A radio show I recently listened to had a presenter interviewing a guest artist. At the end of the interview, she asked him this question:
“Why should my listeners care about listening to your music? What sets you apart?
Although he answered some answers, he wasn’t really convinced if he really knew what made him stand out.
In the same vein, many companies today connect without a clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for their brand.
As Junaid Qureshi mentioned here, “The business world is constantly changing, companies need to renew their brands to ensure an advantage to win the competition.”
One of the ways a brand can truly be renewed in the minds of its customers (prospective and existing) and win the competition is to create a unique selling proposition for itself. For a brand website, projecting a clear USP shows visitors what it’s all about without the need to “brain tear them.”
In this post, I’ll take you through 12 tips you can implement to present your unique selling proposition to set your brand apart from the competition. But before that, let’s quickly do some academic work.
12 High Practical Tips To Brand a USP Website
What is the USP?
Kissmetrics, a high-ranking online analytics website, on its blog, defines a unique selling proposition this way …
“A unique selling proposition, USP, is what your business represents. It is what differentiates your business from others because of what your business stands for. Rather than trying to be known to everything, companies with a unique selling proposition represent something specific, and it becomes what is known. “
By further applying the above point, I got a statement of fact that made me think …
“When you try to be known for everything, you don’t become known for anything.”
Did I hear you sigh: HMMMM?
In all categorical and clear terms, the previous article that defines USP completes with this BOMBSHELL:
“It is impossible to bear everything.”
That really blew my mind … but how about the “man-see-survive” syndrome by rushing in and doing everything possible to earn a living in Nigeria today? Well that’s something to think about.
Let’s take a look at some websites that project your USP.
Example 1 – Helpmeet A Need Global Foundation
Landing on the website’s home page gives you a very clear picture of what the organization is all about:
“… helps the least privileged children and families in the state of Lagos with food and educational support.”
It is clear and concise.
There is no hash of words or ambiguity. In addition, it calls you to be part of this vision by donating for a decent course (and CLEAR). And the image?
It shows how personal they are to fulfill the vision.
There is no distance between the teacher and the children, everything is a family matter. The website clearly shows three main things: the Vision Statement (USP); How they do to fulfill that vision and the fact that you can be part of their vision.
Example 2 – Bet9ja
Bet9ja, one of Nigeria’s most popular online sports betting platforms, gives a sense of urgency to winners willing to play on its website.
They give a 100% welcome bonus for newbies who join the platform. That immediately sets them apart from their peers in Nigeria’s sports betting niche.
Quick Take Away
From these examples, we see the importance of projecting “one thing” on a brand.
So what does that leave us with?
Projecting your USP can positively affect your SEO efforts.
How?
In Neil Patel’s “Understanding the impact of dwell time on SEO”, we see that the more time (dwell time) people spend on your site (getting something that resonates well with them), the higher your page goes up.
It will help build a predefined audience and channel a course so that it can meet your needs.
Again. It helps to identify the intention of the users.
And you know what? It is increasingly used by search engines (especially Google) as a ranking signal. No jokes.
Are you thinking about the future of SEO? Then surely there is hope.
Someday, who knows, things can change, as it always has, and Google could find another algorithm that favors a clearly defined USP.
Okay, as promised … here are some tips to help you come up with a Unique Selling Proposition, USP, for your brand.
How To Brand a USP Website
1. Niche below
If you can’t get to the top, go down to the bottom and go up.
Now what do I mean by this?
When you arrive at your USP, you need to know who you want to contact.
In the statement I mentioned earlier, if you can’t reach multinationals or large companies in Nigeria, it would be great to create a PSU to attract small and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, freelancers, individuals, etc.
I am not being subjective here, you know what you want to defend (please do your best).
You may want to capitalize on prices while being affordable, but then you need to be careful not to be called “CHEAP” in the process.
Cheap can mean affordable, but the word perception can be misinterpreted.
2. Address customer struggles and fears
You can stand out from the crowd by achieving your USP based on the fact that you are addressing certain concerns and issues that resonate very well with your audience.
Some online companies have the best return policy ever. This could address people’s fear of shopping online and buying products that don’t meet their specifications.
3. Dig deeper
When trying to defend something as it would be reflected in your USP, it is important that you look deep into your organization.
If what you are advocating would be highly sustainable and futuristic in some sense, then it is a good route to drive.
4. Label value
It is crucial that you sincerely label your USP around value and what resonates well with the customer.
Remember: No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
5. Go further
From Saddleback’s Unique Selling Proposition as projected on its website in an online article, we see a company that seems to go “EXTREME” to put customer trust in their products.
- What is the quality of your product or service?
- What is your unconditional commitment?
- What is that thing you can stand for, die for?
Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “he who cannot die for something is not fit to live.”
Can you imagine a company that offers a 100 year guarantee? They even joke that “they will fight for it when you’re dead.”
That kind of commitment is huge.
6. Who is your perfect client?
As Jesus said, it was not called for everyone, so companies should do it.
Sometimes I think to myself, I wouldn’t want to offer services or present a product to someone who doesn’t care (I’ve been there, I know how it feels).
I do not want to give my pearls to pigs, people who do not value what I am offering.
Strategic marketing will help do the trick here.
7. Ask strategic questions
When finding a USP for your brand, ask (and write your answers please) the following questions:
- Who is your ideal client?
- Why are they your ideal clients?
- What does your perfect customer really want?
- What are (are) your challenges, problems, headaches?
- How can your product or service solve your problems?
- What factors motivate your purchasing decisions? (Do you want to see testimonials?)
- Why do your current customers choose your business over their competitors?
- Explain how your company solves the problems of its ideal clients?
8. Solve problems
Consumers don’t want to buy products, they want to solve their problems (keep it at your fingertips).
Equipped with this, you want to get to the brass studs. Go back to basics and read John Maslows’ Hierarchy of Needs.
Find out more about basic human needs and coin your USP for your brand through their website.
For example, what is the great problem of looking good if it is not to reinforce the human need to be accepted, favored? glamor, confidence and style project?
9. Create a personality
In developing your USP, seek to create a personality out of it.
What i mean
You will have to do it as if you were a real human being (not a company, company or object) making the promise.
“Humanize it” if there is any word like that.
10. Be clear
Be very clear about what it is all about in the first few seconds visitors come to your page.
Unambiguous No puzzle
There is no need to try to unravel anything. I don’t think people like to do it these days.
Let your USP be clean, clear, and concise.
Above all, keep it simple, memorable and fun.
11. Just find your difference
Don’t try to be more than unique when creating your USP.
Just find your difference in the middle of an existing market and reduce your market share.
Again, don’t compete in a market that you might feel overwhelmed and frustrated with.
Instead, simplify and shrink until you’re comfortable – you can make a difference within a small area in your industry.
This applies to markets where big shots dominate.
Why are you out here?
Your USP must address the question, “Why should I buy from you when there are a thousand and one options available?”
And you know what? Some of these options are free.
12. Become the best of one
Become the best at something no one else is trying.
Find that area that no one is doing or going the extra mile and perfect the act.
Don’t play a game you can’t win, instead change the game to your liking.
Where is the best place to put your USP on your website?
Now after creating your website’s business USP commercial, what’s next?
The best place to place your USP is another very important thing.
My recommendation is that you make sure that your USP is just “above the fold” of your website, most preferably and following standards, it should be in the banner section of your website.
“Above the fold” is just a region on your website where the user doesn’t need to scroll down to see important information about your website in one view.
Summary
“A unique selling proposition, USP, is what your business represents. It is what differentiates your business from others because of what your business stands for … ”
Some tips that could help you get your USP include:
- Niche in your market;
- Address the specific concerns of your target audience;
- Search for the soul of your brand; go the extra mile;
- Find out who your perfect customer is;
- Ask strategic questions;
- Solve people’s problems; create a personality for your brand;
- Be clear;
- Find your difference and become the best of one.
The best place to place your USP is “above the fold”: a user in the region does not need to scroll to see all the important information in one view.
Developing your USP is key to helping you delve into the customer’s heart to always remember them for A GOOD THING and the positive impact they are willing to have in their lives.
It will also help differentiate your website / business / brand from your competition.
ONE THING from Resourceful Dev is to help companies succeed through exceptional digital services, focused on results.
You will see this clearly when you land on the home page.
