Individual trade offer. What is a unique selling proposition (USP)

On modern market goods and services will not surprise anyone that you are the best. To compete with other companies, you need to be not just the best, but unique. Only then will it be possible to talk about increasing the number of clients. Unique trade offer- this is what marketers of many firms and companies are scratching their heads over. Today we will look at this concept and learn how to create a USP ourselves.

Most importantly

In every business, the USP (or unique selling proposition) is the most important thing. No USP, no sales, no profit, no business. It may be a little exaggerated, but in general that’s how it is.

A unique selling proposition (also called an offer, USP or USP) is a distinctive characteristic of a business. At the same time, it doesn’t matter what exactly a person does, there must be a distinctive characteristic. This term implies a difference that competitors do not have. A unique offer gives the client a certain benefit and solves a problem. If the USP does not solve the client’s problem, then it is just an extravagant name - it is memorable, sounds beautiful, but does not greatly affect the conversion level.

A unique selling proposition should be based on the two most important words - “benefit” and “different”. This offer should be so radically different from the competition that no matter what introduction the client takes, he will choose exactly the company that has a worthy USP.

USP and Russia

Before starting the main course, I would like to pay attention to domestic marketing. In Russia, the problem is immediately obvious - everyone wants to be the best, but no one wants to be unique in their own way. This is where the main problem comes from - companies refuse to create unique selling propositions. When they try to outdo a competitor who has created a USP, they end up with something between a fancy phrase and a characteristic of a product or service.

Take, for example, the unique selling proposition that is in the portfolio of some copywriters:

Best author.
Ideal texts.
Master of pen and words, etc.

This is not a USP at all, but rather an example of how not to advertise yourself. Everyone has their own concept of an ideal text, the word “best” can be used if it is confirmed by numerical data and factual characteristics, and it seems that there was only one “master of the pen and word”, Bulgakov. Working USPs look completely different:

Fast copywriting - any text within 3 hours after payment.
To each client free consultation for improvement (fill in as necessary).
Free pictures for the article from commercial photo stocks, etc.

Here, behind each proposal there is a benefit that the client acquires together with the author. The customer focuses on what he needs in addition to the article: images, consultation or high-quality and fast execution. But you don’t know what to expect from the “best author”. In business, everything works exactly the same.

Varieties

For the first time, American advertiser Rosser Reeves spoke about creating a unique selling proposition. He introduced the concept of USP into use and noted this concept as more effective than advertising odes, which lacked specifics.

He said that a strong sales proposition helps:

Separate yourself from your competitors.
Stand out among similar services and products.
Gain loyalty target audience.
Increase the effectiveness of advertising campaigns by creating effective messages.

It is customary to distinguish between 2 types of trade offers: true and false. The first is based on the actual characteristics of the product, which competitors cannot boast of. A false selling proposition is uniqueness invented. For example, the client is told unusual information about the product or obvious advantages are presented from a different angle. This is a kind of play on words.

Today it is difficult to endow a product with some unique characteristics, so a false USP is being used more and more often.

High-quality trade offer. Main criteria

According to the concept of R. Reeves, the criteria for a high-quality trade offer are:

A message about the specific benefit that a person will receive by purchasing a company's product.
The offer is different from all those available in this market segment.
The message is compelling and the target audience can easily remember it.

In advertising, the unique selling proposition is the basis, so it must fully meet the needs of customers. Each message should convey benefits, value and benefit, but, in addition, a clear argument is needed so that the client clearly understands why he should buy the product he is interested in here and not somewhere else.

Stages

So how do you create a unique selling proposition? If you don’t think too hard, this task seems creative and exciting, and quite easy. But as practice has shown, USP is an example of exclusively rational and analytical work. Coming up with something fancy and passing it off as a unique offer is like looking for a black cat in a dark room. It's impossible to guess which concept will work.

To make it work worthy example unique selling proposition, you need to do a lot of research: in addition to the market, niche and competitors, study the product itself - from production technology to the watermark on the packaging. Development consists of several stages:

Divide the target audience into subgroups according to certain parameters.
Determine the needs of each of these groups.
Highlight positioning attributes, that is, determine what exactly in the promoted product will help solve the problems of the target audience.
Describe the benefits of the product. What will the consumer get if he buys it?
Based on the received input data, create a USP.

Scenarios

As you can see, this is a rather painstaking process where it is necessary to use all analytical skills. Only after completed full analysis, you can start looking for a key idea and after that start creating a sales proposal.

This task can be simplified if you use scripts that have already been tested by time and experience:

Focus on unique characteristics.
New solution, innovation.
Additional services.
Turn disadvantages into advantages.
Solve the problem of

Uniqueness + innovation

Now a little more about scripts. As for the first scenario, “Uniqueness,” it is suitable only for those products or services that are truly one of a kind and have no competitors. IN as a last resort, this feature can be created artificially. A unique selling proposition (USP) may be completely unexpected. For example, a company producing stockings and socks entered the market with interesting offer- they were selling a set of three socks, and their USP promised to solve the age-old problem of the missing sock.

As for innovation, it is worth declaring a solution to a problem in a new way. For example, “The innovative formula of the air freshener will destroy 99% of germs and fill the room with a fresh aroma.”

"Buns" and disadvantages

The third scenario focuses on additional privileges. If all the products on the market are the same and have almost identical characteristics, then you need to pay attention to additional bonuses that will attract visitors. For example, a pet store might invite customers to adopt kittens or puppies for 2 days to make sure they fit into a family.

You can also turn the shortcomings of the product to your advantage. If milk is stored for only 3 days, then from a practical point of view it is not profitable, and the buyer is unlikely to pay attention to it. Considering this, we can say that it is stored so little because it is 100% natural. The influx of clients is guaranteed.

Solution

But the simplest option is to solve the problems of potential consumers. This can be done using the formula (yes, like in mathematics):

Need of the target audience + Result + Guarantee. In an advertisement, an example of a unique selling proposition might sound like this: “3,000 subscribers in 1 month or we’ll refund your money.”
Target audience + Problem + Solution. “We help new copywriters find clients using proven marketing strategies.”
Unique characteristic + Need. "Exclusive Jewelry emphasizes the exclusivity of the style.”
Product + Target Audience + Problem + Benefit. “With audio lessons “Polyglot” you can learn any language at a conversational level in just a month and without a doubt go to the country of your dreams.”

Unspecified points

For the USP to work, you need to pay attention to a few more nuances during its creation. First, the problem that the product solves must be recognized by the customer and he must want to solve it. Of course, you can offer a spray against “brain-snatchers” (isn’t that a problem?!), but the buyer will spend much more actively on a regular cream against mosquitoes and ticks.

Secondly, the proposed solution must be better than that, which the target audience used before. And thirdly, each client must measure, feel and evaluate the result.

When creating a USP, it is most rational to take Ogilvy’s advice. He long years worked in advertising and knows exactly how to look for a USP. In his book On Advertising, he mentioned the following: great ideas come from the subconscious, so it must be filled with information. Fill your brain to the limit with everything that can relate to the product and switch off for a while. A brilliant idea will come at the most unexpected moment.

Of course, the article has already mentioned analytics, but this advice does not contradict what has already been proposed. It often happens that after carrying out hundreds of analytical processes, a marketer cannot find a single and unique link that will promote a product on the market. It is at such moments, when the brain processes information, that you need to step away from reality. As practice shows, very soon a person will see that elusive USP that was on the very surface.

It is also very important to pay attention to those small nuances that competitors miss. At one time, Claude Hopkins noticed that toothpaste not only cleans teeth, but also removes plaque. This is how the first slogan appeared in the advertising community that toothpaste removes plaque.

And there is no need to be afraid to accept non-standard approaches to solving the problem. Marketers of TM “Twix” simply divided the chocolate bar into two sticks and, as they say, away we go.

Protecting the idea

A unique selling proposition does not appear in marketers' heads out of nowhere. This is the result of long, focused and hard work, which, by the way, can also be used by competitors.

A few decades ago, intellectual property was inextricably linked to its owner. That is, if one company introduced a successful USP, the other did not even look in the direction of this advertising. Today, things have changed somewhat: managers can simply use their competitors' ideas for their own purposes.

Therefore, there was a need to create patents. These are documents that confirm the owner’s right to the exclusive use of the results of his activities. Inventions here mean products or methods that solve a specific problem. In turn, the “unique selling proposition” itself is a powerful incentive for innovation. The subject of advertising here is an advantage unnoticed by competitors, but realized by customers. Patent protection for unique selling propositions is practically undeveloped in our country, but in more developed societies, every advertising campaign is protected from plagiarism.

Thus, to achieve success, you need to be a unique, one-of-a-kind supplier of in-demand products that are available in every store, but the best in this company.

The absence of a USP is a great grief for business. Look at these sites:

Apart from design, they are practically no different from each other - low prices everywhere, high quality And quick installation. I feel sorry for the people who want to order stretch ceiling- you will have to spend more than one hour wading through the jungle of clone sites to find a worthwhile option.

Therefore, there must be something that makes the business stand out from the crowd - a unique selling proposition. This is what will make your competitors fear you like fire, and potential clients make choices in your favor more often.

By the way, his prices may be slightly higher than those of other companies: if you offer the buyer a product that will solve his problems, he will be willing to pay more for it.

There are only three “buts” - the USP works if it:

unique- competitors do not offer this;
specific- the user immediately understands what we are talking about;
valuable- the potential client sees his benefit.

In 2014, we gave a general scenario according to which you can create a USP. Today we will share new formulas and practical examples to make it even easier to come up with or highlight a sentence.

Where to begin?

We analyze the target audience. What is good for an avid fisherman is not suitable for a young woman on maternity leave. Therefore, the development of a USP should begin with getting to know the target audience - what worries your potential clients, what problems and interests do they have?

Example: Let's say you need to come up with a USP for an online store of household goods. Most often by purchase household chemicals, dishes, decor and other things are done by women. Those who have no time will order all this online - which means your main audience is working women aged 25 to 45 years. What might interest them? Surely they will like it if you deliver goods quickly and free of charge. Therefore, a good USP is “Free delivery within Irkutsk within 2 hours.”

Quite a good offer. But it can be strengthened - write how quickly the order will be delivered or indicate that delivery is 24 hours a day.

Underwater rocks

Remember: the target audience is not just gender, age, income level and other parameters. You need to realize what and to whom you are selling, what problems people are helping to solve: ideally, there should be a clear portrait of the buyer in your head.

We think about the specifics of the business. Perhaps a ready-made USP is right under your nose, you just need to notice it. To do this, honestly answer a few simple questions:

What are your products made from?
How exactly are products produced?
What equipment do you use?
What are the unique properties of the products?
How do you interact with clients?
How is work on an order structured?

There is a chance that you will see an important advantage that will allow you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. By the way, sometimes you can make a USP out of a flaw: “ homemade baking With short term storage - only natural ingredients.”

Example: Let's say you are laser cutting metal. Terms, prices and delivery conditions are the same as those of other companies. But then you use a modern fiber-optic laser - it allows you to achieve maximum accuracy, up to 0.1 mm. Isn't this a USP? “Laser cutting accuracy up to 0.1 mm - we use the fiber optic installation Ruchservomotor LaserCut 3015.”

And this sentence can be strengthened - you can add how accurate the result is.

Underwater rocks

No one knows the features of a business better than its owner - so think and honestly answer the question of why you are cooler. A marketer or copywriter will help you get the trick out of the benefits.

We look at competitors. Conduct a detailed and objective analysis - compare your business and the offers of your main competitors. Here is a sample list of parameters for comparison:

prices;
availability of a loyalty program;
delivery speed;
courtesy of the staff;
ease of ordering;
regularity of promotions;
guarantee period;
possibility of deferred payment.

You will get a clear picture - it will become clear in which parameters you are losing and in which you are superior to your competitors. The winning criteria can be taken as the basis for the site’s USP.

Example: Let's imagine that you are the owner of a tire store. Delivery takes from 1 to 7 days, because some of the items from the catalog are sold to order. There is no loyalty program yet, prices are the same as competitors. But everyone has a 1-3 year warranty, and you are ready to give an indefinite one - “Sale of tires with an indefinite warranty: free replacement in case of accidental damage.”

A good offer, don't you agree? The only thing you can do is work on its design - try to fit the title into 1 line, remove exclamation marks.

Underwater rocks

It is important not to want “like your competitors, only better” - if another company has a similar USP, what will prevent it from making it cooler than yours? For example, offer delivery in 30 minutes rather than 1 hour. Be objective and try to find something of your own.

We ask clients. If you have already had orders, ask why people chose your company. Sometimes clients can provide valuable tips.

By the way, it is worth conducting such surveys from time to time: this will help improve the service and have a positive impact on the company’s reputation.

Example: Let's say you opened a beauty salon a week ago. You can ask employees to ask clients why they chose you. If clients say that your opening hours are convenient, make it your feature. Let the salon be open from 12:00 to 22:00, and not from 09:00 to 19:00 like everyone else nearby. USP: “A beauty salon with convenient opening hours: we are waiting for you every day from 12:00 to 22:00.”

A very good USP - few beauty salons can offer this.

Underwater rocks

It's hard to follow this advice if you haven't had any orders at all. But nothing is impossible - browse thematic forums, social networks, talk with potential clients. Your goal is to find out what attracts buyers.

After all this time-consuming work, you will have at least strong advantages, and at maximum an almost ready-made USP.

Aiming for the bull's eye: 5 formulas for creating a USP

Even good advantage easy to spoil if the thought is formulated incorrectly. Compare two offers: “Free delivery in Irkutsk in 2 hours” and “We are guaranteed to deliver your order within 2 hours. Delivery throughout Irkutsk." The meaning is the same, but the first one is read and perceived much easier.

To formulate a clear and beautiful USP, you can safely use one of the templates:

It is not necessary to follow the templates exactly. You can safely change any formula or come up with something completely new - it all depends on the specifics of the business. It is important to remember the client’s benefit: the main task is to show what exactly he will receive, and not what kind of white and fluffy company you have.

We look at the USP through the eyes of the client: 6 fatal mistakes

False statement. They distorted the facts or used criteria that should be the default. For example, the USP “Professional doctors with at least 3 years of experience” is not suitable for dentistry - this is what is expected from the clinic.

How to fix: look at the offer like a potential client. What do you expect from professional doctors? Surely correct and painless treatment. Try to put this idea into your USP. “Painless dental treatment with a 3-year guarantee - we employ professionals” - that’s better, isn’t it?

No benefit. They used dubious advantages. An online store of bed linen should not boast about its assortment: “Online store of bed linen “Sweet Dream” - we have 1,000 products.” There will always be a company that has even more products.

But if the assortment is truly unique, you can focus on it: for example, 10,000 flowerpots self made from masters from all over the world. Just be careful - make sure that competitors do not offer this, and will not be able to offer it in the near future.

How to fix: find another advantage. Let's say you sell cotton bed linens. So highlight this - "Bedding for People with Sensitive Skin: Hypoallergenic Organic Cotton Sets."

Stamped. They chose a vague wording - “ Fast shipping”, “true professionals”, “highly qualified specialists”, “low prices”, etc. The list can be endless. Similar phrases are found on hundreds of websites, and people are so used to them that they simply don’t perceive them.

How to fix: add specifics - “Bouquets with delivery in 60 minutes”, “Porcelain tiles from 450 rubles. for 1 m² - we official dealer 5 brands." Prove your advantage with facts and deeds, and if it doesn’t work out, choose another USP.

Wrong accent. They talked about only one group of products, while there are ten of them.

For example: “Fast-drying nail polishes: refresh your manicure in 60 seconds.” It’s bad if, in addition to varnishes, you sell lipsticks, eye shadows and mascaras - they risk going unnoticed. If nail polishes make 80% of your profit, then it is acceptable to focus on them. When selling all cosmetics is interesting, you need to change your USP.

How to fix: formulate the USP for the online store as a whole. If there are too many product groups, focus on the service: “Decorative cosmetics with home delivery: we work around the clock.”

Too much volume. We tried our best and wrote a USP the size of a paragraph: “Solid wood tables from 3,895 rubles: prices are low because we produce furniture from our own materials - there is a sawmill and a carpentry shop in the north of the Irkutsk region. Find it cheaper - we’ll make a discount and refund the difference in cost.”

How to fix: cut mercilessly. One sentence is enough for the USP - “Solid wood tables from 3,895 rubles: we’ll refund the difference if you find it cheaper.” The rest of the information should be included in the paragraph below - after all, it is important to explain why your prices are so affordable.

Repeating after competitors. We saved time on analyzing competitors and received a clone - an identical or very similar offer. It's bad because all the work was done in vain.

How to fix: alas, ideally you need to start all over again - analyze your target audience, think about the features of your business and compare your online store with similar ones. If time is running out, try expanding an unsuccessful USP: replace “Online shoe store with delivery” with “Online shoe store with free shipping within 2 hours."

Are there any errors found in the USP? It’s too early to rejoice - the offer may turn out to be ineffective, even if it seems very attractive to you.

How to find out if your USP will work

Answer a couple of questions to check the viability of the offer:

Does the offer seem realistic? For example, the statement “Language school “Contact” - learn English in 1 hour” is very doubtful. But you can already believe this USP: “Language school “Contact” - English for holidays abroad in 5 hours.”
The USP answers the question: why should you choose this one out of all similar offers? If yes, everything is fine.

You can also test your USP on clients - make a mailing with different options and choose the one that received the most responses. We sometimes use this option - by the way, have you subscribed to our newsletter? If not, then you are missing out on a lot of benefits.

Take the time to create a unique selling proposition - once you spend a few hours searching for the ideal, you will forever receive the key to the hearts of potential clients. If you need help, please contact us and we will create an effective proposal.

Copywriters often use phrases like “the most important” and “the most important thing” both appropriately and inappropriately. Just for effect. "The most important rule text." "The most important thing in commercial offer" and so on.

Today we will talk about creating a unique selling proposition. And, we promise you, you will soon understand that a well-written USP is the most important thing in business. No kidding. Actually the most important thing. So important that everything else is just a pitiful reflection.

What is a USP and why is it needed?

A unique selling proposition (offer, USP, USP) is the main distinguishing mark of a business. Anyone. It doesn't matter whether you sell modest writing services or develop entire neighborhoods with new homes.

The word “USP” refers to a competitive difference that others do not have. What sets you apart from your competitors. This is the only correct definition of USP.

The USP provides the client with a certain benefit. Or solves his problem. The types of benefits vary, but a unique selling proposition without a clear benefit to the customer is garbage.

Different. Benefit.

Two words on which everything rests.

Your unique selling proposition should differentiate you so radically that, all things being equal, if the client had to choose between you and a competitor, due to your having a worthy USP, he will choose you.

Do you understand how serious it is?

The main problem of USP in Russian business

The trouble is that Russian business criminally blind. From simple freelancers to huge companies, everyone wants to be the best. And you can’t be the best for everyone. Must be different- that's the whole point.

Hence the main problem - refusal creating a USP in favor of the stupidest desire to be the first and the best.

To show. no matter how weak and ill-conceived the creation of unique selling propositions can be, we will take our colleagues - copywriters. Take a look at their portfolio:

Ideal texts
Best Author
Atomic copywriting
Master of words
And so on …

This kind of nonsense is all over the place. People just don't understand that this is not a USP. This is a great example of this. Instead of becoming different, everyone climbs the same mountain. To the top. The end result is nothing.

Who is on the bright side then?

First on legal texts in RuNet
Since 2010 I write only commercial proposals
Any text – 3 hours after payment
TOP copywriting at the price of regular texts
Free consultation on Landing Page improvement for each client
Free pictures for the article from paid photo stocks

Yes, not so loud, but very effective. The clients of these authors already see the difference and their benefits, and therefore are ready to pay.

Do you think it's any different in business? Nothing like that, even huge companies don’t really know how to create a unique selling proposition:

A wide range of
Big discounts
Free service
Low prices
High quality
Leaders in their industry
And so on …

Moreover, many sincerely consider such a “gentleman’s” set to be sufficient to seduce a client.

And where is the fundamental difference here? Where is the “I’m different” signal here? He's gone. There are ones that every first company flaunts.

What’s most interesting is that each of the advantages can be developed into a good USP. For example, like this:

A wide range of. 1300 models alpine skiing– the largest warehouse in Russia
Big discounts - every Thursday 65% discount on your second purchase
Free service - after purchasing a smartphone, we will install any programs for you for free within an hour
Low prices - we sell any baked goods for 1 ruble after 18-00
High quality - if even one part breaks, we will give you a new exercise machine
Leaders in their industry – we have won the title “Best Taxi of Syktyvkar” for three years in a row.

Alas, only a few people use the idea of expanding template chatter into a full-fledged USP. It’s always easier to cliché standard phrases and then wonder: “Why don’t they buy?”

In order for your business to take off, you need a good USP. No catch. This is exactly what we will learn to compose today. We promise you will soon look at your capabilities with completely new eyes.

The concept of drawing up a USP

There are thousands of types of unique selling propositions. Offers can be very different:

Is the lifetime warranty on Zippo lighters their USP? Undoubtedly!

Everything for 49 rubles? Same.

Soap that doesn't dry out your skin? Yes, sure.

A tour of the 10 best beer bars in Germany? And this is also a completely working USP.

Remember we said that when compiling unique offer You can’t be guided by the fact that you have to look the best? Let's say it again: you shouldn't strive to be the best.

You must be different. Find a distinctive benefit for the client that would attract him to you rather than to a competitor.

When writing a USP, it is important to remember one very simple thing: Your entire offer should have a specific benefit for the client. Not praising you or your business, not delight, but the direct benefit of a potential buyer.

But there can be a great many benefits:

This will help me

Gain high social status

Become more beautiful (stronger, more active, etc.)

Learn new things

With this I

I'll save money

I'll make money

Thanks to this I

I'll save time

I will get interesting impressions

I will get additional comfort

Feel free to look for some non-obvious ways to get competitive advantage. Anything can go into business, the main thing is that it is interesting to the client.

Now that the theory is over, it’s time to start practicing creating a strong offer.

Rules for drawing up USP

There is a lot of rubbish written on the Internet about how to create a USP, but when you start to figure it out, you fall into a stupor. Too tricky and confusing. Yes, creating a sales proposal is not easy, but it is quite possible. Even for those who are not good at brainstorming.

In order to cope, we will cut the elephant into pieces. Learn in stages. It will be easier and clearer this way. Let's start.

Stage one - awareness of yourself and competitors

The first step is to answer the list of questions below as completely as possible. You can even print them out and then write the answers next to each one. Don't be lazy, this is important stage. So, here's a list of important questions.

What are we doing?
Our strengths
Our weaknesses
Do we have any differences from our competitors?
Can difference be created with effort?
What interesting USPs do your competitors have?
Is it possible to create something more interesting based on their USP?

Ideally, you should have a fairly large list that you will then rely on. It is worth remembering that there are two types of proposals: without effort and with effort.

USP without effort- this is what you already own. For example, you really have the most big choice alpine skiing in Russia. Or you win the title " Best Producer year” is not the first time.

USP with effort is something you can do to create a strong competitive advantage and a unique offering. For example, promise that you will deliver a taxi in 5 minutes or the trip will be free. And this despite the fact that now the average waiting time is 7 minutes.

A USP with effort is always more difficult to implement, but its effect is usually greater: a person sees his direct benefit and is ready to test you.

Yes, you will have to sacrifice something (money, time, profit growth), but you will also raise the bar of advantage above others. Consequently, in the future you will receive new customers, since your competitors will not be able or will not want to raise this level even higher.

Stage two - awareness of customer needs

A leaf again. Surveys again, but now about clients:

Who is our main client? Describe your target audience
What does our ideal client want?
What customer needs do we actually solve?
What could we do, but we don’t solve it?
How can we win new customers?

Put yourself in your client's shoes. Why does he choose you? Are they expecting something specific from you: guarantees, more convenience, reliability, savings, or something else?

What is valuable and not valuable to your customers? Maybe they are ready to pay any money to improve their status? Or are they frugal and buy the cheapest thing they can? Clearly draw yourself a portrait of the mass target audience. You can even conduct surveys to understand the real needs of the client.

Why do many clients go to competitors? What do the latter take? Do you have the resources to offer your clients the same or more?

Understanding client needs – the most important condition creating a working USP. If you can correctly understand the buyer and his desires, you will be able to offer something truly interesting.

Stage three - creating a USP

Now take both leaves and find all the intersecting points. For example, in the first task (self-awareness) we found out that you can give each customer furniture for the hallway dinner table. And no one is doing this yet.

In the second task (client needs), you realized that your target audience is young families and people with below-average incomes who would not mind getting something for free.

Bottom line: you can easily make an offer: Each client will receive a good-quality kitchen table as a gift

If you spend enough time preparing to write a unique selling proposition, there can be dozens of such intersecting points. All you have to do is turn on your creativity and create as many proposals based on them as possible.

Created? Wonderful. Now is the time to choose the best USP.

To do this, you can conduct surveys among employees, clients, post surveys in in social networks and so on. Once the tests are done, you should see the influencer. As a rule, it is noticeable immediately.

Can you have multiple USPs?

Yes, it may well be. And yet some main sentence will have to be chosen, and the rest will be amplifiers of the sentence. And remember that your unique selling proposition cannot be changed every three months. This will last for years, so make your choice seriously right away.

Carefully monitor your competitors' offers. Firstly, this is a huge scope for creativity and ideas. Secondly, it will help you not to repeat other people's sentences.

Your USP should be as specific as possible. None common phrases. If “A cup of coffee for every gas station visitor”, then this is exactly a cup of coffee, and not “pleasant bonuses”. If “everything is 49 rubles”, then this is exactly 49 rubles, and not “the lowest possible prices”.

Your USP should be as simple as possible - all clients should immediately understand it and immediately see a clear benefit.

Do not contradict the interests of the target audience. If clients visit your salon because it is fashionable and prestigious, then there is no need to lure them in with low prices. Kill the status.

Don't lump everything together. There is no need to try to write a USP on 20 sheets. Everything should be very simple: 1-3 phrases. If you really can’t wait to describe all the advantages in detail, then there are separate texts for this. In the USP you highlight only the main thing, the essence, but if you want it, you write it down somewhere separately.

We hope this article will make it easier for you to create a truly strong unique selling proposition. All the introductory information for this is there – you just need to sit down and do it.

We promise that once your USP crystallizes into something concrete and profitable, you will immediately notice a positive change. Tested thousands of times and proven by business laws.

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Answer

When you come across some USPs, it comes out: "Oops!".

Typical, no benefits, lackluster, too general.

But the unique selling proposition is the heart of any business. This is what the entire marketing strategy revolves around, which helps you differentiate yourself from competitors and occupy your part of the market.

Let's think of the USP as a core surrounded by hot marketing magma. It moves and mixes positioning, target audience characteristics, competitive information, product or service benefits, and the company's business objectives.

If the core is weak, then the magma spreads, smearing the outlines of the company throughout the sales market. And sooner or later, the boundaries of business are erased, and then disappear altogether.

Here's a metaphor. It’s easier to say this: a strong USP = a strong company.

John Carleton in one of his speeches says that in search of “that same USP” It may take you more than one sleepless night. But the result should be something special that will make your business take its place in the buyer's mind.

To help you in this difficult task, we have collected 8 scenarios, using which you will create your own competitive offer without much loss of time and nerve cells.

Scenario #1: Unique characteristic

If there are a great many analogues of your business on the market, then try to find some unique difference. Either find or create.

What the Twix TM marketers did in this situation: they divided an ordinary chocolate-wafer bar into two sticks. And the entire communication strategy was built on this.

Scenario No. 2. What remains outside the attention of competitors

It is very difficult to come up with something original in a classic business. Then it’s worth looking for what your competitors are missing.

For example, Claude Hopkins once noticed that toothpaste not only cleans teeth, but also removes unpleasant plaque (film). This is how the slogan was born "Gets Rid of Film on Teeth".

And when developing the USP for a beer brand, he noticed that at the factory the bottles are not just washed, but are doused with a powerful jet of steam. Mr. Hopkins brought this workflow (which, in fact, all beer producers use) into the concept - "Our Bottles Are Washed With Live Steam!"

Of course, here you need to immerse yourself in all areas of the business: from production to the work of secretaries and delivery services.

By the way, you probably remember classic example with Domino's pizza delivery. It sounds like this: “Delivery in 30 minutes. If we’re late, we’ll give you pizza as a gift.”.

There is a small stratagem in this scenario: the business owner often gets blinded, but an experienced copywriter with the makings of a Maigret detective is able to pull out a hot and fresh USP into the world.

Scenario No. 3. John Carlton Formula

The formula is ideal for service businesses. You don’t even need to come up with anything revolutionary or creative here. Submit your details and get a working USP.

“With the help of ________ (service, product) we help ________ (ca) solve ______ (problem) with ____ (benefit).”

Options:

With the “Weight Loss” course we will help women put on their favorite bikini by summer.
The “Be Your Own Copywriter” training will help businessmen save hundreds of dollars on freelance services.
The “Mary Poppins” service will help mothers calmly go to the gym, cinema and shopping while the baby is under the supervision of an experienced nanny.

The examples are not perfect, but they demonstrate the very principle of working with the Carlton formula. The main thing is that we explain to the target audience what benefits our product or service brings.

Scenario No. 4. Innovation

If the product solves the buyer’s problems in a completely new way, then this must be stated in the USP. AND "…do not be shy"- as Ivan Dorn sings in his hit.

What could it be:

innovative formula;
new product;
new packaging;
a new format of interaction with the buyer;
revolutionary delivery method;
and so on...

Innovation! The first 3 in 1 roll-on gel Nivea Q10 for wrinkles, dark circles and swelling.
Vicks - We combine healing ingredients and the smooth taste of lemon tea to relieve 6 cold symptoms.

Scenario No. 5. USP with a problem

You can include your audience’s problem in your unique selling proposition. Those. go not from a description of the service, but from solving a complex problem for a potential buyer.

Is your tooth aching? Nebolin ointment will relieve pain in 5 minutes.
Bad mood? Invite a friend for coffee at McDonald's.
Confused about finding cheap air tickets? Check out our offers from 183 airlines.

Example of a TV commercial:

— Got a cold? Flu? With Aflubin tablets, a noticeable improvement in health occurs much faster. (Translation from Ukrainian).

Scenario No. 6. USP with a bow

This is what we call any advantage that is associated with gifts, bonuses, discounts, guarantees and other consumer goodies.

Samsung phones have a 5-year warranty. Order dessert and get coffee as a gift.
Buy 2 pizzas, the third one is free.
Place an order for 1000 rubles, and our taxi will take you home for free.

This is a successful scenario for a unique offer, but it is unlikely that such a USP will work with the same effectiveness over time. Use this formula for seasonal promotions.

Scenario No. 7. USP with muscles

Here you need to flex the muscles of your business, show all your friends and envious people the strongest sides of your company, product, service.

What could it be:

low price;
huge assortment;
free service;
products from cool brands;
support for a bright personality;
hundreds of awards and diplomas;
offices throughout the country.

In general, all the characteristics to which you can add the word “most”.

Just declaring your “self” is not enough for USP. We need facts, figures, evidence.

When launching new projects, a problem often arises with the client's USP (Unique Selling Proposition). When you ask the question “What are your advantages?”, most often in response you only hear a set of standard phrases “well, delivery is free, the master is experienced.” Let's learn how to make a unique selling proposition that will set you apart from the crowd of competitors!

1. Unique characteristic

This technique is suitable for manufacturers in highly competitive niches. The task is to find something unique in the product and present it as an innovation and achievement. Great example— advertising TWIX (left and right sticks).

2. What are competitors not noticing?

Any technological process or the service can become your USP if competitors do not use it.

Eat interesting examples, when new properties are discovered in products that are presented as a USP (toothpaste that slightly whitens is called “whitening”).

A good example that almost anyone can play on is delivery and service levels.

“Quantity calculation in 1 hour. If you don’t receive a response within an hour, we will give you a discount!”

“Pizza delivery to any area of the city in half an hour. If the courier arrives within an hour, you don’t have to pay!”

3. John Carlton Method

This technique is often presented at trainings and master classes. It has proven its effectiveness in practice for the service segment. Just plug your data into the following formula and get a ready-made USP that your competitors don’t have!

“With the help of ________ (service, product) we help ________ (target audience) solve ______ (problem) with ____ (benefit).”

TA - target audience

For example:

“The “Husband for an Hour” service will allow a woman to solve problems with plumbing and electrical equipment in her apartment”
“Laying laminate flooring will allow the owner of the apartment to make the apartment more comfortable and save on materials”
The “Blog in 3 Days” course will allow a person to create his own blog in 3 days and achieve high level expertise.

This formula can be detailed to a specific representative of the target audience (Maria Petrovna (housewife), Vasily Ivanovich (owner two-room apartment), Ivan Grishin (accountant, consultant)). This is necessary to create landing pages for different segments, but about this technology We won't talk today.

4. Innovation

If your product or service solves a client’s problem with the help of some new products, then be sure to tell us about it!

For example, it could be environmentally friendly packaging that has reduced the cost finished products or the new kind working with a client when his application is processed not within an hour, but in 15 minutes, etc.

5 B The client's role as USP

We know that people are looking for solutions to their problems. But if they have “pain”, then they tend to make decisions very quickly. Pain can be of a completely different kind, and it can be used in a USP.

For example:

Are the pipes leaking? We will solve the problem within an hour!
Does your tooth hurt badly? Our dentistry will see you without an appointment at any time of the day!
Broken HDD with valuable information? We will restore it in 2 hours and come to you!

6. Offer with gifts

People love to give and receive gifts. Let's use this in our USP. As a rule, there are no problems with writing a USP for this scenario. Don’t be afraid to give gifts to clients, good things will always come back to you :)

Buy 2 pizzas, we'll give you the third one!
Order laminate flooring for the entire area of the apartment, we will give you the underlay for free!
Order a leather sofa and receive two ottomans for it

The main thing here is that the gifts are real, otherwise you will not wash away the people’s anger!

7. Play with biceps

Any business should have its own biceps, the demonstration of which makes customers upset. Just hit them head-on with your advantages.

For example:

lowest price in town
only sober movers
fastest delivery
a bunch of awards and diplomas

This technology must be used very carefully. Clients have little trust in her, because... Almost all companies use this approach, because... it is the simplest.

8. Disadvantages = advantages

A completely non-trivial technique that gives excellent result! The point is that you need to find the shortcomings of the product and present them as advantages. Let me explain with an example:

a fitness trainer who will have no mercy for you

The disadvantage of “you will have no mercy”, i.e. you are forced into the gym so that you will literally crawl out of training.

The advantage is that after such intensive training you will get excellent results!

How to use all this?

Just take a pen, a piece of paper and write down all the advantages and disadvantages of your business. Combine them and turn them into your USP!

Look at it in a few days and make final edits. I know you can do it perfectly!

If you are completely stupefied, then we will help you prepare your USP. Leave a request in the form below this article and be sure to subscribe to our newsletter! There will be a lot of useful and interesting things!