What Makes You Different From The Rest?

14 years ago

This is great advice but I have also seen many business owners over-think it. Defining a USP is important but it doesn't mean you have to be the only business person in the entire world with this specific skill set.

What I have found is you can define your USP from the perspective of your potential customers. For example, I have a membership program where we coach people on how to build their own Wordpress site from ground zero to fully integrated web presence. We actually build them a website template and show them how to take it over. Are we the only people doing this? Hell no! But do I have a great base of customers? Absolutely.

My USP is nothing special. We just provide enormous value for a reasonable price, treat our customers like gold and make sure they always get friendly, helpful advice. We also make sure we base our success on the success of their business...which they truly appreciate. How do I know it is working? Every member has stayed in the program on their monthly plan and most members have already referred friends/associates.

So I say, don't worry so much about being the only person in the world doing what you do.... just do a damn good job of it and provide more value than the client is paying for.

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edmltw

14 years ago

Awesome business structure over there! A warm approach is really appreciated by many internet marketers, not just the newbies. Your business will definitely stay strong as long as you stick to your mantra.

Is your system a duplicatable system? Perhaps you could write an eBook regarding your successful online business concept and promote it to the global society today

Regards,
Ed

Originally Posted by JustinP

This is great advice but I have also seen many business owners over-think it. Defining a USP is important but it doesn't mean you have to be the only business person in the entire world with this specific skill set.

What I have found is you can define your USP from the perspective of your potential customers. For example, I have a membership program where we coach people on how to build their own Wordpress site from ground zero to fully integrated web presence. We actually build them a website template and show them how to take it over. Are we the only people doing this? Hell no! But do I have a great base of customers? Absolutely.

My USP is nothing special. We just provide enormous value for a reasonable price, treat our customers like gold and make sure they always get friendly, helpful advice. We also make sure we base our success on the success of their business...which they truly appreciate. How do I know it is working? Every member has stayed in the program on their monthly plan and most members have already referred friends/associates.

So I say, don't worry so much about being the only person in the world doing what you do.... just do a damn good job of it and provide more value than the client is paying for.

Thanks

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jenifer00

14 years ago

Originally Posted by JustinP

My USP is nothing special. We just provide enormous value for a reasonable price, treat our customers like gold and make sure they always get friendly, helpful advice. We also make sure we base our success on the success of their business...which they truly appreciate. How do I know it is working? Every member has stayed in the program on their monthly plan and most members have already referred friends/associates.

Justin -- based on my experience what you are doing here is very special. Yes, maybe it seems common sense, but many people in this field are all about money, money, money and forget about the importance of treating the customer like gold.

I think Ed's advice is great. I've spent a lot of time lately working on my USP because as more people jump into my niches I feel like the only way to stay on top is to provide tons of value and to be different.

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edmltw

14 years ago

Great work Jen!

The reason why I emphasize so much on USP is because of "over-supply" of "suppliers"! As our world becomes more diversified, so is our range of choices!

Why should I choose you? Why should I pick you from the rest of the offers? What makes you different from the rest? Solve these questions and you will get a winning business formula

Ed

Originally Posted by jenifer00

Justin -- based on my experience what you are doing here is very special. Yes, maybe it seems common sense, but many people in this field are all about money, money, money and forget about the importance of treating the customer like gold.

I think Ed's advice is great. I've spent a lot of time lately working on my USP because as more people jump into my niches I feel like the only way to stay on top is to provide tons of value and to be different.

Thanks

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SilentX

14 years ago

I have to agree, that is wonderful advice. I just took this into consideration for my new ebook when listening to that expert speaker guy, I already forget his name. There's a thread under this section that linked me to him. He's got some good advice too. This is definitely a major factor you need to consider when you are trying to start a product to make it highly marketable.

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he_who_brings_order

14 years ago

Originally Posted by edmltw

With so many competitors rising to your challenge every single day, it's a real challenge to keep them at bay. One of the most powerful weapons you have under your wing is your UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION (USP).

What makes you different from the others? What makes your product better than the others? What differentiates you from the competition?

Solve these questions and you'll start to see your business grow, tremendously.

Ed

Uniqueness is extremely important in any form of business. From blogging to corporate governance, unique work and product will achieve more.

If everyone around you shine - you get dark, if everyone around you are dark, you shine

In this way we build brand awareness in the eyes of customers and competitors

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nellypaekukui

14 years ago

Yes it is a challenge to stand out among all the others in competition. However, much like everyone has their own character and styles, developing and tweaking promotion of that particular item/product while tailoring it by your uniqueness will allow yours to be above and unlike anyone elses.

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Thinker1

14 years ago

Such a basic concept but one that really makes you or breaks you.

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AwesomePossum

14 years ago

I think that when you combine USP and present it in a limited supply is when your business takes off...

And honestly, I think unique sales proposition nowadays is less about what your selling and more about what your customer wants and how he wants it presented to him...

My personal tactics for USP is simple:

Understand the customer's fear & desire on the surface and at the core(like us when we sell to other marketers...we understand the lifestyle we're all aiming for yet no one presents it like that)....anchor the desire to directly dissolve the fear. AKA: FIND OUT WHY YOUR CUSTOMER IS HERE...THE REAL REASONS. KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER AND HOW THEY WORK....Jen is completely right.

Then use the art of business, the science of business, and the psychology of business and sales as the unique proposition...

For example: Everyone promises money in business....so what makes you buy one product over another?

Then at that point all you have to do is deliver the results to your customer.

So our 3 step forum formula is : p

1. Treat your customer's like gold and to know what they want & WHY.
2. Create a REAL solution that produces REAL results..
3. USP that gold...present it in a way that the customer wants to hear...that in itself is a USP.

I combine science, art, and psychology in my sales to display my understanding of the topic and my customer. AKA a practical teacher that cares for and understands where someone is at in their life and to provide a genuine solution

Hope this helped with the convo some,
Aaryn

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Mikael-C

14 years ago

If you could add value, if you can bring something that will help your client to grown -

In fact if you have a solution for :

Help people to make more money or Help people to be rich
Help people to gain time
Help people to be healhy
Help people to be more sexy

and add value, real value you will and could be different...PArticularly today where most of people looking for better value, better world and a better quality of life....

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edmltw

14 years ago

Awesome USP over there! Focusing on value for your customer is one awesome way of getting more customers and retain customers loyalty at the same time! Great view there Mikael!

Ed

Originally Posted by Mikael-C

If you could add value, if you can bring something that will help your client to grown -

In fact if you have a solution for :

Help people to make more money or Help people to be rich
Help people to gain time
Help people to be healhy
Help people to be more sexy

and add value, real value you will and could be different...PArticularly today where most of people looking for better value, better world and a better quality of life....

Thanks
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edmltw

14 years ago

The "Why?" questions are definitely the fruits you got to eat more. This theory applies to every single aspect of internet marketing like copywriting, SEO, etc. Great perspective Paul

Ed

Originally Posted by Paul McQuillan

A USP is good to have, most do not have one at all. If they
do have one it is not as unique as they think. Most in IM
are copycats and quite frankly, lazy. (not everyone)

Most are so worried about selling they forget to answer
the most important question... "why?"

Why should I listen to you?
Why your product?
Why should I buy now?

In order to make sure your USP is a good one, we need to
know who we want to sell to very well. Most of us use the
shotgun method and spray pellets in hopes of hitting
something.

This is a good thread to get people thinking (I hope). Focus
less on getting lots of traffic and more on what that traffic
wants.

Anyway, enough of my squawking

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edmltw

14 years ago

Fed Ex is definitely one great example of focusing on their USP to increase business. I'm pretty sure whenever you think of Fed Ex, you'll picture a young guy with a cap smiling at you while carrying a parcel. And you'll also know that this young guy went through a lots of obstacles just to get your parcel delivered.

Their marketing campaigns focused on their USP so much that most of these images are deeply ingrained into our heads.

Ed

Originally Posted by Paul McQuillan

It's also worth mentioning that difference is not a motivator,
meaningful difference is what really sets us apart.

Most of us paint in broad strokes. Too much general or vanilla
difference really makes us no different at all.

That is why Fed Ex and Avis always get mentioned when we
talk about GREAT usp models. We can instantly identify why
these companies are right (or wrong) for our needs.

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Melvin Truth Holloway

14 years ago

Being unique is good for your business. But you don't ever want to over do it. You don't want to be so unique to the point where it makes the customer feel confused. I truly believe in great customer service. It is the little things that goes a long way.

For example, I noticed a huge difference in fastfood restaurants. I went to mcdonalds, KFC, and Captin D's - and the drive thru person ask "may I take your order?" - I would tell them what I want, then sometimes they would not even tell me how much it will be. Some just say, "drive up" - when I get to the window - the drive thru worker looks like he/she is just going through the routine - some even look as if they don't want to be there.

But then, I visited Chick-fil-A and their drive thru customer service was so nice and so professional - their uniforms were press and they looked so clean. They made their competition look ametur. Chick-fil-A look like they were on a whole different level just by doing the "little things". Not the mention their food was good.

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edmltw

14 years ago

Focusing on the "little" things can really make people's days

Great USP over there Melv..

Ed

Originally Posted by Melvin Truth Holloway

Being unique is good for your business. But you don't ever want to over do it. You don't want to be so unique to the point where it makes the customer feel confused. I truly believe in great customer service. It is the little things that goes a long way.

For example, I noticed a huge difference in fastfood restaurants. I went to mcdonalds, KFC, and Captin D's - and the drive thru person ask "may I take your order?" - I would tell them what I want, then sometimes they would not even tell me how much it will be. Some just say, "drive up" - when I get to the window - the drive thru worker looks like he/she is just going through the routine - some even look as if they don't want to be there.

But then, I visited Chick-fil-A and their drive thru customer service was so nice and so professional - their uniforms were press and they looked so clean. They made their competition look ametur. Chick-fil-A look like they were on a whole different level just by doing the "little things". Not the mention their food was good.

Thanks

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donmccobb

14 years ago

I don't think anyone can pretend to be better than the rest. However, it is possible to write a USP in a niche that is better than the competition in the niche. To me this is the challenge.

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Chucks Ihebuzor

14 years ago

An example of a good USP is the one from Dominos Pizza
"Get it in less than 30 minutes or its FREE"

To your success,
Chucks

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