Are Offline Business USP's Really Dead?

11 replies
Hey y'all...glad to be on board.

As the online world relies on content and Value Propositions to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace, has the offline world lost the importance of an old school USP to gain market share and why don't more companies use them?. They still work like gangbusters and have for 50+years-just ask Jay Abraham or Dan Kennedy. Heck...every business website"About Us" page should be/have one...and why do 95% of them suck so badly?

Curious and confused. Thoughts?

Jack.
#business #dead #offline #usp
  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Since when was the "about us" page about anything other than me me me? haha The interesting thing about USP is the first letter "Unique" and most do not do any market research to determine what is unique within their space - hence sucking badly


    Originally Posted by Jack Russell View Post

    Hey y'all...glad to be on board.

    As the online world relies on content and Value Propositions to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace, has the offline world lost the importance of an old school USP to gain market share and why don't more companies use them?. They still work like gangbusters and have for 50+years-just ask Jay Abraham or Dan Kennedy. Heck...every business website"About Us" page should be/have one...and why do 95% of them suck so badly?

    Curious and confused. Thoughts?

    Jack.
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    Success is an ACT not an idea
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    • Profile picture of the author Jack Russell
      Originally Posted by savidge4 View Post

      Since when was the "about us" page about anything other than me me me? haha The interesting thing about USP is the first letter "Unique" and most do not do any market research to determine what is unique within their space - hence sucking badly
      Wow. I haven't laughed this hard since Robin Williams did his bit about Golf. Thanks man! Read up mate and get the query. Peace.
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  • Hey Jack,

    The offline world sees USP as being location, location, location. They want foot traffic. If they park their business at a busy intersection the "Unique" in USP for them is that there are no other competitors at that location.

    DK and JA are great talkers, but you don't see them selling sump pumps to old man willis in the isles do ya?

    2 more "Unique" offline requisites "Yes we can do that" & "I'm sorry, what can I do to fix this?"

    Originally Posted by Jack Russell View Post

    Hey y'all...glad to be on board.

    As the online world relies on content and Value Propositions to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace, has the offline world lost the importance of an old school USP to gain market share and why don't more companies use them?. They still work like gangbusters and have for 50+years-just ask Jay Abraham or Dan Kennedy. Heck...every business website"About Us" page should be/have one...and why do 95% of them suck so badly?

    Curious and confused. Thoughts?

    Jack.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      Not really. I drive 16 miles to go to my barber. On the way, I pass by at least 8 place where I could get my hair cut. One of them is 2 blocks from where I live.

      I have several food stores within 2 miles. I patronize 2 a lot, one some time, and 5 or 6 not at all.

      When I want to do something to an old car, I take it to a place 13 miles away from me, though there are many, many places closer to me, including one I used to take my car too (I left them for the new one because the new one gives me the same for a lower price.)

      All in all, there are dozens of businesses that I could have used but they either didn't catch my attention or they did and did something to lose my business.

      Most didn't catch my attention. In other words, their USP/value proposition or whatever you want to call it didn't speak to me (or it did not match the visual: mechanic shop too small and dirty to do be the fastest, most honest, and cheapest (I only bought the cheapest part)).

      Several of those businesses do good enough quality work / have good enough products to be twice as busy, at least.

      There are two food stores across the street from one another: one screams about 'our quality, fresh products,' and being 'your one-stop' (they think they cary everything you need, from food to liquor to toiletries) charges a lot of money, is part of a large chain and is often busy (but not busy enough). The other one screams about fresh and only sells food and drinks (sodas, juices). Their prices are lower, and they are always very busy.

      Location, as I said, is the same. I go to the smaller store a lot, the other one only when the smaller store doesn't carry something and I don't feel like driving 2 miles to another store. A lot of people around here do that too.

      By the way, the big store has a large group (older, white, richer) that prefer it (not crowded, large isles) but I have yet to see them talk to those people, to bring them in more often or more of them.

      Originally Posted by ThePromotionalGuy View Post

      Hey Jack,

      The offline world sees USP as being location, location, location. They want foot traffic. If they park their business at a busy intersection the "Unique" in USP for them is that there are no other competitors at that location.

      DK and JA are great talkers, but you don't see them selling sump pumps to old man willis in the isles do ya?

      2 more "Unique" offline requisites "Yes we can do that" & "I'm sorry, what can I do to fix this?"
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      • DABK,

        I believe you missed my point. I'm not referring to you, the buyer. Rather the business owner who thinks location, location, location is their USP.

        I have a ton of offline, brick and mortar business clients who still think this way.
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        • Profile picture of the author DABK
          Yeah, I have. Happens to the best of me.

          Originally Posted by ThePromotionalGuy View Post

          DABK,

          I believe you missed my point. I'm not referring to you, the buyer. Rather the business owner who thinks location, location, location is their USP.

          I have a ton of offline, brick and mortar business clients who still think this way.
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          • Profile picture of the author Jack Russell
            Originally Posted by DABK View Post

            Yeah, I have. Happens to the best of me.
            An idea for all you copywriters/marketer's out there.

            USP Services: "How to Gain Unbeatable Marketshare, Crush Your Competition and Laugh Your Way to The Bank.. Guaranteed"

            Whatever. Just riffing.

            The idea is simple. Every business needs that leg up in their marketplace. Why not help them get it?

            If you can research and write half assed, you can craft a good USP.


            Every marketing guru/course I've ever studied always starts with the USP. There is a serious need for this and it could possibly be a good money maker for anyone who has the wherewithal to make it happen.

            Interesting?

            Jack
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  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    Originally Posted by Jack Russell View Post

    Hey y'all...glad to be on board.

    As the online world relies on content and Value Propositions to differentiate themselves in an increasingly crowded marketplace, has the offline world lost the importance of an old school USP to gain market share and why don't more companies use them?. They still work like gangbusters and have for 50+years-just ask Jay Abraham or Dan Kennedy. Heck...every business website"About Us" page should be/have one...and why do 95% of them suck so badly?

    Curious and confused. Thoughts?

    Jack.
    Hi Jack...welcome.

    The contradiction comes in the words Value Propositions (plural) and USP (singular)

    Over the many years in business we've tried to differentiate and express that differentiation to prospects and clients as something that adds value to their experience.

    What ultimately happens is you get known for a particular style or personality or outcome that you are able to deliver.

    The USP although still valuable to develop and promote really becomes more secondary as you generate more referrals and repeat business.

    Not that a USP isn't important.

    What really happens over time is you generate a USP that is not one you create but one clients create in their own language when they communicate what it is you do to their friends.

    The key is to find out what the words your customers use to describe your business really are rather than some USP you develop because when you have an understanding of how a client communicates what you can do to help one of their friends you get closer to your business than you can get by brainstorming any ideas you create internally.

    Best regards,

    Ozi
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  • Profile picture of the author eccj
    The offline world never had the importance of the USP.

    Most businesses are average and would never think for a minute about a USP. That's just how the numbers play out. But it doesn't mean the USP is dead.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by eccj View Post

      The offline world never had the importance of the USP.

      Most businesses are average and would never think for a minute about a USP. That's just how the numbers play out. But it doesn't mean the USP is dead.
      I would beg to differ here... USP in the offline world is all around. Without question some are better than others. “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight” quickly comes to mind. FedEx, granted is not your average business, but there is no reason every business could not play on the same playing field.

      What gets interesting with USP's ( as I see it ) is how Perceived reach or proximity of perceived client base is the logic used to develop a USP. A local pizza shop as an example. They are targeting local customers for their delivery service - hence the USP tends to take on a more geographic nature. They forget they have a dine in section with 50 seats - all of their effort goes into the localized targeting of delivery.

      How many times have we seen - or even created for clients USP's that are something like Insert Company name insert city's name best whatever they are. In my book "Best" is not a USP. Fresh on the other hand... low prices... these are great places to start - works for Whole Foods and Walmart.. why not anyone else?

      So when we are talking USP.. there are 2 types; there is Explicit, and Implicit. Explicit much like FedEx is going to be a message of promises and guarantees. In general in the way I use these, there are intended for attracting new clients. A personal professional example. I have a plastic surgeon that does liposuction. Coolscuplting becomes a big deal and he losses a fair amount of business. we redirected his efforts and offered 20% off of his services with proof that you had coolsculpting done ( from someone else ), and you were not satisfied. As he introduced coolsculpting into his services we then backed that service with 100% satisfaction. If they did not get the desired effect? they would get Liposuction for free. Promises and Guarantees - very powerful stuff.

      Implicit USP's differ in the language and tone of the message that is used. Voted insert city names best Pizza joint - would be implicit, meaning there is the use of the existing customer base voting them the best... they no longer are proclaiming the best, their customers are. Often times there is the use testimonials as a form of USP - think "Loving it" ( McD's ) a bit of a stretch sure.. but you get the idea. Implicit generally is a message based around why the customers you have keep coming back. - hope that makes sense.

      Truly effective USP border on the line of marketing message and BRANDING. "Loving it" its a USP by all means.. but plays heavily towards branding. "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight" without question a USP... but played double duty as a branding mechanism. "It keeps going and going and going" and I could keep going going and going LOL

      The smaller the perceived reach, the less USP's are used... but what that means to those of us in marketing, is that the development of such a tool becomes that much more effective for US and our clients.
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  • Great Post above. thanks Savidge

    Perception is everything.

    the better you can "stereotype" the reaction of your target market, the better.

    For example, the marketing "sherpa", is a "guide", not a "salesperson"


    kirby
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