A USP is the Most Important element of brand communication

The key to any successful business is to have something people want (why did you start the business, what need was not being met?).

Once convinced you have something different, you then need to position your key and single most important difference…… and place this USP directly below your logo or company name, everywhere it appears.

Not telling consumers whenever they see your business/brand name what makes you/your offering special…… when compared to your competition is like “forgetting to put bait on your hook, when you go fishing”.

Virtually every business/owner wants to be all things to all people, jumping at every opportunity or niche that presents itself. Unfortunately, there is no more effective recipe for disaster/failure and which will prevent you from working smart first.

If you are everything… then you are nothing!

Buyers of your service will never remember what you stand for if there is not one clear concise thing that you represent. Why should they spend their hard-earned money on your product (when they have a perfectly good solution NOW!

While it is the single, hardest rule to follow ……IT is the most IMPORTANT!

The USP was developed in the early days of modern advertising by Rosser Reeves, who created and oversaw some of the best advertising which still resonates today. A USP is NOT a tagline that you change every few years. IT is a clear, concise communication about your product or brand and it triples the value of your offering EVERYWHERE your logo appears.

Some of the best examples of Long Term and memorable USP’s include:

M&M’s “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands”

Hertz “We put you in the driver’s seat”

Avis. “We’re number two. …”We try Harder”

FedEx Corporation. “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”

DeBeers. “A diamond is forever”

PROCESS:
How to create a meaningful USP?

Do so by answering:

What makes you different from your competitors?
Does this difference matter to potential customers?

Write as many lines as you feel are applicable NO more than 8 -10 words in length.

Involve your current consumers (they’ll love being asked for their opinion) as to what they think and why. Bounce it off family and friends how they interpret your “Point of Difference” and why they would buy from you. Refine your wording and retest it with others, until in as few words as possible it clearly communicates your benefit convincingly.

If you need to try and explain to people why…… then it needs more work because real consumers will never wait for an explanation.

This is an investment of time and effort that will return double-digit dividends for the life of your product or business.

Your USP is the concrete foundation upon which to build your business, simply because it tells potential buyers what you do best, wherever your brand/company name or logo appear.

If your product is perceived as too pricey, your USP helps to enhance the value (and avoiding the need to discount).

Once created, your Brand Name or Logo must NEVER AGAIN appear nude. It always stands with the USP.

If you spend time making sure that this is meaningful to your consumers, they will begin to buy, but only if…….You read the lesson teaching the importance of…..