What is a Unique Value Proposition and Why You Need to Establish Yours
Unless you are a con man selling snake oil, you are probably a big believer in your product. And the best way to sell your product? Get others to believe as well.
Customers have tons of options to choose from for every product on their list. And in many cases, they decide on their choice in a split second. That’s why companies need an elevator pitch that quickly explains who they are and why they do what they do, and why they are the best choice.
Before you can do that, you need to establish why your product rises above the rest. Call it what you want – an X factor, a golden nugget of value, a magic touch, a secret ingredient – but every great brand has an aspect of their offering that sets themselves apart from their competitors.
That reason right there is called a Unique Value Proposition.
Billie razors includes their UVP on its homepage.
What is a Unique Value Proposition?
Also known as a unique selling proposition (USP), your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is a clear statement that describes the benefit of your offer, how you solve your customer’s needs and what distinguishes you from the competition. It is found at the intersection of three important concepts: your brand, your product, and the experience you provide.
What can a Unique Value Proposition do for your brand?
First and foremost, a great UVP communicates why a customer should buy your product. When written well, it can be the most compelling statement you have on your website. It summarizes the reason you create what you create, how you do it, and how it improves the lives of your customers.
Download our checklist of 30+ ways to promote content here.
A UVP can also prove that the company has done its research on its customers. From the problems that they deal with, the best possible solutions to these problems, and the way that they are offering the solutions through the product. When a brand understands its audience, it can write a powerful and memorable UVP that humanizes the brand and strengthens its relationship with its audience.
A UVP is a powerful area to establish a brand voice. Since it is the most succinct definition of your company and product, it can be tough to fit your brand voice into a short statement while also fitting in all the hard-hitting content that you need. But when crafting your perfect UVP, the two will coexist hand-in-hand.
Creates the core message that all of your marketing efforts should both build from and connect back to. The longer you go not referring back to the core of your company, the more likely your everyday messaging will start to stray away. Having a UVP to refer back to for all of your content can help tighten your message and always make sure you are keeping true to your core message.
Content marketing is so much more than just writing blog posts. While the general idea of a content strategy has always and will always be around, a lot has changed in the last couple of years on how we go about it, which leads to the emergence of new content marketing terms.
Whether or not you handle the content strategy on your team, there are many reasons why you should brush up on your content marketing terminology. Maybe you want to learn more about the effort so you can improve your company messaging. It can help out with team communication so everyone is on the same page when discussing possible trends to tackle. If you’re planning on hearing some pitches from potential partners or agencies, understanding content marketing terminology can help you understand exactly what tactics and benefits they offer.
The basics of content marketing is easy enough to interpret, but if you want to have a good grip on the most widely accepted 2020 trends, some terms, tactics, and ideas don’t have such common-sense definitions.
Download our checklist of 30+ ways to promote content here.
Content Marketing Terms to Know
Content Marketing
Content marketing is creating and promoting high quality, relevant information tailored to your specific audience’s needs. The goals of content marketing include drawing potential customers in by solving industry pain points, improving your audience’s understanding of relevant concepts, building audience trust in your expertise, increasing search engine presence, and building strong relationships with leads.
Industry Expertise
Industry expertise is a reputation you gain among your audience of being the best resource for information or services in your specific industry. When you consistently and frequently produce and promote high-quality content relevant to your target audience, over time you can build industry expertise so your audience will turn to you any time they have a question or problem to solve. You can also establish industry expertise through great customer service, relationship management, and thoughtful communication.
MailChimp gets their point across in a few simple words.
What makes a great Unique Value Proposition?
It is a clear, short statement. A reader should be able to remember the gist of the UVP after one skim. It can be as short as a couple of sentences, while still fully communicating the value of the offering.
It is relevant for all of a brand’s products. A company only has one Unique Value Proposition, so it has to encompass all products under the brand.
It is one compelling reason to reason support the brand, not a long list of each tiny specific way you think your product helps. A list is forgetful, and the more reasons you add to a UVP, the less clear and impactful it becomes.
It is truly unique, and other competitors can’t claim to offer the same value or solution. Differentiating yourself from competitors is a key driver for establishing your UVP. Hence the word Unique!
It can be backed up with proof. Your UVP is not the time to bend the truth through framing or overpromise value.
Is connected to your target audience’s pain point(s). Your UVP is a chance to prove you understand what your market is looking for in your product, and more importantly how your product solves an issue or elevates their life.
It is connected to your brand values. Your UVP is a reflection of your priorities and how they relate to your audience.
A helpful thing to know: You can’t have a great value proposition without having a great product. So, if you’re having trouble communicating real value, differentiating your brand, or not bending the truth when establishing your UVP, the issue at hand.
Here are some examples of great unique value propositions
Billie
Hi, hello! We’re Billie. We’ve created a new kind of routine – one that’s unfussy, hardworking, and completely clean. Like it should be. Meet the everyday essentials that your top shelf has been missing.
We like this because it stays true to Billie’s light and playful brand voice. It also sets itself apart by stating that you haven’t tried anything like this before.
Uber
Uber is the smartest way to get around. One tap and a car comes directly to you. Your driver knows exactly where to go. And the payment is completely cashless.
We love the clear, simple, and direct way that Uber lists its value. Every important value point is touched on while still keeping the statement short and easy to understand.
Robinhood
Robinhood, a pioneer of commission-free investing, gives you more ways to make your money work harder.
Robinhood is a complex product in a complex industry, but this statement is as simple as it gets. It encompasses all of their products while still showing value in them all.
Slack
Making working lives simpler, more pleasant, and more productive.
We like this because it ties in the word “lives”, which instantly expands the message. It’s not just improving your 9-5, it’s improving your entire life so you can get more done with less effort.
If you don’t know why someone should buy your product or service, then how can you create a strong brand message to convince them to do so? If you need help refining your business plan so it communicates the best of your offerings, reach out to our team.
Related Articles
Read more about Web Development
