Jan 16, 2013
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On The Same Page?
All companies have a unique personality, inside reality, philosophy and mission. When these unique elements of a brand are not communicated well, the outcome is the –
Vague Selling Proposition
In a nutshell, the Vague Selling Proposition is “me too” marketing. You say what your competitors say, do what they do, and copy how they market and sell.
Me Too…
Have you ever been a part of a business that looks at the collateral, websites and other marketing material to decide what to produce? Maybe you are even the one initiating this approach…. Lets be clear though, there is a fine line in getting inspiration from other companies and sources. It can be the greatest way to articulate what you would like to see and what is appealing. However, is depends on what you are trying to emulate – the design or the message. Most mistakes made in this area are ones where the message is copied or closely mimicked. Its perfectly fine and encouraged to get inspiration from other places and even competitors in terms of design and style, but when it comes to messaging, that is not a recipe for success.
Saying What Others Don’t
Again, the Vague Selling Proposition is when companies do not articulate anything in their brand messaging that prospects are able to use in order to distinguish you from the competition. This may be one of the greatest problems in small business. Instead of chopping at the branch, if we strike at the root, we notice that ambiguity is at the core. Not knowing how to articulate what you do in a way that resonates with the target market you have chosen and thereby making them feel like you can solve their problem better than the competition down the street.
Think about it from this perspective outlined below. Answer these questions (and in this order):
- Why are we in business?
- How do we do what we do?
- What problems do we solve for people?
How well is that information propagated in your brand messaging? What is it that you SAY that makes a big difference for those who are looking for someone to solve the problem that you solve.
Force yourself to articulate with words on paper the following elements of your brand:
- Personality of your business.
- Inside Reality of your business.
- Philosophy of your business.
- Mission of your business.
Your USP
These elements of a brand are a great start to developing your USP. Your USP will serve as a guiding document that helps you with all of your marketing collateral and sales encounters. It will help each employee understand how to deal with customers and handle prospects with greater care. It will be well worth your time.
Solving Problems
At the end of the day, if you are in business, you are a problem solver. Think about it, all commercial enterprises solve a problem. In order to effectively communicate how you solve the problems that you do, it behooves you to look at developing or honing your Unique Selling Proposition to articulate how you solve problems better then your competition.
Humans are programmed to respond to things that will solve their problems. If you can send a message that you solve a markets problems and deliver that in a more effective way to your target audience, then you are on your way to a powerful Unique Selling Proposition.
In regards to implementing or honing your USP, obviously we can help. Call if you need us.