Marketing School, Day One: What Is A USP and Why Should I Care?
Welcome to IttyBiz’s Marketing School. It’s just like real school except you can learn while naked and you can get a drink of water any time you want. Hell, have scotch, I don’t care.
For the purposes of this month-long tutorial, I’m assuming you are in one of four positions:
1.) You have no marketing plan for your home business.
2.) You have a marketing plan and it sucks.
3.) You have a decent marketing plan and you’re trying to improve it.
4.) You run a marketing blog and you want to talk smack about me in the comments.
So whoever you are, welcome. Today we’re going to talk about the first thing you need to do when formulating a marketing plan. It’s important, so I’ve put it in big red text.
What’s Your Unique Selling Proposition?
The Unique Selling Proposition, hereafter referred to as the USP, is what makes you and your product or service unique. What makes you different from every other bozo out there hawking their wares? Your USP.
For example, I sell marketing services. Me and everyone else on the planet, or so it seems. What makes me different from everybody else? I sell marketing services to very small businesses, generally ones who have no money. I also have a potty mouth, which many people find charming and endearing.
Koopa sells abstract fine art. He takes commissions to create something custom that matches the décor of your home. His stuff is often given as a wedding or new baby gift. This is cool, but not something that can’t be said about everyone who’s ever graduated from college with a degree in fine arts. It’s hardly unique. What is unique about Koopa?
He’s a turtle.
(Note to people who care about this sort of thing: unless you write a blog about turtles, writing “he’s a turtle” in header text does nothing good for your SEO. It does look funky, however, which is why I did it.)
Your marketing has to answer one question. ”Why should I buy from you?” The problem most people have when planning their marketing strategy is that they answer the first part of that question – “why should I buy?” – without addressing the second part – “from you?”
Unless you’re providing something that has never in the history of human civilization been provided before – and to save you time I’ll tell you right now that you’re not – you need to focus on the second part of the question far more than the first. In the age of internet buying, your competition has increased about 1000-fold, if not more. You need to differentiate yourself from everybody else.
If you are a web designer, why are you different from every other web designer? Do you specialize in blogs? E-commerce? Porn sites?
If you are a freelance writer, what do you kick ass at? Will you write for chicken casseroles in lieu of money? Do you type with your feet?
If you sell home-made candles, why should I buy yours? Is your wax hand-poured by 12 vestal virgins? Are they edible? Are they four feet tall?
Figure out your USP. If you don’t have one, create one. Every other marketing effort you engage in is effectively useless without this.
Know nothing about marketing? Click here to subscribe and I’ll personally nag you all month. Then you can start your own marketing company. It’ll be fun.
***
Overwhelmed? Freaking out? Borderline hysterical? Click here to get your own micro-business marketing plan. It’s not scary, I promise.
Um…which “they” are you referring to? The vestal virgins or the candles? Edible four foot tall vestal virgins might be interesting, I don’t think anyone’s selling them on the net as far as I know…
Seriously though, it’s good to know what “USP” stands for. Every now and then I come across posts with these and I have no idea what the writer is referring to.
Oh, and about that fine arts thing? You’re absolutely correct. I can remember doing a few wedding gifts myself.
I think you may have found the only untapped niche on the net. Congratulations, Harrison. You win one edible, four-foot-tall vestal virgin.
I’m glad it helped, though. That’s why they pay me the big bucks. :)
I sell marketing services to very small businesses, generally ones who have no money. I also have a potty mouth, which many people find charming and endearing.
These are seriously the two main reasons that Tamara and I chose to work with you! The potty mouth part probably weighed a tad heavier than the other.
You’ve been reading over my shoulder, chickie. I hate answering the question, “What’s your USP, James?” (I’m very glad it isn’t edible vestal virgins…)
Search me. I haven’t got a clue. Because I’m cool? Because I’m smart, know about Internet strategies (not just writing and good pens) and can guarantee great work? Because I’m Canadian and can drive a small, imported four-door Mazda with no tires through a three-foot high snowbank without getting stuck to zoon across over 5km of frozen lake and go fishing in -40 weather? And that I like doing things like that?
Somehow, though, I always answer the right thing at the right moment (thank god). Still, that perfect USP is one that drives me bats.
*sigh* Okay, so this week’s mission for me: Find our USP.
This is going to be interesting! I’m joining your marketing school :)
I think one of the most efficient ways to market yourself if you’re in a market in which it’s hard to differenciate yourself is by making friends. Shane had a great post about it some days ago (http://blog.shaneandpeter.com/2007/11/27/freelancers-guide-to-sales-making-friends/).
As Scott Ginsberg says, “people buy people first”, so if you can’t differeciate your product, it might be a good idea to differenciate yourself.
In fact, that’s what has happened here too: Lorna and Tamara chose to work with Naomi because of who she is (and her potty mouth) - not that much because of the product itself :)
Bugger - I got dressed this morning and everything. Now where’s that scotch?
Editor’s note: Scotch is not provided. You must bring your own scotch. This isn’t a charity for crying out loud.
OMG, Naomi! I wake up and begin my Sunday morning procrastination session, and there’s your post about my little Koopa! Thank you. :-)
It’s true that having a unique attribute helps when a client is trying to choose between your product and that of somebody else. But it can also make it more difficult to market and less likely to be searched. In our case, the vast majority of our non-repeating clients find us by accident and are not actively searching for turtle-created art (since they don’t know it exists.) It’s important to consider if this USP is going to increase or decrease the size of your target audience.
But yeah…Koopa is a turtle who also happens to be an artist. That’s his USP. Plus he’s really cute. Now what?
[...] back to Marketing School, and Holy Acronyms, Batman! Yesterday we learned that you need a USP. If you’re like most itty bitty business owners, though, you also learned that you might not have [...]
*glances over at the two cats sleeping on the couch* Why can’t you guys be like the turtle? Earn your keep for cryin’ out loud…
Thanks Naomi! Since I’m a web programmer you post helped me on finding my UPS: I do plugins! I extend!
I run a marketing blog, but I don’t smack about you in the comments. I do talk smack with you in YOUR marketing blog, though. Does that count? :D
@ Kira - Koopa rules. the world needs to know.
@ Harrison - Have you ever tried to get paint off a cat? After my one attempt at fine art, I left my three panels in the kitchen to dry overnight. I think I also left my cat in the kitchen over night. The pawprints did not help.
@ Aurelian - Congratulations! You see, people? That’s why they pay me the big bucks.
@ Susan - Of course that counts. You can talk smack about me in any comments and it counts. :)
first glance, “uh, everyone knows what UPS is. duh.”
re-read the title, “oh, right. isn’t that where i plug things into my laptop?”.
read entire article, “OHHHHH. awesome. i need to do that.”
i’m in for the month of marketing school. (BTW brilliant marketing yourself; free advice? who will i go to when i need to kick my marketing up a notch? hmmm.)
can’t wait to read more!!
@ Erin - I accept payment in bags. People, have you SEEN this woman’s bags? I mean, seriously!
[...] Marketing School, Day One: What Is A USP And Why Should I Care? Marketing School, Day Two: DIY USP [...]
James, you like pens? Talk to me about pens.
OK, sorry, I am here to talk smack and talk smack I shall do.
Everyone, listen to Naomi. “I am the best” is not a USP. It feels like it is, but it is not.
My USP was supposed to be marketing communication focused primarily on strengthening customer relationships, but somewhere along the line it morphed into “will explain the Internet to bleeding heart lefties who think marketing is a dirty word; thus will call it “communication” instead.”
I’m very comfortable with that, actually.
“I am the best” is not a USP.
Thank you, Sonia. You said it beautifully. The key about the USP is the U. If everyone’s saying it, it ain’t unique.
[...] her blog and she has just started an online business marketing “class.” The class is a series of posts on marketing. I couldn’t hit the subscribe button fast enough–this is good stuff. IttyBiz just might [...]
[...] After The Sale: The Red-Headed Stepchild Of The Marketing Industry Go Big Or Suck: A Guide To Being Unforgettable Features Vs. Benefits – The Showdown Target Demographics, The Sequel Identifying Your Target Market, Or Why I Don’t Want A Monster In My Pants Marketing School, Day Two: DIY USP What Is A USP and Why Should I Care? [...]
[...] What is a USP (Unique Selling Point)? [...]
[...] You need a USP. You will go nowhere without [...]
[...] What is a USP (Unique Selling Point)? [...]
[...] of Naomi, I (somewhat) understand things like A/B splits, press releases, target demographics, and unique sales propositions (USP’s). Just remember, he or she managed to be able to speak coherently about World of Warcraft, [...]
[...] your home business spin. Find your USP. Find out what makes you cooler than the other cats. Do you need talent to be a successful blogger, [...]
[...] after spending some time reading Naomi’s blog, and some others, I recognised that I had a unique selling position that I had been unaware of. A particular set of experiences that could be useful to others if I [...]