A Concise Guide to Creating a Killer USP

If someone contacted you and asked for your unique selling proposition (USP), could you provide it without having to think about it?

Although customers are not actually likely to come out and ask you for your USP, it is of great importance to them. Here’s why you absolutely need one and how to create a compelling USP that drives leads and conversions.

Why Do I Need a USP?

The competition for agencies is intensifying at an incredible rate, making it essential for your organization to do everything right in order to thrive — or maybe just survive. That is one of the reasons why organizations of all kinds are constantly searching for new ways to create a prominent identity in their industry. While some choose more cost-effective digital marketing mediums, many others still rely on old-school, promotional tactics. These tactics mean nothing without a convincing USP to present to prospects.

Your USP is a vital element in crafting your future growth. Your organization may have an exceptionally high-value product or service to offer; however, unless you support this attribute with a clear, crisp, and impactful USP, there will always be a palpable void between your projections and your actual achievements. In other words, to thrive at an optimal rate, creating a killer USP is a must.

How to Create a Killer USP

Creating a UPS that complements your agency and inspires trust can be an overwhelming task, especially if you have never attempted to sum up the uniqueness of your business in just one sentence. A USP should separate your organization from the clutter and achieve the following objectives:

• Communicate the distinct benefits of your brand promise.
• Instill trust in prospective customers.
• Emphasize your competence, skill, and experience.
• Encourage actions and conversions.

As an agency, you are probably great at identifying the features and benefits of a product or client business, but how well do you identify and then promote your own uniqueness?

How to Measure a Great USP

1. Is it unique?

Your USP is your point of difference in the marketplace. Simply saying you have great client services or a brilliant creative team is not enough. You need something you can validate that can’t be easily replicated or claimed by your competitors. A great way to find out your distinctive point of difference is to simply ask your clients or staff why they choose your agency over others. Their feedback will give you a fair idea about how your solution is different from alternatives available in your industry.

2. Is it measurable?

A measurable USP enables you to gauge its long-term effectiveness. FedEx, for example, promises ‘Absolutely Positively Overnight’. So, if a package isn’t delivered by the very next day, its USP has also ‘failed to deliver’. Measurable USPs provide a sense of assurance for prospects; they feel that since the provider is so precise with its claim, it is most likely to have what it takes to deliver. Being overambitious, however, can be catastrophic, especially for new organizations without a proven track record.

3. Do you own it?

For your USP to work as it should, its application must start and end within your own organization. You and your entire team need to own and be passionate about your USP. If you don’t believe in it, chances are, your customers won’t either. In addition, it is extremely important to support your USP through your company’s mission and vision statements, the tagline that accompanies your logo, banners, and other promotional messaging.

If you’ve been thinking that you have lost that clear point of difference in a cluttered market place, it’s time to take action.

A well-thought-out USP will help drive the focus of your agency, underpin your message to the market, and glue your entire organization together with a single purpose.