Do you agree with Jack Welsh? With no competitive advantage, you will compete and lose. Why would anyone want to do that? That is why we wholeheartedly agree with Jack Welsh. We have found many businesses that cannot articulate a single way how their business is truly unique. Forget the best multiple unique selling point.
Check out our thoughts on creative marketing.
What analogy to this situation stands out in our mind? Trying to win against your competition without real business differentiation is like trying to sail with no wind. Is no way there? Business is a value delivery system. Do you know the ‘value experiences’ your business delivers? Do you know your targeted customer segments?
A strong, unique selling proposition speaks directly to your target audience, and it tells them exactly why they should purchase your products and services (and in the case of non-profits, it’s why your donors should support your organization, members should join your programs, etc.). A selling proposition is a clear statement of the concrete results a customer will get from purchasing and using your products and services.
A unique selling proposition is a short statement that tells your prospect why they should buy from your company. It is focused on outcomes. Your proposition distils all the complexity of the value you provide into an easy-to-remember phrase that your client can easily grasp and remember.
This helps spread word-of-mouth marketing, and it differentiates you from the competition. Keep in mind that your value proposition should identify and remedy an unmet need that your customers face. It should relieve their pain.
Here is a short 5-minute video that will refresh this subject further:
How to write a value proposition? Defining 6 core elements of Value Propositions
Regardless of the size of your business or the type of industry you are in, your company should have a selling proposition that stands out from your competition. To help you, here are some guidelines to follow in creating one for your business. A strong value proposition does the following:
Creates interest, so that your prospects ask questions and want to learn more. Your value proposition opens the door so that someone might be willing to meet with you instead of blowing you off when you call or mail them for the first time
Differentiates your offer from your competitors’ offers and creates a substantial differential between you and your competitors
Focuses on your customers’ point of view.
Aligns your business operations more closely to customer needs
Increases the quantity and quality of your sales leads and makes conversion to a client much easier
Wins your business greater market share in your targeted segments
Include demonstrated results that will catch the attention of decision-makers
Are you starting to get a feel for a strong, unique selling proposition? It is specific, often citing numbers or percentages. It may include a quick synopsis of your work with similar customers as a proof source and demonstration of your capability. It is a clear statement of the tangible results a customer gets from using your products or services. Its outcome focused and stressed the business value of your offering.
So how do you derive real business differentiation? To build creative, unique selling propositions for your business, consider the following:
Business is a value delivery system. Do you know the ‘value experiences’ your business delivers? You must start by understanding your targeted customer segments well.
The heart of a winning selling proposition is the end-result experiences of value a business intends to deliver to its target customer segments. It needs to be articulated for the client’s value end state … not for your product, service, or business process.
Be your customers … study and creatively infer value by observing / learning from what they do.
Do your claims surpass the value alternatives in the marketplace? Will your customers believe your claims? Does your value differentiate you in the client’s eyes?
Can you validate and deliver your value proposition?
While many businesses have a difficult time deriving one good unique selling proposition, a few have defined multiple unique selling propositions. The best brand we could find with the best multiple selling propositions is Safelite Autoglass.
Have you ever heard of Safelite Autoglass and their business model? They have created The Safelite Advantage™ as a bundle of unique selling propositions providing what consumers have identified as their primary vehicle glass service needs. It’s why leading insurance and fleet companies, as well as more than four million drivers, choose Safelite each year. Let’s examine what this bundle is made up of.
The automobile windshield is a critical part of your vehicle’s safety system, protecting you in the event of a collision or rollover and aiding in proper airbag deployment. When you choose Safelite® – America’s largest vehicle glass specialist – you get the reliability of the Safelite Advantage™.
Selling point … always being there
Glass damage can happen at any hour. Safelite® is always here for customers with 24/7 live representatives in our renowned contact centers, as well as the web and mobile app scheduling.
Selling point examples … knowing who to expect
When you schedule Safelite® mobile service, customers receive peace of mind with our Technician Profile Email, including the technician’s name, photo, and credentials before he or she arrives.
Key selling point … the industry’s only nationwide lifetime guarantee
Safelite® is proud to feature the industry’s only nationwide lifetime guarantee. We back it up with about 5,000 state-of-the-art
MobileGlassShops™ and company stores in all 50 states.
Safelite AutoGlass® repair
Skilled Safelite® technicians can often repair glass damage up to the size of a $1 bill, and the work typically takes less than 30 minutes. If you notice a chip, get your windshield repaired as soon as possible before it cracks and needs replacing. Catch it early and a fast, low-cost repair could be all you need.
If we can’t repair your glass, you can be confident of a top quality windshield replacement.
Safelite goes to customers
One of their certified technicians can come directly to your home or office, or you can visit one of more than 300 facilities nationwide. Come to you for the windshield repair or replacement. Now that is a convenience, isn’t it?
With this list of strong unique selling propositions, it is evident Safelite understands its value well.
The bottom line
To be effective in this new era, we as marketers need to see our jobs differently. No more just focusing on metrics like clicks, video views, or social media shares. We must successfully integrate our function with other business functions to create entire brand experiences that serve the customer all the way through their experiences throughout the business.
We can do better. Much better. But first, we need to stop seeing ourselves as crafters of clever brand messages and become creators of positive brand experiences.
