As a small business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else.

This guide from SmallBusiness.co.uk and our panel expert Jackie Jarvis, author of 85 Inspiring Ways to Market Your Small Business, should give you some useful tips.

Get the message across

Your challenge is to identify and communicate your USP and feel completely comfortable when you do. That means you’ve got to clarify what can do for your customers that delivers a result or an advantage that’s superior or different to the competition.

More than just communicating it, you need to demonstrate it, so the USP you put forward needs careful consideration.

What makes a successful USP

Your USP should answer the most fundamental question that every buyer needs answering: “Why should I buy from you?”.

It should communicate the most powerful benefit or advantage you offer to your customers above your competitors. To do this, you must determine what they want, what they’re not getting from anyone else and what will solve their major fears or frustrations – then offer it to them.

Each of these benefits must conform to the SMART list:

• Specific and realistic
• Measurable (quality or quantity)
• Achievable and provable
• Relevant to your customer’s needs and objectives in a positive way
• Time bound, if appropriate

USP checklist

• Ask people directly what problems they have with a service similar to yours.
• Decide what is special and unique about your business?
• Match what you can do particularly well with problems people want solving.
• Read your testimonials – What do your satisfied customers praise you for?
• Check out your competitors advertising. What promises are they making?
• Pick out one or two things that you could use in your advertising.

Using your USP

Once you have put some careful thought into your USP and you have developed it, you will need to integrate it into everything that you do.

It needs to be found in your advertisement headlines, your body copy, in your Yellow Pages adverts. It must find its way to your website homepage and be repeated throughout. Your business stationery can even mention it.

When you make a sales presentation or chat at a networking event your USP should always find its way into the conversation. Don’t be afraid to promote your business and highlight what it does well.

Business success comes with ‘point of difference’ – and patience

The founder of one of Britain’s top small business success stories of the last five years suggests that anyone hoping to follow his lead must choose a “point of difference” within their given market and then be patient as they look for optimal organic growth.

The founder of one of Britain’s top small business success stories of the last five years, suggests that anyone hoping to follow his lead must choose a “point of difference” within their given market and then be patient as they look for optimal organic growth.

William Chase created crisp-maker Tyrrells in 2002, exclusively hand-frying his product and introducing a range of gourmet flavours to help the firm grow into one the UK’s leading niche food products.

Talking over the recipe for his success, Mr Chase insists that anybody with similar aspirations must identify the right market for their product and then effectively sell and market their goods in the race for recognition.

‘As with all businesses you need people to want or need the product or service you’re selling,’ he says.

‘At Tyrrells we have used public relations and marketing to raise awareness of the business and the products we sell. We now have over 15 different flavours, some of which are seasonal, so there’s lots for the media to choose from.’

Mr Chase continues by saying that all small business hopes take time, and that budding entrepreneurs must be patient to give themselves the best chance of achieving success: ‘Stick to your guns and set yourself a reasonable timeframe in which to see if it’s going to soar or fall flat.’