How To Build Your ‘Transcendent’ USP
Pete Savage is a freelance copywriter who writes e-newsletters, case studies, direct marketing materials and more for F500 companies, as well as small and medium businesses who want to drive growth with smart marketing campaigns. A variety of FREE marketing resources are available on his website, www.petesavage.com.
How To Build Your ‘Transcendent’ USP
WITH HELP FROM DAVID BECKHAM
Good for David Beckham. We owe him a big thank you.
He showed us plenty of marketing lessons when his mega-contract with a U.S. soccer team achieved worldwide media saturation. The most important take away for us marketers?
David Beckham’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition).
The fact is, most marketers have a terrible time trying to articulate their company’s USP. But what does a solid USP give you?
A crystal clear message to take to your prospects, which ultimately helps you generate leads faster and easier.
This month’s article helps you create that crystal clear message, by showing you how to craft what I call a ‘transcendent’ USP, which is very different from a plain old USP.
First, a quick refresher. Every USP follows this simple three-part formula:
1. It promises a benefit
2. It makes a unique offer
3. It is significant enough to motivate action
But what’s a ‘transcendent’ USP?
That’s where David Beckham comes in. Let’s take a quick look at Beckham’s USP, and how it helped him market his services (as a professional soccer player) to a new target market of MLS (Major League Soccer) teams in the U.S.:
What benefits does Beckham promise?
From the second you sign him, Beckham gives you instant global exposure for your team’s brand, an immediate stratospheric surge in the demand for your product and ongoing worldwide media coverage measuring into the zillions.
What is his unique offer?
Beckham offers something no other soccer player in the world can: celebrity status on par with any Hollywood star. If your team signs Beckham, it’s like signing Tom Cruise. Or Madonna. You become the only team in the world with a pop culture icon modeling your jersey twice a week.
Is this significant enough to motivate action?
I’ll say. Beckham’s USP fetched him 250 Mil over 5 years.
Now, here’s what makes Beckham’s USP ‘transcendent’. Note the words I just used to describe Beckham’s benefit promise and unique offer.
There’s no mention of scoring goals, kicking ability, or performance on the soccer pitch. Beckham’s USP actually has nothing to do with soccer! The context of his offer is soccer, yes, but his USP transcends that context.
Here’s another famous USP that transcends context: Domino’s Pizza devoured their market when they started promising ‘Hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes’.
Although the context of their offering is pizza, their USP made no mention of secret sauce, pizza quality or even taste! Instead, it promised speed and convenience.
Transcendent USPs rise above the context of the offer and shift the buyer’s focus to the real payoff: higher-level benefits.
B2B companies notoriously struggle to nail down their USP because they get caught up in all the exciting features of their service, product or technology, forgetting all about higher-level benefits.
But if you want a USP that rises above your competitors, you need to stop talking about your secret sauce. You need to transcend.
Two Big Steps Toward Your Transcendent USP
Here are the first two things you need to do to create your transcendent USP:
- Forget the catchy jingle approach
You’re selling high value solutions to other businesses, not candy-coated chocolates. Trying to sum up your USP in 10 words will only lead to frustration. Don’t be afraid to take a few paragraphs to succinctly articulate your USP. - Relax
Don’t feel like you have to figure everything out on your own. Ask your ten best clients to participate in a strategic marketing symposium of sorts. You can set up phone interviews or online surveys and collect input to key questions. You’ll find their feedback immensely helpful.
What kind of questions should you ask? Here are seven to help you get started. Note - some of these questions are not for the faint of heart! They’re intended for use by companies who aren’t afraid of raw, honest client feedback in the pursuit of their transcendent USP.
7 Questions To Help You Craft Your Transcendent USP
- Why did you engage with our company over other vendors?
- If someone asked you what our company does, what would you say?
- What would you say is the one overriding benefit that our product/service brings you?
- What are some measurable returns you have achieved by using our product/service? (Can you be specific in terms of time savings, cost savings, or increased revenues?)
- How does our solution benefit you personally, in your day-to-day role?
- How does it benefit others in your company?
- What would you say to a colleague if he or she were considering using our services?
Developing a solid transcendent USP takes work, but the payoff (as our friend Mr. Beckham would agree) is well worth it. [Source: Peter savage - icontact.com - May 2008]
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