What Makes Your Business So Special?

We marketing people talk about Unique Selling Propostions or USPs. If you’re not comfortable with this aspect of your business, the mere idea of finding your USP is daunting. However, you really should know what makes your business so special if you want to find and keep your customers.

What’s special about your business is what makes it different from all the other businesses in your sector. It gives your customers a compelling reason to buy from you rather than your competitors.  It’s why you may be able to command a higher price for your product or service. In short, it could be the difference between business success and just getting by (if you’re lucky).

So where do you start? I would recommend a conversation with the Marketing Whisperer, of course, but here are some starters for ten:

• It needs to be a simple, memorable powerful statement. If you can’t remember it, or if your customers can’t, there’s not a lot of point to it.
• Don’t try to make your ‘whole business’ unique. Its most unlikely you’ll succeed.
• It is best if what makes your business special is about the benefits you provide for customers – but unique features of your product or service are good too, providing they are easily understood. Beware of the Boswellox statement!
• Find an aspect or combination of aspects of your business that can meet customer needs which are going unfulfilled either within your sector, or in your local market.

Here are some examples of unfulfilled customer needs that provide excellent opportunities for you to discover what makes your business so special:

• Genuine convenience – such as instant availability, handy location and so on.
• Broad selection of stock items.
• Fast service.
• Big discounts.
• Professional advice.
• Longer than normal warranty or guarantee.
• Reputation for honesty and integrity.
• Personal service and assistance.
• Privacy and security.
• Longer than usual opening hours.

Be bold in your choices, otherwise you will be in danger of not being unique at all. It’s even more important to be able to provide evidence that what you say is so special about your business is true. How do you do that? Get endorsements from your customers. If they say why you’re special, it not only reminds them why you’re important to them, its instant credibility with your prospects.

But once you’ve put some thought into what makes your business so special, you must integrate it into everything you do. It should be easily and clearly found on your website, social media, e-mail, adverts, direct mail, leaflets and directory entries. Don’t forget your business stationary, especially invoices. You should repeat it clearly and consistently at every opportunity. You can’t overdo or wear out what makes your business so special, especially if it’s powerful, and if it really does make you stand out from your rivals.