If you’re struggling to reach your target audience – or just not getting any ROI from your marketing – then the reason might be because you don’t know the answer to the above question. The best way to test whether you really understand why customers should choose you is just to sit down and write a list. After all, if you’re not sure why your brand should be a first choice for customers then it’s unlikely the people you want to attract are going to be able to identify this for themselves.

Defining a USP

The “Unique Selling Point,” “Point of Difference,” “Niche appeal” – whatever you want to call it, the importance of defining what makes your business stand out is crucial. This is the starting point for all of your marketing, perhaps the branding too. It will also be essential knowledge if you’re looking for funding or investors at any point, as well as when you’re dealing with the press. Every business will have its own set of factors that create something unique that makes it stand out from the crowd. The best way to define this is to focus on why the business is different, what makes it unusual in the market and what it is about the products or services that will make people talk about it.

Identify your reasons for success

What might the reasons be for customers choosing your business? They could be anything. It doesn’t matter whether your reasons seem sensible and mainstream or a little unusual – what’s important is to make sure that you know what they are. Whether you have large resources for an extensive marketing campaign or you’re on a very limited budget, without this firm foundation it will be difficult to produce any convincing communications when it comes to getting customers on board. So, what potential reasons might exist for customers to choose your business as opposed to that of a competitor?

  • The products or services that you supply are more cost effective or affordable than a competitor
  • You provide exceptional service, such as super fast delivery and 24/7 customer support
  • Your products or services support a specific set of values, for example they are ethical or sustainably produced
  • The heritage of your brand, or specialist expertise of your people, is not something that competitors can offer
  • There are no similar products or services on the market
  • Your brand is particularly accommodating to a specific demographic e.g. car owners
  • The online services that you offer are much broader and more extensive than other brands
  • You can provide products or services of exceptional quality
  • The workforce behind what you’re selling is unique, either in terms of their level of training or where they have been recruited from (e.g. providing jobs for the homeless)

These are just some of the reasons that a business might be able to identify when it comes to convincing customers to make the right choice. Defining these is a starting point for any enterprise looking to engage better with a target audience.