“What makes you so special?” is the regular throwback reply in any sibling or playground argument, and also a question that every business owner should be asking themselves. You see, what makes a business special is the thing that makes customers want to buy from it. It’s also known as your Unique Selling Position (USP). Every company should have at least one USP, and it will usually relate to being either better, cheaper, or more convenient than your competition. So, what is it that makes you so special and how do you communicate it to your customers?
Identify your USP
The first thing that every business owner should do is identify their USP. This means considering every feature of your product or service, comparing it to your competitors, and identifying the standout feature that makes your offering different. Many business owners can find the process quite difficult purely because they are so close to their business and the products and services that it offers. In many cases asking someone from outside the company to take part in the process can identify features that you may never have considered.
Imagine, for example, a plumbing and heating firm; it goes as standard that a customer would expect the physical aspect of their work to be exemplary, so instead, the firm would need to think about the extras that they provide within their service. Do they offer a texting service, so customers don’t have to sit in all day? Do they make sure that when they’ve finished work on a project, everything is put back as normal? These are the aspects of their service that keep customers returning and make them stand out from their competitors. But, without doing the initial research, the plumber would never know that not sitting around all day waiting for a plumber was an attractive selling point.
Look at each product and service that you offer.
Your business probably offers lots of different services and products. You may not think it does, but it does. Think of an ice cream shop; yes, it sells ice cream, but there are lots of other options. Maybe some ice creams are dairy or sugar-free; some may be artisan, and there are different cone options. Each of those has a selling proposition that is special. While it’s all ice cream, a diabetic might travel specifically for a handmade, sugar-free option.
From all your offerings, you can then choose the one that you want to push the most. Is there a particular product or service that you are proud of or that you think needs a boost? One that is maybe a little niche and is flying under the radar? This will take some research, in particular speaking to customers who have purchased it or talking to your sales team and finding out more about why people decided to buy it. Using a marketing professional for this part of the process brings in their specialist knowledge. They know the right questions to ask to ensure that the feedback is accurate.
Decide on your message.
This bit is crucial. You’ve identified what’s so special about you and why people should buy from you; now you need to shout about it from the rooftops. Identifying your audience of potential customers is the first step. What social media platforms do they use? Do they regularly search for things online? Are they going to read a leaflet posted through a letterbox?
Secondly, you need to work out what your message is going to be about your product. Using a copywriter (or an agency that has one in their ranks) can help you find a smart, snappy, and memorable way to get your message across. Never forget that someone in an agency somewhere came up with the slogan ‘A Mars a day helps you work, rest, and play’. In the same way that you’re excellent at what you do, marketing agencies are experts in telling people about goods and services. That’s the definition of a marketing agency.
Don’t sit back.
The temptation to then breathe a relaxed sigh and sit back may be tempting, but you must remember that your competitors are probably going through the same process. So, you have to regularly review what they’re offering.
Let’s think about the plumber we talked about. They’ve identified that their USP is that they text when they’re 30 minutes away from a customer’s home, meaning that their customers don’t have to sit in and wait for them. They do all their marketing around that benefit. Their competitors notice and introduce the same service themselves. Now their offering isn’t unique, it’s an expected standard. So, they need to find something else that makes them stand out. Another example is supermarkets; Aldi and Lidl became market leaders in the UK for selling cheap food. The other large supermarkets cottoned on and started price matching. So, Aldi and Lidl had to change their USP. If you look at their current advertising, it’s all focused on the wonders of their ‘middle aisle’ full of completely random stuff.
Speak to some professionals.
We’re quite proud of the name Not Another Marketing Agency; you could say that not being like others is our USP. We’re straight-talking, and we like to get involved in our clients’ businesses. By doing that, it means that we can pinpoint exactly what makes them attractive to potential customers. So, if you’d like to chat about what makes you so special, get in touch.
