Your mom always told you that you were different, that you were unique. You know what? She’s right. The same goes for your business. It’s unique and different from every other business as well.
But what makes it different? Why do customers choose to come back and patronize your business over competitors?
What makes you different … what sets you apart … is what’s called your Unique Selling Proposition. It’s important to know what it is so you can use it in your marketing material and … are you ready? On your website 😉 Finding out and discovering your Unique Selling Proposition starts with understanding your customer, competitors, and products. It helps you establish your business’ identity.
What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition?
Generally speaking, your Unique Selling Proposition is “the key element or feature that sets a company’s products or services apart from the competition. It’s a short statement that tells current and potential customers why they should choose your offering.” [Source] It’s also the “unique benefit that a particular product offers to its customers.” [Source]
Your USP can be virtually anything – ranging from the way that a feature of your product is unique to the free shipping that you offer. It’s usually expressed as a brand message or slogan.
Discovering Your Unique Selling Proposition
In order for your USP to stand out, you need to ask yourself these two (2) questions:
- What can I offer that my competitors cannot?
- What do my customers already want that they don’t know they want yet?
Connecting with your customers is another key part of understanding your USP. Here are two (2) more questions to better understand your customers:
- What makes them return and continue doing business with you?
- What causes them to stop buying from you?
There are four (4) basic components of a USP:
- Benefits
- Key selling points
- Key difference
- Competitive advantage
Examples
Take for example Canva – the graphic design platform. Their unique selling proposition is simply “Empowering the world to design.” Simple. Short. To the point. It also tells us:
- The simplicity of their product with its drag-and-drop feature, ready-made templates, etc.
- Low prices more people can afford
- Competitive advantage in the market
To view fifteen additional examples of a unique selling proposition, check out these awesome examples from Popupsmart.
What Makes Your Business Unique?
So … what makes your business different? You don’t have to come up with a magical slogan or clever wording. Just think of what makes your business different, awesome, and unique and why it is that your customers keep coming back. I can help with the rest 😉
