Businesses are constantly being told how important it is to find their unique selling proposition (USP). But that’s meaningless advice if you don’t actually know what a USP is!
So what is a USP?
A Unique Selling Proposition, sometimes also called a Unique Selling Point (and always abbreviated to USP), in its simplest form is just what makes your business unique. The USP is what differentiates a product or brand from its competitors. Lots of companies make ice cream, for example, and many companies make dog ice cream. But if you make organic ice cream for dogs then this is what makes your product stand out from others in the market. This is your USP!
But not every brand has a USP as clear and easy to define as our fictional organic dog ice cream firm! It can be a little trickier than that.
So, here’s what you need to know about defining the unique selling proposition for your brand.
1. Identify your strengths
The first question to ask yourself when searching for your USP is what does your business do well? If there are other businesses on the market that are similar to yours then what makes yours different? What makes it better? Product quality, customer service and ingenuity are all examples of what could set your business apart and make it stand out from the crowd.
2. Understand your audience
The main reason it is important to establish a USP is so that you can convey to your audience what makes your business different and special. You already know your target market inside and out, so ensure that your USP speaks directly to their needs. When identifying your USP, you might consider talking to a panel from your customer base. Understand their needs, preferences, pain points, and aspirations and use this to guide you.
3. Focus on benefits, not features
If you don’t have a clear feature in your product that makes it unique and ensures it stands out from all of its competitors then look at your product or brand benefits instead. How will your customers benefit from choosing your business over any other? What benefits can your product or brand bring to their lives? What problem will it help to solve? Focus on all of these benefits and your brand USP will soon become clear.
4. Be authentic
Your brand should have its own unique voice. You should sound like you and no one else. Your passion for your product could shine though, so approve your customers with authenticity. Authenticity builds trust and credibility with your audience. There’s no point trying to be something that you’re not, instead, ensure that your USP aligns clearly with your brand’s values and personality.
5. Test and iterate
Your USP will never be complete. It’s important to see it as an ongoing process rather than something you only have to do once. Keep evolving your USP as your business evolves. Test different messaging and strategies to see what resonates with your audience. And don’t become complacent: what is working for you now might now be what works for you in 6 months.
Conclusion
Your unique selling point is important and you should prioritise finding and defining it. You may find that you want one overarching USP for your whole brand, or you may find that you need slightly different USPs for each of your products.
At CoreMorph we can help you to define your USP and to incorporate this into your brand identity. Your USP should be consistent across all of your channels, including your website, product branding, and social media channels.
