Unique Selling Proposition Template - How to Create Your USP

Marketing 101 tells us to identify our target market and tailor our marketing efforts to them. But the target market is only part of the equation. You are the other part. What is it about YOU that will appeal to your target market? This article provides a Unique Selling Proposition Template to help you answer that very question.

Remember that in attraction marketing, you're providing content that is valuable to your target market so they will be attracted to you. If you break that down, there are three pieces of the puzzle:

1. Your target market
2. Your content, and
3. YOU.

In this article, I'm going to focus on the third element. Just a quick word on the first two points though. You need to identify who your target market is and what their needs, challenges, desires and goals are. That will help you create content that is of value to them. You might think you know who your target market is, but too often we think too broadly. We're so afraid that if our target market is too narrow, we'll leave money on the table. In fact, it is the exact opposite and you will actually be more successful the more targeted you are.

Now, let's talk about YOU.

What is Unique About You?

What is unique about what you have to offer? Maybe you have experience in a specific industry. Maybe you offer a service that is unique, or you have a different spin on the type of work you do.
 
Identifying what is unique about you and your offering is the key to identifying your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

 
Before you get intimidated, remember two key things:
 

1. What you have to offer doesn’t have to be revolutionary, but it has to be compelling.
2. Your unique offering doesn’t have to be compelling to everyone, it just has to be compelling to your target market.

What is a USP?

Your USP is a sentence or phrase that identifies what sets you apart and makes you special. It is the soul of your business and what distinguishes you from your competitors. It is also a branding strategy that should be communicated in all your marketing efforts such as an ad, a postcard, or web site.

It is the answer you give when someone asks "Why should I buy from you?" The ultimate goal of your USP is to have people say... "Oh yeah, I've heard of you. You're the one who..."

What are the benefits of identifying your USP? 

• It gives you prospective customers a reason to do business with you rather than your competitors
• It can help make your marketing much easier and more effective
• It gives you the focus you need to dominate a market niche.

Here are some good examples of products with a clear USP

• Domino's Pizza: "You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free."
• Head & Shoulders: "You get rid of dandruff"
• Olay: "You get younger-looking skin"
• M&M's: "The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand"
• Wonder Bread: "Wonder Bread Helps Build Strong Bodies 12 Ways"
• Federal Express: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”

Unique Selling Proposition Template

To develop your USP, put yourself in your target market's position. What is important to your potential customer? What would be a compelling reason for them to buy from you vs. your competition?

Here are 12 steps to follow to help you:

1. What benefits does your product or service offer? (keep in mind that benefits are all about how the product adds value for customers. This is different than features which describe the product. For instance, a money-back guarantee is a feature, and the corresponding benefit is that the customer doesn't take on any financial risk when buying your product).
2. How does your product or service help solve your target market's problem?
3. How do your benefits outweigh what the competition offers? Which benefits are the most difficult for your competitors to imitate?
4. Which benefits are the most important to your customers. These are the ones you should focus on in your USP.
5. What are the greatest challenges your target market is experiencing and which of their needs are unfulfilled? What voids or typical complaints do clients have about businesses in your industry or service area? List as many as you can, aiming for a minimum of 10.
6. What would be a client’s perfect product or service in your industry?
7. Write a draft paragraph describing your USP, including the the client’s problem you are solving, your unique solution and the benefit the client will receive.
8. Look at two or three of your competitors. Write a sentence that describes their USP, i.e. their unique offering. How does it differ from yours?
9. Ask some of your clients what they like best about your business solutions? What words do they use to describe the benefits they achieve from your business?
10. Think outside the box and look at other industries. Are there innovations in other industries that you could apply to your business?
11. Now rewrite your USP. Make sure you use clear, powerful language. Make each word count. Write this in paragraph form and also in a shorter one sentence version that can be easily repeated.
12. Once you have developed your USP and are happy with it, incorporate it in all your marketing material, both offline and online.

Keep in mind that you can’t be all things to all people. In fact, you don't want to. The best thing is find a niche or a segment of the market that you can thrive in because of the unique benefits you offer. Remember, focus is power!

About the Author

Cindy Schulson helps solo entrepreneurs identify and attract their ideal niche so they can market themselves authentically and effectively. 

Get a copy of her FREE report, "Ten Steps to Finding and Attracting Your Ideal Niche".

As a member of the International Coach Academy and Coaching Cognition, Cindy Schulson brings both coaching experience and over 20 years of business experience to help you build a successful business.