Bad Unique Sales Propositions (USPs) are easy to identify, perhaps because they are the easiest and most abundant to come across. Most companies have slogans or other catch phrases tacked under their logo. Sometimes they are trying to be clever, as if clever sells. (It doesn’t.)
A USP has three characteristics:
1) It highlights a specific benefit offered by the product that none of its competition has or does. If competing products or services do offer those benefits, they probably don’t advertise that they do (like the old Schlitz campaign did).
2) The benefit advertised is one that is desirable to the consumer. It posses enough of a lure that it can motivate the masses into purchasing it.
3) It makes an offer to the consumer. It lets them know that if they purchase this product or service then they will receive some specific benefit.
My favorite place to look to find terrible USPs is my local Yellow Pages book. In fact, the slogans and phrases printed in the ads across the 534 pages of an old June 2012 Marietta copy so inadequately embody any of the three characteristics of the USP that it’s really incorrect to call them a USP at all.
SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL
Any local Acworth business owner who recognizes this really puts themselves into a position to make a killing from Yellow Pages customers. They could easily nab first-time callers that their competitors currently take by sheer probability.
Few will, unfortunately. It’s an open market with little competition that can be easily exploited by an enterprising local businessman.
Here’s a good place to start with bad examples: “Serving The Entire East Coast”. There’s no apparent benefit being offered or sold. It’s certainly not unique, and it tells you nothing about what the company is offering. There are thousands of businesses that serve the entire east coast. And if it does, it’s probably not going to be interested in my problems down here in a little ‘ol Atlanta suburb. It’s not making an offer at all, much less written in a complete sentence.
Here’s another that is commonplace: At the top of the ad is written “Incredible Selection and Savings! Professional Installation”. Incredible selection? Says who? Savings? Says who? And what exactly is there an incredible selection of? The ad doesn’t highlight a specific benefit, but rather it focuses on features that are better fit for bullet points. Features don’t sell — benefits do. This is a shame, because tucked away in the bottom-left corner is a nice benefit that I think could be refined into a great USP that would capture attention: “We’ll Bring the Samples To You”. Samples of what, exactly? This particular ad is for a carpet company. I see none of their competitors offering to do the same thing. They’re leaving money on the table by leaving this in a forgotten corner.
REMEMBER: CLEVER DOESN’T SELL
Here’s an example of an ad that tries to be clever and illustrates why clever doesn’t sell: “We cut above the rest.” It’s for a barber shop — I think. I say that with uncertainty because it doesn’t list that it’s a barbershop. It’s not listed in a “beauty” or “barber” category. One of the bulleted features calls out a “Basic Clipper Cut.” “We cut above the rest.” So what? What does that mean? It conveys no benefit whatsoever. It’s not making an offer of service to the reader. Its first word is “We,” which lets me know who they’re most concerned about pleasing. “What are you going to do for me? Cut my hair shorter than I asked for? Cut my ears instead of my neck?”
Don’t be tempted to attempt “clever”. Offer a specific benefit. Use complete sentences. Reap the resulting profits.