Do You Know your USP??

A marketing concept from the 1940’s, the Unique Selling Proposition, says that successful advertising campaigns make unique propositions to customers, thus causing them to switch brands. This term is used today in many fields to explain what differentiates one thing from another. Let’s apply this term to people:

What makes you memorable, incomparable, and causes you to stand out from the rest? These qualities, skills and abilities, your USP’s, are useful to know as you prepare for performance reviews, get acclimated to a new job, or for interviewing for that next position. Know and believe in yourself so that you can convince others to do the same and hire you, promote you, or build a valued relationship with you.

What better situation to identify USP’s than when building a resume? Here’s the document for touting your strengths and skills. You have only seconds to catch a reader’s attention, so use powerful words and phrases to describe yourself and what benefits you bring to a company. In today’s popular resume format, the summary paragraph - the first component at the top, is exactly where you would present these words. When you get to the interview, you will expand upon the words that piqued their interest in you and explain further why you’re the right person for the job!

What about when applying for a grant, submitting a proposal to a customer, or meeting with your boss to talk about that promotion? More situations where your USP will come in handy. Give yourself time to prepare and consider what makes your organization, company, department, or you, most deserve the prize ahead of all others.

To create your USP, start by listing adjectives and 2-3 word phrases that best describe you. Then go back through the list with your target audience in mind and pick out the top 5 that will most appeal to them. Use these in your summary paragraph or introduction of your presentation or proposal. Next, write out your accomplishments that pertain to the upcoming situation by utilizing the Challenge encountered-Actions taken-ensuing Results format. Note the most effective actions and outcomes for backing up your intention to win the prize. Help your readers and listeners understand clearly why you are the most deserving, the most qualified, and the best choice with a powerful Unique Selling Proposition!

Get Started! Begin that list of adjectives and phrases. Get other perspectives and ask friends and colleagues what words they would use to describe you. Begin forming your USP by thinking about what makes you unique, special and so deserving of what you want. You are one-of-a-kind. Define it, believe it, and be proud of it!