In today’s cutthroat business world, any service based sales professional understands the importance of setting themselves apart from the competition. But, there’s more to it than just offering different products and utilizing multiple marketing tactics. In fact, the best way to get a leg up on competition is by creating an unique selling proposition.

Key Points

• A selling proposition differentiates you from the competition
• Identifying customer benefits is key to creating a selling proposition
• Make sure to add your value proposition to your branding

 What is a selling proposition?

In simple terms, it’s what differentiates you from the competition. It’s what you bring to the table for you clients that separates you and your products and services from your competitors.

As a sales based service professional, you’re ultimately selling yourself—especially if your products aren’t uniquely yours. You’re selling your brand. But oftentimes, we confuse a selling proposition with a slogan. They’re not necessarily one in the same. While a slogan can be part of it, it’s more of how you’re positioning yourself. When formulating a selling proposition, you cannot go into it aiming to create a catchy slogan or headline.

The process of creating a selling proposition  

Step-by-step

1. Identify customer benefits: Make a list of the benefits that your products and services provide customers.
2. Link benefits to value offering: Identify what values your products and services bring to customers.
3. Differentiate and position yourself: Determine your niche.

Exercises

S.W.O.T Analysis

Performing a S.W.O.T. analysis (strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats) can lead you to your selling proposition. While listing your S.W.O.T., it’s important to remember to be brutally honest.

Passion

As a service based sales professional, finding your passion is key. What is it about your job that you love to do? Identifying your passion will help you craft the unique traits you bring to the table.

Positioning statement

From Marty Neumeier’s ZAG, writing a positioning statement can help you arrive at your selling proposition. While others zig, you zag. Your ZAG is what makes you the only—your onliness.

• What (the category)
• How (point of differentiation)
• Who (audience segment)
• Where (marketing geography)
• Why (the need)
• When (the time)

The only ____ that ____ for ____ in ____ who _____ in an era of _____.

The only real estate agent team that provides a white glove service by handling every facet of your move for seniors in Montgomery County who are moving to an elder care community in an era where everyone wants everything done fast and automated.

How to put your selling proposition into action

What are you going to do with it now that you have it?

1. Make sure you add your unique selling proposition to your branding—make it prominent. This includes your website, social media, and print marketing.
2. Inform your sphere of influence of your unique selling proposition.
3. Practice, practice, practice. Don’t just write it in your marketing materials and walk away. Be sure to practice saying it out loud.
4. Use it! Take action on it. Present your unique selling proposition when you’re meeting with new prospects, and apply it to your cold calls.

Action Items

Following this podcast, our goal is to provide you with as many actionable tips as possible. This episode includes…

• Take fifteen minutes, and create your unique selling proposition.

As always, take action on these tips!