| USP stands for Unique Selling Proposition. | | | | At the time, Schlitz Beer was number five in |
| If you want to differentiate yourself from your | | | | market share. |
| competition, then you must have a strong USP. | | | | Hopkins made an in-depth study of how the |
| Most business owners never bother to create | | | | company made its product and was impressed by |
| one. And they're losing out on sales and inquiries. | | | | how Schlitz purified their beer. When Hopkins |
| Rosser Reeves created the term USP in his 1961 | | | | asked Schlitz executives why they didn't mention |
| book "Reality In Advertising." | | | | this purification process to the consumer, they |
| He declared that "The proposition must be one | | | | countered that all beer companies used the same |
| that the competition either cannot, or does not, | | | | process. |
| offer." | | | | Hopkins replied, "Yes, but others have never told |
| I realize you may be saying to yourself "I offer | | | | this story." |
| the exact same services or products as my | | | | He went onto to create Schlitz advertising that |
| competitors, so how can I create an effective | | | | highlighted the purification process. Schlitz sales |
| USP?" | | | | zoomed from number five to number one. No |
| You mean if a customer asked you why they | | | | other competitors dared make the same claim |
| should do business with you instead of your | | | | because they didn't want to look like copycats. |
| competitor, you'd really come up blank for an | | | | Hopkins summed up his USP philosophy in his book |
| answer? | | | | "My Life In Advertising." |
| Take some time to look at your competitors' | | | | "Perhaps countless people can make similar |
| brochures, web sites and other marketing | | | | products. But tell the pains you take to excel. Tell |
| material. | | | | factors and features which others deem too |
| Is there anything you offer that they don't? Is | | | | commonplace to claim. Your product will come to |
| there a process that you do better than your | | | | typify those excellencies. If others claim them |
| competitors? Maybe you and your competitors | | | | afterward, it will only serve to advertise you. |
| share a process, but they have not mentioned it | | | | There are few advertised products which cannot |
| anywhere in their advertising. | | | | be imitated. Few who dominate a field have any |
| There's a famous story about noted copywriter | | | | exclusive advantage. They were simply the first |
| Claude Hopkins creating a USP for Schlitz Beer. | | | | to tell certain convincing facts. |