How to Develop Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Do you know what your unique selling proposition is? Do you have one?

Knowing how to develop your unique selling proposition (USP) will help you speak to your ideal market, boosting company awareness and ultimately sales! Often an effective USP can be summed up in a brand tagline. Knowing how to develop a brand tagline that speaks to your ideal audience will help with market positioning, brand visibility and promotion.

Ideally a brand should help position you as the leader in your field, the go-to knowledgeable expert or the company having the best product/service. The goal is to be at the forefront of your ideal client’s mind.

That’s a bit easier to do if you are the only one, or the first to offer a particular product or service. Think of the brand names that have become synonymous with their role: Kleenex, Coke, Scotch tape.

But what if you’re not the only one or the even first one? How do you compete and capitalize with ‘first to market brands’? That’s where your USP comes into play.

How to Develop a Brand Tagline – Know your USP

The tag line is your Unique Selling proposition or USP. It’s based on the idea that every product has something unique about it so the goal is to highlight that uniqueness in order to make the brand stand out. Think of it as your ‘brand promise’. Your USP is an essential part of brand positioning, which is vital to marketing!

Positioning sets a brand apart from others in the same industry. The USP can ‘position’ a company or individual as the stand-alone expert thus catapulting brand awareness.

Take a look at the tag line’s or brand promise of these top companies:

Walmart – The low price leader
Target – Expect more, pay less
Nike – Just do it
BMW – The ultimate driving machine
CarMax – The way car buying should be
Verizon – Can you hear me now?

How to develop a brand tagline: know your target market

So how can you compete with the catchy brands of the big boys? First get a clear understanding of your target market. This is key; most new business owners don’t take the time to truly understand their ideal client. Knowing your target market will enable you to highlight your Unique Selling Proposition and position yourself in a way that speaks to that market.

Start by asking yourself the following questions:

What sets you apart from everyone else in your industry?
Why would people buy from you?
What can you offer that is uniquely yours?

When you determine what sets you apart you can then develop your ‘brand promise’.

If this sounds easier than it actually is – you’re right! Figuring out just what makes you different is one of the biggest struggles for entrepreneurs. It also takes time, which is why so many people side step it – big mistake. You’ll only have yourself working harder to secure business if you don’t know what makes you stand out.

If you’re having difficulty trying establish your USP – invite your clients or prospects to help you. A great way to boost your company awareness and create engagement is by asking for help. People like to help people – it’s human nature.

So ask others:

What they think sets you apart?
Why did they choose to do business with you?
Or, ask your prospects why they even considered talking with you?
You may want to develop a survey asking your ideal market:

– What they look for when booking a company such as yours?

– What are their hot buttons?

– What makes them decide to buy?

Knowing this information will enable you to address these points and create your unique ‘brand promise’ and ultimately develop both USP and brand tagline that is sure to set you apart as an industry leader!

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