There are many people who do what each of us does, both online and off. So why will someone choose your products and services instead of those from someone else? The answer to this question will make a huge difference in your bottom line.
For example, if you write eBooks about arthritis pain, offer teleseminars, and even have a 4 week program for those who want to reduce their pain from arthritis without taking pain medication, what makes your information different from what is already available out on the internet?
You must set yourself apart from the others in some way. This is your USP, or unique selling proposition. The most obvious way is price, but this is not the best thing to do. Lowering your price in order to make sales and get more clients will always be a losing proposition. The clothing industry did that here in the United States, and many retailers were forced to close during 2008.
Think about why you are in the niche that you have chosen. Usually you have a personal connection with it, so there is a story you can tell. My story is the reason I teach technology and online writing to entrepreneurs around the world. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to learn a new piece of software or to write an eBook. My experience is part of my USP.
Ask people who know you well to tell you what is different about the way you do things. They will tell you things that will amaze you. Write them down so you can give some thought to it later on. What you are trying to find out is how others perceive you. This is very different from how we perceive ourselves. I was shocked when people told me how patient I was when I explained technology to them. Now that is part of my unique selling proposition.
Figuring out your USP and how to use it in your business will take you on a journey of self-discovery. When you learn more about yourself, you will be better equipped to serve others with your products and services.
Dear Connie:
Every now and then, I stumble across someone using this phrase. It’s even better when one uses it properly , as you did, both in context and in interpretation. The phrase is from a book by Rosser Reeves, entitled “Reality in Advertising”, required reading, along with David Ogilvy’s more entertaining “Confessions of an Advertising Man”, for any aspiring advertising man in the 1960s and 1970s. As I worked for both men, and can quote much of Rosser’s book by heart, it was a real treat to see his words and concepts used today.
Good luck to you.
Bill Boland