"What Makes YOU So Special?" - Richardson Management Pty Ltd

"What Makes YOU So Special?"

If a prospective customer was to ask you the question, - what does your company do? "Why should I buy from you?" ... How would you answer? You have one chance to make a good first impression – so you need to sound confident and convincing without appearing to be rehearsed. You need to be able to deliver, without hesitation, what is sometimes referred to as the 30 second “elevator pitch”.

Would you say:

We provide the best (insert your product or service) in Australia;
We have the best customer service around.
Our products are made from the highest quality.
We have the best guarantee you'll find anywhere.
Our prices are the lowest in town.

I certainly hope not! Why? Because you have not answered the customer's question.

Think about it. What person would not say the same thing about his/her company? Don't we all feel that we offer the best service, the best value, the best quality, etc., etc.?

In other words, you have not given your prospect a reason to favor your services or product over the business down the street. You have not clearly defined what sets you apart from the competition.

To experience growth and prosperity in your business, it's essential that you clearly communicate what you can do for your prospective customers that other people cannot. Probably more than anything else, identifying and promoting your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is what will increase your profits.

The best way to determine your USP is to take a hard look at your business. Focus on a specific aspect that will make you stand out from the crowd. One thing to always keep in mind is that people are looking for the answer to the WIIFM question: "What's In It For Me?" Think about what you do or sell that is important to the customer that will cut through their problems, reduce rejection, eliminate barriers, etc. What unique value do you offer to your customers?

If customers can’t easily identify USP when weighing up the increasingly confusing number of supplier options, is it any wonder they start to focus on price? What’s the possibility that you have inadvertantly “commoditized” your priceless products and services by not effectively promoting your USP and standing out from the crowd?

Make sure that it is something that is important to the customer and that it is distinctive, not easily copied, tangible and affordable. A certain hotel in SE Asia boasted that it was the tallest hotel in SE Asia – well you don’t need to be a marketing guru to work out that this wasn’t exactly going to be a huge success.

Does everyone who interacts with your customers know what your USP is? Do your sales people/account managers/customer service team understand the USP and are they committed to reinforcing this with all existing customers? Do your customers’ “apostles” (loyal customers who preach to others about your virtues) understand this? Do you consistently reinforce this in all your advertising material and avoid sending out confusing messages to the market?

By effectively developing and promoting the “right” USP you are giving prospects and existing customers a reason to identify and remember you. You are helping them to think of you first. You are telling them what makes YOU so special. And today, more than ever, this has never been more critical to business success, no.. make that business SURVIVAL.