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| | The Marketing, Channels/Partnership & Sales Execs Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | re: re: re: re: re: Unique selling propositions are not strategic | Views: 842 | | Dec 15, 2004 12:52 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: Unique selling propositions are not strategic | # | 
Barry Densa | | Chen,
Kinda Sorta! But I think we're confusing USP with benefits and features. The USP in copywriting terms is the "hook." It's what makes the reader consider reading on -- it's an attention grabber (not to be confused with a headline, though often contained in one.) And you only need one. Once you've got their attention -- you don't need to keep acquiring it. The copy should then move seemelessly on to the features (what it does) of the product or service and then the piece de resistance -- the benefits (the how and why the features make your life/situation better!) Then comes the proof or validation, and then the call to action (Buy Now!) The more features and benefits the better - absolutely.
Side note: it's crucial to understand the fundamental difference between a feature and a benefit -- most though do not.
--Barry
> Chen Sun wrote:
>
>“Of course, there may exist many (USPs), but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating.”
>
>
>Barry,
>
>Your evaluation is accurate, and needless to say, the copywriting articulate and very entertaining too! However, the above sentence, I don’t agree.
>
>A sales letter can easily have many USPs—just as one can make multiple pitches for the sale in a proposal.
>
>A website can easily have multiple USPs—just click another webpage, and another USP can be easily presented.
>
>It is only in traditional “single message” advertising that, because of limitations in budget and readers’ time, that it is advantageous to use a USP.
>
>Again, a USP is in essence, a cost saving mechanism in the branding concept.
>
>Let me put it another way. If some feature is good, why not have twice as much goodness with still another feature?
>
>Can’t think of an excellent reason? It’s because USPs don’t apply to true value—it’s basically an advertising-cost saving method.
>
>Chen Sun
>www.WebAndNet.com,
>a Web Inventions eNterprise, WINning Solutions TM
>
>
>> Barry Densa wrote:
>> From the perspective of a copywriter, the USP is a slant, an angle, a benefit to be promoted and exploited. It's the theme of the copy to be written. Of course, there may exist many, but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating. Too many in the same "copy" would be distracting, confusing, and a cause for procrastination on the part of the targeted audience.
>>
>>In essence, a USP is a strategic choice within a tactical perspective (how's that for copyspeak?)
>>
>>And, if the USP need compliment the recognized and promoted "brand," then the choice of available USP's will probably be narrowed, unless every discernable USP is the natural compliment of the other -- no mean feat.
>>
>>--Barry
>>
>>
>> Private Reply to Barry Densa | | Dec 15, 2004 5:01 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: Unique selling propositions are not strategic | # | 
John Nelson, The Sales Expert | | Barry brings up some great points. I think of a USP as a marketing tool primarily. It is a hook. That is what marketing should do--create some response inside of a potential prospect. Barry talks about using features and benefits next in the marketing and I agree. In some businesses that is enough to have the prospect take the action of buying. In many businesses that isn't enough and doesn't create the sale it has created an opportunity for a prospect and salesperson to interact in a voice to voice or face to face situation. Now we are purely in the world of sales. Further use of USPs and features and benefits at this point will most likely drive the prospect away. Usually they will be saying things like, "I need to think about it" or "Send me some more information." What the prospect is really saying is "No, I'm not interested but I'm too chicken to tell you "No" because I don't want to hurt your feelings and feel bad for doing so." Sales Rule: prospects speak in code.
John Nelson
> Barry Densa wrote:
> Chen,
>
>Kinda Sorta! But I think we're confusing USP with benefits and features. The USP in copywriting terms is the "hook." It's what makes the reader consider reading on -- it's an attention grabber (not to be confused with a headline, though often contained in one.) And you only need one. Once you've got their attention -- you don't need to keep acquiring it. The copy should then move seemelessly on to the features (what it does) of the product or service and then the piece de resistance -- the benefits (the how and why the features make your life/situation better!) Then comes the proof or validation, and then the call to action (Buy Now!) The more features and benefits the better - absolutely.
>
>Side note: it's crucial to understand the fundamental difference between a feature and a benefit -- most though do not.
>
>--Barry
>
>> Chen Sun wrote:
>>
>>“Of course, there may exist many (USPs), but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating.”
>>
>>
>>Barry,
>>
>>Your evaluation is accurate, and needless to say, the copywriting articulate and very entertaining too! However, the above sentence, I don’t agree.
>>
>>A sales letter can easily have many USPs—just as one can make multiple pitches for the sale in a proposal.
>>
>>A website can easily have multiple USPs—just click another webpage, and another USP can be easily presented.
>>
>>It is only in traditional “single message” advertising that, because of limitations in budget and readers’ time, that it is advantageous to use a USP.
>>
>>Again, a USP is in essence, a cost saving mechanism in the branding concept.
>>
>>Let me put it another way. If some feature is good, why not have twice as much goodness with still another feature?
>>
>>Can’t think of an excellent reason? It’s because USPs don’t apply to true value—it’s basically an advertising-cost saving method.
>>
>>Chen Sun
>>www.WebAndNet.com,
>>a Web Inventions eNterprise, WINning Solutions TM
>>
>>
>>> Barry Densa wrote:
>>> From the perspective of a copywriter, the USP is a slant, an angle, a benefit to be promoted and exploited. It's the theme of the copy to be written. Of course, there may exist many, but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating. Too many in the same "copy" would be distracting, confusing, and a cause for procrastination on the part of the targeted audience.
>>>
>>>In essence, a USP is a strategic choice within a tactical perspective (how's that for copyspeak?)
>>>
>>>And, if the USP need compliment the recognized and promoted "brand," then the choice of available USP's will probably be narrowed, unless every discernable USP is the natural compliment of the other -- no mean feat.
>>>
>>>--Barry
>>>
>>>
>>> Private Reply to John Nelson, The Sales Expert | | Dec 22, 2004 4:17 pm | | re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Unique selling propositions are not strategic | # | 
Chen Sun | | Well, this USP is running a full gamut of what it is. From a critical component to a sellable product to an attention-grabber for a copywrite.
Also, Barry and John, excellent responses. Though USP can be correctly used as an attention grabber, you haven’t said why an attention grabber needs to be unique or why such attention grabber as an USP needs to be (other than its own definition) an unique characteristic of the products. Hence, a USP is further reduced to just one of many attention grabbing mechanisms.
As stated, in its essence, USP is simply a cost reduction mechanism in advertising.
Chen Sun
www.WebAndNet.com
a Web Inventions eNterprise, WINning Solutions TM
> John Nelson, The Sales Expert wrote:
> Barry brings up some great points. I think of a USP as a marketing tool primarily. It is a hook. That is what marketing should do--create some response inside of a potential prospect. Barry talks about using features and benefits next in the marketing and I agree. In some businesses that is enough to have the prospect take the action of buying. In many businesses that isn't enough and doesn't create the sale it has created an opportunity for a prospect and salesperson to interact in a voice to voice or face to face situation. Now we are purely in the world of sales. Further use of USPs and features and benefits at this point will most likely drive the prospect away. Usually they will be saying things like, "I need to think about it" or "Send me some more information." What the prospect is really saying is "No, I'm not interested but I'm too chicken to tell you "No" because I don't want to hurt your feelings and feel bad for doing so." Sales Rule: prospects speak in code.
>
>John Nelson
>
>> Barry Densa wrote:
>> Chen,
>>
>>Kinda Sorta! But I think we're confusing USP with benefits and features. The USP in copywriting terms is the "hook." It's what makes the reader consider reading on -- it's an attention grabber (not to be confused with a headline, though often contained in one.) And you only need one. Once you've got their attention -- you don't need to keep acquiring it. The copy should then move seemelessly on to the features (what it does) of the product or service and then the piece de resistance -- the benefits (the how and why the features make your life/situation better!) Then comes the proof or validation, and then the call to action (Buy Now!) The more features and benefits the better - absolutely.
>>
>>Side note: it's crucial to understand the fundamental difference between a feature and a benefit -- most though do not.
>>
>>--Barry
>>
>>> Chen Sun wrote:
>>>
>>>“Of course, there may exist many (USPs), but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating.”
>>>
>>>
>>>Barry,
>>>
>>>Your evaluation is accurate, and needless to say, the copywriting articulate and very entertaining too! However, the above sentence, I don’t agree.
>>>
>>>A sales letter can easily have many USPs—just as one can make multiple pitches for the sale in a proposal.
>>>
>>>A website can easily have multiple USPs—just click another webpage, and another USP can be easily presented.
>>>
>>>It is only in traditional “single message” advertising that, because of limitations in budget and readers’ time, that it is advantageous to use a USP.
>>>
>>>Again, a USP is in essence, a cost saving mechanism in the branding concept.
>>>
>>>Let me put it another way. If some feature is good, why not have twice as much goodness with still another feature?
>>>
>>>Can’t think of an excellent reason? It’s because USPs don’t apply to true value—it’s basically an advertising-cost saving method.
>>>
>>>Chen Sun
>>>www.WebAndNet.com,
>>>a Web Inventions eNterprise, WINning Solutions TM
>>>
>>>
>>>> Barry Densa wrote:
>>>> From the perspective of a copywriter, the USP is a slant, an angle, a benefit to be promoted and exploited. It's the theme of the copy to be written. Of course, there may exist many, but there should only be one per "copy" if the "copy," be it salesletter, website or other, is to be tightly focused and motivating. Too many in the same "copy" would be distracting, confusing, and a cause for procrastination on the part of the targeted audience.
>>>>
>>>>In essence, a USP is a strategic choice within a tactical perspective (how's that for copyspeak?)
>>>>
>>>>And, if the USP need compliment the recognized and promoted "brand," then the choice of available USP's will probably be narrowed, unless every discernable USP is the natural compliment of the other -- no mean feat.
>>>>
>>>>--Barry
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Private Reply to Chen Sun | | Dec 23, 2004 1:36 am | | re: re: re: re: re: re: re: re: Unique selling propositions are not strategic | # |
John Nelson, The Sales Expert | | Great point Chen. When everybody has Unique Selling Propositions is anybody really unique? Nope, it ends up being just another marketing gimmick to grab attention which brings me to the huge difference between a marketing selling. I am a big believer in marketing but without an effective selling process in place a lot of marketing dollars can be wasted. For many companies investing in marketing experts to craft their marketing message (and USP)is fruitless because they don't have salespeople that are capable of qualifying the prospect further and then closing the deal. USPs are cliche and overused in todays business world, (just like mission statements--when was the last time a company actually did anything other than put it on the wall) especially by salespeople. It is actions that tell a person's and company's USP and not all the words in the world will change that fact. The bottom line is, if you have to tell somebody how different you are, does your prospect really perceive you as any different than all the other people telling him how different they are?
Holiday cheers and happy selling!
John
> Chen Sun wrote:
> Well, this USP is running a full gamut of what it is. From a critical component to a sellable product to an attention-grabber for a copywrite.
>
>Also, Barry and John, excellent responses. Though USP can be correctly used as an attention grabber, you haven’t said why an attention grabber needs to be unique or why such attention grabber as an USP needs to be (other than its own definition) an unique characteristic of the products. Hence, a USP is further reduced to just one of many attention grabbing mechanisms.
>
>As stated, in its essence, USP is simply a cost reduction mechanism in advertising.
>
>Chen Sun
>www.WebAndNet.com
>a Web Inventions eNterprise, WINning Solutions TM
>
>
Private Reply to John Nelson, The Sales Expert | | |
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