities that are there are for you.

Now get rid of the unrealistic ones, those you dislike, those that your competitors are already using and see what you have left. What do you like best? This may be your USP that you are going to use as the star of your business.

You must be able to deliver on your USP throughout your organisation. If you fail to live up to it, it won’t work for you.

How To Write Your USP
You want to write your USP in a way that excites people in one or two clear sentences.

Think of lots of different ways of getting your message across and write them down, bounce ideas off of other people, take a break and come back and think some more.

Here are some guidelines…

• Keep it short
• Make it vague but back it up with specifics when expanding upon on it.
• Make sure there is a positive image
• Convey impact and emotion.

Here are some words that may help you in writing your USP…

• Because we care
• Add value
• We care
• You can count on us
• Proven results
• Proven time and time again
• Technology
• Systems
• Risk
• On time
• Predictable
• Your Way
• The way you want it
• Control
• Number one
• Create
• Make it happen
• Special
• Revolution
• Smart
• It Works
• Excellence
• Right Answer
• You always get
• Help

Now choose the one that really appeals to you and work on it some more. Ask friends and colleagues what they think. You can always improve on it later but get a USP now and start using it.

Now you’ve got it make sure everyone knows about it, publicise it on all your marketing materials. 

If what you offer is service based rather than based on price, ensure your USP reflects this.

Your USP can’t appeal to everyone. You could of course develop businesses with different USP’s that effectively compete against each other.