Every solid business or organization needs an overall unique sales/value proposition (USP/UVP), but individual offerings need one, too, to differentiate them from competing products/services. When hoping to win customers with specific requirements, a forthright explanation of why you believe your option is the best choice can help you go the last mile of earning a transaction. This can require some soul searching and putting yourself in the shoes of a customer, asking, “Which of these factors would make me feel the best about choosing this product/service?”
Storytelling
Can you tell a better story than your competitor about why becoming your patron is a positive choice? Is it the origin story of your business, the fact that your operation is family-owned, has been in business longer with a track record of customer satisfaction excellence, and is more inclusive and diverse? Or is the best story how this offering will contribute to the life of the customer? Will it make them happier, safer, smarter, healthier, more comfortable, etc.? Words, images, and videos that help the visitor picture their life being improved can work wonders. Often, it’s your customers’ own words that tell the most relatable and best stories.
Price
In many cases, people simply shop by finding the lowest price, but for higher-intent customers and transactions, an explanation of a higher price could help. For example, if a garment you’re offering costs $150, but similar garments are half that price, explain why. Is it that you pay your workers a living wage? Is it that the fabric is USA-made? Is it that the quality of the fabric is more durable, resolving the major issue of fast fashion? Is it that the construction of the garment is more difficult, with higher-end finishings and details?
Ethics
Are particular standards of green practices or human rights in place in the production of your offering that competitors don’t adhere to? Are you able to make a caring appeal to customers whose choosiness is the result of their personal ethics and concerns over the welfare of the environment or other people? Is there something about the mission of your business that underpins every product and can move hearts and minds?
Philanthropy
Does a percentage of your earnings go to supporting a cause your audience cares about, meaning that they can feel extra good about the money they spend being of additional benefit to society beyond a mere transaction?
Tie-ins
Does becoming a customer of your business confer additional perks, such as access to special offers, membership in a social community, a valuable loyalty program, discounts on related products, lifetime guarantees, real human support vs. chatbots, or something else that makes being your customer different than going elsewhere?
Location
Earlier, I mentioned that retail business models can have the toughest challenge in differentiating themselves in real ways from competitors; if you are offering the same products as multiple online competitors, it can too often come down to a mere price comparison for customers. Location, however, changes the game. If you have a physical branch at which a customer can quickly purchase a product or have it delivered the same day, decreasing the wait time and risk of theft, then this is a strong UVP for your scenario.
Authenticity