If you want to set yourself apart from other service providers, you need something that will make your prospects sit up and take notice – and that will influence and motivate them to hire you. A red hat or a sleek logo may get you noticed, but what does that have to do with your ability to solve your prospects’ problems? It doesn’t tell your target audience that you have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to get the job done. In other words, it doesn’t instill confidence that you know your industry inside and out.
To be meaningful, your differentiating factor (aka Unique Selling Proposition) must be:
- Specific to a niche – You have to pick a niche and craft your message based on their concerns and frustrations. If you have multiple niches, you’ll have to craft a different marketing message for each.
- In line with your strengths – You have to be better than most – preferably all – other companies in something that is meaningful to your niche.
- Different from your competition – If everyone else is promoting themselves the same way you are, then prospects perceive you as “just like them.” Take a look at how similar businesses are marketing themselves – who else is out there and what are they saying? What aren’t they talking about?
The key to differentiating yourself is to put yourself in your prospect’s mind. They are thinking, “What’s in it for me? How do I benefit?” Give prospects a compelling reason to hire you over all the other options out there.
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