There are so many brands out there and customers right now are overwhelmed with products. It has never been harder to stand out as a brand, so how do you do it? How do you get a customer to choose you over someone else?
Well, knowing the best way to position yourself and your products can be the difference between blending in and making that sale.
This is why it is so important for you as a business owner, no matter the size, to create a unique selling proposition that can help guide your branding and marketing choices.
So, keep reading as I’m going to tell you how to come up with a truly unique selling proposition that’s going to help you stand out against your competitors.
This is what you will find in this article.
The steps to crafting a unique selling proposition (USP).
Before we dig in, on our blog we are constantly creating content that will help you grow your local business. So, if you are a small business owner, then you want to make sure you check them out.
Here are two from earlier this month:
Now, let’s get started on crafting your USP so that you can steal customers from your competition and increase your revenue.
#1. What is a unique selling proposition (USP)?
A Unique Selling Proposition, also known as the Unique Selling Point, or the Unique Value Proposition (UVP), is that one thing that makes your business better than your competition. It’s basically that specific benefit that makes your business stand out while the others are blending in. its
So how do you find your competitive edge and how do you make customers choose you?
#2. The importance & advantages of creating a USP.
Well, the first thing we need to understand is that in the age of the internet, customers are drowning in a sea of products. So, they really just want to quickly understand what makes one product better than another. This is where a USP comes in.
As brand owners, we need to respond to that by coming up with our own unique selling proposition.
#3. Find out what makes you different from your competition.
A USP should quickly answer a potential customer's immediate question.
That is - What makes you different from the competition?
So, how do we answer that question?
#4. Know your audience & the problem that your business solves.
Your USP is going to play to your strengths and it should be based on what makes your brand or your product valuable to your customers.
But, your USP needs to be more than just a slogan.
Actually, let me share a secret. What your business sells, actually doesn’t have to be unique. But the message that you choose to focus on, should be unique.
So, in other words, you could be selling the same products as your competition, but if you have a different angle then your unique selling proposition is what’s doing all that heavy lifting.
A unique selling proposition is also not:
a specific offer (20% OFF)
or 24-hour customer service.
These are definitely convincing and effective, but they are not unique and they are not positions that are easy to defend, as any one of your competitors can easily copy them.
A USP is also not just one line on the homepage of your website. It's a position that your business takes as a whole, that can be incorporated into your products and the overall experiences that you provide. Basically, any touchpoints that your customers have with your business.
A compelling USP must:
Highlight the benefits of the product or the business that are meaningful to the target customer.
Focus on a unique claim that compliments the feature or the benefit-in-use of the product.
Be clear and specific.
Example of a good USP: We make 100% scratch-proof glasses.
That USP is definitely:
Highlighting the benefit of the business.
Making a unique claim of the benefit-in-use of the product.
Clear and specific.
Example of a bad USP: We sell high-quality products.
Hopefully, you can see the difference.
Like I said before. It should also be focused on what your customers value. The uniqueness won’t really be counted for much if your target audience doesn’t really care about your proposition. So, you got to make sure your proposition is targeting your target customer.
When you’re identifying your ideal customer, consider the following:
What does your perfect customer really want?
How can your product or service solve their problem(s)?
What factors motivate their buying decisions?
Why do your existing customers choose your business over your competitors?
Remember, it’s not enough to just target a rough demographic. You need to know exactly who you want to sell to and why.
Now, the best way to look at a powerful USP is by looking at some examples. So, I’ve gathered 5 examples from English, Irish and American clothing and consumer brands that all have strong unique selling propositions to help you get it right.
Now, let’s look at these.
#5. Good USP examples.
USP: The strongest cup of coffee.
Origin: USA
Industry: B2C | aGlobal coffee brand.
A lot of coffee shops claim to have the smoothest or the richest cup of coffee, but Deathwish is doing something different. They choose to brand themselves as the strongest cup of coffee. And they are basically just catering to those that need that extra kick. Deathwish is a great example of a company that developed a product based on a unique selling proposition that other brands aren’t covering. And they truly make this message visible everywhere.
They have it on their site, they have it on their packaging, and they even have a full refund for anyone who says that their coffee isn’t bold enough.
What can you learn from this unique selling point?
You can consider including your USP on multiple touchpoints, just like Deathwish coffee is doing.
USP: Get the most out of meditation.
Origin: USA
Industry: B2C | Tech meditation (an immersive meditation device).
Muse is a perfect example of a brand that still needs a USP, even though their products are truly unique. The product that they make provides information about your brains activity as you meditate and as of today, they actually don’t have any competition. There is no comparable product out there.
the
In their case, their biggest competitors are actually the status quo, the regular meditation apps that don’t have this tool. So naturally, their USP is around using their product to get the most out of meditation. And they definitely build a strong case for this all over their product pages, on their about us page, and pretty much just everywhere on their site.
What can you learn from this unique selling point?
If your business is already offering a truly unique product, it is even more important that your brand narrows down the end USP.
USP: We’re in business to save our home planet.
Origin: USA
Industry: B2C | Apparel fashion brand (production of quality outdoor clothing).
Patagonia’s USP isn’t a product or a feature, it’s their reason for existing.
Patagonia differentiates itself from its competition by establishing itself as more than a clothing brand. It’s a movement, dedicated to helping to save the planet. And their USP clearly sums up their mission below in one sentence.
Fair Trade Certified clothing, made from organic cotton and free from pesticides, herbicides, and GMO seeds.
A trade-in program that lets customers exchange used gear for store credit.
1% of sales pledged to the preservation and restoration of the planet.
What can you learn from this unique selling point?
Create your USP as a lifestyle movement rather than a business offering. Patagonia’s USP also doesn’t cater to everyone, and the best USPs don't either.
USP: We make the best jeans, not the most jeans we can. And we only make jeans. We say no to anything else. No distractions. No compromises. No bobble caps.
Origin: United Kingdom
Industry: B2C | Apparel fashion brand (production of premium denim clothing).
Hiut Denim is an interesting one.
“We make jeans. That’s it. Nothing else. No distractions. Nothing to steal our focus. No kidding ourselves that we can be good at everything. Not trying to conquer the whole world. We just do our best to conquer our bit of it.”
In a nutshell, the Hiut Denim focus is on executing one thing great – Denim.
In a world dominated by fast-fashion and brick-and-mortar retailers with huge stock of anything from shorts and t-shirts to suits and overcoats in the same style and colours, Hiut Denim moves in a different direction by approaching retailing by doing just ONE thing (and doing that one thing awesomely!)
What can you learn from this unique selling point?
When everyone seems to be doing one thing, do the opposite. Makes sense, no?
USP: Supporting Small, Local Menswear Stores with On-Demand Clothing & Powerfully-Simple Technology.
Origin: Republic of Ireland.
Industry: B2B | End-to-End Apparel Retail (Wholesale production of Custom-Made Menswear, produced on-demand).
RJ MTM is very open about the fact they want you, as a retailer, to buy fewer clothes, with their "reduce stock" features.
This may sound strange, coming from a company that offers men's wholesale clothing.
Yet their “less is more” on-demand approach is the perfect USP for today’s retailers’ conscious consumer. Like Hiut Denim, they focus on doing things differently.
Shop owners can now offer the end customer absolutely exactly what fabric, style and fit they want, and only when they want it. This causes customer satisfaction to jump dramatically, product returns to plummet, and because of a 1:1 match on the supply/demand model, customers can buy products from their retailers that they know have not been part of a mass volume production run.
For those retailers and customers interested in ‘buying for the better', it makes A LOT of sense! Especially now, with 'UN’s climate change announcement 'code red for humanity' released a couple of days ago. Rapid actions are needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent further warming, leading to huge natural catastrophes, causing increased death tolls. A greater urgency will be placed on fashion's sustainability, or lack-there-of, and this in turn will place immense pressure on retailers from their conscious consumers. Retailers who heed this trend sooner than later will see quicker and higher returns on the investment. Those who join late, will join at the back of a very big crowd.
What can you learn from this unique selling point?
As well as creating a unique selling proposition that has a purpose and that you’re proud of, look around you and take note of the world.
What are the big talking points?
What new trends are taking place?
Where are the biggest conversations?
What’s causing the biggest hypes and arguments?
And if you are a brick-and-mortar shop owner, who decides to use a partner like RJ MTM as your men's clothing wholesale supplier, their USP will naturally follow through when dealing with them, boosting your USP creation.
Have a think. If your business was known for a unique selling proposition with a clear do-good purpose, how would that make you feel? And more importantly, how could or would it impact potential buyers around you? How would your local community view you? How would local newspapers and media view your brand?
Now that we have looked at some examples with strong USP, you might be wondering how to go about creating your own.
Every USP is going to be unique, but that doesn’t mean a process can't be applied to get you on the right track.
#6. Discover how to define your unique selling proposition.
So here’s how you can write yours:
Step 1. Make a list of all your brand differentiators & what it is that you are selling.
Get specific. If you want to create memorable marketing messages, you are going to need to be specific. Great ideas are written to solve the exact problem and communicated to their customers in their own words.
Next - research the competition.
Step 2. Analyse your competitors.
Look at your competitors and study their USPs. Then look for gaps of where you can potentially brand differently.
Keep in mind, that products in the same category can be positioned in different ways. So even two identical products can be positioned very differently.
Step 3. Match your ideas with your audience’s needs.
Once you have some angles in mind, compare your most unique angles against your audience’s needs.
Maybe your customers’ needs aren’t being met. If not, how can you meet them? Do your customers have any pain points that you can solve?
After you’ve settled on your USP, you are going to want to think about where you want to share it. You can apply it across your business. From your brand name to your return policy. It might also help to express it in a social media or press statement.
Step 4. Defining your competitive edge.
A USP isn’t just a persuasive line of copy on your homepage. It's not a slogan for 6 months. It shouldn't be something that you write quickly because everyone else is saying it. It really is how you position your products. It should be a concept you really embody. You need to live it, breathe it, think it, act it. Your products don’t have to be completely unique in order to have a strong selling proposition, but your message needs to be clear, precise and strong. Look for a spot in the market that is more or less untouched by the competition.
Coming up with your unique selling proposition is definitely an exciting time. At this stage, you get to think about how you can dominate your niche market and potentially conquer your market.
So that’s about it. You’ve just learned how to create a unique selling proposition, that will take your business to the next level.
If you are looking to grow your business with a unique USP, RJ MTM is offering you the opportunity to truly stand out from the crowd.
With RJ MTM’s simple to use, in-store and on-the-go system, menswear shop owners can easily switch:
from offering set styles and fixed sizes to their customers,
to customers having control over exactly what they buy from your store.
Thanks to full control on fabric, designs and fit, designing a garment from scratch has never been easier. It’s never been faster. It’s never been more scalable.
All you need to do is to click this link and get in touch with us for a Visual Tour with my colleague Frank.
Find out how your store and brand can wow customers, keep them coming back for more products and do both of these things by lowering your monthly inventory costs by up to 50%!
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I hope you found this article helpful. Thank you so much for reading
Until next time,
Camilla
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