Craft a USP that puts You in a Category of One
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Everyone’s trying to blend in these days, hawking the same ol’ promises. But your USP, your unique selling proposition, that’s what makes people say, “Now THAT’S the one I want!” It’s the core, the heart, the whole reason your business matters.
So, stop trying to be something you’re not. Here’s how to find that killer USP:
1. Forget the features. Your STORY is what matters.
Customers don’t buy lists of specifications.
Here’s the stuff that really hooks ’em:
- Your struggles: Beat a major setback? Your clients want to know that you “get it” on a deeper level.
- Weird expertise: Mastered an obscure skill that solves a major problem in your niche? That’s pure gold.
- That secret sauce: Got a system or method that no one else uses? Make it the core of your pitch.
2. Customers don’t want to hear about YOU. They want solutions.
Get inside their heads to figure out what makes yours the MUST-HAVE choice:
- Pain, pain, go away: What’s driving them nuts? What are they sick and tired of dealing with?
- Picture-perfect results: Beyond fixing problems, how would they LOVE their life to look?
- Talk the talk: Don’t parrot business jargon. Use the same words THEY use.
3. The enemy of my enemy is my friend - or my competitor, anyway.
Study up on what other businesses in your space are saying and doing.
Look for:
- Big promises, so-so results: What are they bragging about that leaves customers disappointed?
- Massive gaps in the market: Are there burning needs no one’s addressing? Pounce!
- What customers HATE: Find the pain points that make people ditch a competitor to run straight to you.
4. Words matter. Distill that brilliance into one knockout punch
Keep it simple, specific, and focused on solving the customer’s biggest problem.
- Customer’s language first: Don’t get cutesy or clever if it means people won’t understand.
- Only YOU factor: What can you do (or guarantee) that no one else even comes close to?
- Earworm time: A little rhyme or rhythm makes your USP stick in potential customers’ heads.
Great USP? Awesome. Now WALK the walk.
It’s not just a tagline, it’s a way you do business:
- Every word counts: Site, ads, emails - everything echoes the promise of your USP.
- Delight, not deliver: Exceed expectations on your product or service to lock in those customers for life. Astonish them!
- Never compromise: That USP guides how you grow, what projects you take on, everything!
Feeling overwhelmed? It’s okay.
This stuff takes work. The reward is HUGE.
A knockout USP cuts through the noise like a hot knife through butter. You’ll never be just another option again.
Here’s how to make it happen
- Journal time: No idea is too crazy, just put pen to paper and see what bubbles up.
- Honest feedback loop: Find someone who tells it to you straight to bounce your USP ideas off.
- Numbers are your friend: Track what works, ditch what doesn’t. It’s okay to refine as you go.
Your USP is the key to feeling totally fired up about your business, attracting the dream clients you love working with, and growing fearlessly.
Don’t wait. Let’s make it happen!
Stay awesome,
Tim
P.S. Questions or comments? Reply via email.
P.P.S. Want to start and grow an online business on YOUR terms?