So, if I asked you What make your business unique? What would you say?

The common answers I hear from frame shop owners all sound much the same. In fact most small business owners list similar attributes about their business. See if any of these sound familiar.

• We have the best service
• We offer the best selection
• We have the best price

If these statements are even close to your answers to that question, please take my next comments with the respect they are intended. These are NOT unique!

It’s surprising when I ask a business about their USP how many don’t know how to answer that basic business question. The trouble is, if you don’t know, how do you expect a customer to know?

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from your competition and is the cornerstone of your marketing plan; it’s what make you different and what makes you better. It must be clearly defined. It must be easy to explain, and it must be true!

How do you know you have the best service? Can you point to stellar reviews? Do you have glowing customer testimonials? If a customer can’t see it, they’re not going to believe it. Besides, everyone says they have the best service.

Before you can begin to sell your product or service to anyone else, you have to sell yourself on it.

Writing a Strong USP

Pinpointing your USP requires some hard soul-searching and creativity. It begins with a clear understanding of what your customer wants. Here are some exercises to help you identify your USP.

Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. It should always be about the customer… ALWAYS! Knowing what your ideal audience wants and understanding how your product fits their need is the key. Take the time to list every product you sell in one column and beside each, write the specific customer problem it solves. You should plan on spending 20 – 30 minutes doing this exercise. At the end, you will have a clearer focus on what your customer is really buying.

Size up your competition. To really know how you measure up in your customer’s eyes, you should research your top 3 competitors (both locally and online). Take a good look at where they advertise and their marketing message. Then write down how you are different in ways that matter to your customers.

Be unique! The best way to stand out in a crowded marketplace is to be unique. You can identify an under-served niche market, win top design awards, or offer high-end restoration, the point being don’t be like every other frame shop out there. Maybe your business fits several market niches, so write a USP for each and pick the strongest one.

A real world example. Describing these exercises is one thing, but after reading this article, I want you to come away with a specific idea on how to write your USP and how to use it. So I offer you this. In my shop Finer Frames, our primary USP is “Design driven preservation framing”. This clear and concise phrase lets customer know that our specialty is good design and we focus on art conservation. I have this memorized and share it when I introduce myself at networking event. My employees know it and so do my friends and family so they can use it when referring my business. Your USP can become your tag line on your email address or sign on your door.   Use it correctly, and it becomes the cornerstone for marketing message and how to talk to customers.

Need help defining your USP? I’m happy to help you discover yours in Week 4 of Recharge Your Business on line marketing training program for framing entrepreneurs. Learn more at rechargeyourbusiness.com