Find the Unique Selling Proposition
No product or service sells itself. Before we can begin to sell to anyone else, we have to sell ourselves on it first. This is especially important when what we’re offering is similar to those around us. Very few businesses are one-of-a-kind, so how do we truly get our business to be unique?
The key to effective selling is to find our “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP) by pinpointing what makes our business unique in a world of homogeneous competitors. This can assist in steering sales efforts successfully.
USP is a marketing technique that makes our business or start-up distinctive in the marketplace. In order to assess what customers want, identify this USP. Ask the following questions as a guide:
- How are you unique?
- What is the difference between a competitor and your business?
- What causes the customer to buy from you and no one else?
- Can you offer something that your competitor cannot replicate?
For a USP to be successful we need to convince people to buy from us. It is a marketing tool that must be sharpened as business grows.
How to Find Your USP
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Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Let’s not forget that your product or service was designed to meet and satisfy the customer’s needs. You need to analyze what the customer wants, what will make them come back and what will make them chose you over the competitor. Remember, persons are looking for quality, convenience, reliability, friendliness, courtesy and exceptional customer service.
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Analyze consumer behavior and buying decisions. Effective marketing requires you to know what drives and motivates customers. Think outside of the traditional customer demographics, such as age, gender, race, income and geographic location. You need to look at a person’s motives for buying your product or service.
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Uncover the real reasons customers buy your product instead of a competitor’s. Always ask the customer what they want, like or dislike as it relates to your business. Give them the opportunity to rate the importance of certain features offered. You will be surprised how honest people are when you ask them for suggestions on how you can improve your service.
Remember when considering the USP don’t get discouraged as successful business ownership is not about having a unique product or service; it’s about making our product/service stand out among similar items.
Sources: www.entrepreneur.com, Thriving Solo: How to Grow a Successful Business (Andrew Patricio & Roger Pierce)