I’ve been talking about having a USP (unique selling point) in my social media posts recently, so I thought I’d better write a blog about it too! Why do I think that getting clear on your USP is so important? Because it makes all of your communications with clients so much clearer and more effective.

You know what you do, how you do it and why, and you probably think that your target customers do too. But if you aren’t really specific about what makes you difference, then those customers aren’t as sure as you think.

Your USP is a shorthand for what makes you different, special and of interest to potential clients. It’s the reason why they’ll choose you over everyone else.

The honest truth is that there are competitors everywhere and you’re getting lost in the noise. The internet has made the world smaller and for most SMBs, they no longer need to be local to their clients. This means that geography is no longer way to win customers.

No matter what industry you’re in, and whether you have a niche or not, you DO have a point of difference, something that makes you unique. Which will help you get noticed. How can I be so sure? Because you’re a person and the only one of you there will ever be!

Your USP is really just your experiences and the skills you’ve developed up until now that informs the way you interact with your customers and help them solve their challenges. It’s how you communicate with peers and how you present yourself online and offline.

So How Does the USP Help You Stand out?

So once you’ve got your USP, then what? First, look at how you can make it into a memorable tagline. For instance, my USP is:

“As a trainee journalist, I learned how to dig down to find the core message of any story and communicate it clearly so readers understand and relate to the words. I use that approach with every client so their communications are not only easier to write but more effective in attracting not just their ideal customers but people who believe in and support their mission.”

I could make it into a tagline: “I make clients’ communications clearer and more effective in attracting better-fit clients faster for business growth.”

Then, use it in all of your online communications. No, I don’t mean writing it out every time you create a post. I mean using the underlying messages that reinforce your USP.

Talk about your previous experiences, including before you started your business. Share interesting projects you worked on, case studies, testimonials and behind the scenes content that show how you do what you do.

Consider developing a framework that you can make your own, and perhaps even trademark. I’ve recently been sharing my ‘Define Your Difference’ Framework and how I use it to help clients stand out.

Remember, too, that ChatGPT and other AI tools can’t do this – they don’t have your past. So even if you share it with the AI, it can’t use that information in a meaningful way. You have to do that yourself.

Develop Your Brand Tone of Voice

Another way to stand out is through your brand tone of voice. You absolutely don’t have to be formal in your communications. Think of how you talk to friends and family and notice the words you use in those conversations? What do you enjoy outside of work that you could bring into business?

I’m a big music fan, so I talk about that. I love the animated spy show Archer, Father Ted and the movie Airplane! I’m interested in history and I have a Viking name (and Danish ancestry) so I leaned into that with my branding.

Which words do you use all the time in your everyday language? Use those. Or think of a word or phrase that could sum up what you do. Or make up a portmanteau of two words that represent you.

Ask a friend to help, as they can spot patterns and common phrases that you might not. Don’t put old content into ChatGPT! Think for yourself and come up with a USP and tagline that’s authentically you.