Find Your Own Unique Selling Position!
I find it quite amazing, when I read adverts in Newspapers/magazines or even watch those infuriating adverts that always pop up when theirs something interesting you are watching.
If its on TV they are always trying to sell you the next best thing that you need either for your house or yourself! And if its in a Newspaper/magazine , they are mostly promoting their business!
But how often do they sell you on the benefit’s that you will get from buying the product or from using their business, not very often, unless its a holiday or a car commercial or advert!
Some of the more savvy businesses do sell the sizzle” mmn I can smell the bacon now”!
Lets take a carpet shop for example, do they sell you the benefit’s from shopping with them? Not very often! They push their business name and that they have a vast selection of carpets to choose from and some offer free fitting!
What if they made a slight change to their add copy, and offered to find what ever carpet the customer wanted if they didn’t have it in stock! Would that give them their own U.S.P. I am sure it would!
Another example would be a local Garage, normally he would just use his name “Joe’s Garage” for example and leave the rest up to the customers imagination on what services he offers for the motorist!
Now once again the more pro-active owners would be offering free oil checks and or Tire checks or fee wiper blade checks!
(Remember to ask for their email address at the time)
This then opens them up to offer the customer more offers which will eventually result in more business
Now I have put this in its most simple form, but you get the idea!
If your competitor “Zigs” you “ Zag”
For example in my own gardening business most of my competitors(and there are a lot) offer free estimates, now nearly everybody does that! So I thought how could I differentiate myself from the crowd!
So a few years ago we started offering a “Free Lawn Weed Treatment “ on our first visit, this has proved very successful for us, resulting in converting 60-70% of our estimates
Now if you were looking for someone to look after your garden who would you call first!
Always be on the look out for your very own Unique Selling Position ,at first this may seem difficult but if you make the time to check out your opposition there is always a new way for you to put your own twist on things to give you an advantage!
Oh and by the way! The only cost that I have is a little bit of chemical weedkiller, which I apply with a Knapsack sprayer and a few minutes of my time, the cost is negligible! But the benefit to the customer is Visible!
So go look at your own business if you have one, or if you are about to start your own income stream , remember to find your very own U.S.P.
Nike are one of the best company’s in the World for creating the “Sizzle” and the dream!
Ok! this commercial was banned for obvious reasons! but it grabbed your Attention did,nt it!
Internet Marketing is at the cutting edge of advertising both on and offline, so don’t get left behind!
All the best
Nick
Good post Nick, the two adverts that irritate me the most are the goon on Go Compare and the shouters on Safestyle Windows. I hate TV adverts, the self satisfied idiots that dream them up must think the population are all braindead, well I suppose some are!
Your own business incentive is great thinking outside the box and the beauty is it doesn’t cost you a great deal to seal the deal. Plus you have all the repeat business for so little initial outlay.
Having a USP is a must nowadays.
Bill
Ashton-under-Lyne, UK
Bill Murney recently posted..Niche Ideas Research – Part 1
Good choice of advert Nick, (where do you find them)? My respect for Nike has just increased, I didn’t think a massive company like that would dare try something so edgy.
I always wondered why the victims of horror films never seem to be good runners, whereas the baddie is. I bet even you could knock out a fast mile Nick, if someone was chasing you with a chainsaw.
Despite the above, I also can’t stand adverts on TV. I don’t mind them in newspapers and magazines because you can choose to ignore them, you can’t on radio or TV.
Here’s my anti-advert TV tip for you and Bill.
Don’t watch anything live (apart from football obviously), record everything you want to watch that’s on a commercial channel. Then watch the recording later, fast-forwarding through the adverts, saves a lot of time as well as improving the viewing experience.
Back to business. Your free weedkiller idea was good Nick. You offered something of high perceived value to your prospective customers, but it cost you very little. Freebies work, but they have to be good freebies related to your business.
John
Leamington Spa, England
PS. I thought you were joining me and Bill with the location signature? It should be good SEO for your gardening business.
John McNally@Blogging for Pleasure and Profit recently posted..How to Enjoy Marathon Training
Hey Nick,
Great post and you hit the nail on the head. Help your prospects by offering something that will really benefit them. Sounds like your own USP is bringing in more business for you as well. Great job!
I will admit, I’ve always hated TV commercials which is why I tape everything and have for years so I can fast forward through them. My brother and I use to joke when we were younger that we could come up with better advertisements then the ones they have. LOL!!! I still feel that way today.
That video actually scared me but I totally see the point. It definitely grabs your attention though.
Great post Nick… Thanks for that!
Adrienne
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Adrienne, that video scared me as well.
It was a spoof of the film ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, which is why I liked it. 
John
Leamington Spa, England
John McNally@Blogging for Pleasure and Profit recently posted..How to Enjoy Marathon Training
Hi Nick,
My Father used to be a pretty good sales rep for a packaging company (selling boring old cardboard and styrofoam!). He used to tell me “God gave you two ears and One mouth, use them in that order”. In other words Listen to the customers needs rather than trying to sell them what you think they need.
Great post and I’ll be visiting again.
Many thanks
John Chadwick
John Chadwick recently posted..WordPress Security – Why and How To Part 1
Bill
Those two adverts bug me too! but once again they get our attention, and thats what its all about in the end!
Having been learning from john the same as you, I believe its important to have more than on niche, however the gardening one in enormous as you well know!
Have a great day
Nick
Oxford,UK.
Hi John
I normally write my post then put the keywords into Youtube and choose which video to show!
As regards recording all the TV and then zipping past the adverts, well I guess I do in a way, because I normally have my lap top with me , and when an advert pops up, I get busy blog visiting and building my backlinks, it does,nt annoy the misses so much lol!
Sorry forgot to add my address signature, I normally only do it when I visit someone elses blog, another good tip from the terrible two lol
So far nobody has followed me locally offering the same (free weed killer
Application) probable because they think it doesnt work, as all the Gurus say Test Test Test, we all have to move with the times otherwise we will get left behind, wondering ” what if”
All the best
Nick
Oxford,UK.
Hi Adrienne
The advert is scary, but what a great way to advertise running shoes! as they say”think out of the box”
I too believe that I could come up with some better tv adverts than some of the experts, well I guess we have our chance now , with all the video applictions that we can use, so its up to us!
I look forward to seeing yours on your blog soon!
All the best
Nick
Oxford,UK.
Hey John
You stalking Adrienne on my blog lol
I have to be honest the Chainsaw massacre advert made me watch it right through to the end, which is what we all want to achieve when writing our blogs too!
Nick
Oxford,UK.
Hi John
The trouble is not enough people listen to there customers needs, before trying to get the signature on the cheque!
When I visit someone for the first time , to give them an estimate/quote, I tend to spend more time finding out what they want out of their garden, which then allows me too tailor make a package just for them, it takes just the same amount of time, but normally converts far better!
All the best
Nick
Oxford,UK
Hi Nick
Great post, really gave me a lot to think about, do I really have a unique selling point????
I honestly dont know, I am just starting out in affiliate marketing, so right now I hope the USP will develp in itself.
Alex
Alex Neill recently posted..20 Free Press Release Sites For 2011 – Free Traffic Tip
Hi Alex
Many thnks for your kind words! dont worry too much about your own USP as your Internet business develops you will find what sits comfortable with yourself!
All the best
Nick
Oxford.UK.
Hey Nick,
What a fantastic post, you’re so right about making an increased % in your sales by making your brand and business *UNIQUE* in your marketing efforts!
You know when done correctly, you can even comfortably compete in saturated niche markets, one of the ways to do do this best is by selling products private label as your own brand!
I mean who can price compare you to your own brand that only you are selling?
As for the video savvy piece of marketing Nick….Ed.
Hi Ed
Many thanks for the kind words! in these tough economic times we all have to look at how we promote our business, if we dont keep testing and improving it will die!
I can never understand why people keep looking for new customers when its far easier and cheaper to keep the ones you have got, and then to use them to advertise on your behalf!
I have never used ebay to sell anything but after reading your blog , I feel its another income stream that I could probable add to my business! maybe even create my own brand, as I will not be competing with the big boys then!
Have a great day
Nick
Oxford.Uk
Hi Nick, you’ve covered a good topic very well my friend.
My brother runs his own garage and always advertises his USP, which is home starts, pick ups and collections etc etc.
Like many others i can’t stand the TV adverts and leave the room everytime they come on.
Your post has help remind me of a video i’ve been meaning to create for my ebay listings, which points out my USP.
Thanks for that Nick.
Catch up very soon, Barry
Barry Wells recently posted..Twitterfeed to Twitter- Share Your Views Please
Hi Barry
Many small businesses are starting to cotton on to using their very own USP in their advertising , but there are still so many that are not!
Glad to here your brother is on the top of his game and that I reminded you to create a video for your own ebay listings, just goes to show visiting other peoples blogs can be very helpful sometimes and not just by creating back links!
all the very best
Nick
Oxford.UK
Great post.THanks for your sharing.
That advertisement scare me but I admited that it’s so effective to grad my attention
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