Unique selling proposition

The unique selling proposition (USP) or unique selling point is a marketing concept first proposed as a theory to explain a pattern in successful advertising campaigns of the early 1940s. The USP states that such campaigns made unique propositions to customers that convinced them to switch brands. The term was developed by television advertising pioneer Rosser Reeves of Ted Bates & Company. Theodore Levitt, a professor at Harvard Business School, suggested that, "Differentiation is one of the most important strategic and tactical activities in which companies must constantly engage."[1] The term has been used to describe one's "personal brand" in the marketplace.[2] Today, the term is used in other fields or just casually to refer to any aspect of an object that differentiates it from similar objects.

Definition

A unique selling proposition or otherwise known as USP (unique selling point), is a factor that a business has that makes it different and or better than others out there. It makes a business stand out from the rest in a market.(Entrepreneur, No Date)[3]

As described by Dr. James Blythe, Professor of Marketing at the University of Westminster and writer of many textbooks on marketing, the USP "contains the one feature of the product that most stands out as different from the competition, and is usually a feature that conveys unique benefits to the consumer."[4] Communicating the USP is a key element of branding.

In Reality in Advertising[5] Reeves laments that the USP is widely misunderstood and defines it in three parts, summarized here:

  1. Each advertisement must make a proposition to the consumer—not just words, product puffery, or show-window advertising. Each advertisement must say to each reader: "Buy this product, for this specific benefit."
  2. The proposition must be one the competition cannot or does not offer. It must be unique—either in the brand or a claim the rest of that particular advertising area does not make.
  3. The proposition must be strong enough to move the masses, i.e., attract new customers as well as potential customers.

USP Importance

The importance of having a unique selling point is obviously to stand out from the crowd and be different; however, it's not always easy to do so when new ideas and products are coming out all the time.

The main thing is to find a space in the market, make sure it's going to be something that can stand out on its own first, and make sure it's something potential customers need. The sellers also need to try selling it to themselves; this is so they know they are passionate about that business and confident it can succeed. The seller needs a key point to use when trying to sell their product or service, and coming up with it prior to selling will benefit. Having a point of difference to stand out is a major benefit in the markets; customers will be drawn to the business as it offers something no one else has. This is exactly what every business should be looking into whether it is home delivery service from the store or all-organic food at the restaurant.

In markets which contain many similar products, using a USP is one campaign method of differentiating the product from the competition. Products or services without differentiation risk being seen as a commodity and fungible by the consumer, thus lowering price potential. That's why having a unique selling point is essential to have a successful business that can handle competition and possible future comers in similar markets.

The desktop personal computer market is one example with many manufacturers and the potential for new manufacturers at any time. Apple used the slogan "Beauty outside, Beast inside."[6] for its Mac Pro campaign to differentiate its product as "beautiful" compared with any other desktop computer. Buyers of this product were willing to pay a premium price, compared with technically similar desktop computers. Apple differentiates itself with a focus on aesthetics and cutting-edge technologies. Wal-Mart's "Save money, live better" (Waiz, 2013).[7] Wal-Mart is concerned with being the cheapest department store and reminding their customers that it's not how much you spend on a product that matters. Something so simple that can attract customers like that and show the unique selling proposition of the business is what people look for.(Entrepreneur, No Date).[3]

Examples

The following are examples of Unique Selling Propositions. What is commonly considered a slogan is enhanced with a differentiating benefit of the product or service. Typically, the uniqueness is delivered by a unique process, ingredient, or system that produces the benefit described.

Evolution

The term USP has been largely replaced by the concept of a positioning statement, popularized by the publication of Al Ries and Jack Trout's Positioning:Battle For Your Mind.[18] The positioning statement determines what place a brand (tangible good or service) should occupy in the consumer's mind compared to the competition. The model directs managers to determine the cognitive gap, locating "which functional benefit in a given category is most valued by consumers and least dominated by other brands."[18] Positioning is also commonly known as mindshare marketing; the aim is to stake a claim to the cognitive association in consumers' minds, connecting the brand's trademark with the benefit claim as "simply, consistently and frequently as possible."[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Levitt, Theodore (1986). The marketing imagination (New, expanded ed.). New York: Free Press. ISBN 0029191807.
  2. ↑ "Reinventing Your Personal Brand". Harvard Business Review. March 2011.
  3. 1 2 Entrepreneur. (No Date). Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Retrieved March 29th, 2016, from Entrepreneur: http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/unique-selling-proposition-usp
  4. ↑ Blythe, Jim (2005-01-01). Essentials of Marketing (3rd ed.). Financial Times Prentice Hall. p. 250. ISBN 9780273693581.
  5. ↑ Reeves, Rosser (1961). Reality in Advertising. Macgibbon and Kee. pp. 46–48. ISBN 0394442288.
  6. ↑ Zigu. "Slogan Definition | Marketing Dictionary | MBA Skool-Study.Learn.Share.". MBA Skool-Study.Learn.Share. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  7. ↑ Waiz , S. (2013, March 22nd). 40+ Best Advertising Slogans of Modern Brands. Retrieved March 29th, 2016, from Advergize: http://www.advergize.com/advertising/40-best-advertising-slogans-modern-brands/
  8. ↑ Butler (2006). Television Critical Methods and Applications. (3rd ed.). Hoboken: Taylor & Francis Ltd. p. 420. ISBN 1410614743.
  9. ↑ "The most-liked advertising slogan: M&M's 'Melts in your mouth, not in your hand'". Washington Post. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  10. ↑ "History | Head and Shoulders News l P&G.com". news.headandshoulders.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  11. ↑ Pizza, Domino's. "Domino's Pizza Builds on Heritage with Launch of 'You Got 30 Minutes'". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  12. 1 2 "Timeline - About FedEx". About FedEx. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  13. ↑ "Metropolitan Life Insurance Company - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company". www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  14. ↑ Inc, Kiplinger Washington Editors (1981-10-01). Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc.
  15. ↑ Goodwin, Bryan (2011). Simply better : doing what matters most to change the odds for student success. Alexandria, Va.: ASCD. p. 11. ISBN 1416612955.
  16. ↑ "Effective Internal Marketing Strategies for All Businesses". Fast Company. 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  17. ↑ Heath, Chip; Heath, Dan (2007-01-02). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Random House Publishing Group. ISBN 9781588365965.
  18. 1 2 3 Holt, Douglas; Cameron, Douglas (2010). Cultural Strategy. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-958740-7.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 12/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.