You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression; just another adage that holds true to marketing. Its called a winning value proposition.
Change is not death, fear of change is death.
On your company’s website, your value proposition is the first thing that your visitor sees and often determines whether they will click on your Call to Action or the back button on their browser.
To be effective, a lot must be considered. Aesthetics, competitive advantage, and sustainability must all be taken into account while explaining that you can satisfy your customers’ needs in as few words as possible. Not exactly an easy task.
Looking for great unique selling proposition examples to learn from for your business? A difficult task, no doubt. But one that must be done and done well.
So how do you derive good business differentiation? To help you build creative, unique selling propositions for your business, we have selected the five best examples we could find. Ones that make it obvious what good ones look like.
JetBlue knows about value propositions
JetBlue Airline
JetBlue’s unique selling proposition’s success centers on the achievable – the simple things – they knew would make a difference for their guests. This set the stage for direct TV and XM radio, the provision of first-class seats to everyone, more legroom, great snacks, and high-end service at lower end pricing.
No other airline others these items quite like the JetBlue brand. They are different, and their brand stands out because it represents those differences.
Simple. Attainable. Targeted. They delivered.
Dutch Boy Paints
How did Dutch Boy Paint stir up the paint business? It’s so simple; it’s scary. They built their unique selling proposition by changing the design of their paint can.
Paint cans are heavy, hard to carry, hard to close, hard to open, hard to pour, and certainly no fun. They’ve been around for a long time, and most people assumed that there had to be a reason why they were so bad.
Dutch Boy realized that there was no reason. They also realized that the can was an integral part of the product: People don’t buy paint, they buy painted walls, and the can make that process much easier.
Dutch Boy used that insight and introduced an easier-to-carry, easier-to-pour, easier-to-close paint jug. Customers told Dutch Boy that the new Twist & Pour paint container was a packaging innovation that was long overdue.
A real difference-maker to people who have used the product. Most customers can’t help to wonder why it took so long for someone to come up with the idea, and they select the product as often for the packaging as for the paint itself.
It’s an amazing innovation. Worth noticing. Not only did the new packaging increase sales, but it also got them more distribution (at a higher retail price!).
That is marketing done right. Marketing where the marketer changes the product, not the ads to create the best of unique selling propositions.
Safelite AutoGlass
Have you ever heard of Safelite Autoglass and its business model? They have created The Safelite Advantage™ as a bundle of unique selling propositions providing what consumers have identified as their most important 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™, which means:
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.
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.
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 our 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 convenient, isn’t it?
With this list of healthy unique selling propositions, it is obvious Safelite understands its value well.
Toms Shoes and their sharing tradition.
Here is a unique selling proposition that you rarely see used. Toms Shoes are quirky, comfy, light, and inexpensive. That alone probably isn’t enough to make a company stand out in the shoe business.
The unique and compelling part of the TOMS Shoes proposition is that they give a new pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you purchase.
You don’t even have to remember the exact words. The story is what sticks in your head.
Who else cares that much? Very few.
Oceania Cruise Lines
Have you ever shopped for a cruise? Noticed what the cruise lines had to say about what makes them unique beyond the cruises themselves? My wife and I periodically request cruise company catalogs and recently received one from Oceania Cruise Lines.
We were duly impressed when we got to the 3rd or 4th page and found two pages dedicated to Oceania’s ‘points of distinction’ (which is their way to describe unique selling points). 9 points, 6 of which were very good USP’s. All described before the cruises themselves.
Let’s review these six distinction points:
Newest fleet
Newest fleet in the premium-class cruising segment, with 85% of accommodations featuring private balconies.
Itineraries
Port-intensive itineraries featuring more overnight visits and extended evening port stays.
Cuisine
Finest cuisine at sea served in a variety of distinctive open-seating restaurants, all at no additional costs.
The gourmet culinary program created by the world-renowned master chef Jacques Pippin.
High staff to guest ratio
Extraordinary high staff-to-guest ratio to ensure exemplary personalized customer service.
The bottom line
So, what to remember? Find how you are different in ways customers will desire. If you don’t have them, make some changes to your business. And realize that unique selling propositions can be copied pretty easily. To evaluate and adapt changes often. And don’t confuse taglines with great unique selling propositions.
Every business has a value proposition … either implied or explicit. Implied value propositions usually mean little to no discrimination versus your competition. Look beyond your implied values.
Remember this: Information is cheap. Attention is expensive. Time is priceless. Customer time and convenience is a great place to look for business differentiation. Give it a try today.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new creative ideas.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step.
Try. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
Are you devoting enough energy to improve your creativity, innovation, and ideas?
Do you have a lesson about making your creativity better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find him on Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way.
More reading on creativity from Digital Spark Marketing’s Library:
10 Different Ways to Enhance Creativity
Secrets to Understanding the Genie in the Creativity Bottle
How You Are Destroying your Creativity and Imagination
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