HOW DO YOU KNOW YOUR USP IS COMPELLING?
 
This week you have learned what a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is, why you must have one, and how to create one. 
 
Today, you learn how to make sure your USP is really as compelling and unique as you think it is.
 
Snow is Not Always White
 
Most people know the often told lesson of the uniqueness of the snowflake.  Perhaps you don’t know all of the uniqueness of this funny substance from above:

     > Snow isn’t always white. There have been reports of red, yellow, and black snow.     These rare occurrences were probably caused by pollen, ash, or soot in the air.

     > Every snowflake forms around a tiny speck of atmospheric dust - anything from volcanic ash to space particles.
     > A snowflake’s shape depends on humidity, temperature, wind, and the speed of its journey to the ground. 
     > Fresh snow is up to 95 percent air, which makes it a good insulator. (Think igloos.)(Source: Discover Magazine)

Do your customers really know all of your uniqueness as a business?  Unless you have told them, then they likely don’t know.

How to Pick Your Best, Most Compelling USP - Test, Test, Test!

Ok, yesterday you learned how to craft your USP.  You were admonished not to make it perfect.  Now here I’m telling you how to make it the best — What’s Up you might ask??  Perfection is not the goal - most compelling to your customer is.  Also, you are not the one to figure out what ‘most compelling is’.  How would you know??

If you want the best answer, always go to the person that knows!  In this case, if you want the Most Compelling, Take Action, Make Your Cash Registers Sing USP — then you have to test it in the marketplace with YOUR CUSTOMERS.

Continue to search for a better USP.  Try different USP’s in you advertising, in your pitch, in your presentations, on your website, at parties.  At every opportunity, test, test, test — to make sure the USP resonates with your market and to find out which one works best

WORD OF WARNING #1:  Do not let your search for the best, or your testing be a reason to procrastinate working your USP (as it is right now) into all of your communications (your print advertising, direct-mail, websites, business letterhead, signs, broadcast advertising, verbal presentations, telephone greetings, everything. 

It is imperative to develop and fully tap your USP - this is a key factor that will contribute to your future business success.   You simply must develop a USP and integrate it into everything you do — in your ads, your salespeople in the field, your sales clerks in the retail store, your customer service department, etc.  Chisel it into the minds of your customers and your employees.

WORD OF WARNING #2:  Do not embrace any USP you cannot deliver on, fully and continuously.   “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.”   Proverbs 22:1

The number of USP’s are virtually limitless, but once you have nailed yours down, and have made it the foundation of your marketing, proactively defend yourself by making sure that any promises you make on the basis of your USP are always fulfilled!

*** Make Your USP More Compelling & Unique by Testing***
 
DAILY PRAYER
Father, convict us to be guided first and foremost by preserving our good name in Your sight.  We desire to grow our business, but never at the expense of our character.  Please provide us with wisdom and guidance in defining our USP’s.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.
 
WORK SMARTER TIP OF THE WEEK
Have you considered how much of your life is on your computer? Photos, emails, music, financial records, documents, and so much more. How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and everything was gone?  
 
Save yourself untold hassle and lost time by using a premier online backup service called Carbonite.  I personally signed up last year - the best $49.95 per year I ever spent!  Check them out at www.carbonite.com — before you lose valuable computer files.
 
Have fun - play with your USP.  Try different versions - test them in the marketplace, then adjust and polish.  But do not delay, the payback from employing a powerful USP is too huge to miss out on!
 
Grace and peace multiplied to you,

Michael Stay

A COMPELLING IDENTITY!
 
Today it is time to roll up your sleeves and create your powerful Unique Selling Proposition (USP). 
 
The challenge:  Can you easily and quickly tell people what your business can do for them in such a way that any prospect will want to know more?

That’s our goal!
 
Creating Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
 
The possibilities for building a USP are unlimited.  It’s best, however, to adopt a USP that dynamically addresses an obvious void in the marketplace that you can fill.

So first, identify needs which are going unfulfilled within your industry:
a. A broad selection
b. Big discounts
c. Advice and assistance
d. Convenience (i.e. location, immediate delivery, etc.)
e. Top-of-the-line products
f. Speedy service
g. Service above and beyond
h. Better warranty or guarantee
i. Whatever else you can think of

The point is to focus on the one niche, need or gap that is most sorely lacking - provided you can keep the promise you make; or focus on communicating the specific market niche you already have carved out.
 
Easy Fill-in the Blank Exercise
Second, clearly explain the advantages and benefits your product or service brings to someone’s life.  Communicate the positive impact your product or service will have on someone’s life.  Try this exercise — Fill in the blanks — “Most businesses in my industry do_____________, But what we do is _______________________________.  The second blank is what sets you apart from others in your same line or field or practice - this is your USP. 
 
Another variation on the above exercise is to fill in these blanks:  
Do you know how_____________________________(define the common approach in your field, or define a clear problem in your industry),  what I do is __________________________ (provide the unique solution or differentiator).
 
For example:   Do you know how most grocery stores are totally indifferent to your business and seem to be bothered by serving you, what Steeles Market does is call you by name whenever you enter our store, always provide you with free carry out service to your car, and we totally delight in giving you the best grocery shopping experience of your life.

Do you think you would be willing to give Steeles Market your business?  Think about how much you spend over the course of a year in your local grocery store!
 
Ideally your USP is one statement (does not necessarily mean one sentence).

Be sure to focus your USP on the appeal to your specific market, as opposed to what you think is your greatest accomplishment or what appeals to you.  Identify needs that are going unfulfilled in your industry.  Focus on one niche.

No empty words.  Denominate what quality looks like in action; what service means when extended, what dependability translates to in application.  The customer can’t perceive what quality, service and dependability look like with your particular product or service. 

Ask yourself:  What is superior or more beneficial about my product, my service, my company, my people, my process, my engineering, my design, my buying criteria, my technical skills, etc.?  What sets your business apart from others in the same field?  What is truly unique about your business - something special, something that your main competitor simply can’t offer or doesn’t offer?  What makes your service or product unique?
 
Remember last week’s topic about 7 - Profound Leverage Questions?

What is my customer’s perception of their biggest problem?   How do they define value?  Why do your customers do business with you?  In addition to asking your customers, ask your employees - why do our customers buy from us; what do you think we offer that’s uniquely beneficial; what do you see us offering or providing that our customers can’t get from our competitors?
 
Types of USP’s
Some different possible types of USP’s might include:

The broad selection USP, The service oriented USP, The value-oriented USP, The discount price USP, or The elite/members only USP.  Some ideas for you to consider in crafting the concept of your USP (not the actual words) might include:
You sell your product or service for less
You sell a higher quality product or service
You provide more customer service
You offer two times the guarantee
You offer more exceptional bonuses
You offer more choice/selection/options
You have a service department ten times the size of ___
You have a trade-in program
You serve a specific age group, industry, type of person, etc.

Specific Examples of USP’s
- We offer 30 makes of tires - the widest selection in town
- We sell the same Plasma & LCD TV’s and home theaters that you find at company xyz but our prices are 20% to 30% less.
- We always have 78 different widgets in no less that 12 different sizes and 9 desirable colors in price ranges from $5 to $599
- “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” Federal Express
- “If you’re not happy for any reason, now or in the future, we’ll take care of you.” Nordstrom’s
- “You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.” Radio Shack
- An internet marketer guarantees his results.
- A pizza store delivers faster than anyone in town.
- A dentist came up with a five-point home care program
- A print shop finishes jobs much quicker than the competition
- A contractor offers a retro-active guarantee
 
**** Be Creative, Be Clear, Be Unique!!!****
 
DAILY PRAYER
Father, You tell us in Your Word that accurate weights are Your delight (Prov 11:1).  Please bless those in the marketplace that have a heart to serve, a heart to make a difference, a heart to continually get better.  Give them favor with man and favor with You!  In the name of Jesus, Amen. 
 
Don’t worry about crafting the perfect USP - tomorrow we will talk about how to pick the best USP.  For now, take action — don’t delay, develop your USP!
 
Blessings,

Michael Stay
President
Core Impact, Inc
 

WHY BUY FROM YOU?
 
This week’s theme is “The Power of Your Business Identity”.  You will specifically learn all about your Unique Value Proposition or more to the point - your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). 
 
Learn and apply these principles, because without a clear and often repeated USP you are surrendering to your competitors without a fight.
 
Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
 
The next time you are at a party or social gathering try this little exercise - seek out and ask a few business owners the following question:  “”Can you tell me in 30 seconds or less what it is about your business that is more advantageous for a customer to buy from you instead of dealing with your competitors?”
 
After a long silent pause, or several sounds consisting of “uh” — “well” — “umm” — you will conclude that they don’t know what to say.  When you ask a business owner to articulate clearly and concisely in one paragraph or less their USP, most business owners have no answer.  Why?  Because they have never thought through or offered a USP.

Few businesses actually go through the process of creating a USP.  Most try to be everything to everyone, and they can’t understand why they don’t possess a unique advantage in the market.  It’s because they have positioned themselves as a simple commodity.  How do you expect your customers to identify your attributes if you don’t even know what they are?
 
What is a Unique Selling Proposition?
 
Your USP is what sets your business or professional practice apart from others in the same field.  What is truly unique or special about your business - something that your main competitor simply can’t or doesn’t offer.  Your USP is the distinct and appealing idea that sets you and your business favorably apart from every other competitor.
 
It should be the one unique, attractive selling advantage you are best suited to deliver.  That single, unique benefit, appeal or big promise that you hold out to the prospect - one that no other competitor offers.  Unlike a mission statement which is internal, a USP is always external - it tells the customers why they should buy from you. 
 
Purpose of a USP
 
Your entire marketing and operational success should be built upon your USP.  Clearly conveying the USP through both your marketing and your business performance will make your business wildly successful and separate you from the crowd of competitors.  Getting clear on your USP - which is really your true business identity - is transformational - it will position you in a new higher light in your mind, your employee’s mind, and your customer’s mind.
 
You simply must be able to demonstrate to a customer, client, or patient how they will gain a special benefit or result from dealing with you.  If you do not differentiate, distinguish, and establish a clear USP - one that your customer or client can easily and instantly perceive - you have nothing special to offer anyone.  Without a clear USP — there is no reason for a customer to seek out your product or service.
 
Whenever a customer needs the type of product or service you sell, your USP should bring your business immediately to mind.
 
DAILY PRAYER
Father, You utilized the transformational power of identity in John 1:42b, when you re-named Simon (which means a willowy reed) to Peter (which means a solid rock).  Help us to see the potential you have placed in us, and help us to see the potential you have placed in others by appreciating and valuing what is unique.  Let us celebrate, fully embrace and clearly communicate our uniqueness in the marketplace.  In the name of Jesus, Amen.
 
Tomorrow you will learn how to create your USP and I will share some examples of powerful USP’s that have given businesses a significant competitive edge in their industry or field.
 
If you have business associates, family or friends that could benefit from learning about USP’s please consider forwarding this edition of The Weekly Trio to them.  Thank you!
 
Grace and peace multiplied to you,
 
Michael Stay
President
Core Impact, Inc