What's Blocking Your First Million?
As a newbie on the Internet twelve years ago, I was full of
ambition and bursting with energy. I was going to find the
perfect program that sold the perfect product so I could retire
to a perfect lifestyle with plenty of income. I had been fed so
many motivational videos I was addicted... which led me to my
greatest failures and most profound lessons.
Fortunately, a reality check halted my financial freefall. After
years of frustration and nothing to show for my efforts except a
debt approaching thousands of dollars, I began to realize that
there is no such thing as the marketing success formula. But
there was a clue -- something called USP, or Unique Selling
Proposition/Point.
The difficult thing to understand about USP is that no one can
hand it to you; not even me. Nobody can direct you to it; you
have to discover it for yourself. USP is about making your offer
different from and more valuable than, your competitors' offer,
and then, planting that idea in the minds of a targeted group of
prospects.
The population in general is on advertising overload. They hold
on to an idea of their own until some slogan or headline breaks
through and persuades them to change. Position reflects your
unique selling proposition, and that's what makes your offer
more valuable than what's being offered by your competition.
Let me use FedEx for an example. They were competing with United
Parcel Service and postal Priority Mail, but their slogan had
two very important words that magnetized customers: "When your
package absolutely, positively has to get there tomorrow". Ahh,
absolutely, positively -- used alone, neither one has the same
punch as both used together!
While you can't be all things to all people, your business
should be perceived as different from your competition in the
minds of your prospects. It's like answering their question:
"... so what?" Make it short, simple, compelling, memorable,
credible. Make it absolutely, positively better than your
competition.
Domino's Pizza doesn't advertise a better pizza. They don't
advertise more toppings, crispier crust or even a better price.
Can you recall their USP? Was it memorable? Sure you do --- "...
hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or less -- or it's free". Why
call anyone else? Answer the door, it's Domino's.
You get USP right, everything is easy. You get USP wrong,
everything is hard. The business world is fierce and only the
strongest survive.
But supposing you found a perfect company in business for more
than ten years. Supposing their product was on the cutting edge
of a billion dollar market. And supposing their compensation
plan had a 75% payout; do you still need USP? You better believe
it.
Your competition now is your fellow teammates. You are all
working for the same company, selling the same product, for the
same price, and most are using the same scripts, the same ads
posted in the same places. You are using the company's
replicated website that gives identical information. You look at
your very large ID number and realize how vast your competition
really is. And they're all close at hand; at your heels, their
breath on the back of your neck.
How can your offer differ from theirs? You can't adjust the
price or alter company policy. But you do need something grand,
something powerful and competitively crushing that will set you
apart from the rest. This will cause sleepless nights and mental
agony until you fall on the solution. But it sure is a great
feeling. Like some genie has popped out of a bottle and your
wish has been granted.
When you find your USP, plate it in 14ct gold and offer only a
smile when people ask, "...how do you do it?"