Unique selling proposition (usp) examples & how to find yours

How to Define Your Unique Selling Points?

To succeed and sell your products online successfully, you’ll need a strong unique selling proposition. It’s not enough to define your USP, it’s also important how you present it. Your marketing campaign should be based on it.

Your unique selling point should be immediately obvious and, well, quite short. You only have a few seconds to capture your client’s attention, so keep it short. Your clients will hardly find a bulleted list of reasons why you are the best amusing enough to spend a few minutes reading it. It’s perfect when it’s just a short sentence that reflects your USP.

Just one. Short. Sentence.

Like “A diamond is forever” created by De Beers Group.

Of course, you can think of more than one. And it’s far easier to explain your point with a story. And it’s difficult to express all your thoughts within just a few words. But if you look at the examples of the big market players, you’ll see that it’s usually a single sentence.

Copywriting tips to create USP for your business

Here’s the deal. It’s not enough that you come up with the idea of your USP but it’s also important to compose the perfect sentence/s that will reflect this idea. And probably you’ll have to take SEO recommendations into account, too.

I have some news: it might take you a long time to come up with the USP. Breathe, please. It’s ok. They did it, you can do it, too.

Tip 1: Do SEO research

Find out what keywords or phrases you should use. This list may be shortened by the possible variants to a minimum, or, on the contrary, broadened far and away. It’s vital to take these recommendations into account as they might influence the whole idea or even give you an extra variant of the unique selling proposition you didn’t even think about at all.

Tip 2: Speak your customers’ language

As we already discussed, you should define your focus audience. If you’ve done it, you already know how to talk to them. So, use this knowledge and speak their language. It helps them get to know you better and trust you. It shows that you’re on the same wavelength. Isn’t it valuable?

Don’t use too simple or, on the contrary, too tricky words. Educating your customers is a trend, but you should do it carefully. Bring value but don’t try to show off. Nobody likes it.

If you think of using an idiom make sure you understand exactly what it means otherwise it might be awkward.

Tip 3: Avoid clichés

There’s an endless store of clichés and your customers have seen them all. I bet they are tired of them. We are talking about a unique selling proposition, after all. Do you know what’s not unique? A cliché.

Tip 4: Follow the marketing funnel formula

I know that following the marketing funnel formula might be tricky if we’re talking about a one-line USP, but you still have to take it into account. And in case you’re creating a text for your unique selling proposition… Well, I guess there’s no choice. You just have to.

Tip 5: Make them say YES

Refer to the point that your potential customers will easily agree with. I think everyone has heard about the theory that states the following: the more times a person says “yes”, the more chances that s/he will say it again.

Tip 6: Use active voice

We’re talking about a USP, so avoid the passive voice in it. Active voice is stronger, shorter, and easier to understand.

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How to craft a unique selling proposition

It takes careful thought and consideration to craft the right USP for your business. Communicating your USP is a sales skill like any other, like how to upsell, closing sales, or SPIN selling. It isn’t always easy to answer the question, “What makes my business stand out?” Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes…it isn’t.

Here are some steps you can take if you’re having a hard time putting your finger on the pulse of what makes your company unique.

Talk to your customers

Before trying to craft a unique selling proposition, look at the people who consistently buy from you. Are they in a certain age range? Do they live in a specific location? What kind of expendable income do they have? What are their likes and dislikes? Talk to them and see if they can shed some light on what draws them to you instead of the competition.

Look at the problems

Make a list of all the problems your product solves as well as the ones it helps your customers avoid. What are the challenges your customers are facing, and how does your business solve them? Embrace consultative selling.

Say you sell leather purses for everyday use. Purses go through a lot of wear and tear, so you’ve designed your purses to be super long-lasting and durable. If your unique selling proposition clearly states that your purses are constructed to solve the longevity problem, you’ll be more likely to attract high-value customers.

Think about your promise

When you sell a product or service, you’re also selling a promise. Maybe the promise appeals to the buyer’s sense of humanity by affirming a mutual commitment to using only planet-friendly materials. Maybe the promise is about the speed of delivery, for people who need your product quickly. Or maybe the promise is durability, for products that get a lot of use.

Whatever your product or service is, consider the promise you’re making. Promises come from a genuine place, which makes them very powerful when it comes to crafting a standout USP. A sincere promise can help make your marketing personal; it reminds your buyers that there are caring human beings behind the business.

Introspection isn’t easy, especially when business is involved. But it’s necessary. Look at your business from top to bottom and evaluate what makes you unique.

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What is a USP?

A unique selling proposition is a definitive feature or benefit that makes your business different from the competition (and, in many ways, makes it better too).

Your USP can refer to the way you do business, like using sustainable materials and local labor, or the specific benefits it gives prospective customers, like a faster way to manage their accounts or a cheaper alternative to their usual face cream.

The most important thing about your USP is that it underpins everything you do, from your content marketing efforts, general marketing campaigns, and sales to new product features, customer support, and even your internal operations.

USP MISTAKE #1 – THINKING “UNIQUE” MEANS NO ONE ELSE SELLS IT

I hear/read a lot of crafters saying:

“I know what I sell is unique, but I’m just not making sales”

Here’s the truth:

The number of truly unique products on the market is very low. Unless you’re inventing a product no one has ever heard of, your product probably isn’t that unique.

And if it really is unique and you can’t find a single business out there selling something similar, it may mean there isn’t enough demand.

You DO NOT have to come up with something that has never been done before in order to make sales. In fact, I’d encourage you NOT to.

“Never been done” or “can’t find it anywhere” means you’re blazing your own trail. That’s very challenging, time-consuming, and expensive.

Marketing a product that no one else is selling means you must build a new bandwagon, get it moving, and encourage enough people to jump on it that they keep the momentum going and tell others about it.

Piggybacking on the popularity of a product that has been done makes for a much easier ride.

Don’t go so far outside of the box, in an attempt to be unique, that consumers don’t understand your product.

You can take an ordinary product (e.g. a bar of soap) and put a unique spin on it by making it for a specific group of people.

For example, I could take a bar of soap and make it for gardeners. The scents, shapes, names, packaging, etc. would follow a garden theme.

Most bars of soap appeal to a very big target market (if any at all; many soaps aren’t made with anyone particular in mind). By simply appealing to a smaller target market (gardeners), it puts a unique spin on my product.

It also gives me unique places to market and sell my products that my competitors aren’t using.

For example, I can reach my target market in garden & flower shops, in gardening magazines and gardening blogs, at Home & Garden events, etc.

Finding a good target market is often the key to putting a unique spin on an “ordinary” product.

* How to Find a Goldmine of Customers will help you find a profitable target market.

Sometimes, your unique factor won’t actually be all that unique. Simply pointing out something your competitors aren’t, can give your business a unique angle.

Just look at Smartfood Popcorn. They market their bagged popcorn as a smart/healthy snack choice (presumably, when compared to the bags of chips they sit next to on the grocery shelf). But all air-popped popcorn is (typically) healthier than chips. Because Smartpop Popcorn pointed it out first, consumers saw their product as unique and were drawn to it.

How to use a USP in your marketing strategy

Let your unique selling proposition serve as a guide for your marketing strategy. Here’s how your USP should impact various aspects of your marketing plan.

Logo

Your logo should visually express as much about your USP as possible. Ideally, the name of your business will hint at what you do and the design will appeal to your ideal customer.

Brand guidelines

Your USP should be taken into consideration throughout your brand guidelines, including the fonts and colors you use to represent your brand. For example, if your USP has to do with sustainability, you may choose organic-looking fonts and earth tones, like greens, blues, and browns.

Style guide

In addition to visual brand guidelines, you need a style guide that conveys your brand’s voice and tone in writing. Your USP will impact this by steering you towards language that appeals to your audience.

Slogan

Think of a slogan as a more concise version of your unique selling proposition. It should explain what you do in a way that appeals to your ideal customer and suggests your brand’s benefits.

Products

Keep your USP in the forefront every time you design a new product or consider purchasing a product from a wholesaler. Will this product deliver on your brand promise? Will your target market find it useful? Will it benefit your customers? In your marketing strategy, play up the aspects of your products that relate to your USP.

Store design

Your store should be the spatial embodiment of your USP. Beyond your products and branding, which are guided by your USP, consider using decor and fixtures that also support this vision. For example, if your store specializes in frames made of recycled materials, you could build fixtures out of reclaimed or recycled materials.

eCommerce store design

The design of your ecommerce site should be influenced by your logo, brand guidelines, and style guide, which all have roots in your unique selling proposition.

How to write a powerful USP

It can be tricky trying to find the right words or even identify your USP when you’re so entrenched in your small business. Obviously, you can see that it’s different from your competitors, but can everyone else?

Here are some tips for writing a USP.

Write a list: jot down all of the things that make your business, products, or services different from your competitor’s – get specific, like your return policy, your low prices, or your quality products.
Research the competition: you won’t know what makes you stand out if you don’t know what you’re up against. Dig into their USPs to see how you can position your brand in a different way.
Identify your customers’ needs: research your customers using data and surveys to discover their most pressing needs and determine how your USP can address those needs.
Combine needs and differentiators: cross-reference the list of things that make your successful business different and your list of customer needs to pinpoint any that overlap.
Consider how you will use your USP: think about where you can apply your USP throughout your business, including your name, marketing, and branding. Your USP should embody everything you do!

Examples or good unique selling points

Toms Shoes is a shoe manufacturer. Again, there is nothing especially unique about that. But Toms Shoes’ unique selling point is that for every pair of shoes a customer purchases, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Toms Shoes helps put shoes on needy children’s feet; this is a strong unique selling proposition.

Nike is yet another company known for selling shoes. Yet they are differentiated from Toms because they focus primarily on athletic shoes with prominent sponsorships with star athletes. Their USP is that they provide the best quality shoes for athletes and fitness in general.

Those are just a few examples of unique selling propositions. USPs are by their nature unique to each business, but roughly fall into three major categories:

Quality — Superior materials or ingredients, superior craftsmanship, proprietary manufacturing methods, one of a kind
Price — The lowest price guaranteed, price matching, free shipping, bulk discounts, special offers
Services — Easy returns, personalization, great customer service or even advice and a curated selection of products and goods

For established companies, the USP can eventually become synonymous with their brand, as the company’s name is automatically associated with the unique value proposition that the brand offers.

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Examples of Effective USPs

Domino’s Pizza: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less, or it’s free.”
Target: “Expect More. Pay Less.”
DeBeers: “A diamond is forever.”
TOMS Shoes: “With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One”
Colgate: “Improve mouth health in two weeks”
Zappos: “The best return policy ever. A return policy that removes the fear of buying online and buying shoes that might not fit.”
Dropbox: “Dropbox keeps your files safe, synced, and easy to share. Bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and never lose a file again.”
Head & Shoulders: “Clinically proven to reduce dandruff.”
FedEx: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”
M&Ms: “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

How to communicate your unique selling point

There are many ways a company can communicate their USP to their customers and prospects. A few commonly employed methods include:

Advertising — Traditional media advertising and brand marketing campaigns can be a good way for a new business to get their brand in front of their target audience and communicate their USP.
Social Media — Social media is a large driver of brand awareness for many companies. Having a strong presence on social networks and working with social media influencers can be a way for companies to communicate their USP.
Content Marketing — Creating interesting or viral content that also talks about how and why a company is different from the competition can be a good way to communicate USPs.
Digital Marketing — For an online store or digital business, the USP is often presented as the tagline of a webpage or as a bulleted list on a product page.
Search Marketing — Improving a website’s SEO and ranking for key terms in search engines such as Google can be a good way for a company to generate visibility and communicate their USPs.

Examples of USPs

The range of possible unique selling propositions that can be offered to customers is almost limitless and will largely depend on the business, its specific area of expertise, its target market and its competitors. Some common examples of areas that are highlighted as a USP by businesses are outlined below:

Product – This is where a business has a product that is completely different from anything else on the market, either in terms of appearance or function. Although it is relatively rare for businesses to come up with completely unique products, when it does occur, the product itself can be promoted as a USP.
Service – Alternatively, a company’s unique selling proposition could be a level of service that stands out from the pack. This could entail anything from faster delivery times and superior customer support to better hygiene standards. It might even include things like loyalty programmes or a greater level of post-sale contact.
Pricing – When a business offers a product or service at a price that is different from competitors, this can be communicated as its unique selling point. While offering the product at a lower price than direct rivals may be the most obvious example, many luxury products are intentionally sold at a high price, adding to their prestige.
Ethics – An increasingly popular area to explore during the search for a USP, many people can be convinced to buy from one company instead of another on ethical grounds. For example, a business could promote steps they take to limit damage to the environment or emphasise the fact that they do not use animal products.
Distribution – In some cases, while the product may not be unique in itself, the way it is distributed may be. For instance, it could be that something is available online, where competing products are sold in physical form, or it could be that something is sold via a subscription model when it would usually require individual purchases.
Audience – Often, the unique selling point of a product is actually centred around the audience it is being aimed towards. A product might be targeted towards the opposite gender from rival products, or it may be aimed at a different age group or towards people with a different personality type.

USPS International Shipping Restrictions

Items with international USPS shipping restrictions include:

Cigars
Medical Devices
Lithium Batteries
Medicine or Drugs

USPS Restricted Countries

USPS will not deliver to countries that are currently sanctioned by OFAC, unless you have a special permit from OFAC to do so. USPS international shipping restrictions by country:

The Balkans
Belarus
Burundi
Central African Republic
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Iran
Iraq
Lebanon
Libya
Nicaragua
North Korea
Somalia
Sudan and Darfur
South Sudan
Syria
Ukraine (Crimea) / Russia
Venezuela
Yemen
Zimbabwe

For the most up-to-date list of sanctioned countries, check out our blog post on OFAC sanctions to learn more about shipping to sanctioned countries.

Size Restrictions for International USPS Shipping

Below are the following weight restrictions for the Priority Mail International services:

Service	Maximum Weight
Priority Mail International	70 lbs
Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope	4 lbs
Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Box	4 lbs
Priority Mail International Medium Flat Rate Box	20 lbs
Priority Mail International Large Flat Rate Box	64 oz
First Class Package International Service	20 lbs
Express Mail International	70 lbs

Remember that when using Priority Mail International Flat Rate options, the contents of your shipment must easily fit inside the given box without making any extra modifications.

Related: FedEx Shipping Restrictions and Prohibited Items

What does an effective unique selling proposition look like?

Here are some elements to consider:

It has to be simple and concisePeople don’t remember complex things. They are overwhelmed with information and you want your message to stick in. Therefore, avoid long and complex messages
It shouldn’t be too abstractIt’s important to show how unique you are, but not at any cost. Sometimes businesses make USPs very abstract and complex. To avoid confusing people, try to be as clear and on-point as possible.
It should be free of fluff wordsIf you choose to incorporate your USP in a tagline, make sure you avoid words such as the best, amazing, one of a kind, the only, etc. These don’t mean much on their own. More importantly, they are overused by many brands, so you risk resembling your competitors, instead of standing out.
It needs to inspire people to actionThe whole point of creating a USP is to motivate people to choose your business. A good USP isn’t about sharing facts about your uniqueness. People won’t care. Instead, you need to motivate them to act and purchase from you.

Now, this is often easier said than done. Incorporating your business’ essence in just a few words can be very challenging.

Best Unique Selling Propositions

As communicated above, a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is your company’s competitive advantage compared to your competition. It is a statement that describes how your product or company is different (and hopefully better) than the competition. The best USPs take a unique quality and explain how that quality will benefit your customers, all in a few memorable words.

Many companies past and present use USPs as their slogans so that they can put them in front of as many prospective customers as possible. In fact, some of the best slogans of the past have used unique product qualities that no one would think were good selling points — until they worked!

Here are a few particularly compelling Unique Selling Proposition examples to check out.

Avis

“We’re number two. We try harder.”

This USP does a remarkable job of turning what seems like a negative quality into a benefit. For many years, Avis was in the unfortunate position of being the second-largest car rental company, while Hertz claimed the #1 spot.

In fact, Avis was having trouble just staying solvent. So Avis decided it was time for a total image makeover and hired the famous ad agency Doyle Dane Bernbach to come up with a new ad campaign that would pull the company out of its hole.

The ‘We Try Harder’ campaign was so successful, Avis’ market share went from 11% to 35% in just four years.

FedEx Corporation

“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”

FedEx no longer uses this slogan, but while it lasted it was perhaps the perfect example of a great USP. In a few words, FedEx gives its customers the guarantee that it will deliver their packages safely and on time.

The slogan actually delivers not one but two benefits: the security of knowing that the package will be delivered as promised, and the ability to save time by getting it there overnight.

Sadly, FedEx has since replaced it with the slogan, “The World on Time,” which is far less powerful because it doesn’t contain a USP.

M&Ms

“The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

This is an example of how even a quirky USP can attract customer interest. Who would think of making a selling point out of the fact that your product doesn’t melt when you hold it?

M&Ms did, and it worked very well for them. This goes to show that as long as a benefit is meaningful to prospective customers, it will be effective.

In this case, the fact that the M&M candy shell keeps the chocolate inside from oozing out and dirtying your hands is a definite plus for customers.

DeBeers

“A diamond is forever.”

There’s a reason that the famous DeBeers slogan has been in use since 1948 and is still used by the company to this day. The USP here is that diamonds, being almost unbreakable, last forever and thus are the perfect symbol for eternal love.

As a result, diamonds became by far the most popular choice for engagement rings. It’s no surprise that Advertising Age magazine named this the best slogan of the 20th century.

Domino’s Pizza

“You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it’s free.”

This slogan is really too long to be catchy, but it’s still an excellent USP because it spells out a guarantee with perfect clarity. The terms of the deal are laid out so specifically that Domino’s customers know they can hold the company to it.

Sadly, Domino’s no longer uses this slogan or offers this deal because it lead to a series of car accidents when delivery drivers started driving like maniacs so that they could beat the thirty-minute limit.

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Finding Your Competitive Edge: Strong Unique Selling Proposition as a Motto

A USP is more than just a catchy headline on your website. In the end, it’s all about how the rest of the world perceives your products or perhaps your entire company.

Having a strong unique selling proposition doesn’t necessitate that your products are completely original. As an alternative, seek an area of the market that hasn’t been occupied by your competitors.

Many strategies to market your items exist but the greatest way to stand out is by focusing on your USP, which is what sets you apart from your competition and what your customers care about.

How to test your USP with A/B testing

If you are uncertain about what drives your customers to buy from you, then A/B testing your company’s USP on landing pages can help. By testing different USPs against each other, you can determine the messages that resonate best with your target audience by measuring a specific conversion goal such as a product purchase.

Let’s say that you sell Lutz marbles, a rare collectible type of marble. You are not sure whether people are more compelled to buy them for the ‘goldstone’ in the marbles or their age (they are more than 100 years old).

Should your unique selling point be the goldstone or their age?

You could find the answer to this question by setting up an A/B test for your landing page where you test two different headlines:

Variation A: Precious & Rare ‘Goldstone’ Marbles for Sale
Variation B: Precious & Rare 100-Year Old Marbles for Sale

(By the way, the USP on a landing page isn’t always just the headline; it usually consists of some combination of a headline, subheadline and a bulleted list of benefits).

Using a service like Optimizely Web Experimentation, you can track marble purchases as your conversion goal and see which USP gets a higher percentage of conversions.

USP MISTAKE #8 – GETTING A BIT TOO COMPLICATED

The way you summarize your USP should be simple, clear, and most importantly, customer-focused.

Sometimes we make our USP’s a bit too complicated in an attempt to make them sound unique.

When you think you’ve landed on a USP, ask yourself this:

>> Would your customers type something similar into Google when searching for your products?

>> Would they tell a friend, “I’m really looking for….(your USP here)”.

Using my soap example, would someone shop for “bars of soap that are as unique as I am”?

Not likely.

If by some chance they did, would they buy when they get to my shop and realize there’s nothing different about my bars of soap?

Definitely not.

If someone wants a basic bar of handmade soap, they’re likely going to buy from the vendor with the lowest price.

If your USP doesn’t actually apply to your target market’s life, it won’t be of much use.

Predatory marketing и usp sharing: ключевые отличия

Основная цель predatory marketing состоит в том, чтобы получить преимущество над конкурентами, основываясь на их слабостях или ошибках. Он включает в себя использование агрессивных и манипулятивных методов, таких как навязывание продукта, недобросовестная реклама или обман потребителей.
В отличие от этого, usp sharing основывается на сотрудничестве и обмене уникальными продажными предложениями с конкурентами. Главная цель состоит в создании взаимовыгодного сотрудничества и увеличении своей ценности для клиентов. В рамках usp sharing компании могут сотрудничать, чтобы предложить более широкий спектр продуктов или услуг, удовлетворяющий различные потребности клиентов.

Использование predatory marketing может дать быстрые результаты в виде увеличения продаж и завоевания рыночной доли. Однако, такие методы обычно не держатся на долгосрочной основе и могут привести к негативному отношению потребителей к компании.

В свою очередь, usp sharing может позволить компаниям улучшить свою репутацию и отношения с клиентами. Создание партнерских отношений с конкурентами может помочь удовлетворить более широкий спектр потребностей клиентов и предложить им лучшие продукты или услуги.

Таким образом, в отличие от predatory marketing, который акцентирует внимание на агрессивных методах и урезает ценность продукта, usp sharing ориентирован на сотрудничество и создание взаимовыгодных отношений между компаниями