There are so many brands out there online, and customers right now
are overwhelmed with options.
So how do you differentiate yourself?
Well, knowing the best way to position your business
and your products can be the difference between blending
in, and making that sale.
And this is why it's so important for you to create
a unique selling proposition that can help guide your
branding and marketing choices.
So keep watching, I'm about to tell you how to come up
with a truly compelling unique selling proposition, and that's
going to help you stand out against your competitors.
Welcome back.
And if you're new, welcome to Learn with Shopify.
My name is Michelle Bali and I am your host.
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that's going to help you start and grow your online business.
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are subscribed to this channel.
But without further ado, let's just hop right into it.
So what's a unique selling proposition?
A unique selling proposition is the one thing that makes
your businesses better than the competition.
It's basically that specific benefit that makes your
business stand out while the others are blending in.
So how do you find your competitive edge and how do
you make customers choose you?
Well, the first thing that we have to understand, is that in
the age of the internet, customers are drowning in a sea of options.
So they really just want to quickly understand what makes
one product better than another.
So as brand owners, we need to respond to that
by coming up with our own unique selling propositions.
And that's actually USP for short, just for your reference.
So a USP should quickly answer a potential customer's
most immediate question.
And that is what makes you different from the competition.
So how do we answer this question?
Well, your USP is going to play to your strengths, and it
should be based on what makes your brand or your product
valuable to your customers.
A compelling USP would be assertive, defensible and specific.
'We make a hundred percent scratch poof glasses' that is definitely
assertive, specific and defensible.
'We sell high quality products' not so much.
So hopefully you can see the difference.
Like I said before, it should also be focused on
what your customers value.
The unique in unique selling proposition, won't really be
counting for much if your target audience doesn't really care
about your proposition, right?
So you got to make sure that your proposition is targeted.
Your USP needs to be more than just a slogan.
So in essence, you should be able to talk the talk
and walk the walk, right?
It should be that meeting point between what your customers want,
what your customers need, and then what your business does well.
All right, here's a secret.
What you sell actually doesn't have to be unique, but the
message that you choose to focus on, that should be unique.
So in other words, you could be selling the same product as your
competition, but if you have a different angle, then your unique
selling proposition is what's doing all that heavy lifting.
Here's what a unique selling proposition is not.
So it's not a specific offer, like 10% off or 24/7 customer service.
These definitely are convincing and they're definitely effective,
but they're not unique, and they're not positions that are
easy to defend because any of your competitors can just copy them.
A USP is also not just the header copy on your homepage.
It's a position that your business takes as a whole, that can be
incorporated into the products and the overall experience
that you provide, and basically any touch point that your
customer has with your business.
It's more holistic.
All right, super quick break here.
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All right back to it.
I feel like the best way to understand what makes a powerful
USP is by looking at some examples.
So I've actually created a list of five examples of unique
selling propositions that are just getting it right.
So let's take a look at these.
All right.
So let's take a look at Knix.
Knix's Unique selling proposition is that they
are the most comfortable intimate brand on the market.
And they're actually able to back that USP up by selling innovative
products, like period underwear.
So these intimates replace pads with leak-proof protection and
they make your monthly cycle more comfortable and more convenient.
So they have other products like wireless bras, for
example, and that just further enforces their claims.
So for you and your brand, you can think about how your
products can innovate to be able to make bold claims like Knix.
Deathwish Coffee.
So a lot of coffee brands out there are claiming to have either
the smoothest or the richest cup of coffee, but Deathwish is
doing something different, they chose to brand themselves as the
world's strongest cup of coffee.
And they're basically just catering to those people that
just need that extra kick.
Deathwish coffee is a great example of developing a product based on
a unique selling proposition that other brands aren't already doing.
And they truly make this messaging visible everywhere.
They have it on their site, they have it on their packaging
and they even have full refunds for anyone who says that their
coffee isn't bold enough.
So for you and your brand, you can look at what they're doing
and really just emulate that.
You can consider including your USP at multiple touch points, just
like Deathwish Coffee is doing.
Muse.
Muse is a perfect example of why you would still need a USP, even
if your products are truly unique.
So the product that they make provides information about
your brain's activity as you meditate, and as it stands, they
actually have no competition.
There is no comparable consumer product out there, but actually
in this case, their biggest competitor would be the status quo.
That would just be, you know, regular meditation without a tool.
So naturally their USP is around using their product to
get the most out of meditation.
And they definitely build a strong case for this all over their
product pages, on their about us page and just all over their site.
So what that means for you is if your business and your
product offering is truly unique, it is definitely still
important to have your USP.
Taylor Stitch.
Okay so Taylor Stitch is an interesting one.
They are a clothing company that uses crowdfunding to
develop their new products.
Some consumers actually frown upon established brands that
use crowdfunding, but that definitely isn't the case here,
just because of the way that they make it a part of their USP.
They immediately let customers know that with crowdfunding, they're
saving 20% off and by pre-ordering, they're actually making it
better for the environment.
So, taylor Stitch is just a great example of successfully
turning an unconventional business model into a competitive edge.
So for you, you should be narrating your story in a way
that is positive and valuable.
Now, whether that applies to your supply chain or other areas of
your business, your USP should be supported by positive storytelling.
Inkbox tattoos.
Many temporary tattoos are really intended for kids and
they have childish designs, but Inkbox definitely takes a
bit of a different approach.
They offer designs for people of all ages.
Their unique selling proposition is that customers can express
themselves without the commitment and without the
high cost of permanent tattoos.
So I love this because this really breaks through that stigma.
So as it applies to your business, If you're selling a product that
has certain connotations, then you can use your unique selling
proposition to tackle stigmas and change consumer viewpoints.
Now that we've looked at some examples of strong USP's from
other businesses, you might be wondering how you can
go about creating your own.
Every USP is going to be unique, but that doesn't mean that there
isn't a process that you can't use to put yourself on the right track.
So here's how you can write yours.
First, make a list of all the potential differentiators
of your brand and what it is that you're selling.
And also get specific.
If you want to make break-out products or memorable
marketing messages, you're going to need to be specific.
This is because breakout ideas solve the exact right problem and
communicate that benefit to their customers in their own words.
Next research, the competition.
Who are your competitors and what are their USP's?
And then look for gaps where you could potentially introduce
your brand differently.
Keep in mind that products in the same category can be positioned
in wildly different ways.
So even two identical products can be positioned very differently.
Once you have some angles in mind, compare your most unique angles
against your audience's needs.
Maybe your customer's needs aren't being met.
And if not, how can you meet them?
Do your customers have any pain points that maybe you can solve?
After you settled on your USP you're going to want to
think about ways that you can apply it across your business.
From your brand name, to your return policy, you can really
reinforce your USP and just weave it right into your business.
And it might also help to express it in a statement so
that you can just get it down on paper and understand it fully.
So use this formula: [Your brand] offers [product or
service] for [target market] to [value proposition].
Unlike [the alternative] we [key differentiator].
So that's a bit abstract, so let's just try one for fun.
Go fetch offers the lightest Frisbees ever made for
over-energetic dogs who want to go further, faster.
This won't be exactly what you advertise on your website.
You know, you're going to want to finesse that copy,
but it should definitely help you clarify your USP.
Unique selling propositions, defining your competitive edge.
A USP isn't just a persuasive line of copy on your homepage.
It really is how you position your products or even your
entire brand to the world.
So don't forget, your products don't have to be completely
unique in order to have a strong, unique selling proposition.
So don't let that daunt you.
Instead, what you can do is look for a spot in the
market, that's more or less untouched by the competition.
Coming up with your unique selling proposition is it
definitely an exciting time.
At this stage, you get to think about how you can dominate a
quarter of your niche and really flex your creative muscles.
So that about covers it for today's video.
Today you've just learned how to create a unique selling
proposition that will take your ideas to the next level.
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Thank you so much for watching.
I'm your host Michelle Bali, and I will see you in the next one.