Recently we came across an infographic by bcms.com that discusses the importance of identifying a business’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition), especially if you are looking to sell. This got us thinking of the key things you should consider when identifying any USP, here’s our list:
Features and benefits of your product or service
Creating a list that looks specifically at what you are offering will help identify any key features that make what you are selling different to that of a competitor. Once you have your list, start your competitor research and make a list of their offerings. By having two lists you can easily compare their product or service against your own, and if this doesn’t lead to a USP it may highlight something vital that you had previously been missing.
Consider your audience
Once you have your list it is time to think about your audience and their demands. How well do you really know your audience? Chances are you knew them yesterday, last week, or even last month, but people change, trends change, and competitors rise, so, you must take time to do some consumer research.
This can be difficult but with social media, and more in-depth web analytics than ever before you can learn a lot about your audience by spending some time monitoring their behaviour, both on your website and away from it. One way in which you can do this is by setting up a social listening stream that monitors specific hashtags that customers may use when highlighting their desires in relation to your product.
Alternatively, you could follower influencers in that area across social channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Many niches now have associated bloggers and vbloggers too, this is another way to understand your market – and a top tip is to read the comments as these people may well be your end users.
Promoting your message
Once you understand your USP it is time to spread your message, and there are many ways to do this. The main aim is ensure your message is in the right place at the right time, and this can only come from research.
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You can use the customer research to inform the best place to showcase your message and learn from your website analytics and social stats when the best time to send your message is.
You can have a USP for anything, including yourself, when searching for a new position you may create a skills matrix or a website to help set you apart from the competition. For more things to consider, take a look at the infographic below:
You can also read: 10 Simple things that can lead to Success in Business
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