A person who has never done business with you walks up and asks, “Why should I choose your business versus any other competitive option available to me including doing nothing at all?” Does this question leave you tongue-tied, or can you quickly and persuasively give an answer? If you can’t, you are probably in trouble or soon will be.
Your response indicates whether or not you have performed one of the most fundamental and important steps in marketing your business: the development of a unique value proposition, or UVP. In today’s market, it’s critical that you differentiate yourself from your competition. An effective UVP is short, memorable, and meaningful. Your UVP is about commitments and promises. It should reflect your passion and energy for serving your customers. Ask yourself:
“What is our company committed to providing to our customers or clients that nobody else can?”
Your UVP is not about your financial goals or product/service features. Your UVP is about meeting your customers’ or clients’ needs and it should be the focal point around which all of your marketing messages are built. Coming up with a clear and unique UVP doesn’t cost you money, but it does require careful thought and consideration. You may start this process by writing out on paper what great and unique experiences that you can provide that other competitors are not.
After that step is complete, start by asking yourself is this doable? Are the steps necessary to deliver this ideal service practical? It might be challenging to live up to this new ideal consumer experience but it can pay huge dividends. This might sound crazy, but it should not be easy to deliver. It should be difficult. If it’s not, your competitors will copy you if they can figure it out.
Here is the most important question after the UVP is established: “Can we consistently deliver this?” If yes, then do everything in your power to deliver it. Remember automation is your friend – the more of it that can be automated, the better. Here is mine: I am a wholesale rep so mine and yours will be different. Get creative and have fun with your UVP.
