Most marketers will insist that you must have a USP, a Unique Selling Proposition, if you want to have any chance of making it in this competitive, dog-eat-dog world. If you don’t have something that makes your business different to your competition, you might as well forget it.
As a classically trained marketer I should subscribe to this way of thinking. As someone who has witnessed many businesses thrive without a specific USP though I find it hard to do so.
Have you have spent hours, weeks, months and maybe even years coming up with your USP? Are you still searching for that ‘holy grail’? If you have found a USP which has truly given you that competitive edge and taken your business to a whole new level, that is absolutely great, and there is now no need for you to read on.
If, on the other hand your USP is somewhat vague, fluffy or non-existent, don’t worry. You don’t have to have a USP, and here’s why.
In my experience, just being better at promoting your business than anyone else is much more powerful than having a USP. If your marketing isn’t consistent and strategic then all those people whom you’d like as clients won’t know about you. Even if you have the best USP in the world, if you don’t promote it, it’s also the best kept secret in the world.
The good news is that most of your competition is really bad at promoting themselves. Most small businesses don’t have a strategic plan. Out of those who do, many don’t follow the plan.
So ask yourself who your dream clients are, what’s important to them and how you can most effectively get them to take notice of you.
If you’re stuck for ideas on how to get them to take notice of you, why not come along to our next workshop?
In the meantime I’d love to know whether you have a USP? Is it working for you?
