Defining Your Unique Selling Proposition
As a business owner, you know the value that your professional service firm can provide better than anyone. But do you know how to communicate your value to your clients and prospects?
What you need to know is your unique selling proposition. Your unique selling proposition is different from the pitch you and your service professionals use to introduce your firm. It is more specific and tailored to your ideal client profile, noting how you are different and superior to your competition.
At Sebastian Lane Consulting, we help you determine what your unique selling proposition is, how to communicate it to your clients, and why you should ensure your service professionals are using it consistently in their messaging to prospects and clients.
What is a Unique Selling Proposition?
Prospects have many professional service firms to choose from, which means you have to stand out to catch their eye. A unique selling proposition, also known as a USP, is a message that is used to communicate the value you can add for your clients. The goal of your USP is to share what differentiates you from the competition and why a client should pick you over other firms. After hearing your USP, the prospect should understand what your values are, what problems you can solve, and how this is relevant to them. A USP can be the difference between standing out or blending in, so your value must be communicated clearly and effectively.
How Do You Determine What Your USP Is?
Before determining your USP, you should consider several questions, including:
Who is your ideal client profile? If you are not sure how to answer this, please refer to our blog post on identifying your ideal client profile.
What problem, or problems, are you trying to solve?
What solutions do your competitors offer?
Why are you a better option for your prospects than your competition?
Your answers to these questions will help you to craft your USP. Remember to focus your message on the benefits your services can provide to the prospect. If you do this, your USP will have a more valuable and lasting impact on the prospect.
When Do You Communicate Your USP to Prospects?
Your USP, when used effectively, can help transition your prospect from “What do you do?” to “Let’s set up an initial consultation”. An effective USP is a great way to explain what you do and how you can help solve their problems right off the bat. For most firms, this means incorporating and communicating your USP early on in the sales process, typically in the first conversation you have with a prospect. However, the exact timing will depend on your customized Proven & Repeatable sales process.
Your USP should also be communicated in the messaging on your website and social media accounts. This way, your prospects will receive the same, consistent messaging across all digital platforms.
How Do You Ensure Your Service Professionals Are Using Your USP Consistently?
For your USP to be most effective, you need to first coach your service professionals to use a Proven & Repeatable sales process. Once a consistent sales process is established, you must determine which step, or steps, the USP will be incorporated into. Finally, you need to train your service professionals to know your USP like the back of their hands. Your team should use the exact verbiage to ensure consistent messaging to all prospects moving forward.
If you have questions about your unique selling proposition, call Sebastian Lane Consulting at 443-534-6783 or email us at jesse@sebastianlaneconsulting.com. We are the outsourced sales management solution for professional service firms.