smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

As a small business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else.

This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk and our panel expert Jackie Jarvis, author of 85 Inspiring Ways to Market Your Small Business, should give you some useful tips.

Get the message across
Your challenge is to identify and communicate your USP and feel completely comfortable when you do. That means you’ve got to clarify what can do for your customers that delivers a result or an advantage that’s superior or different to the competition.

More than just communicating it, you need to demonstrate it, so the USP you put forward needs careful consideration.

What makes a successful USP
Your USP should answer the most fundamental question that every buyer needs answering: “Why should I buy from you?”.

It should communicate the most powerful benefit or advantage you offer to your customers above your competitors. To do this, you must determine what they want, what they’re not getting from anyone else and what will solve their major fears or frustrations – then offer it to them.

Each of these benefits must conform to the SMART list:
• Specific and realistic
• Measurable (quality or quantity)
• Achievable and provable
• Relevant to your customer’s needs and objectives in a positive way
• Time bound, if appropriate

USP checklist
• Ask people directly what problems they have with a service similar to yours.
• Decide what is special and unique about your business?
• Match what you can do particularly well with problems people want solving.
• Read your testimonials – What do your satisfied customers praise you for?
• Check out your competitors advertising. What promises are they making?
• Pick out one or two things that you could use in your advertising.

Using your USP
Once you have put some careful thought into your USP and you have developed it, you will need to integrate it into everything that you do.

It needs to be found in your advertisement headlines, your body copy, in your Yellow Pages adverts. It must find its way to your website homepage and be repeated throughout. Your business stationery can even mention it.

When you make a sales presentation or chat at a networking event your USP should always find its way into the conversation. Don’t be afraid to promote your business and highlight what it does well.

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