What
is a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and why am I dead before I start if
I haven't got one?
The
hard facts of sales and business life make this headline true.
A
general definition is that a USP is a message from you or your business to
your clients that:
-
is
different from anything that your competitors tell their clients
(Unique)
-
is
perceived as valuable by the client (not by
you)
(Selling)
-
and
makes an attractive offer that interests the
client
(Proposition)
The
only time in sales where you don't need a USP is when you have a monopoly
of the product or service - your Client can't buy the product or
service anywhere else - and they need to have it!!
So,
how about a quick check of your sales situation?
|
1.
Do
your Clients need what you sell? (i.e. Real Estate
Services) |
YES |
NO |
|
2. Do
you have a monopoly on Real Estate services in your
area? |
YES |
N0 |
Well,
unless the answer to 2. was YES, it's worth reading on to learn
more about why your USP is so important. Let's
check on that with another quick survey before we move on:
|
Can you briefly explain the benefits of your services to
prospective clients? |
YES |
NO |
|
Do you have a couple of major reasons that persuade people to use
you? |
YES |
NO |
|
Have you asked Clients whether those reasons were important
to them? |
YES |
NO |
|
Can those reasons be stated by any competitors about their services? |
YES |
NO |
If
you had: YES, YES, YES and NO, then you've
got at least one, and possibly more, Unique Selling Propositions. We'd love to hear what your USP is.
If
you had any other combination, then it may be worthwhile to keep on
reading.
SPECIAL
LOSS ALERT!!
Are
You Losing $100,000's
of
Your Commissions
because
of one little mistake?
If
you're not sure, email
onemistake@saleschampions.com.au
WARNING
THIS
MISTAKE MAY BE COSTING YOU
MORE
THAN YOU THINK!!
HOW
DO I GET MY USP?
Well,
the best way to start is by asking your past Clients what they thought of
your services - why they hired you, how you performed, etc. (if you
want a Client Survey form to conduct this research, email surveyform@saleschampions.com.au?subject=SurveyForm
).
Once
your Clients have given you their feedback, you can really see what was
important to them. Their answers may surprise you!! (That's a great
time to ask for a testimonial and referrals, too, when they've been
thinking positive thoughts about you).
Now,
what do you do with all of that info? Well, let's remember that the
3 major results that people are wanting when they sell their house are (in
order of importance to most people):
-
The
best price they can get
-
To
sell in the time that best suits their needs
-
The
minimum of stress during the sales process
So,
have a look at what you do and what your Clients say you do. How
can you state those things in a way that Clients can relate what you
say to what they want? You
could say for example (this one's a big one):
"My
Personal Guarantee to You -
If I don't deliver on every one of the promises in my Customer Service
Agreement, you won't have to pay me a cent in commission!"
What
does this do? Well, it provides an assurance that:
-
You
understand that they are concerned about the sale
-
You
are prepared to put a Guarantee in writing, adding to their
confidence that you will deliver on your promises
-
You
are putting your money on the line, in the same way they are taking a
risk with you
Now
that might or might not be enough to sway most people your way. You
may have to include other aspects in your message and your service that
provide the benefits of price and timeframe. But,
at least for those Clients who have concerns about the sale process, you have
shown that you understand them. Now if none of your competitors are
demonstrating this benefit to Clients, you have a point of difference - a
USP!!
Have
a look at what you offer, and see where you stand out. If you can't
see the reasons why Clients should choose you, chances are Clients can't
either! Do
the survey - if nothing else, it's a good reason to call. Follow
up all leads - even when you didn't get the listing. Find out why -
why you didn't get the business, and why your competitor did.
And
finally, if you're still hard-pressed to come up with a USP that
grabs their attention, how about
"New
Way to Sell means you'll get a Higher Sales Price for your Property - call
NOW!"
Do
you think that will get them calling?
If
you'd like that to be your USP, go to
http://www.tenantsincommon.com.au
|