Photo by Jenny Haken
What’s your USP? Getting to the root of your Unique Selling Proposition can add a sharp focus to your marketing and set your business well above your competitors. So, let’s look at ways to define your USP and attract more customers.
Also below, I’ll briefly cover why regularly Updating your web content helps to keep customers engaged and your website ranking on Google. Plus, some ideas on generating a sense of Urgency in your copywriting without being spammy.
But first, let’s talk USPs. When receiving a copy or content writing brief, my first question is almost always, “What’s unique about your business; what’s your USP?” Knowing that helps me to write convincing copy that converts.
A strong USP helps you stand out from the crowd
It's a crowded marketplace out there! So, a strong USP helps your business to stand head and shoulders above your competition. It's your USP that gives your customers a valid reason to choose your product over others. It also helps to establish your business brand and identity.
Your USP is the unique benefit that your product (or service) offers. Even if you have a relatively standard offering, such as accountancy, insurance or HR consulting, there will be something in your business that’s different from every other accountant, insurer or HR consultant. That ‘something’ could be a function or design feature that your competitors don’t have. Or it could simply be your wonderful self! So, consider what it is about you that your customers benefit from.
Once you’ve defined what that special benefit – your USP – is, use it everywhere in your marketing. It will help to convince people that they need it and convert them into buying customers.
Your USP also helps to build customer loyalty and trust; when customers know what makes your product unique, they are more likely to choose you and become loyal customers.
Defining a USP
Figuring out your USP requires careful consideration of your product, the target market, and the competition:
Know your target audience: Carry out some market research to understand what your target audience wants. What are their pain points? What do they need to solve them? Do your products have those needed benefits?
Understand the competition: To stand out from the competition, find out what your competitors are offering. Analyse their strengths and weaknesses. Then find a gap in the market that you can fill.
Identify your unique feature or benefit: Based on your target audience and competition analysis, identify your product’s unique benefit that sets it apart.
Craft your USP: Once you have established what sets you apart, hone down the words to find your USP. It should be concise, clear, and easy to understand (see examples below).
Test and refine: Test your USP with a small group of customers to see how they respond. Refine it based on their feedback until you have a strong, effective USP.
Communicate your USP: Now you can use it in your marketing to attract your target audience. Emblazon it on your website! Talk about it in your newsletters, blogs and social media posts. Use it in your values or mission statement. Include it in your email signature. Use it in promotional materials to emphasise the unique benefits of your product. Include it in all your marketing content and watch your customer numbers grow!
Haven’t the time or inclination to write your content?! I'll happily help.
USP Examples include:
“Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” M&Ms
“Empowering the world to design.” Canva
“Financial infrastructure for the internet.” Stripe
“We GUARANTEE – Fresh hot pizza, delivered in 30 minutes or less or it’s FREE!” Domino’s Pizza
Regularly Update your Content
There are many reasons to keep your content updated — to keep your website looking fresh and to keep up with the latest Google algorithms being two. Other benefits include:
To keep your readers up to date with your expertise and advice, or the latest industry news. Go through older blogs to see if any need updating – you may be surprised at how many do. This way, returning customers benefit from new information.
As you re-read old content, you’re bound to find typos and other errors. Rectify them immediately!
Check that your keywords and meta descriptions are all still relevant to help boost your SEO.
Check images and update them if necessary. Add in alt text and attributes if not already there. Adjust image sizes if necessary to ensure they load quickly for a good CX (Customer Experience) or UX (User Experience); slow-loading websites can lose visitors.
Share updated information on your social media to help attract new customers.
If you have a separate evergreen content library, go through that periodically too.
Create a Sense of Urgency
And finally, a quick mention about creating a sense of urgency. This helps your customers to act faster. So, use power words like: now, hurry, offer ends in X hours, going fast, expires soon, immediately and so on. Read more about power words here.
Need some help with any of the above? Want to do it yourself but just don’t have the time? Then please get in touch – I’d love to help.
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