Developing a strong unique selling proposition (USP) is one of the best ways to elevate your marketing efforts. Not only does it help define your overall strategy, but it also makes all your marketing endeavors more effective.

What is a Unique Selling Proposition?

A USP answers two critical questions:

1. What makes you better or different than your competition?
2. Why should people buy from you?

Your USP should be a concise sentence or phrase that clearly explains why your business stands out. It’s the essence of what makes your business unique.

Characteristics of a strong USP

1. Authentic to your business

Your USP must be rooted in what your business genuinely excels at. It’s not enough to simply claim superiority; your USP should reflect a true strength or focus of your business. 

For instance, if you run a pizza place, claiming “We’re the best” isn’t enough. However, if your pizza place is renowned for using organic, locally sourced ingredients, your USP could be “Farm-fresh ingredients in every slice.”

This authenticity builds trust with your customers. They need to know that what you promise in your USP is what they will experience. A genuine USP is more sustainable because it aligns with your company’s mission and values.

2. Customer-focused promise

A USP should address your customers’ needs and highlight a key benefit. Whether it’s your exceptional product quality or world-class customer service, your USP should communicate what sets you apart in a way that resonates with your ideal customers. 

For example, if your business prides itself on fast delivery, your USP could be “Hot pizza at your door in 30 minutes or less.”

It’s important to understand your customers’ pain points and how your business addresses them. A good USP is less about the product and more about the solution it provides. If your unique offering is an exceptional customer experience, make sure that’s evident in your USP.

3. Distinct from competitors

A good USP leverages the principle of positioning, clearly articulating how your business is different from competitors. It highlights your competitive advantage and helps position your company in the minds of potential customers. 

For example, if you own a coffee shop in a crowded market, your USP might be “The original craft coffee experience since 1966.”

This distinctiveness is crucial because it helps your business stand out in a crowded marketplace. Your USP should succinctly convey why a customer should choose you over your competitors, emphasizing your unique value proposition.

4. Memorable and concise

Your USP should be short and memorable. It should be a statement that encapsulates your company’s identity and can be reflected in all your marketing and communications. A concise USP is easier for customers to remember and recall, which is essential for brand recognition. 

For instance, Apple’s “Think different” is a succinct and memorable USP that encapsulates the brand’s innovative spirit.

Finding your USP

To uncover an effective USP, consider the following questions:

What product or service are you selling? 

Clearly define what you offer. If you’re an affiliate, what businesses or products are you promoting? Knowing exactly what you are selling helps in identifying your unique angle.

What unique features and benefits does it offer? 

List out the features and benefits that set your product or service apart. This could include quality, speed, customer service, or unique ingredients.

Who is your target audience? 

Define your ideal customer. Who are they? What are their demographics and psychographics? Knowing your audience helps tailor your USP to their specific needs and desires.

What are their key pain points? 

Identify the main problems your target customers face. Understanding these pain points is crucial as your USP should address how your product or service solves these issues.

How does your product or service address these pain points? 

Explain how your offering specifically alleviates the pain points of your customers. This is where the core of your USP will come from.

Who are your competitors and what are their USPs? 

Research your competitors. What are they claiming as their unique selling points? This knowledge helps you position yourself distinctively.

What do you do better than your competitors? 

Highlight what you excel at compared to others in your industry. This could be better quality, faster service, more personalized attention, etc.

How do you run your business differently? 

Describe any unique processes or methodologies your business employs. This could include sustainable practices, unique supply chains, or innovative technologies.

How do you treat your customers differently? 

Emphasize your customer service approach. Do you offer 24/7 support, personalized follow-ups, or a satisfaction guarantee?

How would you answer a customer who asks, “Why should I buy from you?” 

Craft a direct response to this question. This will help you distill your thoughts into a clear and compelling USP.

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Crafting and using your USP

Once you have your answers, distill them into a brief statement that captures what makes you different. This is your USP. Here’s how to implement it effectively:

Make It visible

Don’t just leave your USP in your notebook. Put it everywhere so it stays top of mind. Make it your computer and cellphone background. Frame it on your desk. Sign it at the bottom of your emails. Ensure it’s visible on your website, marketing materials, and even your office space. This constant visibility reinforces your brand’s unique position in the minds of your team and customers.

Live it daily

Even more importantly, live it. Breathe it. Make everything you do and how you do everything embody that USP. Make it as much a focus of your daily work as your mission statement or your business’s financial goals. Your actions should consistently reflect the promises made in your USP, creating a cohesive and authentic brand experience.

Examples of effective USPs

1. Canva: Online Design Made Easy

Canva simplifies design, making it accessible to everyone. Their USP is evident in their user-friendly interface and comprehensive design tools. Canva’s promise of ease is reflected in every aspect of their service, from their intuitive drag-and-drop features to their extensive library of templates.

2. Buffer: All-You-Need Social Media Toolkit for Small Businesses

Buffer addresses the pain point of tool overload by providing an all-in-one solution for small businesses. By consolidating multiple functions into one platform, Buffer simplifies social media management, making it more efficient for small business owners. 

Their USP clearly targets a specific audience, ensuring they attract the right customers.

3. Product Hunt: The Best New Products in Tech

Product Hunt’s platform surfaces the best new tools through community voting. Their USP is rooted in their mission to highlight innovation in tech. By allowing users to vote on new products, Product Hunt leverages social proof to validate their selections, making their USP both unique and credible.

4. Nike: Just Do It

Nike’s USP centers on the themes of motivation, inspiration, and empowerment. The brand’s marketing and product design emphasize the idea that with the right gear, anyone can surpass their goals and unlock their full potential. 

This approach not only highlights the functional benefits of Nike’s offerings but also connects with customers on an emotional level, making them feel empowered and inspired to strive for excellence in their athletic endeavors.

5. REI: A Life Outdoors is a Life Well Lived

REI’s USP encapsulates its commitment to the outdoor lifestyle, beyond just selling products. They offer trips, classes, and a vast library of articles about outdoor life. REI’s USP resonates with their audience’s passion for the outdoors, positioning them as more than just a retailer but as a lifestyle brand.

6. Peet’s Coffee: The Original Craft Coffee

Peet’s emphasizes its long history and authenticity in the craft coffee movement. Their USP, “The Original Craft Coffee,” speaks to their pioneering role in the industry. This not only differentiates them from newer competitors but also appeals to customers who value tradition and quality.

Your turn

A well-defined USP can set your business apart and attract your ideal customers. By answering the right questions and staying true to what makes your business unique, you can craft a USP that not only differentiates you from competitors but also resonates deeply with your target audience. Once crafted, make your USP a central part of your business strategy and daily operations to maximize its impact.

By understanding your strengths, focusing on your customers’ needs, and clearly differentiating yourself from competitors, you can create a USP that drives your marketing success and solidifies your brand’s position in the market. Embrace your uniqueness, communicate it effectively, and let your USP guide your path to business growth and customer loyalty.

The post 6 Examples of a unique selling proposition and how to write your own appeared first on AWeber.

The creator economy is a growing sector where individuals use digital platforms to create and share content, build communities, and, ultimately, make money. In 2024, the creator economy is valued at a whopping $250 BILLION and is expected to nearly double by 2027. 

This booming sector offers unprecedented opportunities for creators who know how to navigate this dynamic and evolving market.

But how do you know you’re doing it right? Things change fast, and staying informed of the industry’s latest best practices can be a full-time job. 

To help you navigate your way to the top of the creator economy, we reached out to eight experts. Each one of them knows the ins and outs of the creator economy, so we asked what they think the best moves are for content creators in the next 6 – 12 months. Specifically, we asked them four major questions:

1. How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6 – 12 months, especially for creators?
2. Could you rate that concern on a scale of one to ten, with one being the lowest?
3. What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?
4. What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

How worried are they?

Surprisingly, the experts we talked to aren’t losing any sleep over fears of the creator economy tanking any time soon. 

• Five of our eight experts weren’t concerned at all (1-2 rating)
• Three of our experts feel things could go either way (5-6 rating)

The average score of everyone’s rating for how concerned they are? Just 2.9 out of 10. Just check out this word cloud of their answers:

What stands out? Creators, sure. Content, yep. What else?

Community. Help. Support. Audience. People. 

Across the board, every one of our experts gave pretty much the same advice: build a community.

Find a group of people who genuinely appreciate and value your work. Get to know that community really, really well. 

Solve their problems.

Connect to them.Then – and only then – offer them paid solutions and support for those problems.

Why “focus on building a community” is great advice 

People who are well-connected, visible, and contribute to communities tend to have more opportunities. The people they are connected to “know, like, and trust” them, so they’re aligned with that golden rule of sales and marketing. They get more work, even in downturns. And they’re well-enough connected to know when and how to pivot if that becomes necessary.

Those are the key takeaways from the answers we got: Most of these creators/advisors aren’t very worried about how creators will fare in 2022, and they recommend every creator focus on building a specific audience/community.

But a lot of other issues came up. For that, it’s best to let these eight experts speak for themselves.

1. Juan Galán Politi

How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being the lowest?

I don’t think there is anything to be concerned about. The creator economy is a thriving economy. More and more people are finding they can turn their passion or hobby into a full-time career and build successful online businesses with little or even 0 investment. People are consuming more content than ever, whether it is through social media, blogs, etc. Content creators that are smart about it can easily start monetizing their online audiences and their content. I’d rate my concern for this question as 1.

What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?

It’s been a crazy year for business growth and it’s grown to levels I would have never imagined. What did I do? I built an online community around a specific topic, addressed my community problems with my content, and offered solutions. I’m more adjusting myself to this rapid business growth, rather than adjusting my business to a new environment. Very excited to continue seeing it grow.

What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

Honestly, the best thing any creator looking to succeed can do is to build a strong online community. Choose one platform (ideally one in social media) and start creating consistent content and building relationships. Once you have a decent community (not saying you need thousands and thousands of people) but a decent, engaged community, they can start thinking about how to offer “paid solutions” to the main problems anyone in their community has.

2. Shawn Fink

How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being lowest?

I am holding steady around a 6 right now. In many of my circles, the pinch is definitely already under way and it’s hard to say which way it will go at this point. I would like to have trust that we’ll be able to steer clear of it but it’s definitely a worry.

What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?

I have been reducing my expenses for a few months now and trying to run a lean business machine. I am also planning to talk to my bank about a line of credit to use if things take a downturn. I am also adding in a few other revenue streams that might be more recession proof. 

The biggest thing I did when the pandemic seemed to slow things down was take on a more consistent client that I know will be good for a while. I call it my side hustle but it’s a higher paying and more consistent remote client for me to work for around the edges of my coaching business. 

What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

First, you always have to do what you need to do to feel safe and secure. So if that means look for a part-time job, so be it. Family comes first in my world. As does the mortgage. The great thing about being a creator is that it can always happen in the margins of our lives — get up early, stay up later. Being a creator doesn’t stop in a recession. But paying your bills should always be a primary focus. There’s no shame if you have to work at Starbucks to make ends meet. Your financial wellbeing is such a huge piece of your overall well being. So tend to it like it’s a priority not an afterthought. 

Second, start creating safety nets — like a line of credit from your bank or through another lender — and perhaps a bit of a cash infusion right now before the bottom drops out. If it doesn’t, you’ll be in good shape. If it does, it will buy you a few months. 

Diversify. What else can you do in the meantime to ensure you have some income coming in? Can you target a different but stable industry right now to get you shored up for upcoming months? 

Finally, ask for help. You’d be so surprised who is willing to help you when times are hard. We forget that resilience evaporates in solitude. We need to help each other. We’re meant to help each other. So reach out and share your story and what you need. 

3. Paula Rizzo

How concerned are you about the economy for the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being lowest?

It’s always important to keep your eye open for what’s happening in the world and how it might affect your business. I’m about a 5 on a scale of one to 10. It’s definitely concerning and something to keep an eye on but I won’t be doing anything drastic. 

What are you doing to adjust your business, your marketing, or your content to adapt to this new environment?

I was a network television news producer during the 2008 recession. We found creative and authentic ways to tell stories that would really resonate with our audience. I’m always thinking of the audience first. What are they going through and how can my expertise best serve them? 

What do you recommend other creators do right now to adapt and maybe even thrive through the next year or so?

Slow and steady wins the race. Stay true to that. Stick with the good stuff that you know works and don’t try to reinvent the wheel now.

4. Andrea Fox (Dre Fox)

How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being lowest?

As a creator since 2018, I’ve seen many changes over the past 4 years – some exciting, some troubling. But right now? Creators now have a unique opportunity to feast or famine inside of this ever-changing industry. Between new platforms, the recession and the move to video content, it’s time to realize actions that worked in 2020 aren’t going to work in the future and pivots need to be made. 

For those that step up to the plate to learn new skill sets, to tap into the true “business” of content creation I think there is more than enough space for people to get ahead in this industry. I am 5/10 nervous for creators.

What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?

Personally I’m refining my skills and becoming much more proficient in editing, video content and creating my own trends for others to follow. But behind the scenes I am networking like my business depends on it, because it does. This looks like taking a proactive role in the opportunities I’m given and the rooms my name will be brought up in. All it takes is you to ask to be part of a collaboration, to get a shout out or to partner with a brand to change the entire future of your creator business.

What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

Externally, it’s time to become innovative and take bigger risks with your content and the online space that you’re taking up. Make noise, make waves and stop clinging to the past. Those that will win aren’t worrying about “what used to work,” they’re onto the next thing. Let that be you! Improve your skills especially if it’s holding you back from video – Youtube, masterclasses and more can help you get the basics down so you can add more services to  your roster. 

Move into burgeoning markets like UGC content creation – this is my client’s main focus because it’s not saturated right now and allows you to get paid without the rat race of likes and comments. 

Internally, if you want social to be your job, treat it like a business with the same dedication, business acumen and seriousness that you’d expect. Shake hands, get networking and ask for the things that you want – you never know when someone might just say yes.

5. Pranav Mutatkar

How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being lowest?

My concern depends on the creator. Since”creator” is a broad word. If you are a creator who has lasered in and is solving real problems for your perfect customers. You’ll be okay. I’d rate that as a 2. 

But the average creator was already living an unsustainable life before the downturn. Many creators are slaves to content creation, are facing burnout, and are barely making ends meet. For these creators, I’d rate it at an 8. 

This may not be a horrible thing for most of these creators. It’ll help them understand who they should serve and how they can serve them with their personal gifts. 

What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?

Identifying what my rare and valuable skill is. Finding customers who love what I do. Talking to real customers to figure out how to grow my business instead of making an “educated” guess.  

Prioritizing ruthlessly by choosing only a couple things to pursue. Deciding to eliminate everything that isn’t good for my business, healthy for me, or play. Creating anti-fragile support systems so I can survive even if things don’t work out. 

Surrounding myself with smart mentors who can point me in the right direction. Make sure my network knows my calling card. Trying to help and be useful to whoever comes my way irrespective of if I’ll get something in return. 

What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

Talk to the people who love your content. Talk to people who you solve real problems for. Who does (or would be willing to) pay a bunch of money for your work?

Understand these people at a deep level. Figure out where they hang out, what messaging appeals to them, and what real problems you solve for them.

Then use what you learned. Go to the places they hang out and become useful. Help your dream customers solve their most difficult problems. Solve problems for others that are difficult for them and easy for you.

And most important of all… still do what’s best for your mental & physical health. Stay connected with friends. Go for walks in the park. If you put too much pressure on yourself, it’ll be harder to succeed and it’ll be less fun. 

When you get lost, ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Keep asking why until you get to the real deep reason. 

Focus on that deep why. Not on the vanity metrics. Don’t worry, you’ll make it through.

6. Paul Thomson

How concerned are you about the economy in the next 6-12 months, especially for creators? Could you rate that concern for me on a scale of one to ten, with one being lowest?

I’m not at all concerned about the economy over the next 6-12 months as it relates to creators. I’m pretty confident in rating my concern a 2/10. I believe the economy for creators has never been stronger. Just look at the number of people leaving traditional 9-5s either by choice or by force, it’s a really telling sign that the market for creators is thriving.

What are you doing to adjust your business to adapt to this new environment?
We’ve worked hard over the years to build robust systems to support our clients. I hear from creators all the time how overwhelming it can feel especially if you’re being told how unstable and volatile your market is. In turbulent times, creators need someone to lean on, so being able to have the right support, community, and mentorship is critical to stability and growth.

What do you recommend other creators do right now to survive and even thrive through the next year or so?

In my experience, the creators who are thriving are the ones focusing on a specific audience – they’re not trying to go broad with their content, products or services. Find the people that you enjoy connecting with, who you can impact the most, in the shortest amount of time. They will become your super fans if you stay consistent with your content.

7. Faiz Imran   

On a scale 1 – 10 , a 1. I think the current state of the economy presents a massive opportunity for creators and freelancers that are able to provide value online to their audiences and customers. 

We are removing the barrier for creators to set up online communities so they are able to take control of their income and audience, we’re doing this by allowing creators to manage the whole community building, monetizing, and the process for running that community all within the backspace platform for free.

We recommend all creators keep their focus on creating amazing content that adds value to their audiences. During hard times people often come to their communities for support, so be sure to start building out and engaging more with your communities. 

Overall I really think many creators are going to be able to build extremely tight-knit communities of people experiencing the same things.

Having a sense of community is going to be crucial,  creators that are able to curate these groups and communities will have lifelong support from their audiences.

8.  Gary Henderson

As far as the economy goes I’m not concerned at all as a creator. I’d give it a 1 or a 2. For me, people always want to grow and make money. I help creators make money and as long as we have people in the world that want to make money I’ll survive.  

I’m all in on web3. I help creators from all over the globe and decided to lean into the crypto space heavily. I’ve created my own currency, $GARY coin, and helped 30+ other creators do the same. This has allowed me to build a strong community of loyal supporters that continually show up. I have a group of 70+ creators that meet daily at 5:00 AM EST in discord to mastermind and collaborate.  

Decentralize and build your community. The world is changing fast and focusing on your personal brand and growing your community of super fans is the best advice I can give anyone.  When I did that last year. It changed my life!  

So, where is the creator economy going next?

The future of the creator economy is bright. In fact, economists are projecting that this market could be worth half a trillion dollars in just the next 3 years. 

This growth is being fueled by new technologies that are making it easier to create content. New platforms like TikTok alongside established platforms like YouTube and Facebook, are also driving increased digital media consumption.

For creators, that means that the path forward involves leveraging these platforms and tools to continuously engage with their communities. Creators who build and nurture strong connections with their communities will be best positioned to succeed. Stay engaged, be proactive, and keep creating!

The post The creator economy in 2025: 8 experts on how to survive and thrive appeared first on AWeber.