Before customers buy your idea
over (or in addition to) another company’s, you must show them why your
product or service is different and/or better. If you can show why you’re
unique, you’ll attract just the right customers who are perfect for your
business. They are the clients who will buy from you time and again, and
continually refer you to their friends.
This point of difference between
you and your competition is called a USP, short for “Unique Sales
Proposition.” Here are five examples of how to stand out with a
Unique Sales Position:
1. Better (i.e. lower) price
Typically, I don’t like competing
on price. I prefer to provide greater value and get paid accordingly. However,
when you’re just getting started and you’re not 100 percent confident in
your skills, in behooves you to set a lower price point than more experienced
competitors. Increase the value of your services and you won’t stay there long.
Undercutting your competition will help get your first few customers in the
door, then providing stellar work will get them to bring their friends.
There’s a reason why WalMart
continues to lead the retail game. Everybody knows that their USP is “Always
Low Prices.” Again, I want to stress that the quality of your work still needs
to be very high. That’s key, since most people expect that lower prices equate
to lower quality work. Blow their expectations out of the water and you’ll most
certainly draw attention, recognition and a steady stream of new business.
2. Convenience
Making your products/services more
convenient for the customer to use or access gives you a huge advantage. As a
society, we’re used to getting things not just now...but right now.
I’m calling it the “Uberization” of the world. A few weeks ago, I ordered a
FitBit to track my sleeping patterns. Amazon shipped and delivered it the same
day. It was on my wrist by 7pm that night, just in time to start logging my
sleep. You can take advantage of this trend by making your products and services
simple to access.
One of my students, Micah, is a
personal trainer. Rather than have his clients come to him, he makes the
process extremely easy on them. Micah’s gym is mobile. He
bought one of those old white vans and wrapped it in a giant sticker with his
face and logo. Every morning, at your appointment time, he shows up to your
door, pulls you out of bed and works you out. You don’t even need to change out
of your pajamas if you don’t want to. All the equipment -- weights,
resistance bands, kettle bells -- is in the van already. After your
session, he provides a healthy snack. Because working out with him is so much
easier than getting dressed, fighting traffic and dragging yourself to the gym,
clients are flocking to him. He can charge increasingly higher rates than his
competitors. Convenience pays.
Read more
on... 5 Proven Strategies to Break
Out With Your New Business
Author: Daniel
DiPiazza
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