What's In It For Me? A Fresh Look At The USP Of Your Business
By Sandi Krakowski
Beginning business builders have a soft spot in my heart. I remember how it was to work my way through the guesswork, the systems and the tasks of every single day in my new business. Managing a family, homeschooling my children and just the everyday activities that go with these two things put me in a position where decisions had to be made quickly or I would fail.
To many this might sound like a risk but it actually proved to be very valuable in my career of building businesses. Being forced to make quick decisions, act on what I could and aim later was a normal way of doing business. It wasn't until Michael Masterson stated that the "Ready Fire Aim" approach was how millionaires operated that I realized I might know a few things about business. Previously I just thought it was a case of "Mommy ADD" and I just had to wing it.
But guessing and firing without knowledge isn't the best way to build a business. Especially when it comes to basic marketing skills and understanding how to create attention and response for your products or services.
As I work with clients in businesses ranging from start up (less than $ 50,000 in profits) to those more accomplished ( more than $ 2 million in profits) it has become very apparent to me that many people struggle with the idea of a Unique Selling Proposition. Some businesses are actually operating with one that don't even have a clue they are doing so well. Others think they are doing great with their USP and are sorely mistaken.
How do you find a USP anyways?
A Unique Selling Proposition is something that makes copy convert better, traffic stay longer and deeper relationships are made within your client base. It is what sets you apart from every other company online. The USP of your company and product is what can cause it to go viral very quickly or… remain dormant forever.
Here's an example: Let's say you market a weight loss product that literally changes the way the body works thus causing pounds to drop off more quickly. Furthermore, when you've had this product tested by over 100 people it was quite obvious that no matter who took it, the results were always astounding.
If your marketing pointed towards fast weight loss, a smaller tummy and a tighter buttocks you might sell a couple hundred or even thousands of products. However, if your USP was that your product is the only one on the market that does not demand you eat a low sugar diet and it is easy to follow AND tastes great, you now have a nice USP and a million dollar marketing plan.
Let's look at how you get there.
What does your product or service do for me, the customer. "What is IN it for me?" is what everyone is asking before they make a purchase. GIVE ME the benefits.
Here they are:
1. You don't have to follow a low glycemic diet to lose weight any longer
2. You can eat your cake and still lose weight too
3. Losing weight happens even if you're in menopause, have a health challenge or have never succeeded in losing weight before
Now… .let's craft a killer USP that no one can refuse. This will lead to your OFFER.
"Even if you've failed every diet known to man- this is the last program you'll ever follow!"
And……This is the program that unanimously, every person who tried it lost weight on. Without starving the body of foods that taste good, sugar or sweets.
Going far beyond just simple weight loss, trimmer waistline and a tighter booty you now have a USP that would be hard to beat.
Marketing 101 says you must have the 4 U's to succeed:
Unique
Ultra- Specific
Unbeatable Proof
Unable to Resist
In your sales copy, your emails, your Facebook posts and your tweets tell me what is so unique. When you write out the landing page give me everything you've got that shows me it's ultra-specific and I can't find this kind of product at Walmart or Target. Hammer me with bullets and bullets of testimonials and raving results. Then offer me something I can't refuse like a 120 day trial or my money back AND free shipping.
This is the making of an amazing marketing campaign. It's also one of my laser-sharp tools that I use when helping a company or client re-craft their message, offer and their sales copy.
Guess what? It works every single time.
Clients have hired me to come to their place of business or their office and spend an entire day going through their USP, their sales copy, their current conversion, their marketing channels and everything they are using to build their business.
We don't spend an entire day talking about their header in WordPress, their email program or their fonts and colors on the page. These are secondary issues.
We hit it hard at my "VIP Day With Sandi" what really produces cold hard cash.
As you build your website and you learn how to work your way through WordPress please remember this simple fact that I learned from my good friend Rich Schefren of Strategic Profits –
"Your HOW ( the systems, processes and technical sides of business) don't matter at all if you haven't gotten the WHAT down pat yet."
This is the key to your WHAT. Find it…. and you'll slam dunk the competition and never be begging for bread again.
And now…. you can do it yourself! Have a great time finding your USP…. it will pay you handsomely if you do.
Sandi Krakowski spent 6 years in the Direct Sales industry building a $ 4 million dollar company that was run 100% online through eCommerce, building large sales forces in network marketing and home business industries. After earning $ 1.8 million dollars in a home based business market in 31 months, she went onto build a 7-figure marketing and copywriting firm in just 20 months. Currently she runs one of the fastest growing training venues teaching beginners to experts how to really use the internet to it's fullest capacity.
