The term Unique Selling Proposition (USP) was first described more than 50 years ago, in the classic book by Rosser Reeves, Reality in Advertising. While given much lip service, the concept of USP is seldom understood or executed well. Reeves said that your USP must meet three criteria to be complete and powerful
It must say to your consumer; Buy this and you will receive this specific benefit.
Your USP must be one that your competition does not, or cannot, offer.
It must be strong enough to attract new customers to you.
Your USP is the foundation for your marketing and advertising efforts. It is your unique advantage you use to sell your business. Your USP should be so strong and memorable that it will both distinguish you from your competitors and attract new business. It should also be memorable enough to generate word of mouth to drive referrals.
Most businesses don’t have a USP and therefore they don’t ever build a strong marketing program on a secure foundation. Instead they bounce from idea to idea without a consistent theme! In fact, I’ve had new clients who have proudly showed me the twenty different ads they had run over the last five years – each touting something different! This approach wastes lots of time, lots of money, and a great deal of effort!
What comes to mind when you hear Domino’s Pizza?
“Domino’s delivers in 30 minutes or less.” That was their unique selling proposition and it fueled one of the most rapid business success stories ever. Domino’s wasn’t really selling pizza, what they were selling was fast delivery. There are hundreds of different chains around the country that sell pizza. But when you think of Domino’s, you think: Domino’s delivers in 30 minutes or less. You might be interested to know that those ads haven’t run in over two decades, since a driver was killed trying to get his pizza delivered on time! Yet the 30-minutes-or-less perception remains!
The same is true in the shipping business. There’s UPS, there’s the US Postal Service, Airborne Express, and a host of other services that claim to get your package delivered directly to your customer, across the country, overnight. But when you absolutely, positively must have it there overnight, whom would you use? If you said the Post Office, move to the back of the class! (They lose 100,000 packages a day!)
If you absolutely, positively must have it there overnight, the only company to use is FedEx. That perception has survived even through their name change from Federal Express. They have a legendary reputation for fast and reliable delivery and practically own the word “overnight.” You must do the same–own a concept in your market that defines what your business is all about. This will attract people to you like a magnet!
What benefit or word does your business want to own in the minds of your customer?
Working with a cosmetic dentist on his USP. He’s a big direct response guy but does not have a USP he’s happy with. He understands the concept.
He’ll have one soon.
This blog helps.
Cheers.
Working on a USP for a cosmetic dentist right now…interesting…especially because the state association doesn’t want dentists to market themselves…or so it seems.