When starting a business, its USP is one factor that can make it or break it.
So, it’s super-important to maximize the use of a unique selling proposition in your marketing strategy.
However, before you start the implementation, it’s essential to know every aspect of creating a USP for your business. Therefore, in this post, I’ll explain everything about USP and how you can create a Good USP to grow your business tenfold. Let’s get started:
What is a USP?
A unique selling proposition (USP) is a marketing concept that describes the principle behind a firm’s product or service that sets them apart from the competition. These are not just products, services, features, and benefits your business offers but also why your business exists. In other words, they’re the things that make you stand out from the crowd.
For instance, let’s say you sell TVs in your store. Your USPs may include:
Location – Your store is near downtown, in an area full of apartments where people frequently move in and out — so you can offer to deliver TVs whenever people need them.
Price – You’re willing to compete on price because you get good deals on TVs elsewhere — so you can offer lower prices than anywhere else in town.
Selection – You have more TV brands than any other local retailer — so customers who want something specific will always be able to find it at your store.
How to write a good USP
Many things can be described as “unique.” “Authentic” is in the same category. However, if you want to stand out and appeal to an increasingly niche market, these words may not get you noticed.
We’ve all heard the term “unique selling proposition,” or USP for short: it’s something your company uses to describe its one-of-a-kind value proposition to prospective customers, usually written on signs in doctors’ waiting rooms around the country. The example above works well because it combines two crucial elements:
- It’s a unique phrase, which is often hard to come by in writing;
- It’s specific—it tells readers exactly what your business does better than anyone else.
To be clear, this particular USP isn’t enough by itself. You still have to show why you’re different from everyone else and how you’ll help customers solve problems.
What should an eCommerce owner consider when developing a USP?
The process of developing a unique selling proposition can happen in three steps:
- Identify what makes your business unique. This includes everything from the products you sell, your brand history, the experience you provide customers, and anything else that sets you apart from your competitors.
- Understand what’s most appealing about your business to your target audience. Your USP should be focused on a benefit that will resonate with them, so consider their wants and needs when thinking about what makes you stand out.
- Ask yourself: what is my target audience looking for? Essentially this is just another way of getting at Step 2 above—what problem are they facing, and how can I help solve it? Once you have the problem defined, determine how your product or service solves it better than any other solution on the market (because if it doesn’t, you don’t have a USP).
How does a unique selling proposition help with SEO?
Your USP, or unique selling proposition, is what you offer that no one else can. It’s a statement that allows your customers to understand why they should choose you over the competition, and it can be highly effective in helping you stand out from the crowd.
When writing your blog posts and other website content, you’ll want to keep this in mind because it will help when creating content to catch users’ eyes and search engines. Once you find your brand’s voice, stick with it. Consistency is vital for SEO from an authority standpoint.
A unique selling proposition also helps SEO by giving you keywords to work within your title tag and meta description—the main focus areas for crawlers like Googlebot when determining what your page is about (and if it should rank high on SERPs). There are several ways to incorporate keywords into these elements without sounding awkward or forced:
- Headlines should be engaging but not misleading (clickbait)
- Meta descriptions should accurately describe what users will find on the web page
Where should a USP go on a website?
Your unique selling proposition should be on every page of your website. Not in a box on the left or hidden away at the bottom. In a visible position above the fold and on every page. This ensures visitors will come across it no matter where they enter your website and makes it an essential part of your overall brand message. Of course, this is easy to say, but how do you implement it?
Firstly, make sure your USP is short, to the point, and crystal clear. If you want to keep it above the fold with all of these other things in mind, you need to keep it simple! A long-winded paragraph that gives away too much information isn’t going to work here; ideally, aim for three words or less if possible (e.g., Harley Davidson: “The original American motorcycle company.”)
Once you have sorted out your USP, make sure it’s easy for users to see and read: large enough not to miss without being overpowering; use appropriate colors; don’t bury it among content, so users have to hunt for it. It’s also essential that visitors understand what sets you apart from competitors within 5 seconds of landing on your page – don’t leave them scratching their heads! And finally, make sure they can remember what sets you apart from competitors after navigating away from your site, so think about how memorable those few words are!
Is there a way to test the effectiveness of your USP?
Yes, there are ways to test the effectiveness of your USP. One way is to run A/B tests on your landing page, homepage, and other important pages of your website to see which version (A or B) is most effective at promoting your USP. You can also test it out by sending surveys to your customers and asking them what they think of your business. If you receive a lot of positive feedback on how unique you are compared to other similar companies, then there’s a good chance your USP is working well.
Concluding Lines
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a clear statement that explains how your business, product, or service is different from the competition. Your USP can be an essential part of your brand positioning in the marketplace. It will also differentiate you from similar businesses and encourage buyers to choose you instead of your competitors.
Your USP should include:
- The benefits customers receive as a result of using your business’s product or service
- The reason customers should choose your business over another company’s products or services.
It’s recommended that you spend some time creating a list of all the reasons why people would want to buy from you, then use this list to help you create a USP for your business.
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