USP Is Yours Any Good?

This topic came up when I was discussing cold calls at the WNGCO network meeting this week. The USP, Unique Selling Proposition. I didn’t invent the term; you might have heard it before. I first learned it from Dan Kennedy, the famed copywriter and business guru. I’m giving him credit for it, but it has been around since the beginning of time.

It’s your “elevator” pitch, your hook or the interesting answer to the cocktail party question “What do you do?

It got me thinking about my answers and if they are any good. So a little work is in order for me! The best USP will almost always get people to say “Really, how do you do that?” or some version of that. The best thing is you get a follow up question to tell more about who you are and what your business/product/service offers.

Let’s say you sell property and casualty insurance. Your answer may be “I show people how to protect their assets for pennies a day.”

Perhaps I’m in the dog grooming/daycare business. “I help people have happier, healthier pets.”

How about radio ad sales? “I show companies how to grow their profits and get noticed in any market.”

Hopefully you get the idea. The USP should be compelling, short and easy for anyone to understand even if they aren’t familiar with you, your company or your industry. The whole point here is to generate interest in your product or services and get the opportunity to provide additional information.

Your USP must be from the point of view of your customer.

I work for ABC corp. selling insurance. Not very compelling is it? I groom dogs. Um, okay. I sell radio advertising. So what? That doesn’t tell your prospective customer what you do for them.

When developing your USP, phrases like:
save time
save money
increase efficiency
improve process
increase sales
maximize profits
generate revenue
are golden. I urge you to work on your USP and keep it fresh and up to date. You may have more than one depending on your offering and audience.

I suggest having a compelling USP for people who you may meet randomly. Your neighbors, the other parents at the soccer field, people at your church etc. They may be in the market for your services now, or in the future, or may know someone who is. It’s just as easy to have a compelling answer to the “What do you do?” question so why not?

You may want to have a slightly more specific answer if you know you are speaking to someone who in the market for your services right now. People who answer your add, or call your business for information. This is your shot to make an impression and get to the next step in your selling process.

Use your USP in all your advertising. It should be on your business cards and your web site. Use it in your VM recording. If you advertise in the yellow pages or a professional directory or your local Chamber of Commerce it should be there. This will clearly identify what your prospective customer can expect from you in the terms of a BENEFIT for them.

I hope that helps you get started. Once you starting thinking about your product/service or business from you client’s point of view, it gets easier. I’d love to find out what you’ve come up with! I’ll post more of mine after my mini-brainstorming today!


www.wngco.com
www.dankennedy.com