USP Builder

© Perry S. Marshall & Associates 1

BRYAN TODD’S USP BUILDER METHOD QUESTIONNAIRE

(1) Choose your buyer. (2) Choose what it is you’re selling. (3) Choose your unique angle. (4) Add a negative promise. (5) Add a time frame. (6) Add an “or else.”

(1) CHOOSE YOUR BUYER. Is there something in particular that’s unique or noteworthy about the buyer you serve? Demographic Do you serve a specific demographic?

Do you serve businesses that themselves serve a specific demographic? Could you increase your overall response by tailoring your product or service to a particular demographic? Could you offer specific demographically targeted products or services in addition to your main offerings?

Age Gender Geography Income Education Work Family Religious or political convictions

Problem Is there something unique and specific about the problem you solve?

Is the problem you solve acute, or chronic? Is the problem you solve rare, or widespread? Does your solution solve one pinpointed problem, or a whole host of issues? Has it been unusually hard for your customer (or your competitors) to solve this problem?

Niche Do you serve a specific niche?

Is there an unusual type of business niche or business owner you serve? Do you center on a particular hobby?


Do you center on a particular type of taste? Do you center on a particular genre? Do you center on a particular area of interest or study Do you serve a particular size of group or organization or business?


(2) CHOOSE WHAT IT IS YOU’RE SELLING

Do you primarily offer a product?

Software Consumables Physical items

Do you primarily offer a service? Can you offer

your product as an upsell/downsell from an existing service? your service as an upsell/downsell from an existing product?

Are you the “thing” for sale?

Technician Salesperson Consultant Coach Speaker Entertainer Athlete

If your primary offering is a product or service (as opposed to your own skills), what elements about yourself are unique that you can talk about or emphasize with respect to the product or service you provide?

Your knowledge/skills Your experience/story Your unique personality Your particular demographic



(3) CHOOSE YOUR UNIQUE ANGLE Outcome Is there something unique about the outcome or result that you provide? Is there a unique set of tangible benefits from doing business with you? Features Does your product or service have features included that competitor products don’t have? Does your product cover content that competitors’ products don’t? Is there something noteworthy about the ingredients or components that make up your product?

The Colonel’s 11 secret herbs & spices 5 active moisturizers 9 separate points of protection

Track Record Do you have a track record that sets you apart from others?

The amount of time you’ve been in business? The number of customers you’ve served? The number of testimonials from satisfied customers you’ve collected? The amount of time you’ve gone without a loss or failure?

Environment/Presentation Does your place of business have an attractive, interesting, or unusual environment? Do you have especially friendly or interesting employees or reps? Is there a unique way that you present (or deliver) your product or service? Is there something special about your packaging that’s unique?

Unusually attractive or fancy? Easy to use or open or reseal? Disposable? Biodegradable? Reusable?

Method/Mechanism What’s unique or noteworthy about your method?

Is it faster (when speed is important)? Is it slower (when quality or age is important)? Is it simpler? Does it handle complexity better? Does it result in fewer mistakes or problems? Is it interesting to watch or read about? Is it patented?


Quality Do you provide a higher quality that you can back up with data or proof? Do you provide a lower quality that saves your customer money? Customization Is your product or service more customized than what your competitors provide? Is your product or service off-the-shelf and therefore inexpensive or more convenient? DIY vs. DFY Is your service completely “done for you”? Is your service or product completely “do it yourself”? Do you offer a unique combination of the above? User Experience Does your buyer have an experience using your product or service that your competitor doesn’t offer?

Faster? Less rushed? More friendly? More private / less obtrusive? More fun or humorous? More serious / devoid of silliness? More luxurious? More simple/Spartan?

Bundle Do you offer a combination of product or service features your customer can’t find elsewhere?

Does your bundle include things that would be more expensive if bought separately?

Do you uniquely offer a la carte? Price/Payment Is your price unusually high? Is your price unusually low? Do you offer payment options that your competitor does not? With any or all of the above questions, ask:

Do I already have a unique angle here that I’ve just never advertised before? Can I take this concept and create a new angle in my business that I can then advertise?



(4) ADD A NEGATIVE PROMISE

Is there some undesirable or unnecessary feature or ingredient that your product or service doesn’t contain or include? Is there a particular undesirable outcome, side effect, or result that your product or service avoids or prevents? Is there something undesirable or unnecessary your competitor’s product or service involves or requires of the customer that yours does not? Is your product or service special because it doesn’t use or consume a particular thing?

Doesn’t cost extra money Doesn’t burn or use up something of value Doesn’t waste resources (money, space, energy, time)

Go through the previous maps. What promise or claim can you make about your product or service that is an opposite of what’s on the map? What can you say is not true about your product or service, in a way that your prospect will understand it to be a benefit? Your buyer: You don’t serve a particular kind of buyer or demographic. You don’t solve certain types of problems.

Or, You serve everybody:

You don’t limit yourself to a particular buyer or demographic. You don’t limit yourself to a particular type of problem.

What you’re selling: Others require a service purchase; you sell only a product. Others require a product purchase; you only sell a service. Others push & promote themselves; you leave the personal stuff out of it.


Your angle: You promise a different outcome. You have no negative or undesirable track record. There’s nothing inconvenient, wasteful or unnecessary in your presentation or packaging. You leave out unnecessary or unhelpful features. You don’t use any unpleasant methods, or methods that require or result in X. You won’t allow anything below a certain quality level. Competitors only do customized; yours is off-the-shelf. (Or vice versa.) Others charge to do it for you; you offer a do-it-yourself version. (Or vice versa.) Your customer will never have X bad experience while shopping with you or using your product. You offer a la carte while your competitor only offers bundles. (Or vice versa.) There’s nothing complicated, burdensome, or unethical about your payment plans.


(5) ADD A TIME FRAME Is there a negative thing that you allow the buyer to solve, avoid or delay (e.g., having to replace a used, worn out, or broken item) for an extended period of time? Can you promise a longer period of time than your competitor does? Can you promise a permanent solution, or permanent relief? Is there a negative thing that you can get rid of immediately, or quickly? Is there a positive benefit that you can deliver immediately, or quickly? Is there a necessary process to getting rid of a negative issue that takes time (hours, days, weeks, months), but which you make easier or faster? Is there a necessary process to getting a positive benefit, result or outcome (hours, days, weeks, months), but which you make faster or easier? For any of the above, what is a way that you can promise a better time frame than your competitor?


(6) ADD AN “OR ELSE” Can you promise a full refund? Can you promise a portion of a refund? Can you promise a multiple of a refund?

Double your money back Triple your money back Your money back + $XXX

Can you promise to replace it for free? Can you promise to redo it for free? Can you promise a combination of these?

Refund + replacement Refund + redo Redo + replacement

Can you make your “or else” conditional – dependent on action or completion of some set of required steps by your customer? Can you reduce risk to yourself by adding a time limit to your promise?

E.g., “up to 1 full year” Can you add more time to your promise?

“10 years or 100,000 miles” Can you make a lifetime promise? Do your competitors offer any kind of similar promise?

What elements of your competitor’s promise can you do better than?

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