Do you know what the letters USP stand for, and how they can change your life for the better? If not, read on!

In all your marketing you should strive to answer the SINGLE question that every prospect has running around in their mind (like a hamster on an exercise wheel) – “Why should I do business with you versus every competitive option available to me, including doing nothing?”

Most floor dealers do a remarkably lousy job answering this question. Here’s proof:

Open your yellow pages and turn to the section on flooring. If you have an ad in there for your store, turn to that page. While looking at your ad, ask yourself this question: “Based solely on the strength of this ad, why should my prospective client do business with me versus every competitive option available to them, including doing nothing?”

Having a hard time coming up with an answer?

Don’t feel bad. Most flooring dealers are in the same boat. They use the typical ‘name, rank and serial number’ ads that everyone else uses. You know … business name at the top, bullet points of products and services (maybe with some teaser prices), and an address and phone number at the bottom.

Slogans

Some ads get really creative and add a slogan like, ‘Number One In Customer Satisfaction,’ or ‘Serving the North Valley for over 60 years!‘ These kinds of slogans are absolutely, positively meaningless to prospects. Why? Because they convey absolutely, positively no concrete benefit. And the only thing that people care about is benefits to them.

USP

So how do you create an ad that answers that all-important question? One place to begin is with a good USP, which stands for Unique Selling Proposition. A USP focuses like a laser beam on a specific benefit to the client.

Here are some famous examples:

“When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” Federal Express built an empire on the strength of this one USP. It’s specific and conveys a very clear benefit. Nothing fuzzy about it. (As opposed to something like “Number One In Customer Satisfaction.”)

Here’s another one. “Fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less guaranteed.” Dominoes built a pizza empire on the strength of this USP. They don’t even promise good pizza. Just fresh, hot and at your door in under half an hour.

When creating marketing campaigns, always look for USP’s that are crystal clear, easily understood and focus like a laser beam on a highly specific benefit to your client.

 

To Tons Of Customers!
Jim Augustus Armstrong is The “Coach”

Jim Augustus Armstrong is the President of Flooring Success Systems, a program that equips dealers to double their profits, cut their work hours in half and beat the boxes! Many dealers have totally transformed their businesses and their lives for the better after joining Flooring Success Systems.
See what real, live dealers are saying!