Strategy

Unique Value Proposition

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

19 Mar 2008 • 2 min read

Every successful firm needs a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) which is fancy marketing talk for the reason a customer will choose to buy your offering. If you don't have a UVP it means that your offering is a pure commodity and you should not be reading this blog---I cannot help you.

A UVP states your product's difference/s that are valued by the customer. These differences can be almost anything. For example, they can include:

Superior service
Greater product availability
Higher quality
Better performance
Greater durability
Respected image / prestige
Technology leadership
Satisfaction guarantee
Lower cost
Faster delivery
More customer support

Think of a UVP as your special ingredient your business uses to prevent from becoming a "commodity." It should leap off the page and demand attention from your buyers since this is why they will buy now.

The challenge is to find that one thing that makes your offering different---that is all that you need to be chosen by your target market.

You could analyze the competition; generally this is wasted time since they probably don't have the answer. Your customers know the answer or will help you find it. Determine their pains or unfulfilled needs. Start focusing on what they cannot get but need.

If you have no differentiator, create one. Think about it. When you go to the super market to buy milk, you still have to make a choice whether it is price, packaging, low fat versus whole milk, or soy product. Pick the most unique aspect or benefit of your product and focus your marketing messaging there.

People buy because of your offering's uniqueness not because it is the same as others. Be different.