I’m reading The Power of Why. In that book the author suggests that Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) may not be as effective as people think because they focus more on the distinct features of a business and how to make those features stand out as opposed to focusing on the customer and understanding what the customer wants. It’s an intriguing argument and yet one that I’m familiar with because when I coach my clients on marketing I always want to know what the benefits of their services are and how those benefits are actually speaking to the customer needs, wants, and experiences.
When you focus on value, specifically the value that a customer finds in your service or product, you are looking at your business from the perspective of the customer and asking why the customer would choose you over someone else, or why they’d choose you at all. Answering that question and communicating that answer is what really drives marketing, in my opinion. A company that doesn’t understand what a customer wants is out of touch and no amount of positioning, or focus on a given feature will turn that around. People want to know that you understand their needs and wants and that you’ll actually those needs and wants in a way that satisfies the customer.
What puzzles me is why so many companies struggle with this aspect of marketing. Is it because we are too self-involved and can’t genuinely connect with someone else? Or is it the idea that actually thinking from the perspective of a customer is frightening because it might reveal how little they need a business? I don’t think value based marketing has to be hard. I think it comes down to recognizing why people choose the businesses they choose: We all want to be taken care of, considered, and appreciated.
I can tell you why I am with certain businesses to this day. Those businesses have taken care of me. They’ve answered my questions, helped me with my problems and made me feel important. And really its as simple as that. what are you doing to take care of your customer. Put your customer first, make them feel considered and appreciated and they’ll be loyal. Not hard to do if you invest time in understanding your clients and what they want, and why they want it.