How to Determine Your USP - Lesson 3: Ten Ideas for Generating Your USP

Here are 10 idea generators to help you develop a powerful USP:

1. Name
Try to incorporate your USP into your name. “Sara Mathewson Custom Watercolors” is far better than just “Sara Mathewson Art”.

2. Competitive Positioning
Your USP could make a position against your competitors. If your competitor makes the customer come to them, you could use “I come to your home, camera in hand, and take photos of your pet when it is convenient for YOU.”

3. Exclusive Niche
In marketing, it is better to be a big fish in a small pond. Create a smaller niche that you can dominate. Do you do digital photography? Narrow your niche to digital enhanced pet photographs. I know someone who did!

4. Affinity
Identify yourself with your potential customer. For example, “As one self-employed business woman to another…”

5. Hidden Benefit
If you can’t build a USP around an obvious benefit, identify a hidden benefit. “With one of my paintings displayed prominently in your home, your guests will KNOW that you are a person of discriminating taste.”

6. Problem Ownership/Exclusivity
Take exclusive ownership of a problem and create a USP around that. “Boring walls lead to boring lives. A colorful life starts with a Sara Mathewson watercolor on your living room wall.”

7. Method of Marketing or Distribution
Create a unique way to distribute your art. “Too personal to leave hanging on a wall in some remote gallery, my paintings are delivered to your house OVERNIGHT and come complete with all hardware necessary to hang immediately… I even send the hammer!”

8. Continuity and 9. Membership
These two easily go hand in hand and create an ongoing source of income. “Join my Print-of-the-Month Club for only $39.97/mo. Every month you will receive a matted print along with a story about the painting itself and special discounts on other products.”

10. Service Difference
Go above and beyond. Have better service than anyone else. “We do so much more than just take wedding pictures that you will never forget. We provide disposable cameras for your guest and then develop those as well. Best of all, your precious wedding photos are delivered to your front door in one week or less or you PAY NOTHING!”

Lesson #4 has 10 MORE ideas for generating your USP!

Chris O’Byrne
http://www.OnlineArtsMarketing.com/blog