Today, it’s becoming increasingly vital to clearly differentiate your products and services in the marketplace.
If you fail to do so, it’s very easy to end up competing only on price.
At the heart of this article is the concept of the USP.
In the 1960s, Rosser Reeves — a legendary American advertiser — was the first to introduce the concept of the USP (Unique Selling Proposition) in the world of marketing.
In French, we can roughly translate USP as Proposition Unique de Vente.
The USP is the phrase — or set of phrases, logos, or slogans — that clearly identify your company, products, and services in a way that makes them unique in how they meet the needs of a specific market niche.
The warning signs that your USP is not effective are the following:
(From least to most serious)
Warning Sign #5
The communication about your product or service doesn’t generate any kind of discussion among potential customers or experts; asking someone to talk about your product is like pulling teeth.
Your product or service must be described in a way that clearly communicates the problems you solve and the specific reasons why customers should buy from you and not from your competitors.
Your message should trigger an immediate impulse to learn more about your products and services.
Warning Sign #4
You constantly have to chase potential clients, add bonuses, and create special offers — yet your prospects remain indifferent.
This means your communication about your products fails to address your customers’ specific needs. It doesn’t truly capture the problems your customers are trying to solve.
Your marketing communication should focus on the following question:
What is the problem that keeps your customer awake at night?
Warning Sign #3
Writing a winning offer to acquire a new client always feels like a difficult, frustrating, and stressful process — in short, a real headache.
That happens when you don’t have:
- A clear idea of your product or service,
- Clear arguments to address the customer’s problems,
- Strong reasons to highlight your company’s uniqueness.
Without these, you’ll never be able to craft an offer that truly interests your potential clients.
Warning Sign #2
You are constantly tempted or forced to lower your prices to get clients.
This shows that you are positioned and perceived on the market at the same level as your competitors. Since clients can’t see the difference between you and others, they base their decision solely on price.
If this is the case, you’ve become a commodity.
Examples of commodities: bread, water, phone service, internet, gasoline.
When we buy these, we expect to pay a certain price — quality is simply assumed.
Warning Sign #1
In every negotiation, the client holds all the power.
If you were the only one offering your product or service on the market, your potential client would have to comply with your terms and conditions.
Your USP should be designed and built in such a way that you never end up in the situation described above.
If your marketing system is based on false assumptions, it may produce:
- A vague USP
- A non-existent USP
- A contradictory USP
Self-Audit
Take a look at your communication materials — your website, your business card, your sales deck.
Can you identify a clear USP?
Can you spot:
- A clear offer for a product or service,
- A description of the customer’s specific problems,
- What your company specifically does to solve those problems,
- A list of the elements that differentiate you from competitors?
Too often, I find that websites and communication kits turn out to be nothing more than ego exercises.
Today, marketing is often confused with communication — and communication is confused with image.
A beautiful website or a polished brochure does not equal a marketing system designed to increase sales.
To boost your Marketing and Communication skills, you can join the exclusive training:
“NLP Practitioner with a Marketing Specialization”
For more information, contact: info@talents-coach.com
Mario Mason
(Director of Talents Coach)
