What is the unique selling proposition?

The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is the feature that differentiates you from the competition. It's your added value.

This characteristic should be reflected in all the fundamental elements of your business and, consequently, in your communication.

A particular tone of voice, a detail, a solution to a problem that does not exist in the market, anything that truly differentiates you from your competitors.

The theory of the USP originated in the 1940s from the studies of Rosser Reeves, a renowned American advertiser who is the creator of the famous slogan for the timeless M&M's: "they melt in your mouth, not in your hand".

To discover and promote your Unique Selling Proposition, you must have a clear understanding of some fundamental points:

• Always have a well-defined target audience: know who you are addressing, the tone of voice to use, and their actual needs;
• Be fully aware of all the characteristics of your product or service: to do this, it is important to conduct a preliminary analysis before identifying your USP, such as the SWOT analysis;
• Have defined your reference market: study well who your competitors are and what your specific segment is (here too, the SWOT in its external factors can be very helpful).

How to apply the Unique Selling Proposition to your marketing strategy

Just like with all corporate communication, to apply the USP to your brand, always emphasize the feature that distinguishes you, everywhere, on your website, on social media, and in advertising campaigns.

The truly unique characteristic that only you have should be more than a slogan: every constituent element of your brand should revolve around this aspect.

Specifically, it is important:

• Define a slogan or claim that fully represents you: the advantages of what you offer should be clear.
• Description and copywriting: a comprehensive and detailed description where you clearly underline your USP. Not mandatory but recommended is the articulation of these values and features also through a clear and concise bullet list.
• Contextual Visual: a visual element (photo or video) that refers to your USP.

Returning to advertising campaigns, focusing the entire campaign on your USP is crucial to find a specific target and users truly interested in your product or service.

Only by structuring the whole campaign around your own USP, will you be able to make it effective and avoid flattening into the "already seen". In advertising campaigns, the feature that revolves around them is defined as Selling point.

Therefore, one must only push on one very clear characteristic, the USP, to make the user understand that only you can satisfy a certain need.

Difference between Unique Selling Proposition and Value Proposition

While the Unique Selling Proposition is something tangible and very specific, the value proposition is instead a broader concept that also encompasses contextual topics related to the product or service such as support and the relationship between the company and customer.

Once you understand your USP, create a well-defined audience through lead generation techniques by using tools like a landing page.

Examples of USP

The skill of marketers lies in finding a unique feature even in highly competitive or already saturated segments.

Here are some really clear examples that help us understand the importance of a strategic and transparent USP.

• Death Wish Coffee: this New York-based coffee roasting company has found a unique element in an essentially saturated market (both in terms of characteristics and competition) like that of coffee. This company produces the world's strongest coffee and has leveraged its USP with an aggressive and incisive corporate image (skull in the logo and merchandise returns if the customer declares it is not the strongest coffee ever tasted).
• Tattly Tattoos: this young American company has reinvented an entire industry. It deals with temporary tattoos (a sector almost exclusively reserved for children and teenagers) by expanding its target audience to include adults with complex and sophisticated designs that really have nothing to envy from real tattoos.
• M&M's: we started with Rosser Reeves and conclude with him. Thanks to his initiative and his agency (Ted Bates & co), the most famous pralines in the world have always stood out for their shape and for...slogan! Perhaps the first form of USP in the world.

The USP is essential for differentiating oneself from competitors and for enhancing one's brand reputation.