Top 10 USP's (Unique Selling Propostions)

A Unique Selling Proposition distinguishes a business apart from all others. And instead of competing you eliminate competitors with a well conceived USP.

1. Rick Osbourne…Rick Osbourne…
•Managing EditorManaging Editor
•Editor at LargeEditor at Large
•CopywriterCopywriter
•FreelancerFreelancer
•Professional Professional WordWordslingerslinger
•And…A Hired PenAnd…A Hired Pen
The Top 10 Characteristics of a… The Top 10 Characteristics of a…
“Unique Selling Proposition”“Unique Selling Proposition”

2. Marketing Guru Al Robinson Says…Marketing Guru Al Robinson Says…
•““A USP is a A USP is a Deep Seeded Identity CheckDeep Seeded Identity Check to to
see how well you understand your see how well you understand your
customer, your business, and the position customer, your business, and the position
of your business within the market in of your business within the market in
which you’re competing.”which you’re competing.”

3. Al Rob Continues…Al Rob Continues…
•““It’s an attempt to understand your business so It’s an attempt to understand your business so
well that, given the opportunity, you can tell any well that, given the opportunity, you can tell any
listener exactly who you are, and what you do, listener exactly who you are, and what you do,
in such a way that in such a way that they can’t help but want to they can’t help but want to
know moreknow more about you and your business.” about you and your business.”
•So it’s usually not easy or on the surface. You So it’s usually not easy or on the surface. You
have to dig for it.have to dig for it.

4. In Short, A USP Is A Very Special In Short, A USP Is A Very Special
Way To Answer The Question…Way To Answer The Question…
•What Do You Do For A Living?What Do You Do For A Living?

5. Dalton McCrary…Dalton McCrary…
•Dalton’s Guaranteed Straight Shootin’ GolfDalton’s Guaranteed Straight Shootin’ Golf
•““I Teach People How To Hit a Golf Ball I Teach People How To Hit a Golf Ball as as
Straight as They Can PointStraight as They Can Point, or the , or the
Lesson’s Lesson’s FREEFREE, and I Give Them , and I Give Them
$25 For Wasting Their Time…”$25 For Wasting Their Time…”

6. 1. What a USP is NOT!1. What a USP is NOT!
•Mission StatementMission Statement
•Meaningless SloganMeaningless Slogan
•Sales PitchSales Pitch
•We’re the biggest, We’re the biggest,
•We’re the best, We’re the best,
•We’ve been in We’ve been in
business the longest business the longest
•We care the most…We care the most…

7. The “Who Cares” Test…The “Who Cares” Test…
•Try Your USP on AnyoneTry Your USP on Anyone
•If They Answer “Who Cares?”If They Answer “Who Cares?”
•It’s NOT A USP!!!It’s NOT A USP!!!

8. 2. A USP Distinguishes You…2. A USP Distinguishes You…
•Makes You Stand Out Makes You Stand Out
From the PackFrom the Pack
•Raises the Bar to a Level Raises the Bar to a Level
Only You Can ReachOnly You Can Reach
•Puts You in a League of Puts You in a League of
Your OwnYour Own
•And a USP Helps You And a USP Helps You
Achieve Your GoalsAchieve Your Goals

9. 3. A USP is Short and Sweet…3. A USP is Short and Sweet…
•It SummarizesIt Summarizes
•It’s the Headline in a It’s the Headline in a
Feature StoryFeature Story
•It Grabs People’s It Grabs People’s
AttentionAttention
•Stops Them in Their Stops Them in Their
TracksTracks

10. 4. And Causes Reactions Like…4. And Causes Reactions Like…
•How do you do that?How do you do that?
•Tell me more.Tell me more.
•How can I get more How can I get more
info on that?info on that?
•What’s your web site?What’s your web site?
•What does your What does your
schedule look like?schedule look like?
•Can I make an Can I make an
appointment…NOW?appointment…NOW?

11. 5. A USP Focuses On…5. A USP Focuses On…
•A Customer’s A Customer’s WANTSWANTS, A , A
Customer’s Customer’s DESIRESDESIRES……
•Not His Not His NEEDSNEEDS
•Find Out What a Find Out What a
Customer Customer WantsWants
•And Get it for ThemAnd Get it for Them

12. 6. A USP Translates…6. A USP Translates…
•Features Into…Features Into…
•BENEFITS!!!!BENEFITS!!!!
•Answers the QuestionAnswers the Question
•What’s In It For Me?What’s In It For Me?
•Ponds…For ExamplePonds…For Example

13. 7. Marketing Guru Dan Kennedy…7. Marketing Guru Dan Kennedy…
•A USP answers the question “Why should I A USP answers the question “Why should I
choose to do business with you, over all choose to do business with you, over all
the other choices I have, which includes the other choices I have, which includes
the choice of doing nothing at all?”the choice of doing nothing at all?”
•……QUICKLY!QUICKLY!

14. Guess Who’s USP…a Quick TestGuess Who’s USP…a Quick Test
•We deliver fresh hot pizza to your door in We deliver fresh hot pizza to your door in
thirty minutes or less, or the pizza’s FREE!thirty minutes or less, or the pizza’s FREE!
•If it absolutely, positively has to get there If it absolutely, positively has to get there
overnight…overnight…
•We Always Sell For Less.We Always Sell For Less.
•We Immunize kids against obesity for a We Immunize kids against obesity for a
lifetime without pills, shots, or diets.lifetime without pills, shots, or diets.

15. 8. A USP is Flexible…8. A USP is Flexible…
•Lends itself to RepackagingLends itself to Repackaging
•And can be Repeated Over and OverAnd can be Repeated Over and Over
•Hammering Your Message HomeHammering Your Message Home
•So it’s REMEMBERED by your customersSo it’s REMEMBERED by your customers

16. 9. Challenges 9. Challenges AnyoneAnyone to Match It! to Match It!
•It’s OK to be OUTRAGIOUS, But…It’s OK to be OUTRAGIOUS, But…
•You’d better be able to back it up!You’d better be able to back it up!
•It doesn’t just COMPETE (we’re the best), It doesn’t just COMPETE (we’re the best),
it Eliminates (we’re the it Eliminates (we’re the onlyonly)…)…

17. 10. Marketing Guru Jeff Paul…10. Marketing Guru Jeff Paul…
““We’re not only We’re not only
the best at the best at
what we do, what we do,
but we’re the but we’re the
ONLY ONES ONLY ONES
who________ .who________ .

18. Example # 1Example # 1
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who’s builder who’s
IPPCA (NAPP, or CAC) Certified.IPPCA (NAPP, or CAC) Certified.

19. Example # 2Example # 2
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
offers a no hassle, money back guarantee offers a no hassle, money back guarantee
on on all our workall our work!!

20. Example # 3Example # 3
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
concentrates 100% on Pond Building.concentrates 100% on Pond Building.

21. Example # 4Example # 4
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
supports local education with an annual supports local education with an annual
Ponds for Kids event at a local school.Ponds for Kids event at a local school.

22. Example # 5Example # 5
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
hosts a local water gardening club where hosts a local water gardening club where
our customers network with other pond our customers network with other pond
enthusiasts and grow their knowledge.enthusiasts and grow their knowledge.

23. Example # 6Example # 6
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
charges a consultation fee.charges a consultation fee. You see, You see,
we’re pond pros, not amateurs.we’re pond pros, not amateurs.

24. Example # 7Example # 7
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
offers a POND SITTING SERVICE when offers a POND SITTING SERVICE when
you go on vacation.you go on vacation.

25. Example # 8Example # 8
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
keeps our clients up to date and informed keeps our clients up to date and informed
with a monthly newsletter.with a monthly newsletter.

26. Example # 9Example # 9
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
stays current by attending pond classes stays current by attending pond classes
every year.every year.

27. Example # 10Example # 10
•We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in
town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who
does a BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS Every does a BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS Every
Week, So You Know We’ll Be Around Next Week, So You Know We’ll Be Around Next
Year and the Year After to Make Sure You Year and the Year After to Make Sure You
Have What Ever You Need for Your Pond!Have What Ever You Need for Your Pond!

28. What If I Can’t Think Of Any USPs?What If I Can’t Think Of Any USPs?
•STEAL One or More of the Ones We’ve STEAL One or More of the Ones We’ve
Listed Here and Make ‘Em Your OwnListed Here and Make ‘Em Your Own
•Then Tell Your Customers About ‘EmThen Tell Your Customers About ‘Em
•Over and Over AgainOver and Over Again
•So They Know Precisely What Sets So They Know Precisely What Sets
You Apart From the Rest of the Pack.You Apart From the Rest of the Pack.

29. How About More Than One?How About More Than One?
•The More the MerrierThe More the Merrier
•It’s It’s ImpossibleImpossible to have too many USP’s to have too many USP’s
•List them out and blow your clients awayList them out and blow your clients away
•Build Your Marketing Around ThemBuild Your Marketing Around Them

30. Example ######## YOUExample ######## YOU
•Audience Examples…Let’s hear from YOU!Audience Examples…Let’s hear from YOU!