Quick…What is Your Unique Value Proposition?

Your unique value proposition should be the foundation for everything you do—your marketing strategy, your ad copy, the products you choose to sell, and your customer service approach.

If you do not have one, then you will not have a unifying factor behind all these elements and it will be difficult to determine your business goals.

If you already have a unique value proposition, is it the right one?  Does it serve as the foundation for your business approach?  To help make this concept more concrete, let us use an example.

The Essence of Things

who do you admire most?  Whoever it is, there is something about that person that invites your respect and affection. If you had to describe them, what would you say? You might say they have brown hair, green eyes, dark skin, or small ears. You might say they are tall, short, young or old.

All of these characteristics may describe the person you’re thinking of, but they could also describe many other people in your community. So let’s be more specific. Perhaps the person is especially compassionate, bold or dedicated.

Still, these things could be true of many others around you. What makes the special person in your life unique is his or her soul, the driving force behind who people are and why they do what they do. That is their unique value.

What do your Customers Say?

Like, people, businesses share many things in common. They try to have good customer service, low prices, and quality products. None of those things make them unique.

What makes a business unique is the thing that it does better than anybody else—that is its driving force. As you’re thinking about your own business, ask yourself what you want to pop into your customers’ minds when they hear your company name.

Maybe it’s “the best dog trainer in town.” Maybe it’s “the best selection of GPS tracking devices” or “top notch sales associates.” That one key idea can be the springboard for your unique value proposition

Living Your Unique Value Proposition

Once you’ve determined what your unique value proposition is, it’s time to make it your top priority. It’s not enough to say you’re the best at something—you’ve got to actually be the best.

Then, use that idea to help you determine what your company goals will be and to direct your strategies for marketing and sales.

Your unique value proposition should be the soul of your business. Following through on a solid unique value proposition is what separates the good businesses from the household names.

If you’d like to learn more, Carl has an interesting video on Unique Value Propositions