I hate USP's

Why?

What did it for me was the lunch when I was asked:-

"hello whats your name and whats your USP" aarrgghhhh its gone to far

"my USP is exterminating anyone who asks silly questions"

In researching UPS's I did discover the inventor - Rosser Reeves

He wrote his first book in 1961, The Reality of Advertising. This book laid out the selling technique that he is famous for, the USP: Unique Selling Proposition

The criteria was

Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer. Not just words, not just product puffery, not just show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: 'Buy this product and you will get this specific benefit.'

The proposition must be one that the competition either cannot, or does not, offer. It must be unique-either a uniqueness of the brand or a claim not otherwise made in that particular field of advertising.

The proposition must be so strong that it can move the mass millions; i.e., pull over new customers to your product.

His idea was that you picked one thing about your product - its USP, and you used facts not fancy words and you used these words repeatedly over the life of the product.

So what does make you, your brand, your product different?

Define what it is that makes you different from your competitors, ask yourself these questions.

1. What is really different about your business or brand vs. your competitors?
2. Which of these factors are most important to your customers or potential customers?
3. What is it that your current customers have in common? Look for the solution of the problem inside the customer/prospect's mind.
4. Which of these factors cannot or are not easily imitated by your competitors?
5. Which of these factors can be easily communicated and understood by your customers or potential customers?
6. Can you construct a memorable message (USP) of these unique, meaningful qualities about your business or brand?
7. How will you communicate this message (USP) to buyers and end users? (advertising, promotion programs (e.g., direct mail), packaging, web, etc)
8. What are the "extras" that I bring to the market?

Let me know how you do.