How dangerous are USP’s? What If They Become “Un-Unique”?
A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is intended to differentiate a product from its competitors. This could be: the lowest cost, the highest quality; it could be considered as something you have that your competitors do not. It could also be the first-ever product of its kind in which case there are no competitors.
Three observations.
First; if the USP relates to a product, what behaviour is that going to encourage in the seller? To lead with product. What is it that annoys buyers the most about sellers? Sellers leading with product.
Second; what if you have built your business on the “Uniqueness” of your product and someone else comes into the market offering exactly the same? What if, the Unique becomes “Un-Unique?
Three; what if your product is the first-ever of its kind? How many buyers want to be the pioneer?
Differentiation, the “holy grail” of branding and selling; what makes your product unique?
A great deal of interest is now being generated by “Customer Experience”. This would suggest that differentiation encompasses more than just something “unique” about your product; there has to be something “unique” about your overall approach to your market and customers within in it.
On this premise, differentiation stems not from product alone, although that does have to be of great quality, but from the manner of your engagement, by the way in which you behave collectively as an organization and individually as salespeople: differentiate by the way you behave.
How much less likely is it that your USP will be dangerous and will not be made “Un-Unique” if it is enshrined in the culture of your organization’s customer experience and in the way you behave?
John
If you are curious about this, register your interest by contacting me, John Busby, to discuss at: jb@bkc.net; + 44 7968 066 165
Copyright© 2016 John Busby