Crafting Your USP - It's Not What You Do It's How You Do It

There are very few totally unique business types in this world (and if they start out unique they don't stay that way for very long).That means there are thousands of businesses in the same industry as yours.

So what makes you different from them?Why should people buy from you and not them?

In the past, businesses focused on tangible things such as price, product range and decor to try and make themselves stand out.That is fine as far as it goes, but all of these can be replicated.

If you compete on price there will always be someone who will undercut you.If you compete on range then someone will extend their range or mirror your product range.These are all temporary solutions.

If you want to create a business with longevity you need to be aware that what people really buy is something intangible.Every business creates a feeling or emotion that goes beyond what you do.It is this feeling or emotion that is the true essence of your USP.

To start with you need to look at what human needs you are fulfilling.Abraham Maslow back in 1943 proposed that people have different human needs.At the base level are the physiological needs for survival - food, water and sleep.Without these needs being met, then the body shuts down.

Next come the safety and security needs - personal safety, financial security, health and well-being.These needs take over when the base needs are generally met.

Next come the social needs - a need for belonging, for close friendships and supportive communities.

Next comes self esteem, respect by others, respect for others, confidence and achievement.

Finally comes self-actualisation - the need to maximise your potential.

While Maslow has his detractors, it is still a very useful model to consider.When you are in business you are really in the business of satisfying one or more of these human needs.But it is how you satisfy these needs that makes your business stand apart from others.

Take motels which provide a bed to sleep in.If it were as simple as just providing a bed then all motels would be the same, but motels provide much more.Some provide a safe haven, others provide a family atmosphere.Some are status symbols that show a person has "arrived" and others provide opportunities for personal reflection and growth.

But within these options the motels you are happiest in are the ones that make you feel a certain way.Think about ...you can be staying at the highest quality hotel, but if you are treated like garbage then you won't want to return.If you are treated with value and respect, then you will feel important and want to replicate this feeling.

There have been some studies that have shown that the greatest predictor of whether or not a doctor will be sued is not whether he or she made a mistake, it is how they made the patient and their family feel when they treated them.If they made a mistake but still were caring and made the patient feel valued, then the likelihood of being sued was dramatically less.

What makes a business totally unique is the feeling they give to their consumers.This feeling is intangible and can be broken in an instant if you do not act consistently with the feeling.It can also be the strongest bond on earth that attracts customers to you as if by magic if your business is truly in alignment with this feeling.

It is this feeling that needs to be reflected in all of your marketing, in all of your copywriting, all of your business images and all of your thoughts and actions.When you do this, then customers naturally are attracted to you and your marketing is much more effective.

So how do you put into words the unique feeling you give to people?

First you need to discover what that feeling is.You can do this through a range of means: talking with your favourite clients, listening to your employees when they talk about your business, taking time to reflect or meditate on the peak interactions you have had around your business.You can even have someone interview you to quietly tease out the threads of this feeling and help you put it into words.

Generally you will get snippets of words, fragments of ideas and wisps of concepts.By weaving these wisps together and then testing them with people to gauge their response, you will begin to be able to craft together the right words.

It may take quite a few variations to get the combination of words right, but when you do will you will have a solid "yes" in your heart.

Creating your USP this way is more challenging than having a marketing company go away and "write one for you", but it is a more fulfilling and more successful process.A good marketing company or copywriter will help you through this process so your end marketing material resonates with the true essence of your business.

Once you know how you want to make people feel, then you need to review all of your business processes and actions to ensure you give that experience in everything that you do.

After all ...it is how you do what you do that really makes the most difference in business.

About the Author

Ingrid Cliff is a freelance writer and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - a writing services studio that helps put your business into words.

For a free copy of the "7 Secrets of Compelling Copy & Powerful Words" visit her website http://www.heartharmony.com.au "> www.heartharmony.com.au .

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How to Succeed in Law Firm Marketing by Overcoming Prospects Objections

As an attorney in a competitive practice area, if you are not fully prepared to meet prospects objections to using your services, you stand to lose an enormous amount in terms of money, time, energy and new clients. Learning how to overcome your prospective clients objections is critical to the success of your legal marketing plan.

Problem-solving is what law firm marketing is all about and there is no better place to start than at the beginning of the process. Many years of research have revealed the most common objections given to lawyers by clients. Following is a list of those objections; along with suggested attorney responses which have proven successful time and time again in legal marketing.

Client: I dont know if I really need a lawyer. Maybe this is something I can work out on my own.
Response: Maybe you do need a lawyer; maybe you dont, but are you willing to risk losing the case if youre wrong Calls for more information; there is no charge for an initial consultation and no obligation to utilize our services.

Client: I cant call; my telephone service has been disconnected.

Response: The call is toll-free; you can call us from anywhere. If you have internet access, you can send us an e-mail and we will gladly communicate with you that way.

Client: How do I know if you are the right lawyer for me

Response: Well, what kind of lawyer are you looking for The cheapest The best The most aggressive The most responsive When you visit our website you can download a free special report on "Top ten questions you must ask before you hire an attorney".

Client: When I call, how do I know you are not going to try to "hard sell" me

Response: Call our toll-free hotline to receive free, practical information. You dont even have to speak to a lawyer if you dont want to. We never "hard sell" anyone.

Client: Why should I hire you as my attorney

Response: Over the last twenty years, we have helped over 3,000 clients just like you who are facing critical legal matters. While we cant guarantee results, we have hundreds of extremely satisfied clients.

Client: I cant afford a lawyer; they are very expensive.

Response: I understand how you feel. Many of our clients felt the same way, but what they found after they hired us is that it was worth every penny they spent.

Client: I dont speak very good English.

Response: Se habla Espanol. We have a Spanish speaking paralegal who will be happy to talk with you and clearly explain everything to you.

When you are actively engaged in legal marketing, keep this list handy so you will be ready to offer a quick and easy solution. Use it as a starting point. Write down the top ten most common questions and objections you receive from prospects and write down your best responses. Make sure all your staff is trained on how to respond as well. Law firm marketing is all about providing services to your clients; first, you must get their attention so you can help them decide they need your help.
About the Author

Stephen Fairley is CEO of LawFirmMarketingStrategies.com and The Rainmaker Institute, the nations largest law firm marketing company that specializes in helping small law firms. Attorneys visit

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