Boost Your Branding With A USP

What is a USP?

Any form of business branding plan must involve the creation of a USP (Unique Sales Position). It is THE most basic element necessary to building an effective brand campaign. A USP consists of a short sentence, or phrase, that serves to reinforce the business name or logo. Most big businesses have created highly successful marketing USP's that have become recognized by the consumers more than their name.

A USP is often dismissed as an element for effective branding methods. This is also the reason why even a potentially good business name fails to deliver. Its main purpose is to mainly enhance and boost the name of the business. It provides a glimpse into what the "brand" promises to deliver. Even simple words or phrases can go a long way working in conjunction with your brand.

Impact of a USP to Branding

Brand recall is the main purpose of creating your USP, or USP. They're there to speak FOR the brand where images may fail. This enables the brand to further create a lasting memory in the minds of the consumers and enhances the overall market reach of the product, or service.

Therefore, you need to not just produce a creative USP but create an intelligent one. Obviously the purpose is to capture the consumer's attention producing interest about your product. It enables your target audience to stop and think about the possibilities offered by your brand.

Depending on your marketing plan, you can utilize a well written USP to appeal to the needs, attitudes or emotions of your targeted consumer. Hence, you are compelling them to take an action. In this case it is to purchase the product.

You may ask, "Why is this such a potent part of your overall marketing and branding efforts"? The simple answer is it triggers the motivation of the consumers thus driving them into action.

Creating a Good USP

Due to the importance of the USP in your business, it is best to assert careful planning into the process of creating it. To achieve a great USP, you must inform yourself of what the qualities of a good USP are.

1. A good USP is memorable. Since the purpose of a USP is to increase brand recall and trigger buyer motivations, it must first be able to capture their attention and stay in their memory for a given period. Staying power is an essential factor in the business world, so you have to be able to produce something that stays in the mind of the consumers when they go to buy.

2. A good USP produces images in the consumer's mind. Most people produce images in their mind when they hear something. Hence, you can trigger the visual patterns of your customers by using the USP. For instance, you can remind them about your company logo and create a stronger link between the two.

3. A good USP drives people into action. Awakening triggers on the consumer's part will help them make the decision to buy the product being represented.

4. A good USP highlights the benefit of the product. This is tied with the efforts of creating a unique product distinction. Thus emphasizing the benefits that are derived from using your company's products or services.

Advertising versus Business USP

Business owners must be able to differentiate advertising from business USP's since they serve entirely different purposes. The business USP is more important since it concerns the brand identity. It impacts your distinction in the market and the power of your brand.

Meanwhile, advertising slogan's are created for a specific marketing objective over a short period of time. Advertising is more concerned with influencing a consumer's immediate reaction to a given product. However, business USP's reinforce the reputation of a company as part of its overall branding efforts.

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