In 1961, advertising legend Rosser Reeves introduced the marketing world to the notion of the unique selling proposition (USP) in his book Reality in Advertising.
According to Reeves, there are three requirements for a USP in a marketing piece:
1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer.
2. The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer.
3. The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions.[1]
For mompreneurs looking to cut through the clutter and land profitable clients, the main ideas are the same. However, I define the requirements a little differently.
First, your USP must at least imply a benefit that’s important to your target audience. In general, that means leveraging your specialty (if you have one) or your background.
For example, when I’m wearing my ‘marketing hat’ and I approach potential clients, I explain that I specialize in helping supply chain software and service companies develop messaging, targeted strategies and differentiated tactics that feed sales pipelines and drive revenue. Here, I’ve differentiated myself from most marketing generalists. But my statement needs more to actually convert prospects into clients.
So once I’ve made that proposition, I then differentiate by explaining that my focus on creating demand and driving revenue stems from more than 10 years of experience in supply chain sales and marketing.
That statement not only makes me unique, but it also complies with the third requirement in Reeves’ definition: it adds “oomph” to my USP.
That’s because you won’t find too many successful marketers with a) actual sales experience and b) more breadth and depth of supply chain knowledge.
I’ve worked with more than 25 software and service companies in this arena, and I know what makes their targets tick. I also know the tactics their prospects respond to, which means I do not have to spend a lot of time studying the industry to put together effective marketing programs. My focus on results, and the speed at which I can achieve them, is of great value to my clients and prospects.
When I pitch potential clients in my “sweet spot,” my win ratio is 100 percent. In fact, my only losses have occurred when I’ve wandered outside of my specialty zone.
For instance, a client of mine introduced me to a prospect in the banking industry. I put together a strong pitch, and during the pitch I felt positive synergy in the room. So I was rather surprised when I got the news that I had not won the account. When I followed up with the prospect, he explained that while he found my marketing skills strong, he found my industry skills lacking.
As it turns out, I was competing against another resource with many years of experience in the banking industry. In this instance, my USP was simply not appealing to my prospect, while the USP of my competition was. I was knocking on the wrong door!
What’s your USP and how is it working for you? I’m putting together a ‘USP Bootcamp’ for next month and I’m looking for a few people to try it out free of charge. If your USP needs work, email me and I’ll let you know more!
[1] Bly, Bob. “What’s Your Product’s USP?” Bly.com Newsletter Archives. July 12, 2002. http://www.bly.com/archive/index.php?m=200207.
