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You know how in every party there’s always that one guy who can’t shut up about how awesome he is? The dude literally shoves the keys from his BMW (and they always drive a BMW for some reason) into everyone’s face just to show of how luxurious his life is.
Everyone hates that guy, right?
So why are so many people following his example, when it comes to business? I mean, seriously, we can’t all be “the biggest”, “number 1”, “single best” provider of goods and services at the same time.
And yet we still chose a cheesy slogan as our USP or the unique selling point. Why? Because everyone else does it, of course.
Not a selling point
What is and what’s not a selling point for your business? The answer to this question is definitely up to debate, but we should start from the beginning – understanding the concept.
According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a USP is an abbreviation that stands for unique selling point/proposition: a feature of a product that makes it different from and better than other similar products and that can be emphasized in advertisements for the product.
Or, in simpler words, a USP is a concept that can be mentally linked to your business. A USP allows you to stand out from the crowd. This is where the misconceptions kick in.
“I am awesome” is a splendid statement to repeat in front of a mirror in the morning. But it has nothing to do with standing out from the crowd because, in the need of the day, people just don’t care. They have too much on their plates to bother with anything but the stuff your business brings to the table.
Using anything from a sleazy, meaningless marketing slogan to a direct sales pitch to the banter about how you are the biggest fish in the pond is automatically received as the me-me-me talk by your audience. It makes you look like that god-awful guy from the party.
A great selling point
Great USPs are usually designed with a particular audience in mind. They are tailored to show that your business, unlike the others, cares about the needs of clients. A great USP shows that you understand your network and know how to treat the pains of your clients.
Knowing your audience and what they care about is what really sets you apart from the crowd. But how does one get there?
Analyze the audience
- Who is your audience?
- Where are they from?
- What is their marital status?
- Do they have kids, families, etc.?
- How do they spend their money?
- Where do they shop?
- What fascinates them?
- What keeps them up at night?
The answers to all of these questions and more can be discovered through an advanced search in social media. I’ve already talked about great ways of extracting this data in 3 Things That Differ A Good Business Plan From An Actually Working One. Use them to get a better feel of your audience.
Then, after discovering more about your potential clients and their heart’s contents you are t proceed to step 2.
Show the WHY
Simply caring about a subject is not enough. You are supposed to show what you care for and give a good reason for caring. Otherwise, your sincerity will be doubted.
In a world of online courses and availability of knowledge surely you’re not the only one in your industry who knows a thing or two about the business you are doing. Some of your competitors may be just as great as you are. If not better.
Telling others about why you do the things you do gives you an edge in this situation as it puts you on the same page as your clients. You won’t be above them as a godlike superior being of professionalism none can relate to.
You will be someone who is just like them – a person who has experienced the same pains and came up with a great solution. You will be one of them, part of the crew, someone worthy of their trust.
If that’s not the way to become the start of the party, what is?