Create and State Your USP to Increase Revenue
By Victoria Munro

Why would someone choose to do business with you over your competition? After all, your competitors claim to do what you do, and with an increasing array of products and services to choose from, your customers are on advertising overload.

Defining and deploying your USP (unique selling proposition) is the solution. A USP is a distinct and engaging statement that sets you and your business or practice apart from all the rest, by describing the unique value you offer, and that generates excitement in your potential new customers. It tells your prospects, “this is why you should do business with us.” It builds your brand and helps would-be clients think of your company when they realize a need for your product or services. There may be very little difference between your service or product and your competitors', but if you intend to succeed in business, you need find a way to communicate your uniqueness and connect it to a felt need of your target customer – your USP.

Before You Create Your USP
Before you begin to craft your USP, it’s essential that you know exactly who your target clients are, what their specific problems, needs and wants are, how they make decisions, where they hang out, and what they spend money on. The more clearly you can describe your ideal client and the narrower your target niche is, the more effective your marketing will be.

Understand what truly differentiates you, your company or practice from the competition. Position yourself as an expert in a specific area. You may offer many really outstanding services, or sell a wide variety of excellent products, but to get your message across in a clear and memorable way, you must focus on only one thing!

Creating Your USP Statement
You’re going to craft a strong, appealing and memorable statement that causes you to stand out in the crowd, which paints a clear picture of what you want people to think and visualize when they hear about your company. Your USP must make your service or products extra special and more valuable than those of your competitors'.

Remember: A USP is all about the customer or the client. It is not about you. It presents your solution to their need in a way that clearly answers all of their questions and makes them jump at the chance to buy from you.

Effective, Fun Exercises to Help You Establish Your USP
Gather everyone together who is involved in your business. As a group, brainstorm and make a list of every value that your company offers, why someone would want to do business with you. Make it a really long list! Then, put a line through everything that is also true about your competitors. What remains is unique about your company. Use this as a starting place to create your USP.

If you’re in business on your own, take pen and paper and write a one or two paragraph description of what sets you, your company or your practice apart. Then, ruthlessly edit away the generalities, until you’re left with a clean, succinct, specific promise. From there, rework it, deleting all the excess verbiage and vague statements until you have a clearly defined Unique Selling Proposition that your client can immediately seize upon.

You could answer the following questions to get you started:

• What does my business do really well?
• What is my most important benefit to the client?
• How can I substantiate this claim — to what do I attribute this benefit?
• How will my clients understand this benefit, relative to those of the competition?

Allow this information to inspire you as you create your USP.

Also, discuss this with your best clients, your raving fans. See yourself from their perspective and find out why they choose to do business with you, rather than someone else.

Warning: Be absolutely sure that you are able to deliver on any promise you make. If your USP tells clients that you have “A complete range of widgets in stock at all times,” and a customer calls to find that their preferred widget must be ordered and won’t be shipped for a week, your USP has created a negative relationship.

Deploying Your USP
Use your USP everywhere, on everything: Marketing tools, print materials, website, voice greeting, ad copy, in the signature line of emails, everywhere. Make sure that everyone who works with you —sales force, customer service personnel, office staff and delivery people —understands and regularly uses your company USP in all their contacts with clients.

Most business owners don't have a USP —just a “me too” message. Their advertising sounds the same as everyone else’s. Use your Unique Selling Proposition at every opportunity to let prospective clients know why they should choose to do business with you!

© 2004 Make-it-Fly, LLC

About the Authors
Victoria Munro is co-founder of Make-it-Fly LLC. She has started and run nine different businesses and has a wealth of experience in how to BE a successful business owner. She facilitates programs for small business owners which provide the tools, support and encouragement they need to create successful results. To receive FREE business success articles, tips and sign up for her ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” visit: www.Make-it-Fly.com.

NOTE: You’re welcome to “reprint” this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the “about the author” info at the end), and you send a copy of your reprint to

Return to Free Articles Index