What Makes You Different? Creating Your Unique Value Proposition

What makes you unique is your superpower… you've probably heard that at least once or twice before.

It's true though, especially when it comes to standing out in our busy online space. If you're showing up like everybody else in your niche, you'll blend in.?

So how do you find your uniqueness (especially when you feel pretty ordinary)??

Well, that was me for sure…

I, too, struggled with finding what makes me different. What makes me special? What do I do that my competitors aren't?

It can be tricky and take some strategic thinking, but we're all individuals with different skills, talents, and personalities that we can bring to the table.

The benefit of having a unique value proposition

And having a clear and compelling unique value proposition (or UVP) really is the key ingredient to making your business shine.

Imagine walking into a crowded room where everyone is shouting about their businesses. This is how showing up online kind of feels. It can be overwhelming, right??

Now imagine you walk into that packed room with a powerful, concise message that instantly captures attention and makes your dream clients say, 'Wow, she gets me. Tell me more!'?

That's the power of a unique value proposition.

When you put what makes you unique out into the world it acts like a guiding light shining through the sea of endless choices out there — attracting the right clients and customers to you AND repelling the wrong ones. Which is a good thing!

"But how? How do I find what makes me unique?" I hear you! So let's dig into some strategies to uncover just that.

1. Make the time

The first thing I want you to do is to make time to work on this. You're busy, I get it, but block off some time in your calendar to actually sit down and work on this.

2. Do some self-reflection

Next, you're going to do a bit of self-reflection.

I want you to think about what makes you, and your business, truly unique.?

To uncover your unique qualities, think about your strengths, passions, and expertise and ask yourself:?

• What special skills or knowledge do I possess??
• How can I solve my customers' pain points better than anyone else??

Sometimes it can be challenging for us to see our own strengths, especially the ones that matter the most to our dream clients. So if you're struggling with this, ask your current or past clients.

I do this when I wrap up every single job so that I can find out exactly what it was that was initially attractive to my clients and then also what they experienced during our working relationship. So I send a survey and ask them to fill it out…it can be that easy.

And my clients consistently tell me that I make the large and daunting task of rebranding or redesigning a website simple, quick, and fun. This is a key insight to have while crafting my own UVP.

So dig deep here and embrace your individuality because that's where the magic happens.

3. Craft your UVP (Your BIG Message)

Once you have a better understanding of what makes you unique, it's time to craft your compelling Unique Value Proposition (UVP).?

Some people also call this your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), but I like to call it your BIG message because it often also works as the large line at the top of your website.

Whatever you want to call it, it needs to be a concise and impactful statement that immediately grabs attention and quickly communicates the value you offer so that your dream clients keep listening.

You need to include what you do (the problem you solve), the reason why your ideal client wants to solve their problem, how you do it differently, and what life looks like after working with you.

Let's look at a couple of examples?—

Xero:

"Accounting software to do your to do"

• I immediately know what they're offering — accounting software
• I know how it benefits me and what my life could look like — I'm busy and want to shorten my to do list
• And its unique because what they're alluding to is that the software is going to do it for me

You Need a Budget (YNAB):

"Change your relationship with Money — Enjoy guilt-free spending and effortless saving with a friendly, flexible method for managing your finances."

What I know is that they'll provide an easy way for me to manage my finances so that I'll have a better relationship with money and it's unique because not only will I be able to save effortlessly, but it will also be a guilt-free experience.

What makes a good value proposition?

There are 5 things you need to keep in mind as you're crafting your value proposition…

1. It's clear and easy to understand.
2. Your audience will immediately know how they will benefit from buying from you or working with you.
3. It communicates how you do things differently than your competition.
4. It steers clear of exaggerated claims and insider jargon.
5. It's quick and can be understood in less than 5 seconds.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself here and spend gobs of time trying to get this exactly right…

Building a remarkable BIG message is an ongoing process. As your business grows and you get feedback from your customers and peers your UVP will change too. So, listen to their insights and make adjustments as needed. That way you can ensure it stays relevant and resonates with your ever-evolving audience.