How To Identify Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): X Easy Steps

Competition is a natural part of establishing a business and selling products or services. Now more than ever, it is getting more challenging to cut through the noise and stand out from the rest. So, how can your business thrive and beat your local competitors? The answer lies in identifying your unique selling proposition (SPV). This article will discuss USP, why it is essential, how to identify yours, and how to highlight it successfully.

What is a unique selling proposition?

A USP is the one thing that makes your product or services unique and better than the rest. It allows you to create a compelling offer that takes you from a mere option into the ultimate choice. 

Ultimately, your UPS should be able to answer your customers’ most common question, “What makes your business different from the rest and why should I buy from you?”

Make sure to formulate a clear, deliberate UPS and to incorporate its messaging into everything you do, from your emails to your social media campaigns.

Characteristics of a compelling USP

Customer-focused

It should appeal to the things that your target audience values. It should also be more memorable than the average “we provide high-quality service.” Does your business value your customers’ needs and experience over profits?

More than a Tagline

Your USP should be more than a poetic slogan that you slap all over your brand. For it to hold true, it has to be something that you can show through your actions, service, and principles. Remember that don’t just talk the talk - walk the walk!

Reasonably Assertive

For your USP to be genuinely compelling, it must be assertive, but only reasonably. This puts you in a strong position against competitors and makes your brand memorable.

How to identify your USP

Focus on your clients

The customer experience you offer your clients should be the core of any good USP. Ask yourself the following questions to help you narrow down your search:

• What are the shopping habits of your customers?
• How do they use your products and services?
• How does your brand or service align with their day-to-day activities?
• What kind of online and offline interactions do you have with your customers?

Connect it with the values of your business

Think about it: your company was created for a reason. Now, it’s just about ensuring that your customers are well aware of those reasons. 

Revisit your company mission and vision statements and ensure that those are significant parts of your USP. This does not mean that your company cannot grow and evolve. Even when you expand or shift gears, ensure that your company mission and vision statements are updated accordingly.

Highlight the strengths of your business

Identifying your business's strengths will require a bit of brainstorming and honesty. You need to be upfront about your weaknesses and how to showcase your strengths. Make sure to use clear and precise language so your target audience can understand what you are trying to convey.

Compare yourself to your competitors

You don’t need to pick a fight. Still, it helps strategically position your brand so that you look much more appealing than your competitors.

For example, highlight the things you can do better than the rest. Is it better online services? Better accessibility? Better values? Faster order fulfillment and delivery?

Overall, a good unique selling proposition is a must-have for every business. It is the core material you use for marketing purposes. It also conveys your elevator pitch to your audience in an instant.

To help you more about digital marketing, I need you to check this eBook I've created about the 10 things that I'VE WISHED I had known when I started marketing. If you are or are not in the same place, you must read this. Get the eBook here. 

If you want more up close and personal marketing strategies, advice, or an overhaul of your marketing structure, email us at zack@roimf.com or schedule a call with Zack now.