How are you different from the others?
Your Unique Selling Proposition (or USP for short) is what makes you stand out from other trainers. Although USP contains the word selling, it is really about the reason why your customers pick you instead of the competition. Ideally, your USP is a strength that only you possess: an unfair advantage, so to speak, that your competitors cannot overcome. From your customers’ point of view, it is the answer to the question “Why should I buy a training from you?”.
Suppose you are a business trainer specialized in establishing business relationships in China. You help out entrepreneurs who are looking to expand their businesses into China, or maybe off-shore their production there. For instance, you might be training them to recognize the importance of guanxi, or connections and relationships, in Chinese business.
Now, if you were a native speaker of Mandarin and all the other Chinese business relationship trainers only speak English, you would have an unfair advantage. You visit the country on a regular basis, read Chinese business papers and magazines and talk to lots of Chinese business people. You are uniquely qualified to explain the nuances of Chinese business etiquette. All other things being equal, your customers are more likely to pick you instead of your competitors. As long as you clearly state your USP in your marketing materials, of course.
So how do you come up with your own Unique Selling Proposition? If you are at least moderately successful, you probably already have a USP even if you don’t know it. You just need to find out what it is. (more…)
