If your product solves a problem… make it known to buyers - don't assume they'll figure it themselves.
Consultant Dan Kennedy wrote, “Why should I, your prospect, choose to do business with you versus any and every other option?”
Your USP answers the most important questions in the mind of your audience. And in marketing, your brand is not complete until you're able to craft a USP into it.
Your USP answers the most important questions in marketing and so;
- Before you hire a copywriter to craft your ads copy - whether traditional (as in TV commercials) or online advertising.
- Before you market - and push your products to consumers.
Consider crafting a USP for your business. This will make you stand out of the noise in the marketplace.
What is USP
USP is a unique attribute of a product, service or
company brand that...
- customers cannot get from any other source,
- can differentiate your products from competitors, and
- resist commoditization (a situation where competing products are equal and customers only buy primarily on price).
Defining your USP
Defining your own unique selling point should not be something hard to come up with.
For example;
If you manufacture blenders, for instance, your unique selling point may be that - it offers a low quiet sound; "if you hate the noise - and want a cool quiet sound, choose Xyz blenders".
As you can see there is a benefit here; not everybody likes a noisy blender. And most people will prefer to go for a blender brand that… while they're using it, it produces quietly low sound.
But note, whatever benefits your state in your USP, it must be real; just be honest. If your customers find out it's not what you claim it to be… your business may suffer it.
USP can be anything related to your product, services or company as long as it answers the 3 questions below:
1. Does it translate to benefit?: your products' features are not enough to move a needle when it comes to persuading your audience to take necessary actions. Product features don't connect well to the emotional state of your potential customers and thus, you need a strong benefit to motivate them to buy in.
There are many ways you can turn features into benefits and one of these ways... is looking deep into what the specific feature actually does. It's either it improves, increases reduces or saves something.
For example,
A smartphone with 8GB ram, is a feature.
A soft benefit would be that it can handle and process your apps faster than a 4GB ram.
And the deep benefit would be that it saves time - of waiting for your apps to come up or respond fast as needed.
Whatever your USP is, it must directly translate to benefits for the customers. Otherwise, you've not crafted one.
2. Is it clear?: is it easy to communicate and understand?
Your brand is not the logo or symbols of your company or product.
It's what people say about you when you're not in the room.
Try to come up with a straight copy that points directly and clearly convey the value on offer - one that your customers can understand without putting a call through to your sales team.
3. Does it have the power to compel: Your USP should be able to convince and motivate people to easily switch from other products to your own. Now, this doesn't have to be something out of the blue moon. It may be a special offer, free consultation, free trials or some other variation of marketing offerings in your niche.
Or, maybe the only product to offer a particular unique functionality (patented solution) or range of functions (think of All-in-one solution).
Price as a unique selling proposition
Not every time is pricing compelling - and can be used as a unique selling proposition. This is an area many marketers get it wrong because by offering a lower price to make people buy, may see the USP go down - plus perceive your products as inferior.
Only use price with great caution - when the price is not compelling enough, it won't work as a USP.
What should you do if you haven't got a powerful USP?
Not being unique isn’t necessarily a barrier to success in business, but not understanding how to
Connect with your audience in the proper way is how most businesses fail.
You can still sell your products even when you don't have a unique selling proposition. The way around this boils down to the 3 questions above.
#1. Communicate benefits to your customers - Choose a product or service and ask questions about it from your -
- friends
- Colleagues
- Workers
What do they find valuable in the products or service - or could even be the company itself - what do they find special in your company.
When you get an answer, now build your marketing message around that.
One of the advantages of creating a copy (message) centred on benefits is that it connects emotionally with the buyers. No one like to be sold… But everyone likes transformation. And so, your product should be able to transform the person using it.
If you sell an anti-acne product, it should transform the skin of the person using it.
#2. Make it simple, clear and straight to the point - Be honest and Since words can carry so many shades of meaning while describing the benefits, your choice of words should be that, which is simple and clear to the audience.
When you are honest, simplicity and clarity become easy.
You can easily know if your USP is off the point when your customers find it hard to comprehend and relate it to the product you're promoting within a few seconds.
#3. Compel the audience - think of something that you know can motivate your audience into taking action.
Example:
If you're an agency, offering a free consultation for your service can move your audience to book an appointment.
Products free shipping and delivery for an eCommerce business can also motivate people to buy from you.