When I was in college back in the 90’s earning my marketing degree, the focus was on marketing tangible products rather than on marketing services. As a result, my understanding of unique selling proposition (USP) was based on marketing a product. In this post, we will focus on your USP for marketing services as a service professional.

The description for USP in one of my old advertising textbook is: The unique selling proposition, or the differentiating features, of every product advertised; a concept developed by Rosser Reaves of the Ted Bates advertising agency.

However, according to a recent article I read by Peter Vogopoulos, co-founder of Firepole Marketing, if you are a service provider, your USP is you. Peter says, “You are the only variable that cannot be replicated. Your competitors can have the same hours, offer the same products, get certified from the same place, offer the same result, same, same, all the same as you, but they can never be you.” Click here to read the entire article.

For nine years I have been scratching my head trying to figure out what is unique about our Internet marketing services. Why should someone retain our services rather than work with Billy Bob and Associates. I was working from the premise of what I learned at Arizona State University; marketing a tangible product.

According to Peter, we have to connect to our potential clients on a personal level. When we bring our true values and attributes to the table, someone will like us and be inspired to do business with us.

According to Bob Bly, who is the author of “World’s Best Copywriting Secrets,” that in addition to your intangible USP, your personality, service professionals also have a tangible USP. Bob says, “The tangible USP is the visible, quantifiable differentiator between you and your competitors. Because it can be seen, felt, described, and grasped, the tangible USP is the one you feature in your marketing copy.” You can read Bob’s article by going here.

So, based on the concept developed by Rosser Reaves if you are advertising/marketing a product, you have to come up with differentiating features as your USP. Peter Vogopoulos says be you, and Bob Bly suggests be you, as well as create a tangible USP for your marketing copy, which differentiates you from your competitors.

What are your thoughts on unique selling proposition? We would love to hear what you think. Leave us your comments below. Come back next week for more Internet marketing tips.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services

As I mentioned in my previous post, virtual assistants (VAs) are professional administrative experts offering a service.  Yet, there are potential clients who ask for a cover letter and resume.

In the virtual assistant industry, providing a cover letter and resume is not the standard.  Generally, this is not the standard for any service provider.  Do you ask your accountant, lawyer, plumber, television repair person, dentist, doctor or any provider of the services you may require for a cover letter or resume?  Then why would you ask a Virtual Assistant for these documents.  We are service providers too.

It is the norm to ask VAs for references; even though, you wouldn’t ask any of the aforementioned service providers for that information.   However, we are more likely to use their services if they are referred to us.

Another point I mentioned in my previous post is the business world is conditioned to think of us virtual assistants as administrative assistants; as employees.  We are not employees.  We are independent contractors.

Do you want a Virtual Assistant or an employee?  If you want an employee, than a cover letter and resume are required.

RJ’s Internet Marketing Services