Fundamental questions to ask yourself when building a successful marketing strategy are, “What does your business provide that makes you unique and stand out from your competitors and why do you do what you do?” Create a clear and specific summary that answers these questions then take that summary and make it into one streamlined sentence; this is called your unique selling proposition (USP).  A USP is the force that drives your business and your success. It can also be used as a branding tool by placing it on all marketing materials and will be what makes people remember who you are and why you do what you do.

Problem Solving
What problems are you solving for the target market you have identified? What services do you provide that add value to your consumers that maybe you’re competitors haven’t done? Within your unique selling proposition, you are addressing a concern of your consumers and providing a simple solution to answer why they should buy your product or service over a competitor’s. Remember, people don’t buy “things”; they buy a solution, result or benefit.

Analyze your Competitors
Before creating your own USP, research how your competitors have used their USP’s. Analyze what your competitors say they sell not just their products or services. Analyze their advertisements and marketing messages to see how they used their USP to their advantage.

Identify your Target Audience
Who are your consumers? Who are you trying to market and reach out to? Identifying your target market is essential when creating a unique selling proposition. You want your USP to speak directly to your target market. Looking through your consumer’s eyes will allow you to see what makes your business so special compared to others and clarify what could now become your unique selling proposition.

Know the Behaviors of your Target Market
To create a USP, know what drives your target market; know what will be relatable to them. A great example of this is Domino’s Pizza when they came out with their USP: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less — or it’s free.” The marketers at Domino’s did their research and found that what their target market is looking for: fast delivery service and for the pizza to still be hot by the time it arrives at their front door. Domino’s answered all the questions and concerns of its consumers by creating a simple, unique selling proposition, showing the value behind ordering Domino’s over competitors.

Be Unique
When coming up with your unique selling proposition, don’t leave out the “unique” aspect. Don’t be afraid to be different – the key is to stand out from your competitors. The business slogans that stick out the most are short, sweet and have created a real differentiation from competitors. Develop a USP that creates a sense of desire and urgency for your target audience to go out and buy your product or service over competitors.

Five Key Marketing Strategy Takeaways:
-Answer why people should buy your product or service over a competitor
-Research what messages your competitors are advertising compared to what value their products or services really have
-Identify your target audience
-Know what drives your target audience and what questions or concerns they may have about your product or service.S.J.Hemley Marketing
-Differentiate yourself from your competitors by being unique

About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations.