What makes you different?

Recall the Competitor Analysis discussed in the previous blog where you countered each of your competitor's weaknesses listed in the lower left-hand quadrant, with one of your strengths listed in the lower right-hand quadrant. These are your Unique Selling Points (USPs) against this competitor for the named product or service and in this specific sales opportunity.

Over time, you'll find a handful of Unique Selling Points that continually rise to the top of the hill. You need to have at least one "game changer" for the customer or by our research, three to five smaller USPs to cause the customer to consider making a change and then sticking with you (customer loyalty).

In an article written by Jack & Suzy Welch published in the August 2007 issue of Business Week entitled, IDEAS -- THE WELCH WAY, they said,

"...you, the seller, are not delivering on just price, quality, and service. You are demonstrating intense loyalty by giving him [the customer] a comprehensive, inimitable way to win. Better productivity. Faster throughput. Lower inventory. More innovative products. You are delivering something—anything—that makes you indispensable to your customer's success. Then, and only then, will you get complete loyalty in return.

"You may well be thinking; we did that! We built dedicated plants. We designed special packaging. To which we'd ask: But did those services, no doubt costly, fundamentally change the game for your customers? Did you enable them to expand into profitable new markets or catapult old rivals? It seems unlikely, or how could they have walked away?

"They couldn't have.

"Only by providing clients with new ways to win do you have a hope of keeping them."

That's how important finding, creating, developing, nurturing, and focusing on your Unique Selling Points can be to the customer. Help them win in their business.

Next time we'll talk about how to frame your Unique Selling Points (USPs) in the persuasive language of selling.

Resources

Select this link to view the Four Box Competitor Analysis form.

Select this link to preview and buy the 99-cent eBook "Competitor Analysis" to get more information on how to use this unique to sales competitor analysis.

Select this link to preview and buy the eLearning course: Competitor Analysis

Select this link to connect and follow Dr. Robert "Bob" DeGroot, MEd, DCH on LinkedIn

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