Marketing consultants and business owners - How to determine the USP

Before completing the steps necessary to determine the USP, you need to understand that the USP is not just a catchy slogan or a catchphrase. If it is a real USP, you should be able to express in about 90 words or less and should focus on some benefit to the potential customer. If there is no advantage then it is not a USP. In other words, the customer must perceive as a benefit. There are four stages in the determination you or your client's USP:


Working Group to focus with the owner and staff
Customer survey
Competitive Analysis
Write Up


How to complete each of these steps will be discussed in detail in this article series, but first a brief overview.

The USP should fill an obvious void in the field.

The first step is to take a look at competitors to see what they are offering. (Note: If this is your company or service, treat yourself as a client). Then, ask yourself the questions: "What can you offer clients that do not? What can my client at the time that fills a void or offer the consumer something that no one else in the area or offers?"

The first tendency is to describe the company's USP is to say something like "We have the best service" or "We have the best quality" or "We have the best workers" or "best price" and leave it at that. The problem is that everyone has all these elements. Consumers hear this constantly from companies.

The USP has to be much more specific. If the customer is definitely the best service, what makes it so? If he / she has the best quality, as an element of quality that promotes business? If he / she has the best employees, or the best price, exactly what makes them the best of these goods? It must be specific. It is necessary to quantify as much as possible. You must be able to communicate the USP in about 90 words or less!

In identifying the Unique Selling Proposition, ask yourself what area of ​​the competition currently left unattended. There is a particular area in the selection, discounts, recommendations, quality, service, or convenience that have left empty? Just go to work and fill it.

So, take time to talk with employees. Ask them what they perceive as a benefit to doing business with the company. Call former customers and existing customers. Very cleverly express appreciation and find: (1) why they do business with the customer and (2) if they do business elsewhere at other times, why? You can meet this need?

The answer to these questions from 50 to 100 customers clearly help to identify USP. Many customers will be inclined to say that the company has great service and great quality. Gently probe for specific follow-up with the question, what is our service that you like most? Try to find the real reason they are customers. Combining these responses with what employees say to you, and you can determine a USP.

Your client can not be everything to everybody. This error of judgment can defeat your purpose. Those who succumb to the kind of thinking is so deluded and distracted that do not increase revenues. They can not focus properly and customers never get a perfect clear business objectives. Try not to make this mistake. Do everything you can as a consultant to determine exactly what the USP for the company of your client is really .......