Developing Unique Selling Propositions

Why should someone buy from you instead of your competitor? That is one of the fundamental questions you need to answer about your business, because it should permeate your marketing efforts.

To visualize different unique selling propositions, it is easy to turn to the car industry. What is the first thought that pops into your mind as you read this list of cars?

• Porsche
• BMW
• Ferrari
• Lexus
• Subaru
• Volvo

Lexus, BMW, Porsche, and Ferrari are all luxury cars that will make a serious dent in your wallet. However, even among these cars differences exist in their unique selling propositions (USPs). A Porsche can be driven off a lot and raced that same day. A Ferrari is a status symbol that stands out wherever it is seen. A BMW is a German-engineered luxury driving machine. Lexus is the pursuit of driving perfection.

Volvos often tout their safety record, while a Subaru is great for all-weather driving. That does not mean a Subaru is not a safe car or that a Volvo cannot drive well in the snow. These are marketing statements that are top-of-mind to consumers when they consider which cars to purchase.

These are extreme scenarios dealing with companies who have many years and billions of dollars behind their marketing efforts, but any business can come up with something unique about their particular company. You can find anything at eBay. You can compare insurance quotes from competitors at Progressive. Customize your new computer at Dell. Zappos is powered by service.

If you are unsure of what your USP should be, you can test this through AdWords ads. Create several different ads with different USPs and see which ones gather the highest CTR and conversion rates on your website. (For full details on testing ad copy, please refer to Chapter 15.)

If you are a local company that advertises against national companies, your USP may include the fact that your business is local and someone can walk into your office or easily call and talk to a human.

By choosing a USP that is core to your business, it is easier to make decisions about how to position yourself in the marketplace. The USP also makes for a good line of ad copy because it showcases why someone would want to do business with your company. Do not blend into the crowd. Stand apart by showcasing your company’s uniqueness.