So, in this special report, we’re going to dive into the world of USPs – or unique selling points – and show you how to create a powerful one that’s unique to your business and will help you increase your profits.
Every business needs a USP, but how do you spot one? Well, it’s usually found in the unique products and services that your business provides. Your USP tells your audience what you stand for and why you’re different from your competition. It’s the main reason why your customers should choose you over your competitors, and it’s responsible for keeping customers loyal and coming back for more.
But a good USP isn’t set in stone – it needs to evolve and change with the times. Market needs change often, so your USP needs to reflect those changes too. You can use your original USP as a foundation, but it needs to be updated to stay relevant.
In this report, we’ll show you some examples of successful USPs to inspire you to create your own powerful one. You might be thinking that it’s impossible to write a truly unique USP when you’re in the same niche as your competitors, but it’s absolutely possible!
HelloFresh, a meal delivery company with many competitors, has the USP “America’s Most Popular Meal Kit,” which sets them apart from the rest. They also provide social proof, which helps them gain new customers.
A powerful USP is much more than just a catchy slogan – it tells people important things about what your company offers and why it’s better than your competitors. It needs to answer the question, “why should I do business with you over your competitors?” And to write the most powerful USP, you need to believe in your business and yourself. Your enthusiasm and confidence will shine through in your USP, so you need to be excited about your products and services if you want your customers to be excited too.
We recommend using your own story when generating ideas for your USP. Your business is unique, and so is your story. The reason you created your business is different from others, and how you plan to help your customers is different too. By focusing on how your products and services will benefit customers and incorporating your story, you can create a powerful USP that truly sets you apart.
So let’s get started creating your own powerful USP!
How to Write a Compelling USP
Now, let’s talk about creating a compelling USP. You should know what a USP is by now. It’s your unique selling point, the thing that sets your business apart from your competition. But how do you create a USP that really resonates with your customers? Well, it all comes down to answering two important questions:
- What makes your product or service different from your competitors?
- Why should I choose you over them?
If you can answer these questions with a clear, concise USP, you’ll be well on your way to standing out in your market. And the best way to come up with a winning USP is to spend time brainstorming. Think about your strengths as a business, and how they differentiate you from your competitors. But remember, your strengths need to be things that your potential customers care about.
Once you’ve got your winning USP, it will guide you in everything from branding to the messages you create, helping you create effective marketing that really resonates with your target audience. So, let’s get brainstorming and create a USP that will help you stand out from the crowd!
Your USP is not just a Slogan
Your USP is not just a catchy slogan. Although it’s great to have a memorable tagline, your USP needs to go beyond that.
Let’s take a look at the USP of Tiffany and Company, for example. They are known for selling jewelry, but their USP is so much more:
“The Right One Is Worth Waiting For.”
This goes beyond just selling jewelry, it’s selling the idea of finding true love and happiness. It’s a creative use of emotional triggers that makes them stand out.
So when you’re looking for that special someone in your life, you know where to go.
How are Your Products and Services Different?
To create a compelling USP, you need to identify what sets your products and services apart from your competitors.
It’s not enough to simply claim that your products are of high quality.
What do your products and services offer that your customers can’t find anywhere else?
No matter what business you’re in, you can find something that makes you unique.
Perhaps you sell online courses and offer more video content than your competitors, or provide bonus elements that others don’t.
You need to find a way to be assertive but also defensible in your USP.
Spend some time analyzing your products and services to identify those details that make you stand out, even if they’re small.
What do Your Customers Need and Want?
This section could just as easily be titled, Your USP is not just a Slogan, Part 2.
Your USP needs to answer two critical questions:
what makes your product or service different, and
why should customers choose you over competitors?
But to craft an effective USP, you must also consider what your customers need and want.
It’s essential to understand your target audience thoroughly. What do they value in the products or services you offer? By fulfilling their needs and wants, you can build a loyal customer base.
HubSpot, a digital marketing company, is an excellent example of a USP that speaks to its audience.
Their USP, “There’s a better way to grow,” is an assertive statement that supports their unique services. HubSpot offers several free digital marketing services to help businesses get started, which resonates with customers who don’t have much to spend on marketing.
Another great example is Ben & Jerry’s. Their USP, “We make the best possible ice cream in the best possible way,” is much more than a slogan. It highlights their corporate social responsibility and sustainability policy, which is essential to today’s environmentally conscious consumers.
To create an effective USP, you must spend time analyzing your target audience and finding the unique details that make you stand out. Your USP should be assertive but also defensible, and it should go beyond any slogan that you come up with.
In the next section, we’ll discuss common USP mistakes that you should avoid, ensuring that your USP is as effective as possible.
Mistakes to Avoid with Your USP
When creating your USP, it is important to avoid some common mistakes that businesses make. One of these mistakes is focusing on a marketing strategy or customer service that is not unique. While these may be important factors, they are not enough to make your business stand out from the competition. Your competitors can easily copy your strategies, rendering them useless in terms of differentiation.
Another mistake to avoid is using pricing as the main focus of your USP. Pricing is a competitive factor that can change quickly. Your competitors can easily undercut your pricing, making your USP ineffective. Instead, you should focus on the unique benefits that your products or services offer that your competitors cannot easily replicate.
Remember, your USP needs to be a compelling statement that sets you apart from your competition. It should be focused on what makes you different and what benefits you can offer to your customers that others cannot. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a powerful USP that will help your business succeed.
Write Your USP Around Your Business Angle
Your USP should reflect the angle of your business and what you stand for. It should be a reflection of your brand, products and services, and the customer experience that you offer. A great example of this is Hanes, who came up with a unique idea to sell women’s hosiery in grocery stores using egg-shaped packaging. This reflected their angle of providing affordable and convenient hosiery to women.
It’s important to note that your USP is not just a statement, but a promise that you make to your customers. You need to deliver on this promise consistently in order to build trust and loyalty with your customers. This means that your USP needs to be something that you can deliver on and that is sustainable over time.
In the next section, we will explore the importance of understanding your ideal customer and how it relates to your USP.
Who Is Your Ideal Customer?
You must have a good idea of who your ideal customer is before you create your USP.
Who will purchase your products and services?
It is very important that you know the demographics of your target audience. When you know this, you can create a compelling USP which will resonate with your audience.
Ask Yourself Important Questions About Your Audience
To truly understand your audience, it’s important to dig deeper and ask more specific questions. Here are some additional questions you could consider:
- Where do they live? What is their geographic location?
- What is their education level?
- What are their hobbies and interests?
- What are their pain points and challenges?
- How do they consume information? (e.g. social media, email, TV, etc.)
- What are their values and beliefs?
- What are their buying habits?
- What motivates them to make a purchase?
- Who or what influences their decision-making?
By answering these questions, you’ll have a better understanding of your ideal customer and be able to tailor your messaging to their specific needs and wants.
Remember to revisit and update your customer profile regularly to ensure it remains relevant to your evolving audience.
Where Can You Find Your Ideal Customer?
To effectively market your products and services, you need to know where your ideal customer spends their time.
Are they active on social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram?
Do they frequent certain forums or websites?
By joining in on these conversations and understanding their pain points and needs, you can create a compelling USP that speaks directly to them.
Identify what your competitors are not offering that your customers want and use this to differentiate yourself in the market.
What Problems do Your Products and Services Solve?
Your customers are looking for solutions to their problems, and your products and services should address these needs. Think about the positive impact your offerings have on their lives and how they can benefit from using them.
Understanding the motivation factors that drive your target audience’s purchasing decisions, such as price, quality, or reliability, is crucial in crafting an effective USP.
When creating your USP, use confident language and powerful words that resonate with your target audience.
Make sure your statement promises to deliver on their needs and desires better than your competitors.
Always focus on the customer by using “you” rather than “we.” Look to successful USPs for inspiration and notice how they consistently deliver on their promises.
In the next section, we will explore how to leverage your USP to gain a competitive edge in the market.
The Competitive Edge Of Your USP
We want to emphasize the importance of taking action after reading this special report.
If you haven’t already brainstormed ideas about what sets your business apart and why it’s unique, we recommend pausing and doing so now.
Once you’ve generated some strong concepts, it’s time to identify your competitive advantage.
One effective method is to make a list of your competitors and analyze what they offer.
Determine the customer needs they satisfy and their unique USPs.
Take it a step further by analyzing their marketing messages.
Do their messages reflect their USP?
How do they differentiate themselves from their competitors?
Is there anything they’re doing that you could replicate?
However, it’s equally important to identify what your competitors aren’t doing.
Is there an untapped aspect of the market that they’re not addressing?
Can you leverage that gap with your business and USP to stand out?
In the next section, we’ll discuss how to refine and communicate your USP to make sure it resonates with your target audience.
Your USP Positions You in the Market
Your USP needs to position you in the market. Identify a place in the market where you can really stand out.
While there are many ways that you can market your products and services, your USP will position your brand in a way that your ideal customer is looking for and what your competitors are not doing.
- Are there any wants and needs of your target audience that nobody is taking care of?
- Do your customers have problems that nobody is providing solutions for?
- Is there a way for your business to provide solutions?
- Could you be first to market with a solution?
What are the Key Trends in the Market?
Identifying key trends in the market is crucial in creating a compelling USP.
What will the market look like in the next 5 or 10 years?
Can you adjust your USP to align with these emerging trends?
By anticipating the future, you can position your business for success.
For instance, if you are in the retail industry, it’s important to recognize the shift towards online shopping and ensure your business is equipped to thrive in this space.
Perhaps you’re developing a new product that will allow you to offer lower prices, anticipating the growing demand for affordability. Always keep an eye on the horizon when crafting your USP.
One noteworthy example of a successful USP is Saddleback Leather’s “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead.”
This attention-grabbing statement highlights the superior quality of their products, which are built to outlast their owners with a 100-year warranty. By emphasizing longevity, Saddleback Leather sets themselves apart from competitors who prioritize style and encourage repeat purchases.
In the next section, we will delve into how to test your USP…
How To Test Your USP
You need to be prepared to test your USP and make adjustments to it based on the feedback that you receive.
One of the most effective ways to start your USP testing process is to interview a few existing and potential customers, ask for their feedback on the different ways you are attempting to position your products or services. The viewpoint of customers is the most important.
How to Test Your USPs
To ensure the effectiveness of your unique selling proposition (USP), it is crucial to understand what your customers and potential customers think of it.
Your USP is a concise statement that sets you apart from your competition and highlights the most compelling benefit that you offer to your customers.
You also need to test how well you are delivering on the promises you make to your customers.
Communicate with your customers about your plan to keep your promises and fulfill their needs.
Additionally, it’s important to identify what drives your customers to buy from you and what factors deter them from making a purchase.
If you have a new business and lack customers to interview, studying your competitors can be a helpful strategy.
Visit their stores or check their websites and observe what their customers are buying.
Don’t hesitate to approach a few of their customers and ask them what draws them to that business and what makes them loyal to it.
Identify the reasons why customers are attracted to your competition, and determine whether you can provide a superior solution to their needs.
As your business grows, and you gain customers, make an effort to ask them directly why they choose to buy from you. Explain that you are striving to improve your business and that their feedback is invaluable.
By regularly testing and refining your USP, you can ensure that it remains compelling and relevant to your target audience.
What’s the Story?
What inspired you to start your business and what sets you apart from the competition?
The Economist, a popular publication, recognized that people crave more than just news; they want the story behind it. Their unique selling proposition is “You’ve seen the news, why not discover the story?” – this sets them apart from other traditional media outlets that merely report the news.
In addition to this, the Economist’s second USP is that they offer unrivaled stories. They back this up with evidence, making their USP even more compelling.
Communicating your USP effectively is key to gaining traction and success for your business.
In the following section, we will discuss some tips on how to do just that.
How To Communicate Your USP
Now that you have created and tested your USP, it’s time to spread the word and communicate it to your audience.
Keep in mind that your USP should be the driving force behind all of your marketing messages. Ensure that you effectively convey your USP in all of your marketing efforts.
Your communication plan for your USP must cover all markets in which you operate. Conduct thorough research to determine what customers in each market are looking for.
If necessary, adjust your USP to fit the specific needs of each market.
For instance, if you’re in the digital marketing business, you may be targeting different markets, each with unique preferences.
Therefore, you may need to communicate a slightly different USP to each market. This may require some careful consideration, but it will be worth it in the long run.
Keep Your USP Short and Simple
Always aim to keep your USP as short and simple as you can. It should be obvious to your target audience what message you want to convey through your USP.
If the message in your USP is not obvious to your audience, then you risk losing them. They should not have to think about your USP too much to understand your message.
We recommend that your USP should be no longer than two sentences. If you can write your USP in one sentence, well, that’s even better… actually, that’s probably perfect!
Aim for your USP to be short and “sticky”. The “stickiness” is the way that your audience will relate to your USP in all of your marketing campaigns.
Don’t make the mistake of including jargon in your USP. Not everyone in your audience is likely to be up on jargon, so keep the language plain and simple.
If anyone is confused by your USP, then you have failed.
Be Consistent with Your Branding
Once you have established your USP, it’s important to convey it to your audience in a way that resonates with them. Your USP should be tailored to address the most significant problem that your customers face and highlight the benefits they’ll receive from working with your business. By doing this, you’re showing your audience that you understand their needs and have the solution to their pain points.
Consistency is crucial when it comes to communicating your USP. Ensure that your brand messaging across all platforms, from social media posts to landing pages, reflect your USP in a clear and concise manner. It’s essential that your USP is at the forefront of your brand, helping you differentiate yourself from competitors.
A “USB bar” is an excellent way to reinforce your USP on your website. This bar should be visible on every page of your site, making it easy for your visitors to understand your unique selling point and how your business can help them.
When it comes to visual content, less is more. Keep your messaging brief and to the point, and use eye-catching taglines that encapsulate your USP. Look to other successful brands for inspiration, such as Nike’s “just do it” slogan.
In summary, effectively communicating your USP is vital to the success of your business. Make sure that your messaging is consistent across all platforms, reinforce it through a USB bar, and use clear and concise language to convey your unique selling point to your audience.
Conclusion
Creating the most compelling and powerful USP for your business is essential, as it is the foundation that you need to work from. Your USP will tell your target audience how you are different, why they need you, and the benefits they will get from purchasing your products and services.
The right USP will make you stand out from your competitors and will not be easy for them to copy. Most niches are very competitive these days, and it is vital that you stand out from the crowd.
To create the most powerful USP that resonates with your target audience, you need to fully understand who they are, what they want, and what problems they are experiencing.
Spend as much time as necessary fully understanding your market.
Find out where your target audience “hangs out” and go to the same places and join in the conversation.
Your aim is to create a blueprint for your target audience and keep your finger on the pulse of what is happening in the market.
In addition to this, take the time out to really study your competition. Look at their USPs and see what they are offering the market. Don’t just copy what your competitors are doing, there’s nothing unique about that! Instead, look for gaps and think about how you are different from them.
Knowing what problems your target audience is experiencing is vital information for you. You will find many clues online, so look out for the most commonly asked questions that your target audience has. Look for other ways to identify the issues that your market faces. When you are ready, you can create a powerful and compelling USP that makes sense to your target audience and speaks to them in a way that will resonate with them.
Creating the very best USP for your business is not something that you are likely to achieve overnight. Be prepared to put the necessary time in to develop the most compelling USP, as it will be worth the time in the end. Always keep in mind that without a strong USP, your business will struggle to compete in the market. The right USP is essential for long-term success.
Once you have created and tested your USP, use it as the driving force for all of your marketing. Your USP will help you to create a very recognizable brand, and this will enable you to sell more of your products and services at the prices that you want to charge.
You now know everything you need to create a powerful USP, so take action and get started right now!
