What is Your Unique Selling Proposition or Elevator Speech?

If you're anything like me just the idea of figuring this out might make you yawn! Well this time you can rest your yawning muscles because I'm not going to bore you with stats and complicated marketing jargon.

If you want to stand out online and in your profession, you must become an expert in your niche. The great news is that you now have an abundance of free and low cost internet tools to do so.

The downside is that it's very easy to put out a less than compelling message that turns your potential clients, customers or business partners right off.

If you're being vague you will get vague results.

If you are not sure what your value is, how do you expect your target market to know?

If you're a jack or jill of all trades you won't be able to charge very much.

This is obvious stuff and most people who study marketing in depth, know it.  However there are only a very small percentage of coaches, consultants and entrepreneurs who implement it and define their Unique Selling Proposition so that they successfully connect with their target market.

Being sociable and tweeting positive quotes will bring people towards you, but when they come what have you got to offer them?

You have just a few seconds to grab their attention when they click on your profile or website. If your USP doesn't leap off the page at them they will be gone.

You'll be just another 'nice' social marketer, another good Facebook friend or Tweeting buddy.

As you've probably already discovered, you can't run a profitable business like that. You need prospects and clients to be climbing into your marketing funnel every day. You can use both online and offline methods to steer them into your marketing funnel.

Whether it's a simple business model you have such as affiliate or network marketing, you still need to be clear about who you are and what you offer, so you can attract the right people to view your presentation.  If you try to get everyone online you'll probably get no one.

For solo entrepreneurs, coaches and consultants it is ESSENTIAL that you get your USP down so you know it in your sleep. You must be 100% clear on what value you are leading with.

There will probably be lots of areas you could focus on but if you focus on them all, you won't connect with your potential clients.

Overload causes confusion and your prospects will click away without leaving you their contact details. If you're out and about, this is the equivalent of the 'elevator speech.'

If someone asks you what you do and you reel off a ton of stuff it won't be long before your new contact's eyes glaze over and they bid you farewell.

It needs to be short, punchy and to the point or you will lose them.

Here's an example of a very simple USP I used when I worked with a weight loss programme.

'I help people lose weight. My husband lost 14kgs and 2 inches off his waste in 9 weeks using this programme.'

Do you think that would get someone's attention faster than rambling on about metabolic rate, calories and healthy eating?

That's a testimonial type USP and I can tell you that I got hundreds of clients using it! (Of course it was true which is why it worked so well)

Here's another example, 'I show self employed professionals how to turn their expertise into a home based internet business so they can work less and charge more.'

Recognise that one? That's mine. Notice how it focuses on a few of the BENEFITS of being an expert in your niche, using the internet, rather than the features.

Spend some time today writing down what the BIGGEST and most life changing thing you do for your clients, partners or customers is.

Here are some ideas to help you if you're stuck:

• Ask your existing clients what the biggest thing is that they got, or are getting from working with you.

• Think about what you love most about your products or service. Specialising in what you love most puts energy into your marketing that you won't have if you're just doing what you think you 'should.'

•  Use social media to ask your followers what they think you do! (You might get some strange answers here but you'll get some really helpful ones too)

•  Survey your existing subscribers or members and ask them what they want more of from you and why they read your newsletter etc.

• Test it out right away. Put yourself in situations where people will ask you what you do and just try it out. You'll soon see if you're hitting the mark because people will respond and relate to you.

• Tweak and repeat until you hit it right and people get it!

So remember no 'geek speak.' Use words that regular people understand. That way you will get referrals even if the person you are speaking to does not require your services.

I'd love to hear your comments or questions so please email me yours and share this article with your friends if you enjoyed it.

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