Rick Osbourne…Rick Osbourne…• Managing EditorManaging Editor• Editor at LargeEditor at Large• CopywriterCopywriter• FreelancerFreelancer• Professional Professional WordWordslingerslinger• And…A Hired PenAnd…A Hired Pen

The Top 10 Characteristics of a… The Top 10 Characteristics of a… “Unique Selling Proposition”“Unique Selling Proposition”

Marketing Guru Al Robinson Marketing Guru Al Robinson Says…Says…• ““A USP is a A USP is a Deep Seeded Identity Deep Seeded Identity

CheckCheck to see how well you to see how well you understand your customer, your understand your customer, your business, and the position of your business, and the position of your business within the market in which business within the market in which you’re competing.”you’re competing.”

Al Rob Continues…Al Rob Continues…• ““It’s an attempt to understand your It’s an attempt to understand your

business so well that, given the opportunity, business so well that, given the opportunity, you can tell any listener exactly who you you can tell any listener exactly who you are, and what you do, in such a way that are, and what you do, in such a way that they can’t help but want to know morethey can’t help but want to know more about you and your business.”about you and your business.”

• So it’s usually not easy or on the surface. So it’s usually not easy or on the surface. You have to dig for it.You have to dig for it.

In Short, A USP Is A Very In Short, A USP Is A Very Special Way To Answer The Special Way To Answer The Question…Question…

•What Do You Do For A What Do You Do For A Living?Living?

Dalton McCrary…Dalton McCrary…• Dalton’s Guaranteed Straight Shootin’ Dalton’s Guaranteed Straight Shootin’

GolfGolf

• ““I Teach People How To Hit a Golf Ball I Teach People How To Hit a Golf Ball as Straight as They Can Pointas Straight as They Can Point, or the , or the Lesson’s Lesson’s FREEFREE, and I Give Them , and I Give Them $25 For Wasting Their Time…”$25 For Wasting Their Time…”

1. What a USP is NOT!1. What a USP is NOT!• Mission StatementMission Statement• Meaningless SloganMeaningless Slogan• Sales PitchSales Pitch• We’re the biggest, We’re the biggest, • We’re the best, We’re the best, • We’ve been in We’ve been in

business the longest business the longest • We care the most…We care the most…

The “Who Cares” Test…The “Who Cares” Test…• Try Your USP on AnyoneTry Your USP on Anyone

• If They Answer “Who Cares?”If They Answer “Who Cares?”

• It’s NOT A USP!!!It’s NOT A USP!!!

2. A USP Distinguishes 2. A USP Distinguishes You…You…• Makes You Stand Out Makes You Stand Out

From the PackFrom the Pack

• Raises the Bar to a Raises the Bar to a Level Only You Can Level Only You Can ReachReach

• Puts You in a League of Puts You in a League of Your OwnYour Own

• And a USP Helps You And a USP Helps You Achieve Your GoalsAchieve Your Goals

3. A USP is Short and 3. A USP is Short and Sweet…Sweet…• It SummarizesIt Summarizes

• It’s the Headline in a It’s the Headline in a Feature StoryFeature Story

• It Grabs People’s It Grabs People’s AttentionAttention

• Stops Them in Their Stops Them in Their TracksTracks

4. And Causes Reactions 4. And Causes Reactions Like…Like…• How do you do that?How do you do that?• Tell me more.Tell me more.• How can I get more How can I get more

info on that?info on that?• What’s your web What’s your web

site?site?• What does your What does your

schedule look like?schedule look like?• Can I make an Can I make an

appointment…NOW?appointment…NOW?

5. A USP Focuses On…5. A USP Focuses On…• A Customer’s A Customer’s WANTSWANTS, A , A

Customer’s Customer’s DESIRESDESIRES……

• Not His Not His NEEDSNEEDS

• Find Out What a Find Out What a Customer Customer WantsWants

• And Get it for ThemAnd Get it for Them

6. A USP Translates…6. A USP Translates…• Features Into…Features Into…• BENEFITS!!!!BENEFITS!!!!

• Answers the Answers the QuestionQuestion

• What’s In It For Me?What’s In It For Me?

• Ponds…For ExamplePonds…For Example

7. Marketing Guru Dan 7. Marketing Guru Dan Kennedy…Kennedy…• A USP answers the question “Why A USP answers the question “Why

should I choose to do business with should I choose to do business with you, over all the other choices I have, you, over all the other choices I have, which includes the choice of doing which includes the choice of doing nothing at all?”nothing at all?”

• ……QUICKLY!QUICKLY!

Guess Who’s USP…a Quick Guess Who’s USP…a Quick TestTest• We deliver fresh hot pizza to your door We deliver fresh hot pizza to your door

in thirty minutes or less, or the pizza’s in thirty minutes or less, or the pizza’s FREE!FREE!

• If it absolutely, positively has to get If it absolutely, positively has to get there overnight…there overnight…

• We Always Sell For Less.We Always Sell For Less.• We Immunize kids against obesity for a We Immunize kids against obesity for a

lifetime without pills, shots, or diets.lifetime without pills, shots, or diets.

8. A USP is Flexible…8. A USP is Flexible…• Lends itself to RepackagingLends itself to Repackaging

• And can be Repeated Over and OverAnd can be Repeated Over and Over

• Hammering Your Message HomeHammering Your Message Home

• So it’s REMEMBERED by your customersSo it’s REMEMBERED by your customers

9. Challenges 9. Challenges AnyoneAnyone to Match to Match It!It!• It’s OK to be OUTRAGIOUS, But…It’s OK to be OUTRAGIOUS, But…

• You’d better be able to back it up!You’d better be able to back it up!

• It doesn’t just COMPETE (we’re the It doesn’t just COMPETE (we’re the best), it Eliminates (we’re the best), it Eliminates (we’re the onlyonly)…)…

10. Marketing Guru Jeff 10. Marketing Guru Jeff Paul…Paul…““We’re not only We’re not only

the best at the best at what we do, what we do, but we’re the but we’re the ONLY ONES ONLY ONES who________ .who________ .

Example # 1Example # 1• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who’s IPPCA (NAPP, or CAC) Certified.who’s IPPCA (NAPP, or CAC) Certified.

Example # 2Example # 2• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who offers a no hassle, money back who offers a no hassle, money back guarantee on guarantee on all our workall our work!!

Example # 3Example # 3• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who concentrates 100% on Pond who concentrates 100% on Pond Building.Building.

Example # 4Example # 4• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who supports local education with an who supports local education with an annual Ponds for Kids event at a local annual Ponds for Kids event at a local school.school.

Example # 5Example # 5• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who hosts a local water gardening who hosts a local water gardening club where our customers network club where our customers network with other pond enthusiasts and with other pond enthusiasts and grow their knowledge.grow their knowledge.

Example # 6Example # 6• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who who charges a consultation fee.charges a consultation fee. You You see, we’re pond pros, not amateurs.see, we’re pond pros, not amateurs.

Example # 7Example # 7• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who offers a POND SITTING SERVICE who offers a POND SITTING SERVICE when you go on vacation.when you go on vacation.

Example # 8Example # 8• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who keeps our clients up to date and who keeps our clients up to date and informed with a monthly newsletter.informed with a monthly newsletter.

Example # 9Example # 9• We’re not just the best pond builder We’re not just the best pond builder

in town, but we’re the in town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder builder who stays current by attending pond who stays current by attending pond classes every year.classes every year.

Example # 10Example # 10

• We’re not just the best pond builder in We’re not just the best pond builder in town, but we’re the town, but we’re the ONLYONLY builder who builder who does a BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS Every does a BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS Every Week, So You Know We’ll Be Around Next Week, So You Know We’ll Be Around Next Year and the Year After to Make Sure You Year and the Year After to Make Sure You Have What Ever You Need for Your Pond!Have What Ever You Need for Your Pond!

What If I Can’t Think Of Any What If I Can’t Think Of Any USPs?USPs?• STEAL One or More of the Ones STEAL One or More of the Ones

We’ve Listed Here and Make ‘Em We’ve Listed Here and Make ‘Em Your OwnYour Own

• Then Tell Your Customers About ‘EmThen Tell Your Customers About ‘Em• Over and Over AgainOver and Over Again• So They Know Precisely What Sets So They Know Precisely What Sets

You Apart From the Rest of the Pack. You Apart From the Rest of the Pack.

How About More Than One?How About More Than One?• The More the MerrierThe More the Merrier

• It’s It’s ImpossibleImpossible to have too many USP’s to have too many USP’s

• List them out and blow your clients awayList them out and blow your clients away

• Build Your Marketing Around ThemBuild Your Marketing Around Them

Example ######## YOUExample ######## YOU• Audience Examples…Let’s hear from Audience Examples…Let’s hear from

YOU!YOU!