For most business owners, creating a USP
sounds like an unimportant task. Something that only
big businesses or brands need to do, and ‘It’s not for a small or medium business like mine’,
I hear you say!
I know how easy it is to overlook the task.
However understanding and knowing your USP will
ensure
you communicate your products and services
more effectively to your customer’s and in turn increase
your profits!
To help make the task a lot easier we’ve pulled out three key questions to help make creating your UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION ( USP ) as easy as learning your ABC.
1) What do you do? What does your company or business do?
Now, this is where most people make the first mistake, as
they typically answer the question as follows:
I am a designer
I sell computers
We sell insurance etc etc
So let us re-phase the question.
What do you do for your customers? IE How does your service
or product make you customer FEEL? Happy?, Confident?, Strong?, Content?, New?, Safe?
Below are the 16 key desires that make people take action, these desires were found as part of a
study by Ohio State University professor and psychologist Steven Reiss.
1. Power
2. Independence
3. Curiosity.
4. Acceptance
5. Order
6. Saving
7. Honour
8. Idealism
9. Social contact
10. Family
11. Status
12. Vengeance
13. Romance
14. Eating
15. Physical activity
16. Tranquility
You can read about Steven Reiss’s ideas in his book, “Who Am I?”
2) What do your clients like about you, your product or service? How do you know?
It’s amazing how many businesses do not ask for feedback from their customers. So many businesses just assume that their customers are happy, then wonder why they haven’t come running back for more?
Customers feedback and testimonials can provide a rich source of information and even some home truths about how you deliver your service. Be open to criticism: – I know how it feels, its your business, your baby and you’ve become emotionally attached, but you will need to detach yourself in order to take on board all comments and learn quickly from any mistakes you make.
3) What value do you add to your customers businesses and lives?
The most clever USP’s combine both your customer’s desires and the businesses products or service – in one simple sentence. Here as some famous examples:
Federal Express “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”
Note; how FEDX use power words like absolutely, positively – ie speaking
their customers language – giving them a promise.
Domino’s Pizza “Hot, fresh pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.
Again Domino’s Pizza create desire with the words HOT, FRESH PIZZA ( you can almost taste it! ) – not only delivered to your door but to your belly in minutes! Clever!
How to nail your USP in less than an hour!
1) Take a clean sheet of paper and go back over each of the above questions. ( 5 mins )
2) Make
a list of words and answers for each and then select out the words that best represent your customer’s desires. Make sure you include your core products. ( 10 mins )
Use the famous USP’s above for reference.
3) Mix your chosen words around until they form short punchy sentences. Don’t worry if they don’t make sense at first just keep writing out as many different variations as possible. ( 10 mins )
You may end up with 10 or 20 different variations, so here’s our TOP TIP:
Once you have exhausted your list put them to one side for half an hour ( or over night ). Look at the list again with fresh eyes, you will find that one or two of the sentences stand out more than the others. Pull these out and continue to refine until you are happy that your USP delivers your businesses unique benefits and services in one easy sentence! ( 5 mins ) TOTAL TIME TO DO 1 HOUR!
Next month is all about branding, the subject: Why good brand design matters?
Talk to you then.
Debbie