Small Merchant Success: Are you different? What’s your USP?

The question I get the most from clients and retailers is: How can I sell more stuff during this economic downturn? It’s not a question that can be easily answered in 2 or 3 sentences. In fact, the last time I verbally answered this question to a merchant caused us to speak on the phone for 2 hours and 13 minutes (yes I’m a dedicated coach). I took some time to think about a quick and effective response to this question and here’s what I came up with:

“What makes you different from everyone else?”

I’m not a master at consultant speak and I really don’t like answering a question with a question but this really hits the nail on the head. This question is a call for the merchant to decide what their USP is. USP isn’t just a cool acronym for Unique Selling Proposition. For merchants it should be the core idea that drives the business. Your USP should define your business and your business culture.

Retailing is truly the most competitive industry to be in. And our industry’s constant evolution makes being competitive a critical component to success. The situation gets tougher when you throw in a bad economy and a depressed and cynical consumer. But we are resilient and those that choose to prosper and take action will ultimately survive.

Getting back to my question, “What makes you different from everyone else?” The answers a I get for this one are all over the map. Some say price, some say service, some say our lunchroom is bigger. There really is no right answer but the purpose of the query is the get the retailer thinking about what sets them apart from their immediate competition. Answers like price and service are building blocks to the even more important question, “What’s your USP?”

I have a USP. What makes me different from other business coaches is that I take the time to understand your business and what you ultimately hope to achieve from it. No consultant speak here. Just tell me what you do and make me believe in what you are doing so I can come up with solutions to help you overcome your challenges. Simple and very clear. Your USP should be understandable by anyone who comes into the store and reads the sign that it’s printed on (Yes, I’m a big believer in communicating your USP or Brand Manifest to your customer. There is nothing wrong with letting them know how awesome and different you are!).

 While the actual USP is simple, coming up with one may not be. Like I mentioned above, USP conversations can take hours and I have spent time with client’s onsite figuring out their USP. You should really examine what you do with a fine tooth comb. Figure out what you do best and what customers look for when patronizing your store. You should also look at what your competition is doing (big box or not) and look for holes in their offerings. If you are always in stock on something that the big guys don’t have, that could be a component of your USP.

 “I take the time to fully understand your business and goals so that I can create effective solutions to help you overcome challenges and drive your bottom line.”  That’s my USP. What’s yours?