What's your USP?

     It sounds like a simple question. Yet many companies have a difficult time answering it.

    The Unique Selling Proposition is a key concept or phrase the sets you apart from the competition. It focuses on a particular strength, a particular offer, or a key differentiating element within your business that makes a difference to your customers and prospects.

     Your USP is the crucial point that separates you from your competitors.

     The concept of a USP is important because it builds your branding and helps your customers select you instead of a competitor. Once you've clearly defined your Unique Selling Proposition, you'll have an easier time developing your elevator pitch, creating marketing tools and growing your business.

     Let's look at some examples. For my business, a full service marketing communication firm, we could focus on our creativity. I'm proud of the designs and copy my team produces. But every agency in the neighborhood talks about its creativity in glowing terms. So to follow suit keeps us in the pack. Instead, we talk about results-based creative. Results and achieving business objectives is what we wrap our USP around.

     The impact is that it gives us something different to talk about when we meet new prospects. We produce communications--distinguished by results.

     Consider a large-scale example. Taco Bell turned its USP into a hit advertising slogan: Think Outside The Bun. The reason it works as a unique statement is because the average consumer knows Taco Bell falls into the fast food category. But most fast food falls into buns. By reminding us that they are outside the bun, Taco Bell emphasizes a unique factor that helps it separate itself from other restaurants.

     Your goal is to make an equally strong differentiation between your company and anyone else in your market who sells promotional products.

     It's not easy. But once you've completed the process, you'll be in a better position to market your business, develop ads and work with customers and prospects.

     For the next few days, we'll look at the process of developing your USP and what you can do with it once you have it.

     Source: Roger A. Shapiro is president/creative director at Mitchell Rose, LLC, A Communications Consultancy. He is the author of Write Right, 26 Tips to Improve Your Writing. Dramatically. You can order Write Right by clicking here.