How to Create Your USP and Truly Be One-of-a-Kind in Your Prospect’s Eyes
Thu, Oct 2, 2014
A compelling USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is like a blinking neon arrow pointing you out against your competition. But in truth, most real estate agents don’t have an effective one. The good news is that by shifting your mindset and asking the right questions, you can develop a well-crafted USP to stand out against the competition and attract qualified leads.The Usual Story with USPs
Most agents fall into two categories when it comes to USPs. The first group of agents simply does not have a USP at all. They fail to communicate what makes them unique, and so there is nothing substantial to differentiate them from the masses.
The other group of agents mistakenly believes they have a USP when in reality, they don’t. Let me explain. These realtors think they have a USP but really have what I call SSPs, or Standard Selling Propositions. When I review the ads of most agents, I invariably come across the same wandering statements that most frequently focus on vague self-promoting generalities.
SSPs contain statements focusing on quality, service, price, and dependability. These broad promises are meaningless, unsubstantiated, and completely lacking in credibility. Yet still, everyone says them. When 100 agents are all claiming to have the lowest prices or the highest level of service, the claims aren’t very unique, now are they?
Questions to Develop Your USP
In direct contrast to this, a truly Unique Selling Proposition must be benefit-driven. It must be meaningful, relevant, and valuable to your prospects. Without these ingredients, your message will most likely fall on deaf ears. It will wind up getting "zapped" just like the thousands of other messages the average person is exposed to every single week.
The problem is that most realtors have never sat down and asked themselves the poignant questions to craft their USP. I highly suggest you invest some time this week, take out a pen and paper, and really discover what makes you unique.
Here are the powerful questions to get you started:
(Pro tip: When you’re answering these questions, think about it from your customer’s perspective, instead of from your perspective. Consider how the answers to these questions affect your customer.)
- What distinguishes my company or business from my competitors?
- Do my homes sell faster? For more money?
- Do my buyers save money or time?
- Am I more expensive, less expensive?
- Do I have a better system to attract customers?
- Am I more aggressive in my marketing programs and strategies?
- Do I render more service? Give better value? Give a better guarantee? Make it easier to do business with me?
- What makes me different?
When you have a firm idea of what makes you stand out as a realtor, it’s time to apply that USP to your ads to attract more qualified leads to your business.
An effective ad must be written from the prospect's standpoint, not the agent's. When you write an ad, instead of asking yourself "what can I tell them about me?" you should be asking: "what can I offer prospects that they want or need?"
It’s the difference between an ad that says “I sell houses fast” and one that says “your house will be sold in 30 days or less.” The first one can be said by any agent, as ‘fast’ is a relative term. But giving your prospects a concrete claim like selling their home in 30 days is a compelling reason to do business with you.
That subtle shift makes all the difference to make your USP sing, not just speak, to your prospect.
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