Running a business is not for the weak; you have to be able to navigate saturated markets and handle intense competition. The worst thing you can do is blend into the background – instead, you want to stand out!
That’s where your unique selling proposition comes in. It’s the factor that makes you unique within your industry and sets you apart from the competition. Your USP is the reason why your customers should choose you over anyone else, and it’s a key component to creating a compelling brand identity.
It’s not your product that has to be unique, per se. It’s whatever message or offering you choose to focus on that differentiates you from your competitors and entices your audience.
What Makes an Effective USP?
So, how do you determine your unique selling proposition to leverage your finest qualities and separate yourself from the crowd?
It’s all about uncovering your brand’s unique value through brand discovery and communicating that to your audience. Make an impactful and lasting impression with a USP that is:
1. Assertive and Specific
Your USP is not the time to be timid or soft. In order to be compelling, you must take on a specific stance that differentiates your offering from that of the competition.
For instance, “we use high-quality materials” is too generic. Get to the heart of what makes you unique and be specific regarding why customers should choose your brand and your product. Drive the point home with confidence!
2. Valuable to Your Customers
This one is intuitive but surprisingly easy to overlook. Your USP has to be something that your customers actually care about! Otherwise, what’s the point?
Don’t position your unique selling proposition around convenience, for example, if your audience is more concerned with reliability.
3. Embodied in Your Business
A USP is much more than just a motto. Sure, a slogan can be helpful in communicating your USP, but it must be embodied across the various elements of your business practice: your brand, your products, your customer experience, and so on.
What Isn’t a USP?
Don't get confused. There are many things that your brand offers to customers that aren’t necessarily your unique selling proposition.
Specific marketing offers, like a shipping discount or an attractive return policy are not USPs, for instance. Yes, they’re effective tactics – but they’re easily replicated, and they don’t get to the heart of what makes you the best choice on the market.
We mentioned this above, but it warrants repeating: your USP is also not your company slogan or the header on your website. It must be incorporated across all elements of your brand and your audience interactions; it must be an integral part of your business.
Compelling USPs from the Brands We Love
We’ve covered the theory of an effective unique selling proposition – now, let’s see it in action!
Here are some examples of strong USPs from brands that pack a punch:
Airbnb: “Belong Anywhere”
Airbnb is perfect for those travellers looking to feel safe and comfortable anywhere in the world. Whether they’re away for a weekend or months on end, they want to feel like they belong in a space they can count on.
Two simple words - “Belong Anywhere,” communicates that message clearly, and it sets the brand apart from other alternatives like large hotel chains or cheaper hostel alternatives where customers won’t get that same local experience and sense of belonging when travelling in foreign lands.
Coca-Cola: “The Real Thing”
Coca-Cola is the blueprint. It’s the original, it’s authentic, and it cannot be duplicated. No matter how many other sodas are on the shelves, none of them will ever have the history and magnitude of Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola, and only Coca-Cola, can offer customers “The Real Thing.”
FedEx: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”
FedEx is all about speed and reliability. Their USP clearly highlights these qualities and positions themselves as a dependable delivery service that customers can count on when they’re in a pinch.
How to Use Your USP to Your Advantage
You’ve established a unique selling proposition that is specific, valuable, and integral to your business – that's fantastic! Now, what do you do with it, exactly?
The short answer is that you should incorporate your USP into all that you do. Your USP should influence your messaging, branding, copywriting, and general marketing strategy. It’s your main differentiator, and it gets to the heart of the motivation as to why your customers would choose your business above any other, and so naturally, it’s a central component to how you position yourself in the market and communicate with your audience.
Make sure that your USP is clearly highlighted on your website, as well. If a customer has to search through pages of your site before they can find anything that makes you unique, you’ve lost them. Shine an unmistakable spotlight on your USP to make your website more compelling and boost your conversion rates!
Your unique selling proposition is a core component of your brand. It follows, then, that to present a captivating USP, you need a focused brand identity and an impactful brand strategy that forms meaningful connections with your target audience.
The Brand Brew™ Branding Experience does just that – reach out to us today to begin brewing a brand with all the right notes that highlight exactly what it is that makes you too good to pass up.