How to make a USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

A unique selling proposition is a must-have marketing tool that helps a customer make a purchase decision. In this article, we will analyze what it is and how to compose it correctly.

What does USP mean, and why is it the essential marketing tool?

Unique Selling Proposition, or USP, distinguishes a particular company or product from similar offers on the market. This is the main competitive advantage. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to find a unique niche. Even if you plan to sell goods or services that have never been on the market before, be sure that analogs or new sellers will appear quickly enough. To differentiate yourself from the competition, you need to find an additional feature of your company and include it in your unique selling proposition.

How the USP differs from the offer

USP is the main benefit of the product or company that the user can always contact you. An offer is also an attractive offer, but it has some limitations, usually by time. Companies initially think over a unique selling proposition for their business, often incorporating it into the goods or services themselves. Therefore, it may not change for a long time, always accompanying the product and creating an associative array with it. USP is often used in advertising slogans, is remembered for many years, and firmly “sticks” to the company. Like M & M’s, which melts in the mouth, not in the heat. The more offers marketers manage to create, the greater the chances of increasing sales. They need to be supplemented, changed, and combined. This marketing tool is perfect for seasonal use, launching a new product, or, conversely, clearing the warehouse of unwanted goods. Be sure to create a powerful USP and periodically supplement it with various types of offers. The business will benefit from the analytical work with the target audience. So, we have answered the question: what is USP. Now we will tell you how to compose it to attract the attention of users.

The first stage of developing a unique selling proposition

The development of a USP consists of two essential stages: preparation and the writing process itself. First, we will consider what kind of information about the company needs to be collected.

1.Target audience

There is no such product that would be of interest to absolutely everyone. Therefore, you need to understand precisely for whom your proposal has the most significant value. Second, examine the characteristics, needs, and possible doubts of potential customers. The content of the USP will depend on them.

2.Problem solving

You already know your target audience and the problems that bother them. Now you need to figure out how your product can solve them. Here are some examples of how to make a USP based on solving a problem:

• The company sells holistic feed. The target audience is not all pet owners. We are interested in precisely those whose dogs and cats have health problems and need a special diet. The problem is that the pet needs a special diet, the owner, not being a veterinarian, cannot find the right food. Solution: You can help you choose the right food for your type of illness, save time and money while maintaining your pet’s health.
• For a second example, consider a premium maternity clothing store. We know its target audience. We are looking for a problem – this is the inability to look beautiful and feel comfortable in any environment. We offer the solution: work with the best fashion designers globally and chose collections for expectant mothers for any occasion.

3.The uniqueness

USP will only work at total capacity when the exclusive feature of your company is incorporated into it. It should focus on a specific target audience and solve a particular problem and be one of a kind.

• Many people sell holistic food, but only on your website, can a convenient classification and selection system be developed by breed, disease, animal weight, and other vital parameters. Or only you can offer a free online veterinarian consultation.
• Maternity clothing is sold in many stores, but only you can offer the most sophisticated haute couture outfits with delivery on the same day and fitting before payment. And this will be an essential distinctive feature because an invitation to a holiday can come unexpectedly to a future mother. All the information you need has been collected. So let’s move on to creating a genuinely catchy USP that will become your primary competitive weapon.

How to Formulate a Unique Selling Proposition: Stage Two

Does Size Matter?

The USP is often confused with an advertising slogan, and it is believed that it must be short. But this is not true. There is no volume limit. It all depends on the product, the uniqueness that distinguishes it, the characteristics of the target audience.

If it is impossible to put important information in one short phrase, we recommend breaking it into several. First, place the main idea in the heading, and make some details and necessary additions in a short text.

Formulas for creating a USP

Consider the 5 most popular and effective formulas for creating a unique selling proposition.

1. Problem – solution – benefit – action. Here you show that the target audience’s pain is understandable, you can help her, and you are ready to offer special conditions. And for all this, the user only needs to take one step. The USP created according to this formula ends with a call to action, which enhances the effect and increases conversion.
2. A need – a solution – a guarantee. USP attracts the attention of a particular group of people who, at the time of visiting the site, already need (for example, to purchase medicines or food). Your proposal solves it. A reinforcing factor will guarantee the result: delivery on time, fixed price, refund, etc.
3. Target audience – problem – solution – benefit. Such USP at the beginning distinguishes a specific group of people. As a result, the site visitor realizes that he is exactly where he needs to be. And this increases the level of loyalty of a potential client. Further, the understanding of the problem is confirmed, creating an expert image for the seller. The solution looks quite obvious, and the emphasized benefit “brings it up to standard.”
4. Product (solution) – benefit clarification – need. This formula ends with a problem definition, emphasizing its importance for the company. The solution or product itself is ranked first. After that, the feature of the proposal is deciphered, which distinguishes it from all the others. “An apartment in installments up to 3 years without a guarantee and income certificates in 3 days”, where the apartment is a product of the company, in installments up to 3 years – clarification of benefits, the absence of certificates and guarantees, plus urgency – a real need of the target audience.
5. Problem – Solution – Trigger. In this formula, the emphasis is on the motivating factor that emotionally induces the implementation of the target action. A marketing trigger is a “trigger” that pushes the user to buy, subscribe, repost, go to a site page, etc.

Common mistakes when creating USP

The popularity of this marketing tool does not exclude making mistakes, which, alas, often occur. Let’s take a look at the main and most significant ones.

When working with USP, you must not:

• deceive users. If you designate a solution, benefit, or guarantee, you must provide it. Your proposal will stand out from others.
• refuse to check and analyze USP is not a temporary phenomenon. It will accompany your business for a long time. Try a few options first and analyze user reactions. The best option will turn into the main selling proposition of the company.
• give out as a benefit what the user will receive in any case. For example, if the law provides for the return of an inappropriate or inappropriate product at the client’s request within a certain period, this condition cannot be USP. The promise of no animal cholesterol in plant foods also cannot be used as a USP.
• use everyday phrases. USP should be clear and understandable. Phrases like “the best solution for any woman” or “the perfect proposal for one and all” will not work. Such formulations initially do not say anything and look like a clear exaggeration.
• use terms that are not clear to the target audience. There is no need to simplify, reach everyone, or complicate, hoping to appear more intelligent. It is necessary to work with a specific target audience and speak with it exclusively in its language.

Conclusions

So pay attention to building a suitable USP to get the most out of your business. It can justify even a high price, making it a competitive advantage.