A tough proposition

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a statement about what makes your company unique. Having a USP puts you at a distinct advantage in your marketing, because it gives you an immediate direction, focus and message that you can continue across all mediums. Without a USP, your marketing tends to be scattered and general, and with all the competition out there you really need to be different.

Here's why crafting a USP tends to be tough: when I ask clients what their USP is, without fail almost all businesses answer, "our service." Okay, what about your service? "It's great." "We're nice to work with." "We have a good system in place."

Frankly, that's not a USP. Almost any business will boast about their customer service, so consequently that doesn't mean anything to anybody. If you're absolutely convinced your service is superior, dig a little deeper and find what about your service makes it special. That's probably harder than you think.

When it comes to your USP, you may need to think outside the box. The USP doesn't have to be about the obvious, like customer service. It can be:

-the approach you take to solving a problem
-your convenient location
-a promise or guarantee you offer
-a target audience you serve
-your extended or weekend hours

Another thing to keep in mind is this: your USP should be something only your business offers, and you must deliver on it. When crafting a USP, keep it to one strong sentence that's self-explanatory.

If you're unsure of your USP, don't be discouraged. Lots of businesses turn to outside resources, such as customer surveys, to help find the answer. It may take you some time to discover what makes your business special, but it's time well spent that will result in a better, more focused message.