Caffeine refers to an addictive essential of certain kind of drugs. In this context, it connotes an ingredient that gets customers or even employees (who I’d like to define as your first level of customers) addicted to you and your business. It is that core in your offering, perhaps as a core value, USP, or drive that makes customers not get enough.
Look around you, it seems like we are all addicted to something, I call it ‘caffeine’ in different forms.
I mean, if caffeine is a stimulant, an ingredient that gets people excited, intoxicated and addicted as it is found in coke, coffee and in large quantity in most hard drugs, imagine having such elements for your brand. It’s a different kind of caffeine that gets people to sleep weekly in vigil to kill ‘the undying enemy’, I’ve watched people sow their last seeds as offerings to already rich religious leaders, to some it’s sex or love that gets them running back to their ex, maybe for you it gets you constantly stuck on social network, or during work hours. I’ve seen executives queue in suits for hours for “Iya Basira’s” beans, under the Stadium Bridge in Surulere, or for Amala at the White House in Yaba, or “Ghana High” in Onikan for Jollof. For some of our politicians who dig pits and have empty apartments just to steal and store the loots, now that’s greed with money as their own caffeine. Knowing when to stop is key and anything you can’t get enough of, I call it “caffeine”.
It’s the difference between people who just buy phones and people who sell their kidney and use the proceeds to stay in queues for hours to buy an iPhone in America, the difference between a bottle of coke and any other soft drink, any coffee and Nescafe, a car and a Mercedes Benz. The list goes on.
In business you need to create your own caffeine at what you do. It will create loyalty for you.
It’s what you do that people can’t get enough of. In business it’s called Unique Selling Point (USP), I call it caffeine!
Here are a few drops of ‘caffeine’ for your consumption:
1. Domino’s Pizza: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or it’s delivered for free.”
2. FedEx:”Your parcels absolutely get there overnight.”
3. M&M’s Chocolate: It only “Melts in your mouth, not on your hand.”
4. Saddleback Leather: “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead.”
5. TOMS Shoes: They give a new pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you purchase.
6. Hexavia and HBC: for us at Hexavia, since the differences between you now and 10 years ahead are the people you meet and things you’d know, we promise to always supply you both for a lifetime once you’re a client to us. It is summed up as further together. We promise to always Go Further Ahead with you. Now that’s our caffeine!
Make your company’s unique position and offering in the marketplace as addictive and present as caffeine. It is an often overlooked but very important element of creating a business that customers and your other stakeholders love.
A strong unique selling proposition lets you to stand apart from competitors. It makes them come back for more. It is the differential. Besides price wars, cost leadership and niche focusing, differentiation is one of the most important strategic and tactical activities in which companies must constantly engage to stay most relevant.
1. Unique – It clearly sets you apart from your competition, positioning you the more logical choice.
2. Selling – It persuades another to exchange money for a product or service.
3. Proposition – It is a proposal or offer suggested for acceptance.
The force that drives your business and sales success
Your USP is the force that drives your business and success. It can also be used as a “branding” tool that deploys strategy with every tactical marketing effort you use such as an ad, a postcard, or web site. This allows you to build a lasting reputation while you’re making sales. The ultimate goal of your USP and marketing is to have people say to you… “Oh, yes I’ve heard of you. You’re the company who…” – And then respond by requesting more information or purchasing.
Creating a unique selling proposition that works
When it comes to developing a unique point of difference for your business, it’s impossible to give one-size-fits-all advice. That said there are certainly some best practices that work across marketplaces and that any business owner can apply to make their unique selling proposition worthwhile.
Here’s a simple exercise to help you identify your USP:
Gather a few people from your team, or your inner circle or mastermind group; people who have in depth understanding about your business.
Put yourselves in the shoes of others in your industry, especially your prospective customers.
Pinpoint the types of things these others might say about the products, services and companies in your industry. Don’t hold back – include stereotypes and globalism – sometimes even funny ones will help.
Make a long list.
Step back into your own shoes.
Now, read your list. What makes YOU or your company different?
Select the most compelling ones that you honestly come by and incorporate them into your marketing program.
Ways to use these USPs:
Sound-bites or elevator speeches
Marketing messages
Brochures
Value Propositions
Advertising
Press Releases
Proposals
How to develop your unique selling proposition (USP)
Your USP is the very essence of what you are offering. Your USP needs to be so compelling that it can be used as a headline that sells your product or service. Therefore, since you want to optimize all your marketing materials for maximum results, create it before anything else (such as advertisements and marketing copy). Follow this easy 7-step process:
Step 1: Use your biggest benefits:
Clearly describe the 3 biggest benefits of owning your product or service. Let me be blunt. Your prospect doesn’t care if you offer the best quality, service, or price. You have to explain exactly WHY that is important to them. Think in terms of what your business does for your customer and the end-result they desire from a product or service like yours.
So, what are the 3 biggest benefits you offer? Write them down on a piece of paper…
Step 2: Be unique:
The key here is to be unique. Basically, your USP separates you from the competition, sets up a “buying criteria” that illustrates your company is the most logical choice, and makes your product or service the “gotta have” item. (Not your competitors) Write your USP so it creates desire and urgency. Your USP can be stated in your product itself, in your offer, or in your guarantee:
Step 3: Solve an industry “pain point” or “performance gap”:
Identify which needs are going unfulfilled within either your industry or your local market. The need or “gap” that exists between the current situation and the desired objective is sometimes termed a “performance gap “. Many businesses that base their USP on industry performance gaps are successful.
For example, Dominos Pizza used the “Pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it’s free” USP to become wildly successful. This worked because of the need or “gap” in the market – After a long day at work Mom and Dad are too tired to cook. But the kids are starving and don’t want to wait an hour! They want pizza now. Call Domino’s.
So, what are the most frustrating things your customer experiences when working with you or your industry in general? Alleviate that “PAIN” in your USP and make sure you deliver on your promises. Write your ideas on paper now…
Step 4: Be specific and offer proof:
Consumers are skeptical of advertising claims companies make. So alleviate their skepticism by being specific and offering proof when possible. Write your ideas on paper now…
Step 5: Make it succinct:
The most powerful USPs are so perfectly written, you cannot change or move even a single word. Each word earns you money by selling your product or service. After you get your USP written, your advertising and marketing copy will practically write itself!
Now take all the details about your product/service/offer from the steps above and sculpt them into one clear and concise sentence with compelling salesmanship fused into every single word. Write your ideas on paper now…
Step 6: Integrate your USP into all marketing materials:
Variations of your USP will be included in the all your marketing materials such as your…
-Advertising and sales copy headlines;
-Business cards, brochures, flyers, & signs;
-Your “elevator pitch”, phone, and sales scripts;
-Letterhead, letters, & postcards;
-Website & Internet marketing.
Step 7: Deliver on your USP’s promise
Be bold when developing your USP but be careful to ensure that you can deliver. Your USP should have promises and guarantees that capture your audience’s attention and compels them to respond to you. Having a strong USP can make your business a big success or a big failure if you don’t deliver on it thereby ruining your reputation. In the beginning, it was a challenge for Federal Express to absolutely, positively deliver overnight, but they developed the system that allowed them to deliver the promise consistently.
Thanks for reading.
Eizu Uwaoma
