If you’re wondering how to write a Unique Value Proposition for your small business, you’re not the only one.

In the age of online research, customers are faced with more choice than ever, and simply offering a good product or service isn’t necessarily enough to make your business memorable.

In my role as a small business consultant, I often meet business owners who are struggling to compete with larger companies which have bigger marketing budgets, but the good news is that you don’t have to; you just need to be able to communicate why a customer should choose you, and how you bring something different to the table that a large corporation never could.

This is where knowing how to write a Unique Value Proposition is crucial. A UVP is a concise statement of the specific value that your business brings, and why you’re different to your competitors.

It’s not just a marketing slogan; instead, it should clarify what makes your business valuable to the customers you want to attract.

Features of a good Unique Value Proposition

It can be hard to know how to write a Unique Value Proposition if you haven’t dug down into what they really are.

A good UVP isn’t just a general description of your business, nor is it supposed to be a catchy slogan.

Instead, a strong UVP should communicate who you serve, the problem you solve or benefit you provide, and why customers should choose your business rather than somebody else’s.

Some possible UVP frameworks, with examples, are outlined below.

Framework: ‘We help [target customer] achieve [desired outcome] by [what you do differently].’
Example: ‘We help busy professionals organise their homes using practical systems specifically designed around their routines.’

Framework: ‘Unlike [alternative], we [key difference], so [customer] can [benefit].’
Example: ‘Unlike large agencies, we give independent businesses direct access to a senior marketing consultant, so you get experienced advice without layers of account management.’

Framework: ‘[What you offer] means [target customer] can [unique benefit].’
Example: ‘Same-day repairs mean local tradespeople can get their essential equipment back to work without losing a day.’

A good Unique Value Proposition is customer-focused, illustrating what you do for your clients, rather than simply listing the features of your business.

How to write a Unique Value Proposition

Not sure where to start? Here’s where it gets really practical.

Knowing how to write a Unique Value Proposition involves establishing a clear idea of your ideal customer, your unique strengths, and the benefits you bring. Let’s look at each of these.

Step one: start with your ideal customer

It may seem counterintuitive, but standing out from your competitors starts not with the features of your business, but of your ideal customer.

You can’t create a compelling UVP if you’re trying to appeal to everybody; instead, you need to know who exactly you’re targeting before illustrating the value you bring to their situation.

Spend some time considering your ideal customer’s:

  • Problems
  • Needs
  • Priorities
  • Frustrations
  • Buying motivations.

You could speak to your existing customers, asking questions about why they chose your business and what they value the most about your company.

Your clients may well be able to identify strengths in your business that you have overlooked yourself.

Step two: identify what makes your business different

Next, it’s time to move from customer insight into genuine differentiation.

Being different from your competitors doesn’t necessarily mean inventing a totally new concept, product or service. Alternative sources of differentiation could be:

  • Specialist expertise or niche knowledge
  • Personalised service
  • Product quality
  • Unique process or methodology
  • Ethical or sustainable practices
  • Flexible pricing or packages.

The differentiation that your company brings must provide real value to your target audience; one good way to identify this is to compare your business with its competitors and look for genuine gaps rather than simply mimicking the messaging of similar businesses.

Step three: turn features into customer benefits

This is where your UVP becomes persuasive.

Rather than listing a feature such as same-day delivery, think about what that actually means for your customers. For example, rather than stating that you offer same-day delivery, express the benefit of this with a phrase like ‘don’t wait days to get the product you need’.

In general, clients are less interested in the specifics of what you do, and more keen to hear about the outcome they can achieve because of it – so your UVP is a prime way for you to make it easy for them to find this out.

Common mistakes to avoid in creating your UVP

There are a number of pitfalls to avoid as you embark upon writing your Unique Value Proposition.

Avoid staying too broad, wanting to appeal to everybody or using vague terms like ‘high-quality’ or ‘excellent service’; you need to ensure that your UVP is niche enough to demonstrate the strengths of your business.

Avoid making your UVP too complicated – it doesn’t need to say everything that your company does, but simply the most salient points.

Avoid treating your UVP as a one-off marketing exercise which focuses on an area you’re currently aiming to boost; instead, it should sum up your business operations as a whole.

Ask Zoe about how to write a Unique Value Proposition for your business

The great thing that a UVP reinforces is that you don’t need to be the biggest business in your market, you just need to illustrate the value you bring to the right customers.

A strong UVP will help customers to quickly understand who you help, what you offer and why your company is worth choosing.

If you’re struggling to know where to start, you’re in the right place; I’ve been helping small business owners to review their messaging and identify what makes their companies different for a number of years and I would love to help you to craft the perfect UVP for your business.

Get in contact today for a free consultation call, and together we can work out how to write a Unique Value Proposition which perfectly communicates the strength and value of your business.