Your USP is the main selling point of your product or service. It is the “why should I purchase from you” part of your business. How does your business benefit your customers?

If you cannot answer this question…marketing and growing your business will be painful…and I mean really painful. 

So let’s go through the steps of creating your own USP.  

 

For the sake of this post, we will be creating a USP for a fictional energy drink.

 Let’s call it Empower!

 

Step #1: Who is your target audience?

 

Ask yourself who would benefit from my product or service?

What is their occupation?

What are their pain points?

What is the desired result in the eyes of your customers?

What problem are you solving?

 

Example: We want to create a great-tasting energy drink without the sugar and unknown chemicals found in most name brand energy drinks

Who would benefit? Busy professionals that are health conscious and need a quick boost from time to time. (We’re focusing on one specific group.)

What is their occupation? They are corporate America professionals/executives that are big on self-development and personal growth. 

Step #2: What problem do you solve?

 

What is the need for your product?

What pain do you solve?

You want to be as clear and as thorough as possible when identifying your core problem. Get into the mind of your customers and see things from their perspective.

 

Example:

What are their pain points?

They are tired of the usual energy drinks of the market filled with insane amounts of sugar and extra chemicals that they can hardly pronounce. 

We provide a clean low sugar all-natural energy drink with labels you can actually understand. 

 

Step #3: What are the special benefits you provide your customers. 

 

What benefits can your customer expect to receive from purchasing/using your product or service? Create a list of the main selling benefits from the customer’s perspective.

 

Example:

Main benefits:

1. Increased energy. 
2. Low sugar.
3. All-natural with no artificial sweeteners. 
4. Locally produced.
5. Motivation on every can. ( This is our huge marketing edge. It taps into the interests of our target audience.)

 

Step #4: What is your promise? 

 

To create a successful USP you have to make a pledge/promise to your customers that shows that you are committed to solving their most pressing needs. 

What is your promise/commitment to your customers?

 

Example:

We create energy drinks that are not only great tasting but also good for your body. We even give you a bit of motivation to get you through your day on every can. 

 

Step #5: Combine and Finalize!

 

Now that we have gone through the main steps of creating a USP. It’s time to cut it down and combine our final pitch/main selling point (USP).

Highlight the major benefits and the best promise that you can actually deliver on. Do not…and I repeat do not make a promise that you cannot keep!

You may want to redo this exercise several times as you develop and grow your business. 

 

Thinking about a new product? Do this exercise? If you can’t answer the questions you may want to pivot or change up your approach. 

 

 

Homework!

Take a second and go through the exercise and create your own USP for your existing business or maybe an idea you have yet to execute. 

Post your results below! 

These homework assignments are only useful is you actually do them! 

Cheers!