Creating a Unique Selling Proposition for Your Business Startup

As you think about your new business, you must create a way to make your business stand out in the minds of potential customers/clients. And you must describe your products or services to make people want to come in and buy. You must create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

The most important thing to remember about a USP is "benefits, 

not features." Focus on benefits to your potential customers, not the great features you think are really cool. The technical aspects of your products are great, but your customers are more concerned with whether the product or service is what they need or want.

For example, 

if you are selling shoes, don't describe the way they were made, talk about how they will make the customer feel sexy, or comfortable. Focus on:

• How the product/service will solve a problem
• How this will change the person
• How the product/service will improve the person's life

Creating a USP is one of the most difficult parts of a business plan, but one of the most important. You will need to keep working on getting it right, so you know how to market your products or services.

By Jean Murray

US Business Law / Taxes Expert

How To Develop a Marketing Strategy - By Laura Lake Marketing Expert

The benefits of a planned marketing strategy are numerous. Business owners often rely solely on their intuition to make business decisions. While this informal knowledge is important in the decision making process, it may not provide you with all the facts you need to achieve marketing results. A marketing strategy will help you in defining business goals and develop activities to achieve them.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: 2 hours 

Here's How:

1. Describe your company's unique selling proposition (USP).
2. Define your target market.
3. Write down the benefits of your products or services.
4. Describe how you will position your products or services.
5. Define your marketing methods. Will you advertise, use Internet marketing, direct marketing, or public relations?

Tips:

1. Your Unique Selling Proposition sets you out from the rest, don't try to develop a marketing plan without one.
2. It's important that you have a budget developed for your marketing plan. Marketing is an investment.
3. Revisit your marketing plan at least once every quarter. Are you on target? Do you need to revise it?

What You Need:

• A place to concentrate.
• A pen or pencil.
• A notebook or journal.

By Laura Lake

Marketing Expert