How To Establish Your Unique Selling Points (USP) For Your Small Business

The first step in establishing your unconventional marketing success is to determine your “Unique Selling Points” (USP). This is what makes your small business special or different from everyone one else.

It answers the question of, “Why should I do business with you over all your competitors?”

It’s OK if you don’t know what your USP is right now. I will help you determine what your USP will be. But for now I want you to fully understand how powerful a USP can be and that you must have one.

If you think your USP is “I have better prices than everyone else,” or “I have 20 years experience,” or “I am an honest ethical person,” that is what all your competitors are saying so it does not make you unique, it makes you the same.

Let’s determine what your USP is. OK?

What makes you DIFFERENT from all your competitors? List them here. Remember lower price, years of experience, or you’re a great ethical person are no good because that is what everyone is saying. What about your location, your employees, your hours of operation, or the way you do things, etc.

Let me give you a few examples so you get the idea and then you can create your own.

Here is an example of an USP:

“Turn-Key Marketing Systems for Small Business Owners with Limited Time, Money, and Computer Skills”

Here’s one for a hair salon:

“The Exact Hair Color You Want Or Your Money Back!”

Here’s one for a pizza shop:

“Fresh, Hot Pizza Delivered To Your Doorstep In Less Than 30-Minutes, Or It’s FREE”

Another for an insurance agent:

“The Exact Complete Coverage You Need With The Most Responsive Customer Service Ever”

How about for an auto repair shop:

“The Same Honest and Friendly Service As A Dealer Without The High Cost”

Here’s one for a TV repair shop:

“Guaranteed to FIX Your TV in 48 Hours or It Costs You Nothing”

Why is having a good USP so important?

Because if you do NOT give people the criteria for what makes you different, what makes you special, what makes you better, then they will think you are the same as all your competitors and then they have no other option but to just compare you based on price. And when you start lowering your price to compete this directly comes off your PROFITS and then you start lowering your quality and it’s a downward spiral from there.

Warning! I see small businesses trying to be “all things to all people” instead of being specific on what they offer. A lot of times business owners don’t think the market is big enough for the one, two or three things they do very well so they add other things. Now what happens is they diversify so much that their marketing message gets fuzzy (people don’t know really what you do) which causes you to lose all the power in your marketing.

You are most likely very good at the products and services you offer; now all you have to do is get very good at marketing them. There are plenty of potential clients who are in your specific market.