How to Leverage Your Unique Selling Proposition
One of the first questions I get is how do we rise to the top of Google and make an impact.
The easy answer is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), however all the SEO in the world can’t convert for you once they get to your website. You need to have that prepared before you spend time on traffic.
About the same time I start a client with a website review, one of the first things I look for is why you. Why would I select you. Assuming your website is perfect and converting, what is unique about you.
Because visitors give you about 3 seconds to impress them – you need to let them know what’s in it for them immediately and then have them quickly be able to identify why pick you over someone else.
This concept of why you, is called the unique selling proposition (USP). It is normally between 3-10 words and it describes the most powerful benefits you offer your customers and what sets you apart.
The 3 elements are:
Unique: What sets your business apart from other competitors?
Selling: What makes you and/or your business a valuable resource?
Proposition: What is the unique suggested opportunity you offer prospects?
Here are some examples we have for our various products:
- “We Take the Scary Out of Internet Marketing and Do it For You!”
- “We Put the Marketing Into Your Internet Plan”
- “I make you look as good online as you do off”
If you want to see two very common ones:
- “The milk chocolate that melts in your mouth – not in your hands” – M&Ms
- “When it absolutely, positively has to get their overnight” – Fedex
It is one powerful sentence that lets you know the difference between them and their competition. in fact M&Ms was so good, there competition (Smarties), is practically non existent.
So your Unique Selling Proposition is the force that drives your business and success. It can also be used as a “branding” tool that deploys strategy through your marketing. This allows you to build a lasting reputation while you’re making sales. The ultimate goal of your USP and marketing is to have people say instantly understand what you do, who your target is, and how you can help them.
7 Steps to Developing Your USP
- Clearly describe the biggest benefits of owning your product or service.
- Set up your buying criteria by making an offer or guarantee.
- Solve a pain point or industry performance gap.
- Be specific and offer proof.
- Condense into one clear and concise sentence.
- Integrate your USP in all your marketing.
- Always deliver your USP promise.
When you understand who your market is, what you can do for them, what benefit or transformation does the customer get out of your services and how can they get more information from you – you have mastered the first step to capturing their interest.
The one caveat I have to coming up with your own unique selling proposition is it’s hard to read the label from inside the jar – which means it’s hard to look at yourself objectively and pull out that gem because you are so close to it.
If you need help identifying yours, check out my free report offer which will guide you to your next steps.
