It is funny how we’re all brought up to conform, to fit in within society, to be accepted socially. However, as I think everyone is aware, to make it successfully you also have to be different whether that is as a business, company, employee or employer.
Knowing your USP is important in business and personally
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ou must have a unique selling point (USP). Something that makes you stand out from the crowd. Something that differentiates you from your competitors, that draws attention to you and your services or products in a positive way in your clients/consumers/employee’s eyes. Even if you are an employee a personal USP is just as important if you don’t want to get overlooked for promotion or miss out on opportunities to progress in your career. If you want to stand out in your company, try practising a little innovation.
But, though this is one of the most important aspects of any commercial enterprise, it is surprising how little attention or thought seems to go in to finding and knowing what your USP is before launching your wares, talents or services into the market place.
If I have to listen to one more person tell me their USP is ‘passion’ I will scream! That is not a USP. Anyone who loves their industry or job is passionate about what they do. ‘Enthusiasm’ is another one I’ve heard, ‘hard work’ another, ‘refusing to give up’, ‘putting the customer first’ yet more. Totally unimaginative and showing a breath-taking lack of understanding of one of the fundamentals of running a thriving business or career.
Every human being is born a unique individual (apart from identical twins and even then, they still have minor differences). Based on this premise we all have something unique to offer others in our trades and industries, we just have to find it and define our USP.
Stand out from the crowd, your USP is as unique as a fingerprint
Some, like myself, will have had experiences that are unique and different to anyone else and are worthy of being used to make an impact in our work. Others differences will be more subtle, such as a particular skill, trait or way of executing actions. There are the creative people whose work or way of approaching life is as individual as they are. Look at successful models, they make it because the rest of us look at them and say, ‘wow they are beautiful’ but they are all different in looks. Even in the most staid of occupations (eg. accountancy) built around rules, formula and regulations there are ways to differentiate yourself and flaunt your uniqueness.
Take the time to consider what your USP is. Keep asking yourself the question ‘what makes me different from everyone else’. When you find it work on exploiting it in everything you do and plan for yourself as that is what will attract others and success in work to you. Your USP is unique to you and a difference to be celebrated.
There is nothing wrong with fitting in, but a whole lot more to be gained from standing out.