Unique selling proposition: how to write a powerful USP

The world is full of choices, so why should your customers choose your company? Your products and solutions may be fantastic, but that’s not always enough to convince customers that you’re worth spending money on. A good USP gives you, your team, and your customers a clear idea about what’s unique about your company and your brand. 

By the end of this guide, you’ll know more about what a USP is, how to determine what makes your company unique, and how to write a compelling USP. 

What is a USP?

USP stands for “unique selling proposition” or “unique selling point.” It’s a message that clearly describes what sets you apart from the competition.  

Your company’s USP should briefly and precisely describe the unique aspect that will make your target audience choose your business because they’ll get something with you that they can’t find elsewhere.  

However, it’s not enough to simply claim uniqueness. The unique aspect that should make your company more attractive than the competition’s must be tailored to the target audience. 

Later in the article, you’ll read more about how to identify your company’s unique qualities. 

What a USP is not

A USP is not the same as a slogan, even though the two may resemble and overlap each other. It’s also not a special offer like “save 50%” or “get free shipping.” 

Although you may use your USP directly in marketing or in a text on a landing page, this isn’t necessarily the primary purpose. Your USP should be woven into your company’s entire mindset and marketing. Your target audience should know exactly what makes your company unique, even if you don’t serve them your USP word-for-word. 

Why a USP is important 

There are many good reasons to develop a USP. One major reason is it enables you to create effective and targeted marketing campaigns that speak directly to your audience. Your potential customers aren’t just looking for a product or a solution. Most prefer to buy something tailored specifically to them. With a sharp USP, you can let it branch out into all your communication.  

You can convey its core message in your marketing, on your website, on social media, and in customer service. If done right, your customers will understand precisely what you can offer that your competitor cannot. 

USP examples

To clarify what a USP is and what it can look like, we’ve put together a few examples that suit different types of companies:

Online store selling tailor-made meal kits for pets 
USP: Meals in perfect portions, tailored to your pet’s size and unique needs. 

Hair salon specialising in curly hair: 
USP: Love your curls again – We bring out the best in all curls. 

Personal trainer offering custom workout programs 
USP: Finding your strength: effective workout plans tailored to you, your body, and your daily life. 

B2B company selling a booking system for vets in Europe 
USP: Language shouldn’t be a barrier when your clients’ pets need help – seamless booking in 15 languages. 

Finding your company’s USP 

When identifying your company’s USP, it’s essential to have a clear idea of who your target audience is and what they need. You also need a good understanding of your competitors so that you can emphasise how you stand out. 

Once you’ve got this in place, imagine meeting a potential customer in an elevator. You now have one minute to answer the following four questions as precisely as possible: 

1. Who are you targeting? 
2. What do they need? 
3. What can you offer that your competitors cannot? 
4. How do you offer it? 

These four questions can be answered in countless ways. And it’s precisely the way you answer them that will determine whether your USP has the best effect. Below, we’ll look more closely at what you should consider when writing your USP. 

How to write a sharp USP 

Write for the right audience 

Your USP can be amazing, but if it doesn’t reach the right audience, the effect will be minimal. 

Write with your target audience in mind. What do they need, what challenges do they face, and what do they prioritise? It could be sustainability, budget-friendly products, an easy solution, or a luxurious lifestyle. 

Start with a persona if possible. It’ll give you a more concrete picture to work with. Don’t have a persona yet? Create one by following our guide in the article Create personas. 

How are you different?

As mentioned above, the main purpose of your company’s USP is to convey what sets your business apart from the competition.  

You don’t need to offer a completely different product or service than your competitors. Even if both you and your competitor sell health foods, you should be able to explain what makes your online store different. For example, maybe your entire product range is curated by a professional dietitian. Or perhaps you have a unique subscription model where customers can try different products each month for a fixed price. 

Exaggerate in the best way 

It’s crucial that your USP is truthful, but that doesn’t mean you can’t polish it a bit to make it shine. You can do this by using words that highlight your company’s unique quality. 

Here’s an example using our USP example for the hair salon: 

Compare: “We’re good with curls” to “We bring out the best in all curls.” 

It may sound a bit ‘salesy’, but if you’re enthusiastic about your products and services, there’s a greater chance that your potential customers will be too. 

Many large international companies have had success with a bit of exaggeration in their USP. For many years, the American logistics company FedEx used this USP in their slogan: 

When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight. 

And the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t hold back with enthusiasm in their USP, conveying that their ice cream is both fantastic and responsibly produced: 

We make the best possible ice cream in the best possible way. 

Focus on specific benefits 

It’s not enough to simply say that you’re the best, only, or fastest on the market. Your potential customers need to know specifically what you excel at. Your USP should always include specific benefits.  

If you solve a particular problem for your audience, your USP should communicate that. For example, as in our pet meal kit online store example: 

Meals in perfect portions, tailored to your pet’s size and unique needs. 

Here, pet owners are informed that they won’t need to measure portions themselves, and the meals contain the nutrients their cat, dog, or hamster needs. 

Product-specific USPs 

In this article, we’ve focused on company-specific USPs, i.e., USPs that highlight the unique benefits of your entire business. However, you can also create USPs for individual products in your range.  

These can be used in product descriptions, on landing pages, and in advertisements. The same rules apply as we’ve discussed above: write for the audience, describe what makes the product better than the competition, and highlight specific benefits relevant to the audience. 

Instead of simply stating “high-quality candles,” you could include specific details like: 

• 100% stearin 
• Palm oil-free 
• Smoke-free 
• Burn time: 8 hours 

Use your USP often

Once you’ve developed and written your company’s USP, you need to communicate it across all your marketing. You can do this both verbatim and by writing the same message in various ways depending on where it’s conveyed. 

Weave it into your marketing campaigns, on social media, landing pages, and your website’s homepage. The key is to make sure your target audience never doubts why they should forget your competitor and choose you instead. 

If you need a professional website for your business or online shop, you can create one in minutes with the AI onboarding in our beginner-friendly Website Builder. The built-in AI writing assistant can also help you craft your USP in different ways and create text for all parts of your website.