unique selling proposition business plan example

10 Unique Selling Proposition Examples | USP Examples

A business’s unique selling proposition , or USP, differentiates it from its competitors. The USP is one of the reasons why customers choose to work with, trust, and shop from your business compared to the competition. So, what are some unique selling proposition examples? 

This article provides you with 10 unique selling proposition examples that exemplify the effective use and communication of a USP. The examples are from different types of eCommerce businesses, direct to consumer businesses, and SaaS companies. 

Let’s start by covering the basics of “what is a USP?”. A unique selling proposition (USP) is a distinctive selling point for your business that sets you apart from the competition. It can help raise your sell through rate . Businesses may communicate their USP through a slogan, eCommerce content marketing efforts, and advertising. 

10 Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Before we get into the unique selling proposition examples, it’s important to know what makes an effective USP. Not only is an effective easier to communicate to customers, but it also holds up under scrutiny. 

An effective unique selling proposition is:

• Memorable. A business’s USP should make a long-lasting impression on the customer. Avoid generic wording and focus on the benefits of your business, product, or service.
• Customer-focused. The customer is one of your top priorities as a business owner . When you write a business plan , create a USP that showcases the features your customers want and will value. 
• Tangible. Back up your USP with everything you do. Your USP should represent your company’s reputation, personality, and values.

Now that you understand what it takes to have an effective unique selling proposition, it’s time to dive into some USP examples. 

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1. Robinhood Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Robinhood is a popular investing platform that thinks everyone should have access to the financial markets, not just those that are wealthy. They want investing to be friendly, understandable, and approachable, regardless of the stock experience or knowledge that you have.

This belief is what inclined the creators of Robinhood to create a platform where everyone can invest in thousands of stocks directly from their smartphone. What’s more, is that they have the ability to do so with just $1 and no prior knowledge of the stock market. 

Robinhood’s slogan or unique selling proposition is “investing for everyone”. This is one of the unique selling proposition examples that let the product or service guide the USP. Robinhood unites people by breaking down barriers in the stock market, which is a powerful selling point.

2. Starbucks Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Another one of the worthy unique selling proposition examples to cover is Starbucks. This company started off by opening a coffee shop in the state of Washington. Now, Starbucks is one of the most recognizable brands in America. 

Starbucks became a nationally recognized brand by developing a unique selling proposition that worked. To understand how they did it, think about what Starbucks is known for and what they believe in. The answer is premium coffee beverages.

What makes them stand out from their competition is that they focus solely on premium coffee beverages instead of also having the lowest prices. By trying to focus on also having the lowest prices, Starbucks wouldn’t be head-to-head with gas stations and their product quality would suffer. 

While Starbucks offers other beverage and food options, it’s not their main focus. They don’t want to be known as a coffee, sandwich, and beverage establishment. Instead, they focus on being the coffee shop that offers premium coffee, but also other items that you may want while grabbing your cup of brew. 

3. Canva USP Examples

As an online design and publishing platform, Canva strives to make it easy for individuals to create and share their graphics. “Empowering the world to design” is Canva’s USP, and it reflects its goal. 

Canva’s unique selling proposition is simple which aligns with the simplicity of the tools they offer. The platform differentiates itself from its competitors, like Adobe Photoshop and ProCreate, as these are targeted toward experienced artists. 

The company understood its place in the market by targeting inexperienced and beginner designers and has a competitive advantage. Canva was able to turn a weakness into a strength.

4. FedEx Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Not all businesses find their ideal unique selling proposition the first time around. Some businesses may even decide to change their USP at some point. FedEx is one of those businesses.

Let’s look at two different unique selling proposition examples from FedEx. “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”, was one of FedEx’s first USP’s. This USP assures customers that their packages will be delivered safely and on time. 

The USP communicates two benefits. The first is that the package will get delivered as promised and the second is that customers can save time by overnighting their packages. Now, FedEx has a new slogan, “The World on Time,” which is less effective. However, the company is more well-recognized nowadays than when it first started out.

5. Death Wish Coffee USP Examples

Death Wish Coffee is an eCommerce brand that sells coffee. Their not only focused on becoming one of the best eCommerce websites for coffee, but also on selling the strongest coffee in the world.

This is one of the unique selling proposition examples that works despite the crowded coffee market. Death Wish Coffee’s USP is “world’s strongest coffee” which doesn’t necessarily appeal to every coffee drinker. However, the company focuses on a very specific niche of coffee drinkers. 

Death Wish Coffee made its USP tangible by backing it up with the rest of its business. In fact, they have it written boldly on their eCommerce packaging and across their website. 

The company also offers full refunds to anyone who claims it isn’t the boldest coffee they’ve ever tasted. It’s possible to also get custom subscription boxes delivered to your door as often as desired through their online coffee subscription service. 

Key Takeaway: Businesses don’t always create effective unique selling propositions the first time around. In fact, many will use research and testing to ensure a solid and effective USP that works for their business. 

6. TOMS Unique Selling Proposition Examples

TOMS shoes started off with a very distinct USP. The shoe company’s USP involved donating a pair of TOMS shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. Over time, the company and its unique selling proposition evolved.

This is another one of the unique selling proposition examples that prove that changing a USP can be beneficial for the business. Today, TOMS donates one-third of its profits to grassroots goods. Now, TOMS’ USP is “Shoes for moving forward.”

The company is consistent when it comes to building a unique selling proposition around a cause. Doing this may risk isolating some people. However, it unites the company, the customers, and the purpose while creating long-lasting brand loyalty. 

7. IKEA Unique Selling Proposition Examples

The globally known Swedish-origin furniture and hardware company, IKEA, has a USP that focuses on benefiting customers through high-quality furniture for a low price. "To create a better everyday life for the many people." is their USP. 

IKEA’s vision goes beyond home furnishing. The company strives to make everyday life better for people through its offerings. 

8. Warby Parker USP Examples

Warby Parker is one of the popular DTC brands that follow a direct to consumer business model . The company started off with an eCommerce business plan to focus on online direct to consumer sales . However, they eventually grew and opened brick and mortar locations.

By expanding to physical stores, they’ve been able to take their direct to consumer advertising and DTC marketing efforts to new levels. This was possible by increasing the accessibility of their products and meeting customer needs offline and online. 

Warby Parker’s unique selling proposition, “Try 5 frames at home for free”, focuses on having a seamless customer experience. They offer a virtual try-on service where customers have the ability to test out five frames at home, free of charge. This kind of customer service is highly-valued.

Being able to try on five frames mirrors the physical store experience where most people try on multiple frames before deciding on the one they want. Warby Parker also started off by eliminating the need to travel by taking care of the shipping and handling efforts for customers. This was part of their eCommerce marketing strategy .

9. HelloFresh Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Some unique selling proposition examples prove that businesses focus on communicating that they’re the best at what they do. That’s what HelloFresh, a subscription business , does with its USP, “America’s most popular meal kit.”

HelloFresh delivers social proof by telling people it’s the most popular meal kit in the country which means that it has to be worth it. This USP also creates a fear of missing out (FOMO). People don’t want to miss out on things that are popular. 

The meal kit company goes even further by providing statements on their website as to why they’re the most popular. HelloFresh backs up their USP. Their meal kits save money, time, and stress when it comes to preparing meals which is what they communicate to their customers.

HelloFresh offers different subscription box types . This includes fresh produce , meat products , bulk fish , and dairy . HelloFresh took advantage of how to start a subscription business and created a company that is essential for a large niche.

10. Bee’s Wrap Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Another eCommerce business with a solid unique selling proposition is Bee’s Wrap. Bee’s Wrap focuses on eliminating plastic waste, and they communicate that in their USP, “That’s a wrap on single-use plastic.”

Bee’s Wrap produces a sustainable kind of food wrap made from beeswax and organic cotton. This is an alternative to plastic wrap or foil.

Their unique selling point highlights the alternative to single-use plastic by offering a long-term and reusable solution. Bee’s Wrap does a good job incorporating word play to appeal even more to eco-conscious customers. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Unique Selling Proposition Examples

After reading the unique selling proposition examples above, you’re likely to have a clear understanding of what an effective USP is. Not all businesses will get their USP right the first time around. In fact, the effective USP examples above are the result of proper research and testing. 

To further understand unique selling proposition examples and USP’s in general, read the questions and answers below. 

Are USPs Important?

The reason why we’ve dedicated an entire blog article to unique selling proposition examples is because they are important for businesses that wish to increase their market share . USPs are the key component in the communication between a brand and its targeted audience. Here are some additional reasons why they’re important.

• Brand identity and awareness . There are many unique selling proposition examples where the USP is the same as the slogan of the company.
• Price strategy . Some brands don’t try to compete with other brands in terms of pricing. As we mentioned above in the unique selling proposition example with Starbucks, they count on high quality instead of low prices. Therefore, their USP of offering high-end coffee is the reason for their higher prices.
• Competitive advantage . Having strong USPs gives companies a competitive edge. This advantage can be the reason why a majority of customers choose one brand over the other.

How Do You Write a Unique Selling Proposition?

To write a unique selling proposition for your business, follow these five steps: 

• Identify your niche market  
• Take note of the problem(s) your product or service solves
• Identify the benefits that differentiate your product or service from the competition
• Define your company’s promise
• Combine it all into a paragraph and condense it into a sentence

What’s the Difference Between a Unique Selling Proposition and a Value Proposition?

The difference between a unique selling proposition and a value proposition is that a value proposition is what the company is offering to customers based on what they’re paying for it. However, a unique selling proposition is a reason why customers should choose your product or service over the competition. The USP creates an emotional connection with your customers. 

What Is a Unique Selling Proposition in Marketing?

A unique selling proposition in marketing refers to the marketing statement businesses use to sell their products or services to customers. The USP makes customers understand why they should do business with you instead of the competition. 

Unique Selling Proposition: What It Is & How to Develop a Great One

Published: May 03, 2023

As a sales person, you need to have the utmost confidence and belief in the product or service you’re selling. If you don’t believe in your product, it’s likely the prospect won’t believe in it either. 

With that in mind, how can you speak confidently about your company and product?  A well-crafted and rehearsed unique selling proposition. 

In this post, we’ll explain what a unique selling proposition is, how to write one (with data and expert advice), and examples from real businesses. 

Table of Contents:

What is a unique selling proposition (USP)?

How to write a unique selling proposition, examples of unique selling propositions.

A unique selling proposition, or USP, is a tool salespeople use to communicate the key factors that separate your product from the competition and why you’re the best possible solution for your prospects based on their unique needs.

A unique selling proposition, or USP, is a tool used by salespeople to communicate the key factors that separate your product from the competition.

An effective USP communicates your brand’s values and differentiates what your company offers through what you stand for and how this benefits your customers. It’s used in the early stages of the sales process, and the guiding question for creating it is asking yourself, “What does my business offer that’s different from the competition?”

It’s best used as a verbal tool in conversation with a prospect, and it’s exclusive to the exact prospect you’re talking to and should be created with them in mind.

Below we'll go over how to write your company's USP. (Psst: This video can also teach you how to create a value proposition, which is helpful to keep in mind when thinking about your selling proposition.) 

So, you're ready to create a unique selling proposition. The first step is to think about your audience, and what you offer that’s most valuable to them. You’ll want to touch on the following elements:

• The products or services you offer your customers
• Your offerings benefit to customers that they can't get from the competition
• Who your target customer is
• The problem you're solving for customers

More than a quarter of salespeople who responded to our Sales Strategy & Trends survey reported that the change in sales between 2021 to 2022 is that personalization is more important than ever. So, you can create a general USP for your business that you customize to each prospect and what they’re looking for. 

Here are a few other things to remember when creating a USP.

1. Make sure you’re targeting the right audience. 

Writing a unique selling proposition first means focusing on the right audience because the truth is, you won’t appeal to everyone's needs. Make sure you have a robust buyer persona and focus on the markets more likely to benefit from your offer. 

With this, you’ll have a unique selling proposition that will likely drive deals because it matches your ideal customer profile. 

Trish Saemann, the founder of True North, told a colleague , "When you focus your energy on targeting a narrower audience, your message can be more customized. Customized messages are the ones that get the real engagement, and when that happens, there is a higher chance they will trust you to understand their needs. They will know you are a good fit for them."

2. Lead with your differentiating qualities.

If you create a unique selling proposition that a competitor could use for their product, it's time to return to the drawing board. Your unique selling proposition should be entirely unique to you, your company, and the product or service you're selling.

Your USP should include the strengths and benefits of your product that distinguish it from the competition. 

For example, one of Hoffman 's unique selling points is live practice plays. Salespeople learn how to engage with prospects, then test their skills by live cold-calling prospects and customers as an in-class exercise. It separates it from normal training programs and is the type of distinguishing factor to include in a unique selling proposition.

3. Present your talking points clearly and confidently.

Unique selling propositions should not only be unique to the company, but they should also be unique to you. You're showcasing yourself and your product or service. And your enthusiasm and authenticity should shine through during your USP.

The unique selling proposition will fail if it doesn't seem to come across as if it's unique to you. Rehearse the unique selling proposition. It gives you confidence and, in turn, the prospect will be confident in you. They'll walk away from a successful USP excited to work with you and to learn more about your product.

4. Include hyperbole.

Your unique selling proposition can be rich with hyperbole. 

Use words like, only, greatest, best, first, favorite , etc. to describe your product. When used appropriately, it's a tool that communicates your enthusiasm and belief in the product.

For example, instead of saying, " We help customers, " say, " Our customers demand the best, and that's why they hire us " instead. The second phrase says more about what you're offering.

You might hesitate to use hyperbole because you don’t want to seem too sales-y, but using it in your USP communicates the price you have in telling it. And it’s an appropriate communication device because you can back it up with your product. 

5. Focus on the benefit to the customer and sell a solution.

Great salespeople don't sell just a product or service — they sell the post-sales environment.

What does this mean? It means your unique selling proposition should be about the world your customer enjoys or the reality they'll see after they purchase.

B2B salespeople responding to our survey also said that selling prospects on a solution is the most effective strategy for converting new customers. Dan Tyre, Inbound Fellow at HubSpot, supports this point and said , “Prospects are less interested in seeing ‘how it works’ and more interested in making sure you understand their needs, have a comprehensive idea of their requirements, and that the product will work.” 

For instance, the process of buying a new car can be tedious and less than enjoyable. But people like the experience of driving a brand-new car. A successful salesperson knows this and can help the customer see the benefits and values that come after the sale goes through. 

You’ll know if your unique selling proposition works based on the prospect's reaction because they’ll engage with the USP, believe in what you’re selling, and be eager to learn more. 

Let’s put this all together using HubSpot as an example.

6. Share your unique selling proposition verbally.

Remember: the unique selling proposition loses its punch if you communicate it via email. Deliver it over the phone or in-person, where they can hear the strength of your words, tone, and confidence of what you're saying. 

Below we'll go over a few real-life unique selling propositions to inspire you. 

• Hoffman: I got you live on the first call. When you hire us, we'll teach your sales reps how to do the same thing.
• Ben & Jerry's: We make the best possible ice cream in the best possible way.
• Yokel Local: It's impossible for one person to do it all.
• Page Eleven Paper Goods: This is not your ordinary datebook.
• Away: Built for modern travel.
• Death Wish Coffee Co.: We rebel against blah beans—and a boring, lackluster life.
• TOMS: Pick your style. Wear TOMS. WEAR GOOD.
• ClassPass: The world's best classes and experiences into one app.
• Thrive Market: Healthy groceries shouldn't break the bank.
• SheaMoisture: A better way to beautiful.
• Anchor: Powerful tools for beginners, pros, and everyone in between—all for free.

1. Hoffman : I got you live on the first call. When you hire us, we'll teach your sales reps how to do the same thing.

Hoffman is an industry leader in sales training and a leading consultant for industry executives. This unique selling proposition was used when talking to a Vice President on the first outreach call.

I've created a quick recording of the USP so you can hear it from the perspective of a prospect.

2. Ben & Jerry's : We make the best possible ice cream in the best possible way.

What's the unique selling proposition for this ice cream company? Ben & Jerry's stands out from the competition by providing, "the best possible ice cream in the best possible way."

The mission of the company is to create sustainable, high-quality ice cream that has a positive impact on its employees and surrounding communities.  If you're a salesperson for Ben & Jerry's, these are the key differentiating factors that would help you create your USP.

3. Yokel Local : We become the digital marketing extension of your team because it's impossible for one person to do it all.

Yokel Local intimately knows its buyer persona: marketing managers who are overwhelmed with everything that they have to learn, execute on, and manage. That's where the benefit of hiring an agency lies. Yokel Local is able to offer a team of experts in an array of disciplines to take that stress away. Their website goes on to say:

"We're a full service marketing agency that helps frustrated or stressed business owners and marketing experts with developing demand generation and growth strategies to increase conversions and get you the results you need." - Yokel Local

4. Page Eleven Paper Goods : This is not your ordinary datebook.

When someone is buying a planner or datebook, they may be thinking about the size, layout, and price. However, Page Eleven stops website visitors in their tracks and reframes the buying process by asserting their product is more than that. It's designed to be a tool for setting and achieving goals. Here's what it has to say about its product:

"It is a reflection of where you have come, the direction you are thriving towards and the path where purpose meets intent." - Page Eleven

5. Away : Built for modern travel.

Away provides its customers with premium luggage for the modern traveler. The company says:

"hat’s why our travel essentials are designed to last (and last) for every trip to come, so you can get out there and explore." - Away Luggage

Not only does Away offer high-quality luggage options at reasonable prices, but it also believes that "to be a great business, you have to be a good one too." And the company strives to have a positive impact on its customers and their communities. This sets them apart from other high-end luggage companies.

6. Death Wish Coffee Co. : We live to rebel against blah beans—and a boring, lackluster life.

Death Wish Coffee Co.'s goal is to fuel customers with the best tasting, highest quality, and strongest coffee. The company even goes as far as to say,

"This seemingly standard flavor is here to flip you on your head with rich, deep notes of vanilla brewed into the boldest medium roast you know." - Death Wish Coffee Co.

7. TOMS : Wear TOMS. WEAR GOOD.

This shoe company does things differently from its competitors. When you purchase a pair of shoes from TOMS, you can pick an issue area that you'd like to stand for.

The mission of the company is to change lives for the better. And since 2006, TOMS has given shoes, safe water, and vision to more than 94 million people . It's a business that's creating change for a better tomorrow — for its customers and the people they're helping.

"We’re in business to improve lives." - TOMS

8. ClassPass : Bringing together the world’s best classes and experiences into one app.

ClassPass makes group fitness accessible for its customer base through partnerships with fitness studios all over the U.S. and virtual class offerings.

It changed consumers participate in group fitness by working with small businesses and studios to introduce them to a new market of consumers who want to get active.

"We lead people to live inspired lives every day by introducing and seamlessly connecting them to soul-nurturing experiences." - ClassPass

9. Thrive Market : Healthy groceries shouldn't break the bank.

Online grocery retailer Thrive Market's membership-based business model aims to make healthy food and household products affordable and accessible.

They offer premium and organic products for wholesale prices and for every annual membership purchased, they donate a membership to someone in need.

"We’re on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone." - Thrive Market

10. SheaMoisture : A better way to beautiful.

Beauty brand SheaMoisture provides hair and body care products formulated without harmful ingredients at an accessible price point.

SheaMoisture invests proceeds from every sale towards their community commerce fund that supports small minority business owners.

"At SheaMoisture we invest proceeds from every purchase into the community. When you purchase SheaMoisture, you are investing in women globally. Our educational and entrepreneurial programs are designed to create an inclusive and thriving society." - SheaMoisture

11. Anchor : Powerful tools for beginners, pros, and everyone in between — all for free.

Podcasting is a growing fast-growing medium. As of April 2023, Podcast Index reports that there were 116,895 shows published in the last three days, and 379,448 in the last 30.

Podcast hosting platform Anchor (now part of Spotify for Podcasters) is up for the challenge, providing easy-to-use hosting and publishing software that makes launching a podcast easy, and cost-effective. Through its platform, users are able to create, distribute, and monetize their podcasts for free — a unique differentiator from other podcast hosting companies in the market.

"Our mission is to democratize audio. We believe everyone should be able to have their voice heard, regardless of background or experience level. Our goal is to make podcasting easy and fun, without sacrificing the quality every podcaster deserves." - Anchor

With a carefully crafted, unique selling proposition, you have a greater chance of moving forward with the prospect.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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How to Create a Unique Value Proposition + Examples

Lisa Furgison

10 min. read

Updated May 10, 2024

If you’re starting your own business you’re probably already thinking about what sets you apart from competitors in your space. Coming up with your unique value proposition (UVP) or unique selling proposition (USP) creates a strong foundation for all your marketing messages and strategies for engaging new customers.

This article is a handy guide that will define what a UVP is, and help you write your own.

• What is a unique value proposition (UVP)?

Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the promised value customers can expect from your business. It explains what separates your business from your competitors, how your solution solves your customers’ problems, the specific benefits, and why your target customers should choose you.

In a nutshell, your UVP covers: 

• How your product or service works
• What makes it valuable
• Why it’s better than the rest

Your UVP should be front and center on your website, and it should be completely free of jargon—it’s like a very short elevator pitch that someone who has never heard of your company before would understand immediately.

• What is the purpose of a value proposition?

Your value proposition is designed to introduce your company’s brand to potential customers. It defines what you stand for, what you do, how you operate, and why you should be chosen over the competition. 

Every competitor in your field is vying for attention. From marketing plans to advertisements, consumers hear a lot of noise. To cut through this clutter and turn your target audience into loyal customers, you need a value proposition that mere mortals can understand easily—and remember. You want your customers to hear your name and think, “oh, that’s the company that does (your unique solution).”

• How do you write a unique value proposition?

Finding a value proposition takes some time and legwork. A real UVP is more than a clever tagline. For it to be meaningful, you have to know your customer and your business. Plus, you have to understand how your product or service fits into our consumer-driven world.

So while your UVP is probably always in the back of your mind, don’t write it based on what you think is true about your solution and your customers. Do some research and testing so that you are sure.

And for that matter, keep testing. Once you’ve come up with your UVP and put it all over your marketing materials and website’s landing pages, it might be tempting to set it and forget it. Keep testing it over time—the more your business grows, the more you’ll know about your customer’s pain points and how your solution helps them. Here are the five steps needed to develop a value proposition.

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1. Define your target market

First, you need to figure out who your customers are. Who will buy (or is buying) your product or service? A lot of first-time business owners want everyone to be a customer; this is a rookie mistake. Marketing to everyone is the opposite of marketing to your target market. If you try to appeal to everyone, your business and product will get lost in the noise. An example of this kind of mistake is a shoe company trying to market to everyone with feet! You’ll waste a lot of time and money that way.

Instead, hone in on exactly who your audience is. Do some market research—both based on your existing customers (if you have them) and other populations you think might be good potential customers. You want to know and understand their pain points—the problems they have that you might be able to solve.

But you’re also interested in their demographic information, income statistics, and family makeup. How old is your target audience ? Are they male or female? What kind of income does your target audience have? Get specific. What does your target audience do on the weekend? What kind of music do they listen to?

You might think these last questions are a bit far-fetched, but you want to create a buyer or user persona of your target audience. A buyer or user persona is a fictional representation of your ideal customer—but it’s a very useful tool to help you hone your messaging and who you consider to be a part of your target market.

You can’t create a unique value proposition alone in your basement, either. You have to test it. Run it by a small group of customers, or people you think are in your target market to ensure it resonates with customers you’re trying to reach.

2. Explain why customers should buy from you instead of a competitor

To separate yourself from your competitors, you have to know who they are and what they stand for. Research your competitors inside and out , from their mission statement to the types of employees they have. You can only set yourself apart if you know what’s already been done.

Putting together a competitive matrix can be a helpful way to visualize how you stack up against them. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you don’t have any competition. Every business has competition , even if you’re in a brand new industry. When you’re writing your UVP, see if you can articulate why your customers should buy from you instead of your competitors in ten words or less. If you can’t, keep revising.

3. Define the pain point your product or service solves

Write down how your business or product solves a problem or alleviates a pain point for customers. Can your product do something that other products can’t? Does it save time? Is it more affordable than other products? What about your product or service makes it a must-have for customers—why can’t they live without it?

Take that list and cross off any need pain point that your competitors can claim to address too. Your competitive matrix might be helpful here.

This exercise is meant to help you find areas where your business is different than others. Simply having the best product or the best customer service in the market isn’t enough differentiation.

Remember, every business thinks they have the best product. Take some time to figure out how your product meets the needs of your target audience in a way that others can’t.

4. Connect to your company mission and what you stand for

What does your business stand for? It’s a big question, one that takes some time to figure out. Once you have a solid and clear answer, see if your mission overlaps or coincides with the list of things that sets your business apart. Now you’re starting to hone in on your value proposition.

Once you’ve done your digging, write down a few different possible value propositions that fit your business. Again, this isn’t going to be something you whip up in 20 minutes. Write a few down, stew on them for a bit, and refine them. Ask yourself if someone could read your UVP and think it’s talking about another company. If the answer is yes, you have a selling or value proposition, but it’s not unique yet.

Rework it until you have one succinct sentence that makes you stand out from your competitors. What do you want your customers to remember about you when they hear your brand or product name?

5. Craft a single message

Once you’ve defined what you will cover in your value proposition, you need to land on a single core message. Not every pain point or benefit needs to be listed here. You’ve done the research to ensure you are landing on the right message for your audience, the last thing you want to do is overcomplicate communications

Focus on communicating one key value that connects to your customer’s pain point. The goal is to hook their interest so that they want to explore what else you have to offer. If they take that first step, then look for opportunities to elaborate on the additional value you provide.

Additionally, just because you’ve honed in on a core value proposition, doesn’t mean that it can’t change. You may need to make adjustments for sub-sections of your audience, change out keywords for different platforms, and even fully restructure your UVP if it doesn’t resonate. 

The key here is to not just write up your UVP and walk away. Look for opportunities to test it directly with your target audience either through interviews, surveys, or even through live testing. 

• 4 examples of great value propositions

One of the best ways to learn is by example, so let’s take a look at a few businesses that have created unmistakably unique selling propositions.

The Mast Brothers Chocolate

This duo of bearded, lanky brothers creates chocolate bars by hand . Their dedication to their craft alone is unique, but the brothers have infused their love of old-time traditions into their business.

When they need to purchase more cocoa beans, they charter a wooden sailboat to stay true to their pioneer-like roots. Now that’s a unique position you can market.

Dollar Shave Club

This online business sells and ships razors and blades to its audience for a buck. They poke fun at the fancy, vibrating 10-blade razors that are on the market today and encourage men to go back to basics.

But, don’t think that means they’re selling an inferior product. Their slogan is: “Our blades are f***ing great,” a tagline that points to (but isn’t the same as) their selling proposition. Remember, if other companies can also say their product is “great,” you have a catchy tagline, not something that sets you apart from the competition.  

Ellusionist

Here’s a business that created a value proposition by catering to a very specific audience. Ellusionist is an online store that sells playing cards to magicians.

Some of the decks are marked, others have a vintage appearance, but the variations are meant to build showmanship for its unique target audience.

Palo Alto Software

Shortly after publishing this article, one of our readers asked if we could share our own USP. Bplans is a resource offered by Palo Alto Software, so here’s what Noah Parsons, our chief operating officer, has to say about our UVP:

For Palo Alto Software, our goal is to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, knowledge, and know-how to help them grow faster and better than their competition.

We’re not just in it to make a buck—we actually want to help people succeed in business as much as possible. Our commitment to entrepreneurs is shown in our thousands of pages of free content that helps demystify the complexities of starting and running a business.

We also provide simple yet powerful tools for entrepreneurs so they can focus more on doing what they love and less on trying to build and understand complex reports and spreadsheets.

• Create a compelling value proposition

The process to land on what differentiates your business and resonates with your audience is well worth the effort. Not only will it help you define a compelling value proposition, but it will make it far easier to streamline your focus as a business owner. Everything from developing audience personas to crafting and testing copy, it encourages you to work through the needs of your customer.

If you’re struggling to work through these steps the best thing you can do is revisit your business plan . It should have everything you need including the problem you’re solving, how your business operates, who your ideal customers are, and what your business stands for. 

*Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2018. It has been updated for 2021.

Lisa Furgison is a multimedia journalist with a passion for writing. She holds a graduate degree in mass communications and spent eight years as a television reporter before moving into the freelance world, where she focuses mainly on content creation and social media strategies. Furgison has crisscrossed the U.S. as a reporter, but now calls Key West, Florida home. When she's not conducting interviews or typing away on her laptop, she loves to travel.

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13+ Unique Selling Proposition Examples (& Why They Convert)

by Ryan Johnson

on Jun 15, 2023

Today, we’ll explore 14 simple (but oh-so-effective) unique selling proposition examples.

Now, each one of these USP examples holds a mini-lesson for greatness.

And with these lessons, you’ll be able to uncover your service’s unique strengths, identify gaps in your competition, and discover the precise angle to use when you develop your own unique selling proposition.

So grab your phone with both hands and get your scrolling fingers ready, because the lesson is about to begin.

What is a Unique Selling Proposition?

A unique selling proposition (USP), or unique selling point, is the exclusive trait that resonates with customers and differentiates a business from its competition.

And the comparison to competitors is important because this means a USP doesn’t have to compete with every other USP — a clothing company doesn’t need to compete with a coffee shop — it only needs to be unique among the competition.

For instance, most people know someone really tall.

Let’s call this tall friend “Mark.”

He may not be the tallest person out there, but you’d likely mention Mark’s height when describing him to someone new.

Because that trait stands out. It’s unique. If you went to a party with his social group and saw someone standing head and shoulders above the rest, you’d think, “He’s quite tall. I bet that’s Mark.”

But of course, there’s more to a company’s USP than just an identified trait.

And that leads to what a unique selling proposition isn’t.

What a Unique Selling Proposition Isn’t

In general, a unique selling proposition isn’t:

• A Mission Statement – That’s about objectives and approach.
• A Vision Statement – That’s about future hopes and dreams.
• A Slogan Statement – That’s a campaign or product-specific tagline .
• A Value Statement – That’s the benefit the customer receives.

14 Unique Selling Proposition Examples (With Mini-Lessons)

All great USPs are mixed with the same ingredients: focus, creativity, clarity, direction, brevity, and innovation. And the following 14 unique selling proposition examples are no exception.

But why each business chose their ingredients and how they baked them into something special is the focus of the mini-lessons below — so let’s hop to them!

1. Grammarly: “Great Writing, Simplified”

Lesson: A simple solution to a problem can make a clean USP.

Great writing has never been simple.

From prepositions to conjunctive adverbs, not just anyone can write something impressive.

Except now, with Grammarly , they can.

And Grammarly’s USP mirrors this simplicity, especially compared to competitors. Ginger, for instance, can “help people write better, faster, and more creatively in English.” And Hemingway “makes your writing bold and clear.”

They’re not bad. But a clean and simple USP will always be tough to beat.

What problem does your product simplify?

2. WhatsApp: “Simple. Secure. Reliable Messaging.”

Lesson: Removing an enormous obstacle can make a focused USP.

WhatsApp’s USP represents how accessible worldwide communication has become.

Because, don’t forget, long-distance communication used to be impossible.

Then the first transatlantic call launched from New York to London in 1927 and cost $75 , the equivalent of almost $1,300 today. Fast forward, and WhatsApp has made international calling easier and less expensive than buying a pack of gum.

Every business removes some sort of obstacle. But if you can find the biggest one and knock it down, your USP practically writes itself.

What obstacle has your product removed?

3. Butcher Box: “Meat and Seafood Done the Right Way”

Lesson: Improving a broken system can make a magnetic USP.

From overpriced products to unethical farming, meat eating isn’t usually done right. But could it be?

According to Butcher Box’s USP, yes.

But it was no small feat.

The business owner, Mike Salguero, went above and beyond. He didn’t just copy the competition — he created a nationwide supply and delivery system that provides the healthiest, most affordable, and most humanely-raised meat and seafood straight to your door.

And their USP communicates the brand improvements that so many meat eaters have been waiting for.

What system does your product improve?

4. Thrive Market: “Organic Without Overpaying”

Lesson: Adapting to customer needs and wants can make a targeted USP.

Thrive Market’s USP demonstrates they didn’t just know what their target market wanted, but also what they needed.

People want organic groceries…but they need affordable organic groceries.

So Thrive adapted a way to deliver more than 5,000 organic, non-GMO, and nontoxic food, home, and beauty products at affordable prices.

And this one-two value proposition was all it took for their USP to capture what prospective customers both needed and wanted.

What needs and wants does your product adapt to?

5. Monster Energy: “Tear Into the Meanest Energy Drink”

Lesson: Loyalty to a target audience can make a bonding USP.

At first glance, Monster Energy’s USP might not seem like it’s directed at you.

And odds are it’s not.

That’s because Monster’s brand single-mindedly caters to, sponsors, and is embraced by the mean, adrenaline-induced, crazy animals who tear through life’s extremes. In short, if it’s related to extreme sports, Monster is there.

And their USP forgets the rest. Especially bored office workers, unlike certain competitors. (Sorry, Red Bull.)

What target audience is your product loyal to?

6. Levi’s: “You Wear Jeans. You Live in Levi’s.”

Lesson: Creating a category all your own can make a bold USP.

Levi’s USP is one hell of a bold statement. But you can go there when you’re the first denim brand of all time .

Being the first or best [anything] makes for a strong USP, but Levi’s dug even deeper. And just like how Band-Aid didn’t invent bandages, Levi’s didn’t invent pants, they just evolved them.

Similarly, your product doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel to come up with a unique benefit. But if your message can create a new category, your USP can be bolder than your competitors.

What category can your product or message claim?

7. Carhartt: “Outworking Them All Since 1889”

Lesson: Sharing a character trait with your customers can make a respected USP.

Carhartt’s USP represents how they started and what forged them into the brand they are.

They started with hard-use apparel for blue-collar workers, but they had a problem: so did Levi’s, and Levi’s had a 36-year head start.

So what could they do?

Simple — they outworked them.

Hard work is something their customer base was used to, took pride in, and a good USP that highlights a core value shared between company and customer becomes more than just a marketing strategy .

What characteristics do your products share with your customers?

8. Under Armour: “Under Armour Makes You Better”

Lesson: Returning to the basics can make a compelling USP. 

Under Armour’s USP reflects a marketing campaign to rediscover what sports apparel was invented for in the first place: substance over style.

Which, it turns out, is its own style — at least it is to serious athletes who care about performance more than they care about what label they wear.

Besides, competition like Nike already had that covered. (And Adidas and Puma.)

Instead, Under Armour chose to make you look good second  because they make you better first .

And their USP drives this specific benefit home unapologetically.

What ways does your product return to the basics?

9. Package Free: “Sustainable Alternatives for Every Occasion”

Lesson: Ethical problem-solving can make a notable USP.

Package Free sells sustainable products.

All-natural pet brushes? Biodegradable phone cases? Recycled crayons?

And they also ship to consumers with 100% recyclable, compostable packaging (plastic free).

They also work to include more and more products that fit their standard.

That’s why Package Free’s USP marries ethical operation with practical problem-solving because prospective customers will always crave the best of both worlds.

What problem does your product ethically solve?

10. Death Wish Coffee: “The World’s Strongest Coffee”

Lesson: Being the world’s best/most/strongest can make a standout USP.

The world’s most [anything] is definitely an exclusive trait.

But Death Wish Coffee didn’t choose their USP because they had no other marketing choices. They could have focussed on their one-year freshness guarantee or the fact that they only use fair trade organic coffee beans, which are traits that blow competition like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts out of the water.

Instead, their USP stands out because it reflects their identity: skull and crossbones, dark and gritty, not flowers and fairies. But think more Halloween dress-up than a horror movie — their message is meant to be edgy, not literal.

And any USP that reflects brand awareness while it takes advantage of the world’s [best/most/strongest] will target customers quickly.

What ways is your product the best and how can that represent its identity?

11. Saddleback Leather: “They’ll Fight Over It When You’re Dead”

Lesson: Concentrating on quality can make a memorable USP.

Saddleback Leather produces the highest quality, affordable leather goods without being stuck up about it.

Consider their USP. It’s creative, it’s memorable, and it’s a bit irreverent. Companies don’t usually reference the passing of their potential customers. But competitors selling high-quality bags also don’t make them as affordable or as tough.

Saddleback’s bags are so tough they fend off crocodile attacks .

And their USP infused this built-to-last craftsmanship with a playful tone, and any USP that can pull double-duty like that is sure to attract the ideal customer.

What stereotype does your product break?

12. Dunkin Donuts: “America Runs On Dunkin”

Lesson: Taking pride in your product can make an emotional USP.

Dunkin doesn’t literally fuel America, but they take so much pride in their product they feel as if they do. And compared to the competition, they have some wicked unique brand loyalty.

They’re proud, of course, to be founded near Boston, smack dab in historic New England. And New England has embraced them.

The Seattle Times even agreed that they feel less pride for Starbucks than Bostonians do for Dunkin.

And any USP that’s charged with so much marketing pride is sure to rally the troops.

What does your product take pride in?

13. Dutch Bros: “Because of You Since ‘92”

Lesson: Building a novel culture or customer service can make a welcoming USP.

At first look, Dutch Bros’ USP doesn’t seem like a successful USP.

You could argue it’s a bit bland, even basic.

But anyone who’s been through a Dutch Bros immediately gets it.

After all, there must be a reason they’ve grown to a value of $6 billion, despite being the coffee underdogs of the Pacific Northwest (where coffee is religion).

Well, because of you — the customers, the baristas, everyone!

For example, a few broistas were photographed when they piled out of the drive-through window to spontaneously pray with a newly widowed customer. Another time employees got word that a coworker’s financial aid was cut, so they Venmoed her the money.

And any USP that makes insiders out of outsiders is practically guaranteed to spread.

What product does your business put a novel spin on?

14. Starbucks: “Expect More Than Coffee”

Lesson: Giving customers what they didn’t know they wanted can make an intriguing USP.

Starbucks’ USP captures the essence of their popularity.

And it’s not the coffee.

They’ve created what’s been dubbed “the third place.”

A place, between work and home, where someone can go for hours on end. An idea we now take for granted, but it had to start somewhere. Add that to chipper and attentive baristas, and the Starbuck’s experience gave us far more than coffee.

And any USP that knows what you want before you do will attract attention.

What does your product do to meet wants?

Which Are Your Favorite Unique Selling Proposition Examples?

Strong unique selling propositions can be elusive.

When you spot a great USP it’s a challenge to figure out how exactly they worked their magic, which can make them difficult to create.

But now that you’re equipped with what a USP is, what a USP isn’t, and 14 stellar examples with mini-lessons for each, you should have no problem spotting them from a mile away — or making your own!

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Back to Sales Management

What is a Unique Selling Proposition? (with Examples)

Written by: Victoria Yu

Victoria Yu is a Business Writer with expertise in Business Organization, Marketing, and Sales, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business.

Edited by: Sallie Middlebrook

Sallie, holding a Ph.D. from Walden University, is an experienced writing coach and editor with a background in marketing. She has served roles in corporate communications and taught at institutions like the University of Florida.

Updated on February 20, 2024

Definition of Unique Selling Proposition

How to make a unique selling proposition, five unique selling proposition examples.

When you first started your business, you might’ve had vague, lofty goals like “I want to run a successful bookstore” or “I want to start my own CPA office.”

But as you look around now, you might see hundreds of thousands of other business owners, all with the same dream as you! With so many competitors, how do you stand out from the crowd and earn a consumer’s dollar?

A unique selling proposition (USP) is what differentiates one business from another in an industry, telling customers why they should pick your business over the next one. If you’ve been struggling to make your business stand out from the competition, this guide will explain everything you need to know about USPs with examples that provide insight to help you create a great USP of your own.

Key Takeaways

A unique selling proposition (USP) is a statement of what makes your business different from others in the industry.

It’s important to have a distinct USP so that customers can remember you and what makes your product or business better than the rest.

A USP focuses a business’s marketing and sales communications and drives strategy.

A unique selling proposition (USP) is a short statement of what differentiates a brand from competitors : a product benefit, feature, or company trait that consumers value and will come to know the company for. It’s also called a unique selling point.

A USP can be based on product characteristics or price structures, but there must be some objective kernel of truth to the claim – if you claim your blankets are softer than a dream, they’d better be appropriately soft! The product itself doesn’t have to be unique, but the message and promise do. 

Why is a Unique Selling Proposition Important?

A USP clues a prospective customer in on what makes a product or company better than another one, making it easier for customers to buy the product that suits them the best. It serves as a guarantee for the customer that even if the product fails in all other aspects, at least the most important feature will perform well.

Marketers and sales reps use USPs to target specific customer pain points, telling consumers that this specific product will meet their needs better than a competitor’s. It can also drive strategy, allowing decision-makers to identify the company’s strengths and strategic position in the industry.

An important thing to note is that USPs are used for products and brands , which sometimes might not be the entire company as a whole. For example, Mars Inc. sells dozens of different candy products, and yet the USP for M&Ms sets it apart from its sibling products made by the same company: “Melts in your mouth, not your hand.”

If you’re a business owner just starting out and haven’t found your niche yet, here are some tips to help you develop and implement a USP.

1. Research your target audience

If you don’t appeal to customers, you’ll never make a single sale! That’s why the first step is to research the product’s target consumer. Create a buyer persona or ideal customer profile of the target customer you hope to sell to: their demographics, location, budget, psychographics, and more. 

Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Do research and conduct surveys to get a good feel of why customers buy the products they buy: what emotions drive them , what qualities they look for, and the lingo that resonates best with them. Doing this will help you match the product with customer needs.

For example, let’s say you’re starting an online fast-fashion business. Your ideal customer would be young women in their 20s and 30s of medium to high socioeconomic status, who are very conscious of current fashion trends and want to always be wearing the coolest clothes.

2. Identify core competencies

Next up is to focus on yourself: what can your product provide that competing products can’t? It’d be tragic if you found an amazing USP that appealed to buyers, only for a competitor to steal it and do it better.

A strong unique selling proposition is based on something that a company is good at that competitors can’t copy easily, something rooted in proprietary knowledge and core competencies. 

Going back to our clothing business example, you might discover a unique shipping partner that could make your deliveries ultra-fast compared to other companies. If you enter an exclusive contract with that partner, other companies won’t be able to replicate your shipping speed.

3. Look at the industry

As the name implies, a unique selling proposition should be unique from competitors, giving consumers a benefit or emotion that other products can’t. A gap in the industry would represent a prime opportunity for a new brand.

As an inverse to the previous section, it’d be quite the faux pas if a company were to copy the USP of another. In addition to the bad blood, between two products with the same USP, customers would likely default to the better-established one, correctly identifying the other as a copycat.

Additionally, when working on your USP, research future industry forecasts and predictions to see if there are new trends you can get in on early or aging trends that you should stay away from.

With our clothing business example, your closest competitor would be Shein. Though you and Shein might sell the same clothing, Shein focuses on providing them at the lowest price, while you focus on delivering them as fast as possible. Since your USP is different from your main competitor, your USP should be safe even if you have the same items.

4. Center your brand around the USP

So now that you’ve researched your customers, yourself, and the industry and found a benefit that’s valuable and unique, all that’s left is to put it into words and focus your brand around it.

Your company’s activities, messaging, and customer experience should all be focused around your USP. This puts each employee’s activities in step with the others, and gives rise to a distinct company culture and brand identity. From the supply chain, to marketing and sales, to customer service, each action and customer interaction will work towards the same goal. You can also use your USP as the headline for your website.

For your clothing company, you might decide on “Your Closet’s Trendsetter” as your USP. The word “trendsetter” brings to mind two things: the latest fashions, and providing them as fast as possible. Therefore, your procurement managers and stylists will know to always focus on the most recent trends and predict the newest styles, and your fulfillment managers will know that speed is the top priority. Even your customer service reps will know to pay special attention to cases where packages aren’t being delivered on time because those situations break your USP’s promise to customers.

Let’s take a closer look at five strong USPs to see what makes them work.

Costco, the maze-like membership warehouse club, promises “the best possible prices on quality brand-name merchandise,” appealing to consumers’ sense of thriftiness. 

Though many companies can claim low prices and quality merchandise, Costco is unique in how it fulfills this promise – by providing everything in bulk, reducing packaging and warehousing costs, and lowering the final sticker price consumers pay.

2. Ralph Lauren

When you think of Ralph Lauren, you automatically know what they’re about: high-quality, high-end, timeless casual wear. 

Their tagline, “made to be worn,” sets them apart from other premium clothing brands by promising utility and long life of use. Though they don’t offer the latest fashion trends, their apparel looks equally as good at the racetrack as it does at a dinner party and is durable enough to serve as a closet staple for years.

Japanese lifestyle brand Muji took a look at the technicolor industry around it and decided to distinguish itself by being indistinguishable. Rather than being cheaper, more stylish, or more durable than competitors, its products are designed around the concept “this will do.”

Products at Muji are plain and unbranded, appealing to customers that are tired of overthinking purchase decisions and are looking for a minimalist lifestyle. Muji’s full name (Muji Ryohin) translates as “no-brand quality goods.”

4. Starbucks

Rather than a product quality or specific benefit, Starbucks centers its USP on its emotional appeal and service: “Love your beverage or let us know. We’ll always make it right.”

As a nationwide coffee chain, Starbucks knows that it can’t promise the most expensive artisanal coffee in each location. That’s why it focuses its unique selling proposition around excellent customer service, which it can create at any location through employee training. Rather than offering a unique product, Starbucks offers a unique service: drinks customized to the customer’s exact desires. 

CRM provider HubSpot’s USP isn’t readily verbalized on their website headline but can be determined from their product offerings: pick-and-choose hubs for each business function to make a customizable yet integrated CRM platform for the whole business.

As opposed to other CRM providers who might only offer marketing, sales, and customer service functions, HubSpot’s unique benefit is its breadth of options: it also offers content management and operations software, as well as more than a thousand other integrations and extensions. When shopping for a CRM, many new customers choose HubSpot over another service provider because of its versatility.

Having a great USP from the start focuses your efforts as you build your business from the ground up, ensuring that potential customers have a clear sense of your brand identity and immediately letting them know that your products are tailor-made for their needs.

With an effective unique selling proposition, you can focus your business activities on delivering qualities that attract buyers, hone your messages and marketing strategy, and make sales that satisfy.

Unique Selling Proposition FAQs

A value proposition is much longer than a USP, describing the actual job your product or service fulfills. You can share a value proposition with another company, but you should never share a USP.

A positioning statement is very similar to a unique selling proposition: it describes the product or service and explains how it fulfills a particular customer pain point. Internally, the USP and positioning statement might be the same thing; externally, the USP has more value because it could be used as a marketing message.

No, a USP doesn’t have to feature word-for-word in every single marketing material. But an element of the USP’s value should feature prominently in most messaging, even if it’s promoted in different ways. 

For example, if you sell snacks with a focus on health benefits, you could promote one snack as “100% organic” while another snack could have “10 essential probiotics.”

Some common pitfalls to avoid when developing a USP are being too wordy, too vague, not being opinionated enough, and not following through. 

An effective USP should make a subtle statement: if you’re “high-quality,” you imply that your competitors are low-quality in comparison. Internally, your company should also have some way to fulfill the USP’s promise: for example, ensuring high quality by using 100% cotton in your clothing lines.

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How to Create a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) + Examples

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A unique selling proposition (USP) is a value statement that explains why your business is better than the competition. Typically written as an engaging slogan, the USP expresses a key differentiator that's valuable to your customers yet neglected by your competitors, whether that be outstanding service, low prices, or some other factor. Businesses research their audience to find their differentiator, then write a USP to use in their marketing material and sales pitches.

How a Unique Selling Proposition Works

Businesses create a USP to communicate to potential buyers how their brand, product, or service stands out from the other businesses they might be considering. USPs are used throughout sales processes by both sales and marketing teams. Marketers typically place their USP across their marketing assets (e.g., website, marketing emails) to get potential customers into a buying mindset during lead nurturing. Salespeople use the USP to craft their full sales pitch.

USPs most commonly manifest as slogans (around 4-8 words), which are used as headlines for advertisements like social media ads and for web pages like the home page, product page, and landing page. Sometimes businesses will also add a short blurb underneath it elaborating on the USP. Employing a USP requires three overarching steps related to research, writing, and strategic usage:

• Conduct Research to Find Your Differentiator: Conduct customer interviews, competitive analysis, and other methods to find your most valuable and unique differentiator.
• Write an Engaging and Memorable USP: Draft and edit a USP that expresses your differentiator and the value it offers your customers.
• Use Your USP Effectively: Use your USP to create your full sales pitch, which you can then trim down to an elevator pitch. Also, place it across your website's product or service pages.

To create your own effective USP, start by identifying your target audience so you can speak to their desires. Next, brainstorm some differentiators using various methods like interviewing your customers and examining your competition for gaps in their offerings. From there, pick a few of your most unique value propositions and turn them into first drafts of your USP, which you’ll then revise and A/B test. Lastly, use the winning USP to support your marketing and sales strategies.

Common Value Propositions That Effective USPs Communicate

If you look at enough USPs, you’ll start to notice that most of them express one of seven common value propositions in their own unique way. This includes things like price, service, logistics, features, and more. Before writing your USP, you can learn about these value propositions and see if you can use them to position your product as better than your competition’s.

Below are seven of the most common value propositions:

Affordable Price

Convenient buying process, long-lasting value, unique feature, quality service, corporate responsibility, ease of use.

If you’re the low-cost leader in your industry, centering your value proposition around the money your customer will save is a good idea.

Affordable price USP example

A company that reduces friction during the purchase process by delivering quickly, offering free installation, or setting them up with an expert advisor offers immediate value.

Convenient buying process USP example

Some USPs rely on the long-term value or reliability of a product relative to others in the space. This communicates to your target audience that they'll need to buy your product less often than if they choose a competitor.

Long-lasting value USP example

If your product or service has a feature, offering, or use case that your competition doesn’t offer, or if you serve a different market from your competition, make that clear.

Unique feature USP example

If you offer better customer service and a better overall customer experience when compared to the competition, this could be a great angle for your USP.

Quality service USP example

Some USPs focus on how the business helps underserved communities. That could be donating a percentage of profits to a charity or nonprofit organization or using sustainable business practices that protect the environment.

Corporate responsibility USP example

If your competitors’ products are complex, and yours is simple, share that with potential buyers. This is a common tactic in the software industry.

Ease of use USP example

Although they're known to be effective, you don’t have to use these value propositions. If you think of another reason why your business is different from and better than the competition, use it. Now that you know the basics, it’s time to start creating your own USP.

How to Create & Use Your Own USP

The process to building an effective USP starts with identifying your target audience and doing research to find your unique value proposition. Next, you’ll pick two value propositions and write out some rough draft USPs before revising and testing them. Lastly, you’ll use them to create your sales pitch, better advertisements, and arresting web copy. Check out these three main steps below, and expand to see details on the substeps involved in each.

1. Conduct Research to Find Your Key Differentiator

You have to do research to figure out which of your value propositions is unique and valuable enough to deserve the spotlight in your USP. Of course, what’s valuable depends on your audience’s tastes, so first identify your customers and their common frustrations. Next, ask your customers why they chose you and investigate your competition’s USPs. By the end of this process, you should have a key differentiator you can use to write your own USP.

Identify Your Target Audience

Find buyer frustrations, conduct interviews, investigate your competition.

It’s important to first choose and understand the audience segment you want to target with your USP. That way, you can pick a differentiator they want and write it in a way that speaks to their interests and values. To form a solid understanding of your audience, create a customer profile that highlights your existing or target audience’s demographics, cognitive attributes, pain points, and more. Here are the seven steps for creating a customer profile:

• Select a Group of Customers to Profile: Pick a segment of your current or target audience to profile. It’s often smart to profile audiences for different products and services separately.
• Pick Your Customer Profile Categories: Include demographics, psychographics, behavior, firmographics, or geographics, plus any industry-specific categories, to get valuable intel.
• Gather Demographic and Firmographic Data: Uncover common socioeconomic traits, plus business-related data points if you’re a B2B seller.
• Study Your Customer Base’s Behavior: Research how your current or target customers usually learn about, buy, and use your product or ones like it.
• Compile and Analyze Psychographics: Use surveys, focus groups, or other strategies to understand customers’ common values, interests, beliefs, and other cognitive attributes.
• Collect Geographics and Technographics: Understand where your customers live or work, plus which tools they use and how if you’re with a B2B business.
• Build a Buyer Persona: Build a categorical description of a single individual who would be an ideal buyer, including their motivations, fears, challenges, and more.

A completed customer profile will give you plenty of intel to work with as you write your USP. Plus, you can use that profile to create your buyer persona . Having this document close by can help you write your USP since you can pretend you’re writing it directly to them, which can keep you focused on making the language interesting to your audience.

It’s time to start gathering research data so you can choose the most unique and desirable value proposition to communicate. Often, a good place to start is with the frustrations your buyers in your industry typically have with your competition. They might have pain points with the buying process, price, durability, or other factors that you can address in your USP.

Below are the main ways to uncover common customer frustrations:

• Send Out a Survey: Send a survey to people who fit your customer profile description and ask them what they wish was different about your industry.
• Talk to Your Team: Ask other sales reps if they’ve heard any customer complaints about the competition during discovery or sales calls.
• Go Through Your Notes: Review your CRM call notes to spot any frustrations your leads and customers seem to mention frequently.
• Read Industry Publications: Read research papers and articles that clue you into the unmet needs of potential buyers in your niche.
• Look at Review Sites: Check out your competition’s Google and Facebook reviews and look over industry-specific review sites to find complaints often cited against your competitors.

As an example, perhaps NYC renters are fed up with poor service from their rental management companies. If a property manager was known for their exceptional service, that’d make a great value proposition for their USP. Challenging industry norms that people dislike is a great way to spark interest in potential leads and gain their trust.

If you're having trouble thinking of ways you differ from the competition, just ask your customers. They’ll happily tell you why they chose you over the competition, and their answers can clue you into your most valuable key differentiator. If you’re a new company and don’t have customers just yet, you can still interview potential buyers in your niche.

Regardless, follow these steps to conduct interviews:

• Set Up Interviews With Happy Customers: Schedule at least 10 interviews with your happiest customers or those who fit your customer profile.
• Engage in Small Talk: Open the conversation with some small talk to get everyone in a good mood and strengthen your relationship.
• Ask Questions That Help You Write Your USP: Ask them why they chose you, what their favorite benefits are, what you helped them accomplish, what pains you removed, and more.
• Thank Them for Their Time: Close out the call with a thank you. If they’re your customer, ask if there’s anything you can do for them.

After engaging in these interviews, you might find that a lot of your customers said your software was the most customizable tool they’ve come across. That’s great material for a USP. Conducting interviews is a reliable approach to find long-lasting value or unique feature value propositions.

Another way to find a differentiating value proposition is by reviewing your competitors’ comparable products or services and looking for any gaps in their offerings. A CRM software company might discover that all of its competitors make users pay for a valuable feature they offer in their free plan. Communicating that lowest-priced value proposition could be their USP.

2. Write Your USP

After you’ve done this research, you’ll likely have multiple value propositions that you feel would work well in your USP. But, it’s time to narrow them down and pick the most unique and valuable, and turn that value proposition into a shining USP that’s written down and usable.

Pick Your Value Propositions

Craft first drafts, finalize your usp copy, a/b test your usps.

Once you’ve gathered your data, decide on one or two value propositions that are most unique to your business and most valuable to your target audience. We say two because some businesses combine them into one USP. For example, Pipedrive highlights that their platform is easy to use and built especially for salespeople:

Remember, the value proposition(s) you choose should be something your customers strongly desire and your competition does poorly or not at all. Next, you’ll turn this into two rough first drafts that you can test against each other.

Now that you have your value proposition, write out two rough first drafts, each expressing the value proposition in a different way. That way, you can test them against each other later on. There are some best practices you can keep in mind that will guide you in this attempt.

Here is a framework for crafting your USP:

• Keep It to 4-8 Words: Stick to only a few words since you have little time to get your lead’s attention. If you have to go over in the first draft, trim it down in the next step.
• Use a Strong Action Word: Start your USP with a verb indicating what your customers get to do — e.g., “try on five pairs at home.”
• Express Your Value Proposition: Make sure you either explicitly state your value proposition (“most durable belt out there”) or implicitly state it (“your grandkids will wear it”).
• Use an 8th Grade Vocabulary: Avoid using big, flashy words that risk confusing your audience. Stick to basic words that are short and punchy and have fewer syllables.

Don’t worry about being perfect. Just get your thoughts on the page. Because the first attempt will likely lack the zing a USP should have, it’s best to edit these first drafts in the next step and add some flair for memorability.

Now edit your rough drafts to create two short and memorable final USPs. Also, try to capture your brand’s voice in the final drafts. One of the best ways to gain inspiration for your USP is to expose yourself to other exceptional USPs. Study them and figure out why they work. Then apply those principles to your own. Later on, we offer examples of real USPs and share takeaways that explain their success.

Once you’ve written two functional USPs, test them against one another using an A/B testing process. That means you’ll split your ad campaign or email marketing audience into two and each will receive a different USP. Whichever performs better will be the USP you use going forward. Typically, better performance means higher conversion rates on the ads or web pages that host your USP.

Here are some steps to follow to test your USP:

• Create Variations: Make two landing pages that are the exact same except for the USP.
• Split Your Audience: Evenly and randomly split the traffic to the page or advertisement.
• Track the Metrics: Track the conversion metrics to tell you if your USP is successful.
• Pick the Winner: Identify the better performing USP and share it across platforms.

Even after you’ve landed on a USP, it’s important to test it against other USPs from time to time. Or, you could simply tweak a few words and see if it performs better. That way, you’ll always be moving towards optimization. For more, check out WebFX’s beginner guide to A/B testing .

3. Use Your USP Effectively

Now that you have a polished and tested USP, it’s time to put it to use. Plaster it across your website and ads, and use it to develop a sales pitch to use in one-on-one meetings with prospects. For your USP to do its magic, your potential buyers need to see and hear it.

Build Out Your Sales Pitch

Add your usp to your website & ad copy.

Your USP should be included in your sales pitch so that prospects understand why you’re better than the competition. A sales pitch is a one- to two-minute value explanation that salespeople give to leads in an effort to convert them into customers. In the sales pitch, your USP will take a sentence form rather than the slogan form it assumes in your advertisements.

Here’s an example of a sales pitch with the USP: “Unlike other {Your Company Type} , we offer {Unique Value Proposition} , so our customers {Avoid/Receive} {Pain or Benefit} .”

For more information on sales pitches, read our guide on how to create and deliver a sales pitch . There you’ll find a sales pitch script and template, delivery tips, and examples.

Place your USP front and center on ads and web pages that need to sell your solution to the customer. That’s often the home page, product or service page, and landing pages . Often, companies will make it the headline of these pages or advertisements. Take a look at what your competition is doing for some ideas of where to put your USP. When you’re on the fence about adding it, it’s best to err on the side of inclusion. Show that winning phrase off.

11 Best USP Examples From Reputable Companies

Studying USP examples is a great way to gain inspiration for your own USP. Below, we’ve listed USPs from such reputable companies as EY, Dell, Robinhood, and TOMS. Each USP corresponds with one or two of the common value propositions we discussed earlier. And the majority of them show the three essential elements of a successful USP: research, writing, and strategic usage.

Value It Communicates: Corporate responsibility

EY’s USP “builders of a better working world” falls under the category of corporate responsibility or social impact value propositions. EY focuses on helping not only their clients achieve success but also the communities in which they operate. The USP doesn’t explicitly express a unique offer, but the slogan is memorable and paints EY as altruistic and visionary, which is attractive to their clients.

Dell Technologies' USP

Value It Communicates: Convenient buying process

Dell Technologies’ USP “Wherever your business journey takes you — we’ll be there with you” is communicating a better purchasing process value proposition. It’s clear when supplemented with the subheading telling readers they have free access to Dell’s Technology Advisors. Buying technology for a small business can be difficult, so this value-add is desirable to potential customers and likely uncommon with competitors.

MasterClass' USP

Value It Communicates: Unique feature

MasterClass’ USP is “MasterClass is where anyone can learn from the world’s best.” It’s an impactful unique feature value proposition. No other online course platform offers access to courses taught by famous experts like Malcolm Gladwell, Gordon Ramsay, and Martin Scorsese. Their USP is attractive to potential buyers because it emphasizes that anyone can learn on the platform, no matter their skill or education level.

Saddleback Leather's USP

Value It Communicates: Long-lasting value

Saddleback Leather uses the USP “They’ll fight over it when you’re dead,” which is a form of the durable value proposition, as it implies it’s so durable that it will outlive the owner. People dislike having to replace expensive bags and briefcases, so this is a valuable promise. It also separates Saddleback from the competition since many bags are prone to wear and tear. Lastly, it's memorable and captures the brand’s voice.

HubSpot CRM's USP

Value It Communicates: Ease of use

HubSpot CRM uses the USP “An easy-to-use CRM. Who knew that'd be revolutionary?” It's an example of an easy to use value proposition. HubSpot is separating itself from its competitors that sell CRM software that’s often difficult to set up and train employees to use effectively. The second sentence of the USP sympathizes with leads who have tried other CRMs and become infuriated at their complexity — this builds trust.

Wave Invoicing's USP

Values It Communicates: Ease of use and affordable price

Wave Invoicing’s USP “invoice software that’s easy and free” is a combination of two value propositions: easy to use and most affordable option. Many of the Wave’s competitors charge fees for invoicing, to the annoyance of their customers. This USP, therefore, lets potential customers know immediately that their invoicing app is completely free of charge, something they’ll find valuable to their small business.

Warby Parker's USP

Warby Parker has a USP that communicates a better purchasing process. The ability to “try 5 frames at home for free” helps generate leads by removing risk or hassle from the purchase. Potential buyers don’t have to go to a store to try them on, which differentiates Warby Parker’s service from other brands. Though the USP is more straightforward than memorable, it does a good job influencing website visitors.

UpLead's USP

Value It Communicates: Quality service

UpLead's USP is “B2B prospecting with 95% data accuracy,” a form of a better service value proposition. Prospecting tools can be known to sometimes have inaccurate data, which can be frustrating to salespeople because an email sent to a faulty email address wastes their time. So, UpLead is doing a nice job of telling leads that they offer high accuracy, thus better service.

Robinhood's USP

Robinhood’s short USP of “investing for everyone” is an easy to use value proposition. They’re declaring that anyone, regardless of investing knowledge or funds, can easily get into investing using their service. They go on to explain in the subheading that the investing is also commission-free, further separating them from competition, which often takes a percentage of earnings from customers as commission.

TOMS has a USP that is focused on sharing a corporate responsibility value proposition: “1/3 of profits for grassroots good.” Other brands might talk about their comfort or price, but TOMS focuses on how it helps communities, thereby promoting itself as the company that gives back. This differentiating factor should capture customers who value charity and want to feel like they’re making a difference when shopping.

Carvana's USP

Carvana’s USP is communicating its better purchasing process value proposition. “We sell cars, but we’re not car salesmen” tells consumers that their salespeople won’t use any of the shady tactics buyers often correlate with car salespeople. Carvana goes on to suggest that they’ll make sure their buyers are satisfied before locking them into the purchase. It also uses a trustworthy voice.

Keep your eyes peeled for other USPs that you come across, and how effective they are in their lead nurturing efforts. Think of your USP as a work in progress, and every so often test your existing USP with a potential new one as you continue getting inspiration from great ones that you come across.

Bottom Line: Unique Selling Proposition

A unique selling proposition expresses how your brand or solution is better than similar companies and is used throughout the sales process. Businesses must write a USP that contains a significant differentiator that customers care deeply about. Salespeople can then expand on that short sentence in their sales pitch. To further bolster your understanding of a USP and a sales pitch, check out our article on the most important sales terms .

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How to write a unique value proposition (+ templates), share this article.

Close your eyes and think of a brand you frequently patronize. It could be in any industry or vertical — sports, technology, clothing, or even fishing, if that floats your boat. Have you got one? Great! 

Now, ask yourself: What exactly makes the brand attractive to you? Why do you prefer to buy from that brand as opposed to similar brands? Is it superior product features? Responsive customer support, maybe? Or is it the easy-to-use interface (if you’re thinking of a software business)? Or it could be the way the product makes you feel, in general. 

If you have several answers (and I bet you do), it’s by design. 

To build brand awareness and get customers, brands highlight the compelling features and benefits of their products in their ads and marketing materials. But beyond that, they create a statement that embodies the essence of their products (and brand, by extension) and they infuse it into everything they release — from blog posts and emails to website copy and videos. 

This statement is known as a Unique Value Proposition, and it is central to effective marketing. In this piece, you’ll learn: 

• What a UVP is;
• Why it matters;
• Steps to create a compelling UVP;
• Examples of compelling UVPs; and
• How to incorporate your UVP across marketing channels. 

Skip ahead:

What is a Unique Value Proposition and why does it matter? 

Steps to create a compelling unique value proposition, incorporating your uvp across marketing channels, case studies and examples of successful uvps, unique value proposition template, let thinkific help you find your unique value proposition.

A Unique Value Proposition (UVP), also known as a Unique Selling Proposition (USP), is a concise statement that communicates the unique and compelling benefits of a product, service, or brand to its target audience . It’s a key element in marketing and branding strategies, and is designed to evoke a feeling in prospective customers to convince them to buy the product. 

Instead of a brand saying outright that its product is the best in the world, it creates a slogan that convinces its target audience to believe that it’s the best brand. 

One of the most popular and most effective UVPs in the world is Nike’s Just Do It . 

On its own, the statement is vague and dull; it has no exciting meaning. But when ushered in with an impeccable ad campaign, like the one Nike did in 1988, Just Do It evokes a strong feeling in the minds of Nike’s target audience, mostly athletes and fitness enthusiasts. 

The 1988 Just Do It campaign featured athletes like Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, and Roger Federer — people who’ve weathered storms and moved mountains to become some of the best athletes to ever exist; people who embodied what determination and perseverance looked like. 

With the combination of these athletes, Nike’s stellar products, and a well-crafted ad campaign,  Just Do It became about more than just shoes. It became a slogan that encouraged people to pursue their dreams relentlessly, no matter the hurdles and obstacles they encountered. 

At its core, a UVP inspires. Whether it inspires belief in yourself or trust in the brand, a good UVP leaves you thinking, “That’s the right brand for me.”

Here are a few reasons why brands should create UVPs: 

• Differentiation. In a crowded marketplace, businesses need to stand out. A well-crafted UVP helps distinguish a product or service from competitors by highlighting what makes it unique or superior. 
• Clear communication. A UVP succinctly communicates the most important benefits of a product or service. It helps customers understand what sets it apart and why they should choose it over similar options. 
• Brand identity. Just like the slogan Just Do It has become synonymous with Nike, a strong UVP contributes to shaping the overall brand identity. It becomes a central part of how a brand is perceived and remembered by customers. 
• Conversion and sales. A compelling UVP can influence purchasing decisions. When customers see a clear and unique value in a product or service, they are likelier to choose it, leading to increased conversion rates and sales. 
• Market positioning. The UVP helps companies carve out a niche and position themselves as leaders in specific areas, catering to a particular segment of the market.
• Customer loyalty. When customers experience the unique value promised by a brand in its UVP, they’re more likely to become loyal customers. Not only will they keep buying (or subscribing to) the brand’s offerings, but they’ll also recommend the company to others, which results in more business and bigger revenue.

It’s easy to think that creating an effective UVP means you only have to think very hard about a quippy and memorable tagline to describe your brand. That’s not all there is to it, though. Behind every great UVP, no matter how brief, is a thorough research, brainstorming, and iteration process that considers the target audience, competitive landscape, and the unique aspects of a product or service. 

Here are the steps to help you craft an effective UVP: 

Understand your target audience 

The first step is to figure out the people you aim to reach with your product or service (if you haven’t already). To do that, you’ll need to conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gain insights directly from your audience. You should also pay attention to customer reviews, comments, and social media interactions to understand their opinions and experiences. 

Here are some data points you should collect: 

• Demographics. Identify your audience’s basic demographic information, such as age, gender, income, education, marital status, and geographic location. 
• Psychographics. Explore the attitudes, lifestyles, interests, and values of your audience. This will help you understand their motivations, aspirations, and the factors that drive their decision-making.
• Behaviors. Analyze the behaviors of your target audience, both online and offline. What websites do they visit? Do they prefer to shop online or offline? What kind of media do they consume? The answers to the questions will determine how you’ll incorporate your UVP into your marketing channels.  
• Needs and pain points. Identify your audience’s specific needs, challenges, and pain points. This way, you’ll know the problems they’re trying to solve and the goals they’re trying to achieve.
• Communication channels. Determine the preferred communication channels of your target audience. Are they active on social media? Do they prefer email communication or traditional advertising? This helps you figure out the best channels to use to draw attention to your brands’ UVP.
• Competitive awareness. Analyze how your target audience interacts with your competitors. Find out what they’re looking for in alternative products or services so you can highlight your product’s ability to provide that in your UVP. 

Pro tip: To help organize this data, create detailed buyer personas representing different segments of your target audience. Personas should include fictional characters that embody the traits, preferences, and behaviors of real customers.

Know your competitors

Since your goal is to stand out among your competitors, it only makes sense for you to do a comprehensive analysis of businesses in the same or similar markets as yours so you can understand the competitive landscape, identify the strengths and weaknesses in your industry, and formulate strategies to differentiate your product or service.

Here are some crucial things to do when researching your competitors: 

• Identify your competitors. Clearly define who your direct and indirect competitors are. Direct competitors offer similar products or services to the same target audience, while indirect competitors may address the same needs but with different solutions.
• Product or service offerings. Analyze the products or services your competitors offer. Understand their features, quality, pricing, and any unique selling points they emphasize. This helps you identify gaps or opportunities for improvement in your offers. 
• Strengths and weaknesses. Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. This includes factors like brand reputation, distribution channels, customer loyalty, innovation capabilities, and financial stability. Identify areas where you can capitalize on their weaknesses or differentiate yourself. 
• Customer reviews and feedback. Examine customer reviews, testimonials, and feedback about your competitors. This information can reveal customer satisfaction levels, common pain points, and aspects of their products or services that resonate positively or negatively with their audience. 
• Pricing strategies. Evaluate the pricing strategies adopted by your competitors. Compare prices, discounts, and value propositions to assess how your offerings stack up. This will help you set competitive prices for own products or services . 

Pro tip: Conduct a SWOT analysis for each competitor. This structured approach helps you systematically evaluate their competitive position and identify areas where you can capitalize on opportunities or mitigate threats.

Identify what makes you unique 

After dissecting your competitors’ products, turn your attention to your own. Thoroughly explore the distinctive qualities, features, and characteristics that set your product, service, or brand apart from others in the market. 

Here are some things you should pay attention to: 

• Strengths. What are you exceptionally good at? This could include specialized skills, unique resources, or a particular expertise that gives you a competitive advantage. 
• Unique features. If you’re selling a product, identify any unique features or attributes of your product or service. This could be innovative technologies, exclusive designs, proprietary formulas, or any other elements that make your offering stand out. 
• Quality. Evaluate the quality or performance of your product or service. If it exceeds industry standards or offers exceptional value, this can be a key differentiator. For example, Wiza , a B2B sales prospecting platform differentiates itself from competitors by highlighting that its email verification tool has a 99% accuracy.

• Customer-centric approach. Consider how your business prioritizes and meets the needs of your customers. Exceptional customer service , personalized experiences, and/or tailored solutions can be powerful selling points. 
• Market niche or specialization. If your business serves a specific niche or specializes in a particular aspect of the market, highlight that in your UVP to position yourself as the go-to provider for a specialized audience.  
• Brand personality. Assess the personality and values of your brand. If you have a distinct brand identity with a compelling story, mission, or set of values, emphasize these elements as part of what makes you unique. 
• Social responsibility. If your business emphasizes sustainability practices or engages in socially responsible initiatives, highlight these efforts. Showing that your company is eco-friendly and environmentally conscious can endear people with the same values.

Pro tip: Conduct a SWOT analysis of your brand, too — the same way you did for your competitors. 

Craft a clear and concise message

At this point, you know who your target audience(s) is, the ins and outs of your competitors, and what makes your product unique. The next step is to distill all this information into a brief and impactful statement that communicates the unique benefits and value you offer in a way that’s easily understood and memorable. 

As you iterate through different UVPs, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Simplicity and clarity. Use straightforward language that’s easy to understand. Avoid complex jargon or technical terms that might confuse your audience. The goal is to create a statement that people immediately understand when they read or hear it. 
• Focus on core value. Zero in on the key value proposition you want to communicate. Keep your message focused on the primary benefit or advantage that matters most to your target audience and sets you apart from competitors.
• Eliminate unnecessary details. Your UVP will likely be way too long on your first attempt, but that’s okay. Once you have a first draft, streamline it by removing unnecessary details. Instead of making an exhaustive list of features, highlight the most compelling reason why customers should choose your brand. 
• Emphasize the customer. Your UVP is not about your brand; it’s about your customer. So instead of saying your brand does “X” and “Y” exceptionally well, clearly articulate how “X” and “Y” can solve a problem, fulfill a need, or improve the lives of your target audience. 
• Use powerful language. Choose words that evoke emotion and resonate with your audience. Persuasive language that conveys a sense of urgency or exclusivity can be particularly effective at helping you create a memorable impression. 
• Consider the medium. Tailor your message to the medium through which it will be communicated. Whether it’s a website headline, a social media post, or a verbal pitch, adapt the language and length of your UVP to suit the medium while maintaining clarity. 
• Test for understanding. Test your message with a sample audience to ensure that they easily understand and resonate with it. Adjust your wording based on feedback to improve its effectiveness.
• Repeatable. It’s best if your UVP is like a catchphrase: repeatable and memorable. Ideally, your audience should be able to recall and communicate your UVP to others. This increases brand recognition and word-of-mouth marketing. 

Let’s go back briefly to Nike’s UVP, Just Do It . It started as a marketing campaign in 1988 and its enormous success caused Nike to adopt it as a tagline for the business. Now, Just Do It is on Nike’s website, on multiple products, and their social media profiles. 

Integrating your Unique Value Proposition into your website, social media, and other marketing channels can help you build brand consistency, reach a wider audience, and reinforce the unique benefits of your product or service. 

Here’s how you can do this: 

• Hero section or homepage banner. Feature your UVP prominently on the homepage using a compelling banner or hero section, so it’s one of the first things visitors see when they come to your site.
• About Us page. Provide a detailed explanation of your UVP on your About Us page. Share the story behind your brand and how your UVP addresses customer needs.  

Social media 

• Profile bios. Update your social media profile bios to include your UVP (or a concise version of it). Use the character limit judiciously to convey your message. 
• Posts and updates. Infuse your UVP into your regular social media posts and updates. Use visuals, hashtags, and captions to center your UVP, as Nike did with this tweet: 

Email marketing 

• Subject lines. Incorporate elements of your UVP into email subject lines to grab your subscribers’ attention. Relate your UVP to the value they can expect from opening the email.
• Email copy. Integrate your UVP within the body of your email messages by articulating how your product or service can address the recipient’s needs or problems. 

Content marketing

• Blog posts. I ntegrate your UVP naturally within your blog content . Use storytelling or case studies to illustrate how your product or service embodies your unique value. 
• eBooks and whitepapers. If you create longer, more in-depth content like eBooks and whitepapers, weave your UVP into them by clearly demonstrating how your solutions differ from others in the industry.

Product creation 

If you sell physical products, incorporate your short and memorable UVP into your product design. For example, if you make custom shirts, emblazon your UVP across the front, back, hem, or arms of the shirt. If you can’t put the UVP on the product, include it in its packaging. 

Online advertising 

• Ad copy. Craft ad copy that succinctly communicates your UVP. Whether it’s a digital display ad or a print advertisement, focus on the key message that sets you apart. 
• Visuals. Use visuals that support or enhance your UVP. The images and graphics you post should align with the unique benefits you’re promoting.  

In-person events 

• Booth displays. If you participate in trade shows or events, design booth displays that prominently feature your UVP.
• Networking and presentations. Include your UVP in your networking conversations, slide decks, and presentations. This allows you to communicate your unique value to potential partners, clients, or investors. 

Nike’s Just Do It isn’t the only successful UVP there is. Tons of other companies have created effective UVPs that have carried them through the years. Here are three other examples of successful UVPs and why they work: 

Apple – Think Different 

Just like Just Do It, Think Different, on its own, is a pretty vague statement. But when you think about the history of Apple, its innovative former CEO, Steve Jobs, and all the amazing technology the company has put out since its inception, you’ll understand why Think Different makes sense as Apple’s UVP. 

When Steve Jobs released the Think Different ad in 1997, Apple was selling the MacIntosh, which was a simple personal computer. But the slogan promised much more than a PC. Apple used this slogan to tell consumers that it’s taking a novel approach to technology and that buying Apple’s products is a chance for them to become part of the revolution. 

The Think Different slogan also appealed to creative tech professionals who were looking to pioneer a new wave of technology. It said to them, “Come work at Apple; we need people like you who think differently to help us bring our vision to life.”

Fast forward 27 years later and Apple has now established itself as a leader in the technology industry. The company’s dedication to innovation, introduction of mindblowing products, and outstanding customer service have earned it a loyal customer base. 

Lesson: What’s the core reason you provide the product or service that you do? Highlighting this reason in your UVP can help you speak directly to people who share the same values as you. 

Amazon – Earth’s most customer-centric company

Of all of Jeff Bezos’ annual letters to shareholders, my favorite is the 1997 letter , where, after describing the long-term goals of the company, he emphasized how Amazon plans to leverage the Internet to serve its bibliophile customers. 

In the letter, Jeff Bezos writes, “From the beginning, our focus has been on offering our customers compelling value. We realized that the Web was, and still is, the World Wide Wait. Therefore, we set out to offer customers something they simply could not get any other way, and began serving them with books. 

We brought them much more selection than was possible in a physical store (our store would now occupy 6 football fields), and presented it in a useful, easy-to-search, and easy-to-browse format in a store open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day… We dramatically lowered prices, further increasing customer value… Repeat purchases and word of mouth have combined to make Amazon.com the market leader in online bookselling.”

Amazon’s UVP, which doubles as its mission, centers around customer service, convenience, and a vast selection of products — all of which Amazon has aspired to for nearly 30 years as seen in Bezos’ letter. 

Now, Amazon is the go-to marketplace for just about anything — books, toiletries, clothes, skincare, home appliances, etc. — and its reliable delivery service and amazing customer service team only serve to improve the shopping experience for its loyal customers. 

Lesson: Focus on your customers. Every step you take, product feature you release, and service package you offer should benefit your customers somehow.

Uber – The smartest way to get around 

Uber takes the classic “Identify a problem, provide the solution” approach to its UVP. Without explicitly saying it, Uber reminds you of how deeply inconvenient it is to find and book a traditional taxi. 

You’ll have to make multiple phone calls to impassive dispatchers in hopes of finding a taxi, and when the taxi arrives, you have to explain to the overworked driver how to get to where you’re going. when you manage to get there, you have to pay cash — which isn’t ideal because sometimes, you may not have enough cash or the cabbie may not have change. 

It’s a frustrating experience. 

But Uber offers a more streamlined alternative. With just a few clicks, you can get a car to come directly to you, with the driver knowing exactly where you’re going. And when it’s time to pay, you can go cashless, so you don’t have to worry about not having enough bills.

It is the smartest way to get around. 

Lesson: Distill all the benefits of your product or service into a single statement. 

Here’s a comprehensive template you can use to craft an effective UVP for your brand, product, or service: 

[Your business name]

[Your product/service name]

Step 1: Identify your target audience

• Description:
• Demographics (age, gender, location, income, etc.)
• Psychographics (interests, values, pain points, etc.)
• Needs and wants:
• What are the primary needs and wants of your target audience related to your product/service?
• How they use your product/service:
• Describe how your target audience will use your product/service to solve their problems or meet their needs.

Step 2: Conduct competitor analysis

• Competitor 1:
• [List the competitor’s strengths]
• [List the competitor’s weaknesses]
• Competitor 2:
• [Listthe competitor’s weaknesses]
• [Add more competitors as necessary.]

Step 3: List the key features of your product or service:

• [Feature 1]: [Brief description of the first key feature]
• [Feature 2]: [Brief description of the second key feature]
• [Feature 3]: [Brief description of the third key feature]
• [Include additional key features as necessary]

Step 4: List the benefits customers get from your product/service: 

• [Benefit 1]: [ Explanation of the first primary benefit to the customer]
• [Benefit 2]: [Explanation of the second primary benefit to the customer]
• [Benefit 3]: [Explanation of the third primary benefit to the customer]
• [List additional customer benefits as necessary]

Step 5: Describe what sets your product/service apart from competitors:

• [Differentiator 1]: [Explanation of the first key differentiator that sets your offering apart]
• [Differentiator 2]: [Explanation of the second key differentiator]
• [Differentiator 3]: [Explanation of the third key differentiator]
• [Include additional differentiators as necessary]

Step 6: Define your Unique Value Proposition

• [Create a clear, concise statement that combines your target audience’s needs, how your product/service meets those needs, and what distinguishes it from competitors.]

Step 7: Validate your UVP

• Feedback gathering method:
• How will you gather feedback on your UVP (e.g., customer interviews, surveys, focus groups)?
• Adjustments:
• Note any adjustments or iterations made to your UVP based on feedback received.

For even more free templates check out the guide below!

There are about 350 million companies worldwide right now, and the products and services each of them offer vary across industries. However, if you offer digital products like online courses, eBooks, and paid communities, Thinkific is a great platform to use to help you decide on your unique value proposition. 

This may seem like a bogus statement to make, but the truth is that the tools you use to make your offers play a significant role in how you position your products in the market. If your tech stack doesn’t allow you to incorporate Virtual Reality into your products, then VR can’t be a part of your UVP. This means that competitors who use VR in their products might have a competitive advantage over you. 

If you choose to use Thinkific to create and sell online courses, and build a thriving community, you’ll get access to a myriad of scalable features that can differentiate you from your competitors. These features include: 

• Stunning course templates designed by experts;
• Drag-and-drop course builder, so you can design your courses the way you want;
• Interactive elements like gamification, simulations, quizzes, assessments, and surveys to keep learners engaged and boost their retention;
• Customizable website and landing page themes, so you don’t have to create your site from scratch;
• Marketing and eCommerce features to help you sell and promote your digital products;
• Optimized checkout options, so customers can pay you from anywhere in the world;
• Community-building tools to encourage collaborative learning and foster human connections;
• Ability to monetize your community by selling gated content, selling as an add-on to a course, or selling as a standalone product;
• Robust analytics to gain insights into student progress and engagement;
• Custom mobile apps for your online courses and communities;
• Access to 80+ apps in the Thinkific App Store to improve engagement, boost sales, and customize your learning environment.

Want to check out Thinkific? Sign up for the free plan today . 

Althea Storm is a B2B SaaS writer who specializes in creating data-driven content that drives traffic and increases conversions for businesses. She has worked with top companies like AdEspresso, HubSpot, Aura, and Thinkific. When she's not writing web content, she's curled up in a chair reading a crime thriller or solving a Rubik's cube.

• 10 Best Marketing Courses
• How To Use Webinars To Promote Your Courses (Complete Guide)
• How to Create a Sales Funnel to Sell Online Courses (Sales Funnel Template)
• Udemy’s Pricing Model: How To Use It To Your Advantage As An Online Course Creator
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What is a Unique Selling Proposition and 10 Examples You Can Take Inspiration From

What is a unique selling proposition? If you want your business to succeed, you must have a unique selling proposition (USP). The Entrepreneur encyclopedia defines a unique selling proposition as

The factor or consideration presented by a seller because one product or service is different from and better than that of the competition.

Do you understand what that means and how it can help your business? If you don’t quite grasp what it means, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about unique selling propositions.

From explaining the definition of a unique selling proposition to tips for writing compelling ones, you’ll understand everything from this article. Without further ado, let’s begin. 

What is a Unique Selling Proposition?

There are plenty of definitions on the internet explaining what a unique selling proposition is. For example, Wikipedia calls USP as:

A unique selling proposition (USP) refers to the unique benefit exhibited by a company, service, product or brand that enables it to stand out from competitors. The unique selling proposition must be a feature that highlights product benefits that are meaningful to consumers.

In essence, a unique selling proposition means you present the idea that your product or brand is one of a kind. You suggest to the prospective customers that the product you are selling is unique.

A powerful unique selling proposition emphasizes the distinctiveness of your brand or product. Your goal is to set yourself apart from your competitors. 

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when starting is not knowing your unique selling point — which eventually leads to you selling anything and everything and wanting to please everyone in the market.

But it is impossible to do so; you can't impress everyone. You must first focus on what can make your business stand out from the competition, and if you find success from this, you can branch out and target other demographics.

What Should a Strong Unique Selling Proposition Look Like?

Your unique selling point is a lot simpler than you think. It’s just being different from your competition. If you’re not distinctive, you’re just the same as everyone else. To differentiate yourself from your competition, look for an aspect that you can use to set your product apart - the customer benefits of the value it brings to their lives.

A powerful unique selling proposition should be:

A statement that forces you to make a case against anything that competes with your brand should be more memorable than a generic stance, like "We are the best!." ‍

Customer-focused 

You should focus your USP on what your customers value. Use keywords that customers search for; buzzwords won't count for much if it's not something your target customers truly care about.

Play To Your Strengths

Your proposition should focus on what your brand does well. What are your strengths? What do you do better than your competitors?

A USP is not just the message on your homepage. It is a proposition you make and can incorporate in everything, from your small business's products to your brand, to the experience you provide. It is not - "50% off", "End of the season sale", etc.

A USP is a code your brand should live by. It's not easy to come up with a USP. You can't just say "free shipping" or "20% off" because everyone offers those. Specific marketing offers might be good for you, but they're not unique on their own. Shopify aptly states that

A unique selling proposition is a statement you choose to embody that differentiates your products and your brand from your competitors.

How do I write my unique selling proposition?

Everyone in USPs will be unique. But that does not mean there will be no process. You should learn to keep it that way in mind.

Once you know your USP, it might help express that in your marketing efforts. Not exactly what you advertised on your site, but it will help clarify your USP to the target audience. The USP is a critical divergence that prospective customers may be worthy of attention.

To write your business’ unique selling proposition, below are some things you should consider.

Pinpoint The Dividing Edge

Redefine, refine, and refocus your brand. To stay relevant in this new era, retailers must pinpoint what makes their business stand out. The more specific you get, the easier it is to identify the gaps in today's market. 

How do you go about doing that? Start with a list of all the things that make your company unique. For each item on the list, think about how you can translate each differentiator to your customers.

Address The Pain Points

Th i nk of your most unique strengths, and then think about what your audience has been looking for that you can deliver. Find the gaps in the market that you can fill that your competitors haven't. Provide a solution for customers' problems.

Keep Tabs on Your Competitors

Competition is a vital part of the business world. With this in mind, you should do your due diligence and research who your competitors are are and what their USPs are. 

Analyze The Data You Have

Your USP is what will set you apart. Why not take the information you’ve gathered and see how you can apply it to your business? 

Your USP should be woven into your brand name, return policy, and more. If you can display your USP in different ways to your customers, it will reinforce the concept to them.

Developing a solid USP is no easy task, but all you need is ample knowledge about the niche market and your brand. Just state how you are different from every tom, dick, and harry in the trade. What makes your brand any different from others. Your USP should also offer value to potential customers.

Learn more: How to Develop a Unique & Memorable Brand Identity in 2021

10 Examples of Unique Selling Propositions

USP is not just about highlighting your selling points. It also needs to include a value proposition that describes your ideal customer’s offering. 

Do you still need help to create your unique selling propositions? Below are 10 of the best examples we found to take inspiration from and help you get a jump start.

Starbucks doesn't just sell coffee . Its success is based on a fundamental truth: people buy more than a product. They buy a feeling, a promise, a vision of a better life. Starbucks customers trust the brand because it offers luxury and quality.

The company sells an image built around coffee, but what gives it value is something more fundamental: the human connection between barista and customer. It sells an experience.

Starbucks has built its business with an obsessive focus on customer experience. Its tagline is "Everything we do; we do it for our customers." Its mission statement is to "inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time."

They don't simply serve up cup after cup of coffee; they also provide their customers with quality food and excellent customer service. That's why they don't offer products at low prices. Their identity is that they serve premium coffee with an experience, not cheap coffee.

Starbucks is the world's largest coffee shop chain, with more than 23,000 locations in 62 countries. Thanks to a unique selling proposition, Starbucks has become a successful business.

Deathwish Coffee

Deathwish coffee claims to be the World's strongest coffee. If you do not trust us, just visit their online store. They’ve provided details on how they made it and what goes into it. The bold packaging is confident and inviting.

Too many brands try to be funny when they write.  But, this coffee company isn't making jokes with their product. Instead of attempting to be hilarious, Death Wish Coffee is selling with sheer honesty. 

It's safe to say that most people don't drink coffee for the caffeine. It's a bitter, dark liquid that mass-produced companies have watered down to appeal to the lowest common denominator. 

The founder of Death Wish Coffee decided to fix this problem by creating a ridiculously strong brew — making it the world's strongest commercially available coffee.

Death Wish Coffee is a bold, robust, smooth coffee with no bitterness. They have carefully crafted it by using a select family roasters using 100% Arabica beans sourced from South America, Central America, and Indonesia.

Saddleback Leather

Saddleback's messaging is improved upon the idea that their belts and accessories will last a very long time or maybe even forever. That’s a pretty bold claim, but it doesn’t stop there. 

The company goes into detail, literally, about the patented design and the 100-year warranty that backs up its promise of longevity.

They make every product with a guarantee that it’ll last a lifetime. With a 100-year warranty and a wide array of attractive designs, their products are the best you can buy. 

Even if someone else has an identical item, their products won't wear out as theirs will. Made with high-quality materials and crafted by true craftsmen, Saddleback stays ahead of its competitors because of its unique selling points.

• Crafted by true craftsmen,
• High-quality materials.
• 100-year warranty(they guarantee it’s going to last longer than the owner, which is a bold claim)

Saddleback Leather has built a reputation of trust, quality, and excellence. They’re more than just a brand; they’re a legacy. With their signature "They will fight over it when you are dead” tagline, the brand can establish its identity by emotionally connecting with its audience.

Nerd Fitness

Nerd Fitness isn’t for everybody — but if you’re a nerd, a geek, or otherwise like spending your nights and weekends playing games and learning about the latest in science fiction and fantasy, this site is for you.

It doesn’t matter why you try to lose fitness or get healthy; Nerd Fitness can help you get there. From their understanding of your gaming habits to your junk food habits, they know how you live and will allow you to change it up.

The best thing about their program is its simplicity. Nerd Fitness creates your programs for you, so you don’t have to. Their unique selling point? They have a particular advertising area; their target market is the nerds, misfits, and dorks.

Nerd Fitness is an online community offering programs and guidance to help people lose weight and get healthy. The fitness brand’s USP is “We’re here to help the misfits, the dorks, and the unpopular kids get in shape.”

This message resonates with the target audience, who replies to it for strength training, better eating habits, valuable tips on increasing energy levels, and more.

Learn more: Fitness advertisements: Best Ways to promote GYM & Fitness Services

Bee's Wrap

Bee's Wrap is the world's first sustainable food wrap made from organic cotton and beeswax — helping customers save a lot of money in the long run. However,  this isn't  Bee's Wrap’s only USP.

Bee’s Wrap taps into an important global topic: plastic pollution. Sustainable food wrap is made from organic cotton and beeswax. It’s an alternative to single-use plastics that are too often thrown away.

Beyond the product, Bee’s Wrap also works to make the world a better place by meeting B-Corp and Green America certification. It’s vital to note that any message a brand transmits should always represent every aspect of its mission.

In 2021, with mounting temperatures and climate change endangering many species, an alternative to plastic will sell big. Bee's wrap capitalizes on its unique product and its purpose.

Basecamp has a straightforward USP in that it simplifies project management for entrepreneurs, freelancers, small businesses. Their ideal customers are people who don't want to spend time on complicated software but want to spend time on their projects.

They aren't interested in sophisticated tools; instead, they're looking for practical project management made simple. 

Furthermore, instead of trying to be everything for everyone, Basecamp was created with only minimal features — leaving them more time and resources for the improvement and new development.

It can help you set up a to-do list, organize your projects, and assign tasks to team members easily. While this may be less useful for large enterprises, it’s the perfect option for freelancers, consultants, and small growing businesses.

Taylor Stitch

Taylor Stitch is an established clothing company that leverages crowdfunding to try new products. Rather than using it to make money, they use it as an innovation board. They explain to customers that they will get better products at a discounted price while staying environmentally friendly by pre-ordering their products.

While some consumers may frown upon established brands that leverage crowdfunding, that isn’t the case here because they make it a part of their USP. Taylor Stitch successfully turns crowdfunding into a competitive edge: “We design new products. You crowd-fund them."

This innovative new approach sets their company apart from their competitors.  Taylor Stitch's compelling USP ensures they get sold out pretty quickly. Now, who wouldn't want that?

Honest and authentic, Fabletics is an activewear brand for working women. Fabletics aims to give shoppers affordable activewear and deals without compromising quality or style. That’s why they offer membership to their VIP program, which provides them with access to free shipping, special discounts, workout tips, and more.

The unique selling point of Fabletics is its tone of voice. Because of this, it's vital that you authentically articulate what makes you unique. 

Beardbrand wants to solve a problem that plagues men of all ages: the lack of high-quality beard grooming products on the market. They provide finely crafted, all-natural beard grooming products to men who demand the best.

Do you sometimes feel invisible? Do you struggle to seem confident and authoritative at your job? Can your friends sometimes see your frustration, even though you can’t?

Beardbrand takes on conventional shaving practices, encouraging customers to choose a better alternative for their health and lifestyle. With their premium all-natural products, they provide customers with the tools they need to take control of shaving while also making it easier to engage with like-minded enthusiasts.

Unlike the competition, Beardbrand creates genuinely natural products for men’s grooming that focus on nourishing the skin and preventing problems from occurring rather than trying to fix the symptoms after they happen.

It's a very unique and different way of approaching beards and their maintenance, and one that separates Beardbrand from the pack. Beardbrand is excellent at telling stories and making promotions fun and engaging — they do it in a way that gets people interested and involved.

Tips for Writing Compelling Unique Selling Propositions

‍ deliver on your claims.

When planning your USP, it’s helpful to think about who your customers are and what they want.

• What are the most important things they need from your business?
• Why should they choose you over someone else?

Your USP should answer these questions by selling the aspects of your business that are most valuable to your target audience.  For example, FedEx is an industry leader because of its unique selling proposition. It lives up to the claim that their service is the fastest, and the package will be there when you want it delivered.

Complete Understanding of Your Target Market

The best campaigns succeed based on one principle: they know exactly who they're selling to and why.

Any marketing effort should be laser-focused towards a specific audience; any brand that isn't laser-focused is wasting its resources. You should tailor every message you send to your target audience, and it's never enough just to reach a general group of people — you need to get the right group.

Understanding what your target customer wants is crucial to marketing, especially when you’re on social media. Your audience must know that you listen to them, even if they aren’t talking directly to you.

Leverage Your USP To Create a Killer Marketing Strategy

Your USP is your best friend while creating a killer marketing strategy. Which is why, you need to know how to use it when devising your content marketing strategy (usually consisting of social media , video marketing , etc.), and advertisements . It is an essential feature of your advertising that you highlight your USP. It should be in the headline or first line of your advertisement.

If you choose to feature your USP in the headline, make sure it’s keyword-rich.  Alternatively, if it appears elsewhere in the ad, highlight its benefits to customers.

Learn more: How to Make an Ad

How Offeo Can Help with Your Marketing

Do you want to level up your marketing strategy? You can easily do so with videos. You may think, "Videos are a huge deal. They're tough to shoot and edit".

But no, you can easily make professional-looking videos with Offeo. Already have a video marketing strategy? With over 500 professional templates on Offeo, you'll find the perfect video for your every need.

Offeo allows you to make professional-looking videos with no editing experience in just 3 minutes! Offeo Templates make your video-making job faster and better.

FAQs: Unique Selling Proposition

What are examples of unique selling propositions.

• Avis. " We're number two. We try harder."
• FedEx Corporation. " When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight ."
• DeBeers. " A diamond is forever ."
• Domino's Pizza. " You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less, or it's free."
• M&Ms. " The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand ."
• Geico. " 15 minutes could save you 15% on car insurance."

What is a unique selling proposition?

A unique selling proposition (USP), also known as a unique selling point, is the one thing that differentiates your product or your service from your competition. When doing online marketing, it's essential to articulate your brand's USP so potential customers are more likely to convert when they access your website.

Is USP essential in business?

Having a USP is vital to every business, brand, and public figure, such as influencers. This is because a unique selling proposition is the best selling point you could have to stand out from more prominent players in the market and help you to compete better.

What are the factors affecting unique selling proposition?

You can base your business' USP on the "four Ps" of marketing: price structure, placement strategy (location and distribution), product characteristics, or promotional strategy.

What role should the Unique Selling Proposition play in a company's advertising strategy?

Your company's unique selling proposition should always be the main focus in your advertising strategy to highlight how distinctive your product or service is from your competitors.

What is Apple's unique selling proposition?

Apple is famous for its sleek design, state-of-the-art hardware, user-friendly software, and an overall 'cooler' alternative to the Windows PC. All of those combined makes them represent Apple as it's USP.

Unique selling propositions focus on what helps your business to stand out. For finding a USP, start imagining with your marketing department.

Ask your customer service representative what customers love the most. Then create a compelling selling proposition that brings the business message home.

Create Stunning Videos Easily

Offeo video templates.

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129 Amazing Unique Selling Proposition Examples for Unlimited Clients

By paulchittenden

129 Amazing Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Your Unique Selling Proposition or (USP) is one of the most important ways to communicate your company's value to your client.

I've analyzed 129 USP's to understand how leading companies are communicating their USP and provided them as examples for inspiration for creating your own.

Later in this article, I'll teach you everything I know about creating an amazing USP.

What is a Unique Selling Proposition?

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is your golden ticket.

It's what sets you apart in a crowded market. It speaks directly to your target client. Makes you the go-to choice. Makes consumers pull out their wallet and shell out the big bucks because you're something special. Magical, really.

The magic lies in specificity and resonance. Your USP should speak directly to your target market's pain points and desires.

It's not about you. It's about them.

What Makes a USP Good?

Let's face it. Most USP's are less than average. Okay. Yeah, they suck.

So what makes a unique selling proposition great? Or, amazing even?

A great USP has the following attributes. It is:

• Clear: No jargon. Speak their language.
• Concise: Economy of words. The shorter, the stickier.
• Unique: If your competitors can say it, it's not your USP.
• Specific: "The best" is too vague. "America's #1" is better.
• Customer-Oriented: Solve a problem or satisfy a need.
• Credible: Can you prove it?
• Memorable: Make it catchy. Rhyme and rhythm help.

Besides these attributes, a great USP has to make you feel something - a connection, or a sense that your business is going to deliver on its promise.

I call these themes. And I've found 17 of them.

The 17 Unique Selling Proposition Themes

After analyzing 129 USP's from leading companies across 10 different industries, I found that great USP's touch at least 1 of 17 themes:

• Emotional Connection

Connects with the user eliciting a strong emotion such as joy, wonder, relief, nostalgia, etc. Think Disney's "The Happiest Place on Earth"

Lifestyle or Identity

Connects on a higher level than pure emotional connection. This connects with the person's way of life or personal identity.

Harley Davidson's "American by Birth, Rebel by Choice" nails it.

Simplicity makes life easier. It transforms a difficult task into a piece of cake. I've also grouped time saving into this category.

Edward Jones' "Making sense of investing." takes an impossibly difficult task (investing) and makes it simple.

This is a brand promise. You will get a particular outcome. Guaranteed.

FedEx's "When it absolutely positively has to be there overnight." is one of the most memorable along with Domino's "30 minutes or less" pledge.

Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness USP's prioritizes the universal principal of your wellbeing.

Whole Foods' "America's Healthiest Grocery Store" is a fantastic example.

• Societal Impact

Beyond the product, it's about changing the world for the better. It's a mission for good.. TOMS shoes' "With every product you purchase, TOMS will help someone in need." uses this strategy perfectly.

Superior materials, superior results. This is all about the ingredients, the workmanship, and the guarantee of quality goods and services. RX Bar's "No B.S." clearly shows they only use top quality ingredients.

• Category Leader

 This is a simple but bold claim that you are the leader in the market. You better be able to back it up. HBO's "it's not TV, it's HBO" shows they are in a league of their own.

• Opportunity

Oh the possibilities. Offers a chance for something more, often wealth or status.

LinkedIn's "Connect to Opportunity" is a great play on words and exhibits waht it can do for your career.

• Customer First

The customer is king. The customer is always right. You know the drill. No one has done this better than Zappo's "Powered by Service". They live and breathe customer service.

• Luxury / Status

It’s not just a product; it's a status symbol. Mere ownership shows others your someone special.   Rolex's "A Crown for Every Achievement" emmodies this.

• Affordability

Low cost, but not low value. For the price conscious consumer. Dollar Shave Club's "Shave time, Shave money." is a good example.

Expertise / Specialization

They're the pros. You can trust them. They dominate an entire industry, or go very niche. Lincoln Electric's "The Welding Experts" dominates welding, where DryBar's "No cuts. No color. Just Blowouts." goes niche.

• Reliability / Performance

It works, and it works well. This is a product that does it jobs and will last.

Trane’s “It's Hard To Stop A Trane" is a prime example.

• Heritage / Trust

Heritage and trust relies on the staying power of the business. Hard to argue with a business that has been doing it for over 100 years.

Davey Tree's "Your trusted tree and lawn care company since 1880." is a prime example. I mean, how do you argue with that?

• Extreme Niche

Goes beyond a simple promise or outcome. This is the extreme outlier. The one and only. The almost too crazy to be true.

Death Wish Coffee's "The World's Strongest Coffee." tells you exactly what it is and who it is for.

Your data, your assets, your peace of mind. For when security is everything.

PayPal's "The safer, easier way to pay online." highlights security as the main feature.

Great USP's truly connect on at least one of these 17 themes. 

Disney's "The Happiest Place on Earth" really tugs hard on emotional appeal.

FedEx's "When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight." is a stellar example of the outcome theme.

Both USP's are best in class utilizing a single theme, and I wouldn't change a thing about them.

But the best USP's touch on multiple themes at once.

For example, Rolex's "A Crown for every achievement." hits on three themes: 

• Lifestyle & Identity

In 5 words, Rolex was able to touch three different connections for their ideal client - a thing of beauty.

Distribution of USP Themes

Below, you will find a distribution of the USP themes utilized by the 129 companies studied.

You may notice that there are more than 129 themes represented in the chart below. This is because many of USP examples utilized multiple themes in their USP, connecting with their client in multiple ways.

The Emotional Connection, Lifestyle & Identity, and Simplicity themes are the most highly represented themes in the sample data, but as a caveat, it is a small sample size.

Still, it gives us some good indicators on top themes that should be considered when designing your own USP.

Cool. So now that you know the basics, let's get into the examples. Then, I'll show you exactly how to create your very own USP.

Table of Contents: USP Examples

Tech Company

Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Personal Care & Beauty Company

Food & Beverage Company

Fashion & Sportswear

Consumer & Homegoods Company

Retail & E-Commerce Company

Industrial & Machinery Company

Automotive & Transport Company

Service Company

Media & Entertainment Company

Tech Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples

By nature, consumer tech software companies generally focus on simplifying the difficult, so we see a clear domination of the Simplicity theme in 46.6% of our tech company unique selling proposition examples.

After Simplicity, the next theme is determined by the goal the company is trying to solve:

• Headspace = Health & Wellness
• LinkedIn = Opportunity
• ServiceTitan = Expertise / Specialization

Mint & Paypal on the other hand do not focus on the goal, but more on their client's biggest fear and hurdle in using their software, security.

Tech Company USP examples:

"the safer, easier way to pay online.".

Why is it a good USP?

Online payments can be scary. PayPal's USP directly addresses primary customer concern: security.

"Connect to opportunity."

Pitches the platform not just for connections, but the professional opportunities those connections can lead to.

"Get there: Your day belongs to you."

More than just transportation; it's about empowerment and ownership of one’s time.

"Meditation made simple."

Attracts people looking for mental well-being but who may be intimidated by traditional meditation practices. Simple yet deeply resonant.

"See your money in a new light."

Promises a fresh, simplified perspective on managing finances.

"Taxes done smarter, together."

Presents taxes – often daunting – as a collaborative, more intelligent effort.

"Where work happens."

Places the platform at the center of modern workflow and collaboration.

"Make commerce better for everyone."

Broadens the appeal, not just for store owners but for their customers as well.

"Meet happy."

Simplifies the benefit of their service – happier, hassle-free virtual meetings.

"Success. Not software."

Pivots the focus from the tool to the goal. It tells you they're about boosting your success, not just selling software.

"Your stuff, anywhere."

Simplifies the advantage of cloud storage - accessibility regardless of location.

"Earth's biggest selection."

Showcases the vastness of their offering and positions them as the top dog in retail.

"Simple. Secure. Reliable messaging."

Distills the app’s benefits into three clear words, emphasizing its core values.

ServiceTitan

"software built for the trades".

Laser-focused, telling you it's custom-built for specific industries. It's not one-size-fits-all; it's tailored.

"Belong anywhere."

Goes beyond just a place to stay, offering an inclusive, homely experience.

 Personal Care & Beauty Company  Unique Selling Proposition Examples

The themes we see in Personal Care & Beauty USP examples are a bit more spread out.

Quality of ingredients is a dominant theme represented in 41.6% of our examples.

It is easy to see how Emotional Connection and Health & Wellness connect with consumers, but there are some other interesting themes we find:

• Johnson's Baby Shampoo = Outcome
• Dollar Shave Club = Affordability
• Khiel's = Heritage

Gillette's "The best a man can get." and L'oreal Paris' "Because you're worth it." USP's are beautiful examples of playing off the psyches of their respective audience.

Personal Care & Beauty Company USP examples:

"the best a man can get.".

Combines product quality with male aspiration, creating a memorable connection.

Dollar Shave Club

"shave time. save money.".

A clever play on words that showcases both convenience and affordability.

"Fresh homemade cosmetics."

Focused on freshness and handcrafted quality, which sets them apart in the cosmetic world.

Drunk Elephant

"clean-compatible skincare.".

Cuts through the clutter, promising skincare that's both clean and effective. It's niche but speaks volumes.

L'Oréal Paris

"because you're worth it.".

It elicits an emotional appeal targeting self-worth and confidence.

Chanel No. 5

"a promise of beauty.".

Positions the fragrance as a timeless, alluring classic.

The Art of Shaving

"a brotherhood of shaving.".

Provides an elite, exclusive feel to the grooming routine, elevating it to an art form.

Head & Shoulders

"you get rid of dandruff".

Directly addresses the issue and solution of dandruff.

Burt's Bees

"nature in our hands.".

Emphasizes the natural, organic ingredients they use in their products.

Johnson's Baby Shampoo

"no more tears.".

It hits home with parents – promising gentle care for their babies.

"Feel closer."

Moves beyond skin benefits to evoke emotional connections.

"Since 1851, Natural Ingredients, Clinically Proven."

Blends tradition with science, reassuring customers their products are both natural and effective. It's trust-building.

Food & Beverage Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples

Nearly 39% of our Food & Beverage USP examples include the use of the Emotional Connection theme.

Not surprising. Food is an emotional choice. 

My favorites in this category are the two Extreme Niche brand USP's: Death Wish Coffee's "The world's strongest coffee." and Imperfect Food's "Ugly produce. Delivered."

Death Wish Coffee has nailed their ideal client. Anyone looking for a the strongest coffee knows exactly who to choose.

Ugly Produce is just plain fun. They deliver perfectly good produce that doesn't meet grocery store standards in the looks department.

Still, we see a wide variation of themes food and beverage space:

• Domino's & M&M's = Outcome 
• Coca-Cola = Emotional Connection
• Chipotle & RXBar  = Quality Ingredients

I can't help but mention Domino's "30 minute or less, or its free." campaign which catapulted the brand to success.

Food & Beverage Company USP examples:

"america runs on dunkin'.".

Positions as an essential, daily ritual for many.

"You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less, or it's free."

Guarantees speedy delivery with quality.

Deathwish Coffee

"the world's strongest coffee.".

Bold. To the point. Directly targeted to the coffee drinker who is looking for a Deathwish with their caffeine intake. 

"Open your world."

Connects the act of enjoying beer with broadening horizons and experiences.

"I'm Lovin' It."

A memorable, catchy jingle that associates the food with positivity and enjoyment.

"Finger lickin' good."

Conveys taste and satisfaction in a memorable, casual phrase.

Ben & Jerry's

"peace, love & ice cream.".

Aligns the brand with positive societal values, making it more than just a dessert choice.

"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

Highlights a unique product feature that solves a common chocolatey mess.

Dogfish Head

"off-centered ales for off-centered people.".

Celebrates individuality and hints at the unique flavors they bring to brewing.

"Food with integrity."

Positions itself as ethically sound in the fast-food industry, emphasizing fresh and ethical sourcing.

"Brew the love."

Emphasizes the emotional aspect of brewing a cup of coffee. It's more than a drink; it's an experience.

Imperfect Foods

"ugly produce. delivered.".

Embracing imperfections and reducing waste.

"Only natural ingredients."

Speaks to the health-conscious consumer looking for clean, natural products.

"Every piece is precious."

Elevates chocolates to luxury status, ensuring quality in each bite.

Barefoot Wine

"get barefoot and have a great time".

Approachable, fun, and a clear departure from traditionally "stuffy" wine brands.

"Open happiness"

Ties the act of consuming the product to a universally desired emotion.

Direct and candid. Emphasizes clean, straightforward ingredients by being forthright in its messaging.

Twining Teas

"gets you back to you.".

A calming promise, positioning tea as a return to self and relaxation.

Fashion & Sportswear Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples

In our Fashion & Sportswear USP examples, we not only move from just an Emotional Connection but to connecting with the consumer's Lifestyle and Identity. 58% of our fashion and sportswear unique selling propositions featured the Lifestyle / Identity theme.

I'm not surprised. There is a reason Nike sneakers can sell for more than $20k a pop . The brand is truly ingrained into the buyer's identity

A great example of utilizing a different theme is seen in TOMS Shoes . Their USP, "With every shoe you purchase, TOMS will help someone in need." utilized the Societal Impact theme to great effect. Clients loved the shoes and the feeling of helping those in need. 

Fashion & Sportswear Company USP examples:

"just do it.".

A rallying cry for action, associating the brand with determination.

Under Armour

"the only way is through.".

A mantra that speaks to perseverance and determination, aligning with athletic aspirations.

"Elevating the World from Mediocrity to Greatness."

Aims high, connecting their athletic wear to a grander mission of global improvement. It's aspirational and inspiring.

"The world’s most comfortable shoes, made naturally."

A dual promise of comfort and sustainability.

Tiffany & Co.

"elegance. with a wild side".

The mix of tradition with a hint of modern edge.

"A crown for every achievement."

Merges the product with a sense of accomplishment.

"A diamond is forever."

 Associate their product with timeless commitment.

"With every product you purchase, TOMS will help someone in need."

Aligns purchase with a social cause, adding value beyond the product.

"Never hide."

Advocates authenticity and confidence, values intrinsic to brand identity.

The North Face

"never stop exploring.".

A call to adventure that resonates with their target audience's lifestyle.

"Made for the shared joy of the outdoors."

Connects products to experiences and memories outdoors.

Dr. Martens

"made like no other shoe on earth.".

Emphasizes uniqueness and durability, aligning with the brand’s rebellious image.

Retail & E-commerce Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples 

Our Retail & E-Commerce USP examples are a bit different We have an even 16.6% split with the Affordability, Lifestyle & Identity, and Emotional Connection themes.

This variety is evidenced by the fact that retail and e-commerce can be very niche. Each niche has a different client it is trying to attract. 

• Warby Parker = Luxury + Affordability (an oxymoron that works)
• Zappos = Customer First (and famously I might add)
• Planet Fitness = Emotional Connection (but the exact opposite of what you might think when it comes to gyms)

These examples show many different ways to connect with clients leading to some truly great inspiration!

Retail & E-Commerce Company USP examples:

Hello fresh, "fresh ingredients. step-by-step recipes. delivered to your door.".

Easy breakdown of the brand promise and service for immense clarity.

Planet Fitness

"the judgement free zone.".

Welcoming atmosphere for beginner's who fear judgment from avid gym goers.

"The legendary notebook."

Bestows an air of timelessness, history, and reliability.

"Where creativity happens."

Positions the store as a hub for creative endeavors, making it a go-to for all craft needs.

"Powered by service."

Shifts the focus from the products to the outstanding customer service they provide.

Warby Parker

"designer eyewear at a revolutionary price.".

It directly challenges the traditionally high prices of designer eyewear, making style accessible.

"A life outdoors is a life well lived."

Appeals to emotional aspirations of outdoor enthusiasts.

Total Wine & More

"america’s wine superstore®".

Suggests vast selection and leadership in the market.

"Beauty is yours to create."

Empowers the consumer, making beauty personal and creative.

"Expert service. Unbeatable price."

Pairs the assurance of expertise with value for money.

"For pets and the people who love them."

Creates an emotional connection by including both pets and their owners in the brand promise.

Bad Ass Work Gear

"the toughest gear for the toughest men.".

Positions it's gear as being the toughest and most durable while aligning itself with the target customer base.

Whole Foods

"america’s healthiest grocery store.".

Puts an emphasis on health and quality positioning the brand as an outlier.

1-800-Flowers

"flowers are our passion.".

Prioritizes genuine care and expertise in floral arrangements.

"More saving. More doing."

Promises both financial savings and the fulfillment of completing projects for doers.

"Where Getting Ready is Half the Fun."

Taps into the excitement of dressing up, not just the products. It's relatable and adds an emotional layer.

"Stop Slipping Glasses."

 Hits a specific pain point for glasses wearers in just three words. It's targeted, relatable, and offers an instant fix.

Squatty Potty

"healthy elimination elevated.".

Makes a bathroom taboo subject approachable and humorous.

Service Business Unique Selling Proposition Examples 

Again, we see three themes (Outcome, Customer First, and Simplicity) with a 20% split in our Service Company USP examples.

I was surprised to see affordability pop up as a Service Company theme, but Aspen Dental does a nice job with their USP, "Dentures made affordable."

• DryBar = Outcome + Expertise & Specialization + (almost Extreme Niche)
• Merry Maids = Simplicity
• Athletico = Health & Wellness

FedEx has an absolute gem of a USP with their: " When it absolutely, positively needs to be there overnight. " 

Service Company USP examples:

"we make the view bright.".

Positive, results-focused statement.

Turner Construction

"building the future.".

Positions as forward-thinking and progressive.

"When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."

Communicates reliability and timeliness, vital in the delivery business.

Mayo Clinic

"the needs of the patient come first.".

Patient-focused, emphasizes care over profits.

Two Men & a Truck

"movers who care.".

Humanizes the brand, promises gentle handling of possessions.

"Leave Worry Behind®."

Ease, peace of mind, quick service.

"No cuts. No color. Just blowouts."

Clear focus on one service, promising expertise.

 Athletico Physical Therapy

"better for every body.".

Clever wordplay showing that their physical therapy will improve the body of everyone.

Roto-Rooter

"and away go troubles down the drain.".

Clear visual of problem-solving without the mess.

 The Joint Chiropractic

"improve your quality of life.".

Positions their service as transformative, not just corrective.

Merry Maids

"relax. it’s done.".

Assurance of thoroughness and peace of mind.

Aspen Dental

"dentures made affordable.".

Highlights affordability in a typically expensive industry.

"Your trusted tree and lawn care company since 1880."

Stresses heritage, longevity, and trust. A tree company that has been around since the 1880's must be good!

Best Friends Pet Care

"where pet care is personal.".

Highlights individualized attention and care.

Edward Jones

"making sense of investing.".

Simplifies a complicated topic for the layperson.

Consumer & Home Goods Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples

For our Consumer and Homegoods USP examples, we see three themes with 20% representation each: Category Leader, Lifestyle / Identity, and Emotional Connection.

Mr. Clean and Tide both go the Category Leader route and stand by their claim. Category Leader is one of the tougher themes to manage because you must be able to back it up. 

A few of the more interesting themes:

• GoPro = Opportunity
• Lego = Emotional Connection
• Dyson = Reliability & Performance

Consumer & Home Goods Company USP examples:

"america's leading usb charger brand.".

Positions themselves as the authority in the niche.

"Be a HERO."

Ties product usage to adventure and heroism, not just video recording.

"Delighting you always."

Portrays a brand promise of consistent customer satisfaction.

"The home sound system: A smart network of wireless speakers."

Fuses quality sound with the convenience of wireless tech - no messy wire running.

"Powerful cleaning comes naturally."

Merges efficacy with environmentally conscious messaging.

"If it's got to be clean, it's got to be Tide.."

Demonstrates the the main benefit of the product while establishing itself as the #1 product in the category.

"Made to make."

Celebrates creation and the act of building.

"Rebuild the world."

Encourages creativity and change, appeals to both kids and adults.

"The only vacuum cleaner that maintains 100% suction all of the time."

Directly addressing a common issue with competitor products and reliability of Dyson.

"For nearly a century, Le Creuset premium cookware has been trusted in kitchens around the world."

Stresses heritage, trust, and long-lasting quality.

"Craftsmanship at the pinnacle of culture."

"find your fit.".

Encourages a personalized fitness journey, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Mrs. Meyer's

"rooted in goodness.".

Emphasizes natural origins and purity, appealing to eco-conscious consumers.

"Clinically proven relief and daily protection for sensitive teeth."

Positions the product as both an immediate solution and a preventive measure.

"There's no clean like Mr. Clean."

Differentiates from other cleaning products by personalizing the brand.

Industrial & Machinery Business Unique Selling Proposition Examples

The Societal Impact theme was represented in 33.3% of our Industrial & Machinery Company USP examples.  At first I was surprised to see this, but it it is understandable given that these 3 are humongous transformational companies like 3M , Waste Management , and Evoqua .  

The Quality and Reliability / Performance Themes are present in Caterpillar , Trane , and John Deere which makes sense for industrial machinery.

Industrial & Machinery Company USP examples:

"it's hard to stop a trane.".

Zeroes in on durability and reliability. It assures you that once a Trane system is up and running, it's built to last.

Lincoln Electric

"the welding experts.".

Zeroes in on expertise, making them the go-to choice for welding. It's clear, concise, and credible.

"Quality. Commitment. Service."

A trifecta that hits the mark—quality products, committed teams, and stellar service. Simple yet impactful.

"Science. Applied to Life."

Connects complex science to everyday life, implying their innovations make your life better. Smart and relatable.

Waste Management

"thing green.".

Differentiates trash companies in a pivot to sustainable, eco-conscience branding. Plus, their trucks are green.

Caterpillar

"built for it.".

Strong and direct, implying durability and reliability without fluff. It aligns perfectly with brand image.

"Nothing Runs Like a Deere."

Catchy and speaks to product quality, implying unrivaled performance in machinery. It's memorable and confident.

"Ingenuity  for life."

It indicates that they create opportunities for improved living, healthcare, infrastructure, and more.

"Transforming Water. Enriching Life."

Goes beyond water treatment to life enrichment, linking essential resources to quality of life in a compelling way.

Media & Entertainment Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples

44.4% of our Entertainment & Media Company USP examples utilized the Emotional Connection Theme. Nintendo's "Experience the joy of play." is a great example of this theme.

I really enjoyed HBO's use of the Category Leader theme in their USP: "It's not TV, it's HBO."

One of my favorite Entertainment & Media Company USP's is Draft King's "Make it reign." The play on words positions them as the "King" of sports betting while also hitting on the opportunity of winning big. Make it rain!

Entertainment & Media Company USP examples:

"see what's next.".

Creates intrigue and emphasizes constant content updates.

"It's not TV, it's HBO."

Differentiates itself as a premium, distinct experience compared to regular TV.

Marvel Comics

"where the marvel universe lives.".

Taps into the expansive, interconnected world that Marvel has built across its comic books, movies, and TV shows. 

"Experience the joy of play."

Zeroes in on the pure, emotional benefit of their products—joy. 

Draft Kings

"make it reign.".

Clever play on words conveys the thrill, potential glory, and the hope of winnings of sports betting

"Broadcast Yourself."

 Encapsulates the democratization of media—anyone can become a broadcaster.

"The Happiest Place on Earth."

It's an emotional promise that has kept people coming back for generations.

"Music for everyone."

Promotes inclusivity and universal access, regardless of user's musical taste.

The Economist

"arm yourself with understanding.".

Makes the act of reading their publication akin to preparing for a battle, a way to power oneself with knowledge.

Automotive & Transport Company Unique Selling Proposition Examples 

Unsurprisingly, most automaker themes center around the Lifestyle / Identify theme. The vehicle you drive is insanely personal. Just ask a Jeep driver .

The Expertise theme is represented by Airbus & Rolls-Royce . Obviously, we expect our planes to be expertly engineered so our planes do not crash and the ultimate luxury car to be a perfect feat of engineering and design.

One of my favorite Automotive and Transport Company USP's is Harley Davidson's "American by Birth. Rebel by Choice." I guarantee you no other brand has connected so well with their audience as evidenced by 1000's of Harley Davidson tattoos sported by Harley riders.

Automotive & Transport Company USP examples:

H arl ey davidson, "american by birth. rebel by choice.".

Captures the essence of the brand—freedom, rebellion, and Americana—all in one.

"We make it fly."

Clear and powerful, emphasizing their expertise in aviation. It instills confidence and speaks directly to their skill.

Rolls-Royce

"strive for perfection in everything you do.".

Captures its essence of luxury and excellence, setting high standards that resonate with its elite customer base.

"Connect, Protect, Explore and Inspire the World through Aerospace Innovation."

Elevates the brand beyond planes to global impact through aerospace innovation, aligning with grand, inspiring goals.

"Accelerate the World's Transition to Sustainable Energy."

Elevates the brand beyond just cars or products, framing them as a leader in the shift towards sustainability.

"We're Here to Get You There."

Nails customer needs: convenience and reliability. It's not just about car rental, but getting you to your destination.

How to Create the Perfect Unique Selling Proposition for Your Business

Now that we understand USP themes and have seen 129 examples of great USP's, you are armed with the information to craft your very own Unique Selling Proposition.

I'll take you through my very own 5 step USP generating process.

Step 1:  Assess Your Business & Competitive Market

The secret to creating a truly great unique selling proposition is in understanding your clients, and exactly why they should buy from you.

To help with this, ask yourself these questions:

• Who is your ideal client? What do they need?
• What about your business is unique?
• What benefits do you provide your clients? Which of these stands out above others?
• What do your competitors do better than you?
• Anything you can improve on?

Thinking through these questions will help you understand what sets your business apart from others in the market.

Step 2:  Add Your USP Themes

Now, let's take your most unique benefit or benefits from the questions above and start thinking about your USP in terms of themes. Remember, there are a total of 17 USP themes that are commonly used by the top companies in the world.

Here they are again for ease of scrolling.

USP Theme List

• Lifestyle / Identity
• Health & Wellness

Rank your business in each theme in order.

For example, let's say you own an auto repair shop. Your top 4 themes may be:

Step 3:  Match Your Unique Benefits to Your Themes

Let's continue with the auto repair shop example. 

Let's say our shop has been open in our community for 50 years (Heritage Theme) We believe in top quality (Quality Theme) work while being completely honest (Emotional Connection Theme). We'll treat you and your vehicle like we would  our own Mother (Outcome Theme).

Now we have two options:

• Narrow it down to a single theme and benefit, and create a short catchy USP.
• Stack themes for greater impact.

Step 4:  Stack Themes if You Can

The best USP's hit multiple themes at once. This can be extremely difficult to do.

When done correctly it is a beautiful thing.

For our auto repair shop, we'll try to stack our top 4 themes in our USP:

Auto Repair Shop USP Example

"the most trusted company in "your town" for quality auto repairs,  ensuring your family's safety  for over 50 years .".

Theme Stacking

Emotional Connection + Quality + Outcome + Heritage

For our auto repair shop, we were able to stack 4 themes into one single USP.

Note that this USP is longer than our example USP's, but that's okay, especially for local service businesses because you do want to be more specific (like adding in the specific location you serve.

In fact, I would prefer to have a longer USP if it truly communicates your unique selling proposition and brand promise.

However, the larger your business grows, the more precise your USP should become, as long as it clearly communicates the brand promise and unique value.

Step 5:  Refine Your USP

Here we'll take our long USP and refine to its best and simplest form. This can be done now or over the course of years.

Let's take our auto repair shop example once again:

If Trust & Quality are our most compelling unique benefits over our competitors, and we only added "ensuring your family's safety" to hit on the Outcome theme, we could remove "ensuring your family's safety" to further refine our USP.

Our USP would now look like this:

Auto Repair Shop USP Refinement #1

"the most trusted company in "your town" for quality auto repairs   for over 50 years .".

This flows a bit better, and while we've removed the Outcome theme, the Quality theme already insinuates a good outcome. No harm here.

But, what if our little auto repair shop is growing? We're in more towns. Multi-state even! 

Location doesn't matter as much anymore as we can no longer be the center point of just want community or state. In this case we can take out the location.

Auto Repair Shop USP Refinement #2

"the most trusted company for quality auto repairs   for over 50 years .".

Maybe we start to think. We don't just want to be a company. We want to be seen as experts.

We do have the best trained technicians.

So, we're going to change "company" to "automotive experts" to add in the Expertise theme.

Now, here is something cool. I want to make one more slight adjustment. By adding just one word, "delivering," we can add back the Outcome theme in a very fluid and cohesive way.

So, here is our final result.

Auto Repair Shop USP Refinement #3

"the most trusted   automotive experts   delivering  quality   auto repairs  for over 50 years .".

Emotional Connection + Expertise +  Quality + Outcome + Heritage

With our latest revision, we're now hitting on 5 themes: Trust, Expertise, Outcome, Quality, and Heritage. Not too bad.

Similarly, your USP should go through a revision process both during creation and throughout the life of your company as it grows and transforms.

Now It's Your Turn

I hope these USP examples have inspired you to power up your company with a jaw dropping USP.

A great unique selling proposition will show your clients exactly what you stand for and why they should choose you.

Maybe one day you'll be an example yourself.

What's your favorite USP? Let me know in the comments.

About the Author

I help successful entrepreneurs and small business owners discover and implement the growth strategies that will make the largest impact on their business in record time.

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Unique selling proposition (usp) explained with examples.

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Table of Contents

What is a Unique Selling Proposition?

A Unique Selling Proposition or USP is a statement that defines the uniqueness of your business and its products/services. In other words, a USP states why your target audience should choose you over the competition.

Lack of uniqueness has become a major problem in the business industry. Just think about it, out of all the pharmacies, grocery stores, and hardware stores out there, how many of them are actually unique? Very few. Others do and sell the same stuff as their competitors.

Discovering the USP of your business may not be as easy as it sounds. With so many businesses in almost every market, you may even think coming up with something that sets your business apart from others is impossible.

Actually, it’s not that hard. You just need some creativity. A good way to start is to analyze your competitors and see what their Unique Selling Propositions are.

Carefully observe their ads and marketing strategies to understand what they are focusing on when marketing their products/services.

Don’t try to make your business known for everything. Pick one thing your business does better its competitors and make that your unique selling proposition.

Then your business will be known only for that particular benefit and not for everything.

e.g: Starbucks is known for their premium coffee beverages. But are they known for their low prices as well? No. They know it’s impossible to maintain the quality of their coffee beverages while selling them for low prices. This is Starbuck’s USP.

Businesses that attempt to be known for everything often end up being known for nothing.

Why is a unique selling proposition important for my business?

Knowing exactly what’s unique about your business will help you target your sales more efficiently and accurately.

Let’s take two companies as examples. Company #1 offers consultancy, social media marketing, SEO, SEM, and PPC while company #2 only offers SEO services and they are well known for that.

Let’s assume you own a blog and you want to hire an SEO company to boost organic traffic to your site. Let’s also assume you know about both these companies.

Now which company would you hire to get the job done? Obviously it should be company #2 because SEO is their specialty. The more fields your business focus on, the less seriously customers will take you.

However, there are some exceptions as well. Large companies may focus on providing multiple services if they have sufficient resources such as employees, and funds.

They may have that luxury but you don’t. So it’s better to focus on providing one specific service and do it better than your competition.

In addition, customers may be tempted to turn towards your competition if they don’t know how your new business is any different from other businesses in the market.

So it’s your job to let them know about what makes your business stand out from the rest and why your business deserves their time, money and trust.

How do I uncover my business’s unique selling proposition?

Look at your business as a customer, not as an owner.

A big mistake most first-time entrepreneurs make is falling in love with their own products/services and ignoring the needs and wants of the customers.

Your business should satisfy customers’ needs and wants, not yours. So step back and look at your business from a customer’s point of view and not from an owner’s point of view. Ask yourself “If I am a customer, what would I like and dislike about this business?”.

Let’s say that you own a pizza restaurant. Is it the only pizza restaurant around? most probably, not. So why should people choose your pizza restaurant over older, bigger pizza restaurants nearby? And what will make them come back again and again?

They are not only coming to eat pizza. They also expect quality, convenience, reliability, friendliness, cleanliness, courtesy and customer service.

If one of your competitors claim to offer pizzas at the “lowest prices”, you should focus on something else such as delivery or quality.

Spy on your competitors

When your business starts to grow, you will be able to ask customers what they think about your business and its products/services.

Get to know why they chose your business over the competition and ask them to rate the importance of the services you offer including taste, size, ingredients, atmosphere and customer support.

You will be surprised to see how brutally honest people can be. So this is a good chance for you to identify the weak-points of your business.

If your business is new, you won’t have much customers to ask from so an alternate is to spy on your competitors. You can disguise as a normal customer and visit competitors to see what and how they are selling.

If you are really brave, you can take this a step further by asking customers what they liked and disliked about your competitors’ products and services after they leave their premises.

Solve a problem

Identify a problem your target audience is facing that your competitors haven’t covered yet and focus on solving it before anyone else does.

Let’s take the pizza restaurant example from above. You know that one of your competitors is offering pizzas at the lowest possible prices but no one has prioritized on delivery yet.

Seize this opportunity to make your business stand out by providing better delivery services than others.

What if another pizza restaurant focuses on delivery as well? Your business will loose its purpose and there won’t be anything to stop your target audience from leaning towards your competition, unless your delivery services are better .

Instead of trying to change your USP entirely, you could still maintain the competitive edge by adding some perks.

For example, a competitor may offer fast delivery but may not offer the facility to pay via cards on delivery (only cash). You can cover that to make sure you still stand out.

Make a promise

This is the part where you form a concise statement about your USP. Remember that a USP is essentially a promise or pledge made to your customers so make sure the statement reflects it clearly.

The pizza restaurant for example may need a USP that says “Eat more, wait less!”. Customers will surely remember what you stand out for and will spread word about you based on that.

Your work is not done yet. Before finalizing your USP, it’s a good idea to run it through the executive staff, or even create a focus group to determine the impact it makes to your potential customers.

You probably won’t land on the perfect USP in the first try itself but as you keep brainstorming, you will eventually get it.

Keep in mind, it’s not about having a unique product or service, it’s about making your product or service stand out even in a market filled with similar businesses as yours.

Your Unique Selling Proposition should be strong enough to attract new customers. If no one cares about what your business does best, your USP would have no purpose.

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What Is a Unique Selling Proposition and How to Write One

• by Francesca Nicasio

minute read

Feeling overwhelmed? Not sure where to start with a USP? Read this guide to learn:

• What a unique selling proposition is
• Why your business needs a USP

How to write a unique selling proposition

Best practices for writing a usp, how to use a usp in your marketing strategy, how and where to use a usp on your online store, examples of strong unique selling propositions, start an online store and scale your business.

Bring your products online and start selling fast with our foolproof quickstart guide.

What is a unique selling proposition (USP)?

A unique selling proposition, also known as a unique value proposition, describes what differentiates your brand, business, or product(s) from the competition. A USP is usually expressed in a sentence or two and explains what you do, who you do it for, the benefits your brand or products provide for your customers, and what makes you different. 

It’s used internally to inform marketing efforts and externally to strengthen brand recognition. A unique selling proposition is supposed to serve as the basis for all marketing decisions at a company. While a USP is similar to a slogan, the two aren’t the same. A unique selling proposition is often longer than a slogan and can be used to help write a slogan.

Why do you need a USP?

Coming up with a unique selling proposition may seem like a small step in the bigger picture of starting a business , but it shouldn’t be overlooked. Here’s why you need a USP.

Guides marketing decisions

Your business should have a unique selling proposition because this statement guides the rest of your marketing decisions, such as your branding and style guides, digital marketing campaigns , design choices, copywriting decisions, and even the types of products you sell. Every font you use, product you develop, and Instagram caption you write should tie back to and support your brand’s USP.

Strengthens brand identity

When you make every marketing decision with your unique selling proposition in mind, you strengthen your brand’s identity and make it more memorable.

Attracts your target market

A well-written USP speaks to your ideal customer. Therefore, when all marketing decisions are based on this statement, every decision helps you attract your target market.

The formula for writing a compelling unique selling proposition is: What + Who + How

What your business does

First, describe what your company, brand, or product does. Write down whatever comes to mind, then edit this statement down to a few words.

Who you do it for

Next, describe your ideal customer. Do they fit a specific demographic? What’s their common interest? What do they believe in? What do they like to do? Summarize who your customer is.

How you’re different

Finally, explain what makes your brand or product different and the value you bring to your customer. Describe the benefits your customers gain when they shop with you or use your products.

After you’ve jotted down some ideas for your unique selling proposition, follow these tips to refine your statement.

• Keep it short. The more concise your USP, the more memorable it will be. Your customers should be able to recall or summarize your statement.
• Don’t be generic. Check out your competitors’ USPs. If yours sounds like theirs, change it up. The more unique your USP, the more memorable it will be.
• Keep your audience in mind. We can’t reiterate this tip enough because it’s so important for writing a compelling USP!

Let your unique selling proposition serve as a guide for your marketing strategy. Here’s how your USP should impact various aspects of your marketing plan .

Your logo should visually express as much about your USP as possible. Ideally, the name of your business will hint at what you do and the design will appeal to your ideal customer.

Brand guidelines

Your USP should be taken into consideration throughout your brand guidelines, including the fonts and colors you use to represent your brand. For example, if your USP has to do with sustainability, you may choose organic-looking fonts and earth tones, like greens, blues, and browns.

Style guide

In addition to visual brand guidelines, you need a style guide that conveys your brand’s voice and tone in writing. Your USP will impact this by steering you towards language that appeals to your audience.

Think of a slogan as a more concise version of your unique selling proposition. It should explain what you do in a way that appeals to your ideal customer and suggests your brand’s benefits.

Keep your USP in the forefront every time you design a new product or consider purchasing a product from a wholesaler. Will this product deliver on your brand promise? Will your target market find it useful? Will it benefit your customers? In your marketing strategy, play up the aspects of your products that relate to your USP.

Store design

Your store should be the spatial embodiment of your USP. Beyond your products and branding, which are guided by your USP, consider using decor and fixtures that also support this vision. For example, if your store specializes in frames made of recycled materials, you could build fixtures out of reclaimed or recycled materials. 

eCommerce store design

The design of your ecommerce site should be influenced by your logo, brand guidelines, and style guide, which all have roots in your unique selling proposition.

Marketing campaigns

Every marketing campaign you implement, and every aspect of the campaign—from email newsletters and social media posts to billboards and in-store posters—should highlight the unique benefits of your brand and products, and do so in a way that appeals to your ideal customers. 

Here’s a deeper dive into where and how to use your unique selling proposition throughout your ecommerce website .

While you don’t need to include your USP word for word on your homepage, placing at least your slogan on the first page of your website will help orient newcomers and strengthen your brand for returning customers.

“About us” page

Your “about us” page is the place to display your unique selling proposition loud and proud. Begin with this key statement, then let customers know other important details about your company.

Meta descriptions

Search engine optimization helps people find your website. Your website’s meta description briefly describes what people will find when they click onto your website from the search engine results page. It’s a good idea to use your USP as the meta description for your homepage to let people know what you’re all about and attract your ideal customer.

Now you know everything you need to know about how to write a unique selling proposition for your brand. If you’re still stumped, take a look at these real-world examples of effective USPs from Reformation and Nordstrom.

Reformation

On sustainable womenswear brand Reformation’s “about us” page you’ll find this statement, which closely resembles a unique selling proposition: 

“Today, we make effortless silhouettes that celebrate the feminine figure and pioneer sustainable practices, focusing on people and progress each step of the way.”

This statement accomplishes the three things every USP needs to do: explain what the brand does, for whom they do this, and how they do it.

The “what” is “mak[ing] effortless silhouettes.” By describing that these silhouettes celebrate the feminine figure, this statement appeals to female customers. Reformation creates this effortless silhouette for its customers by pioneering sustainable practices. That’s how they do what they do.

This USP also informs Reformation’s unforgettable slogan: “Being naked is the #1 most sustainable option. We’re # 2.”

Department store Nordstrom also displays its unique selling proposition on its “about us” page:

“Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion retailer offering compelling clothing, shoes and accessories for men, women and kids. Since 1901, we’ve been committed to providing our customers with the best possible service—and to improving it every day.”

This is a good example of a slightly longer USP that answers the three key questions: what does Nordstrom do? Whom does Nordstrom serve? What makes Nordstrom different?

According to the USP, Nordstrom is “a leading fashion retailer offering compelling clothing, shoes and accessories…” So, the “what” is selling garments, footwear, and accessories.

The “who” is “men, women and kids.” 

And finally, what makes Nordstrom different is its commitment to “providing our customers with the best possible service.” So, if you’re a man, woman, or child who needs clothes, shoes, or accessories and wants an elevated customer service experience, Nordstrom is the retailer for you.

Wrapping up: How to write a unique selling proposition

Not only does a unique selling proposition set your business apart from other businesses like it, it also serves as the north star for all of your other marketing decisions. If you’re just getting started on your entrepreneurial journey, invest ample time into crafting your USP. If you’ve been in business for years and want to strengthen your unique selling proposition, implement our advice.

Once your USP and marketing plan are in order, Lightspeed POS and eCommerce can help you run your business efficiently and effectively. Watch a demo today .

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Francesca Nicasio has been writing about retail and hospitality for over 10 years. She focuses on producing actionable content pieces that helps retailers and restaurants improve their operations and bottom line. Having been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, The Huffington Post and other top-tier publications, Francesca stays at the forefront of industry trends, helping businesses adapt and thrive.

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21 Unique Selling Proposition Examples to Inspire You Today

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP), also known as unique selling point, refers to the distinctive characteristic that makes your company or product stand out from the competitors. In other words, what makes you different from other businesses in the sector? What do you offer that they don’t (or do, but not as well)? Today, I will share 21 awesome unique selling proposition examples that we can all learn from.

Also, just a quick disclaimer before we move on. A couple of the links on this blog post are affiliate, which means that I will make a small commission if you end up purchasing after clicking. 

1. The Economist

You’ve seen the news, why not discover the story?

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #1: The Economist

The first on our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples is this one from The Economist. They do a remarkable job on making an unexpected, but powerful twist to a regular service of delivering the news.

While other newspapers and media channels just deliver the news of what happens around us, The Economist goes beyond that – they tell stories.

The Economist builds a Unique Selling Proposition around storytelling , which makes the company different from its competitors. Their initial claim is further supported by the following phrase:

“ Enjoy unrivalled analysis of the issues that lie behind the headlines. ” Which I absolutely love, because they are already constructing a strong Marketing statement by telling us that their analysis is unrivalled.

2. HelloFresh

America’s Most Popular Meal Kit

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #2: HelloFresh

HelloFresh is one step ahead of its competitors with a strong proposition in place: America’s most popular meal kit . However, they are not only making their product stand out by being the most popular.

Looking at their landing page, I can see at least a couple of distinctive characteristics that complement the initial one:

• Offering the biggest recipe variety on the market of meal kit delivery;
• They are also the company with the most 5-start reviews among competitors;
• HelloFresh offers no commitment , which seems to be an issue with other brands;
• Also, they claim to test each recipe 45 times to ensure its simplicity and deliciousness;

The company is doing a great job with their marketing message. In fact, each one of these points could be a USP by itself, which is awesome. Many organizations struggle to think of just one!

3. Tiffany & Co.

The right one is worth waiting for

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #3: Tiffany & Co

Next on our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples is this one from Tiffany & Co. And honestly, I am kind of obsessed with how awesome it is.

First, the phrase “The right one is worth waiting for” is a great play of words. Because it’s a diamond proposal ring, they are obviously referring to the person who would be proposing with it. However, it is also a subliminal message about the right ring worth waiting for (Tiffany’s, of course).

However, we also have another distinctive claim that makes Tiffany stand out from competitors. And that is, “We’re the leader in diamond traceability”, which means that they are responsibly sourced.

And last but not least, they are also implementing elements of storytelling within their unique selling point. When you click on “Shop the story”, you are actually taken to a subpage with mini stories associated with their products:

Can this get any more awesome?

4. WooCommerce

The most customizable eCommerce platform for building your online business.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #4: WooCommerce

What is one of the most important things that customers value in a product? That’s right: its ability to get customized and adapted to their needs . Well, Woocommerce seems to know this very well because that is exactly what their Unique Selling Proposition is about.

And that is, being the most customizable eCommerce platform for online businesses.

Which, paired with the invitation to get started for free, makes it quite difficult to ignore!

There’s a better way to grow.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #5: Hubspot

Hubspot (affiliate link) is one of the leading companies for Inbound Marketing and Sales solutions. They are also a reference when it comes to branding and communicating their Marketing messages, and their Unique Selling Proposition is a great example of that.

A lot of companies on the market offer these services in exclusively paid subscription plans. However, Hubspot´s distinctive feature is that it allows you to “Get started with FREE tools, and upgrade as you grow.”

Which they end up resuming as “There´s a better way to grow”. The idea behind it is that you get started by using their tools for free. And then, Hubspot grows with you as your business gets bigger and requires more comprehensive solutions on its journey.

Book unique places to stay and things to do.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #6: AirBnB

Next on our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples is this one from AirBnB. I love it because they have done a great job summarizing what makes them different from their competitors in just a single phrase.

And that is, their huge variety of unique places to stay in when travelling that you can´t typically find on other platforms or services of similar type. Of course, in this USP we also see their diversification intent towards activities other than just accommodation.

Which is also something that your typical booking platforms or accommodation websites don´t necessarily offer. Just awesome!

The new standard in online payments

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #7: Stripe

With the most complete toolkit on the market for businesses that want to accept online payments, Stripe has established itself as “The new standard in online payments”.

Their user-friendly interface, multiple integrations, variety of tools, and great technical support have ranked them “ the best software platform ” among their clients. And they are taking a great (and well-deserved) advantage of it as their Unique Selling Proposition.

8. Emirates

Don’t just fly, fly better

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #8: Emirates

With their slogan Don’t just fly, fly better, the state-owned airline company Emirates is taking pride in offering the most exclusive experience for their first class passengers:

Which, according to the statement above, has been possible by investing in the largest and most modern fleet of Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft in the world.  But also by providing an incredible attention to their customers and ensuring their great experience from take off to landing.

While many of their competitors are focusing on cost leadership , Emirates are taking a different approach for their brand. And they are doing an excellent job with it.

9. Turkish Airlines

Flying to the most countries

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #9: Turkish Airlines

While Emirates focuses on the experience it provides to passengers, Turkish Airlines highlight its rich offering as a Unique Selling Proposition. And that is, having the resources, capacity and agreements to fly to the biggest number of countries.

At first, this might not seem like something that a customer will necessarily value. I mean, when you are purchasing a ticket to one country, you care more about low prices, security, boarding on time, etc. Not if the airline travels to other countries as well.

However, what actually gives value to the company´s USP is their Miles& Smiles program for accumulating miles and receiving discounts. With this in mind, knowing that you can take this airline for trips to any country means that you can accumulate a lot of miles.

And consequently, get a lot of discounts. Now, it definitely sounds more exciting!

10. Ben & Jerry’s

We make the best possible ice cream in the best possible way.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #10: Ben & Jerry’s

Next on our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples is this one from Ben & Jerry’s.

When I first read it, I wasn’t sure what they meant with it exactly. Saying “the best” isn’t very specific, and can be very subjective in some cases. So what did this claim mean?

But then, I scrolled down and each of the images revealed the following texts:

• Caring dairy;
• Cage free eggs;
• Fair trade;

By clicking on each of the images , you will be taken to a specific landing that explains the company’s efforts in Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility. Which finally made me understand what they meant with their USP.

11. Postmates

Anything, anytime, anywhere.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #11: Postmates

Postmates is US-based company that employes couriers to deliver goods of all sources locally. They take pride in their unique capabilities and resource availability to match inventories and consumer demand.

This makes it possible to deliver “anything, anytime, anywhere”, more than any other brand on the market. Which is the essence of their Unique Selling Proposition.

In fact, they aim to become a referent in the sector to the point in which the company’s name is used as a verb: “Postmate it”.

The smartest corporate card in the room

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #12: Brex

The startup company Brex aims to differ from its competitors by offering “the smartest corporate card in the room”. It includes unique features such as:

• Instant approvals;
• Modern payment terms;
• No personal guarantee;
• Higher than usual limits;
• Advanced fraud protection.

Their Unique Selling Proposition is built around their main product – the credit card. And of course, the exclusive benefits it offers compared to the competition. Which has been further enhanced by all the clients listed on their website.

13. Robinhood

It’s Time to Do Money

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #13: Robinhood

The next USP from our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples comes from Robinhood.

Robinhood is a company that offers commission-free trading in one, user-friendly platform. I absolutely love their slogan: “ It’s Time to Do Money “. This slogan, paired with the simple, but powerful description, definitely highlights what makes them different from their competitors.

And that is, being the pioneer in commission-free investing. In other words, they are doing something that no one else was doing at the moment.

Disclaimer: I am NOT promoting Robinhood under any shape or form. This is just an example.

14. Salesforce

Connect to your customers in a whole new way with the world’s #1 CRM platform.

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #14: Salesforce

Salesforce is coming strong with their statement, and is quite well-deserved. According to data from their own website, currently over 150,000 businesses are using their CRM! Which is completely mind-blowing.

And definitely a Unique Selling Proposition that every organization would love to have. Simply being the best. (just to make it clear that this is not my claim, but Salesforce´s.)

A quick search also shows us that they have some of the most comprehensive and feature-rich tools on the market. Which enhances their statement even more.

15. Contently

The highest-rated content marketing solution

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #15: Contently

What makes Contently different from competitors is the amount of users who have trusted in their product. This might not be a distinctive feature of the platform, but is a guarantee for unmatched quality that not every organization can provide.

For this reason, being “the highest-rated content marketing solution” is a Unique Selling Proposition for Contently. And it is a definitely a very solid one, as it can be proved with actual ratings from their customers.

The first bank you’ll love

Unique Selling Proposition Examples #16: N26

Next, we have this brilliant example from N26, a German bank that operates exclusively online. They have taken a service that people have to consume, but dislike to, and turned into something enjoyable that takes no time.

For this reason, their USP “the first bank you will love” is definitely something that grabs the attention. And makes you want to learn more about the product. The company´s effort in creating a unique product makes them stand out from the crowd.

To create a better everyday life for the many people.

Our list of unique selling proposition examples continues with IKEA. The company’s strongest selling point is their innovative approach of selling ready to assemble furniture at extremely affordable prices.

The low prices, combined with the wide variety of well designed products that are easy to assemble in comparison to those of other competitors, make IKEA’s USP one of the strongest and most sustainable examples on the list.

Their unique approach really makes them stand out from other competitors on the market.

18. Siteground

Expert Hosting Support Our Customers Love.

Siteground is a web hosting service that stands out with one of the most exceptional customer support within their niche. I can actually confirm that it is pretty amazing, and it is truly worth the money.

They provide a 24/7 support, answer almost immediately, and resolve issues extremely fast compared to other hosting services that I’ve tried myself.

Considering that hosting is an extremely competitive market, and websites experience technical issues all the time, offering an outstanding customer service definitely makes for a very strong USP that customers appreciate.

Hermés, contemporary artisans since 1837.

There are thousands of clothing and accessories brands in the world, but one of the most distinctive ones is Hermés.

Hermés prides itself in their unique, hand-crafted purses that celebrities consider an investment, and may cost up to 300 000 dollars a piece!

The company’s unique selling proposition is not only the fact that their purses are hand-crafted and supported by a rich brand history, but also because they are made using rare and exotic skins, and each model is a limited edition.

To be able to buy a purse, celebrities have to be invited by the company – and they will be put on a waiting list! Needless to say, Hermés Marketing strategy has managed to establish an extremely strong USP for the brand.

20. Starbucks

Expect more than coffee.

Our list of Unique Selling Proposition examples continues with Starbucks – one of the most popular coffee chains in the world.

Starting off as a small coffee shop in 1971, the brand stood out from competitors with one thing – the unique experience that they provide to customers.

While most coffee shops are focused mainly on selling coffee, Starbucks decided to take a different approach and provide a full experience from the moment you enter their shop to the moment you get out.

There is a reason why many people take their laptop and go to work there – from the cozy environment to the coffee cups with their name on it, they can really enjoy spending their time there. Which is something that many competitors don’t really offer.

Reliable light and power when you need it.

Speaking of awesome unique selling proposition examples, we also have XTorch – a company that appeared on US reality show Shark Tank seeking an investment of $150,000 in exchange for a 10% equity.

Although they didn’t score a deal from the sharks, they taught us a valuable Marketing lesson on Shark Tank – the importance of having a solid USP. Companies should be able to explain what exactly differentiates them from competitors , what makes their product stand out from the crowd?

XTorch explained that they are not a simple torch. They are “the only rechargeable, solar powered flashlight – lantern – phone charger that you can count on”. Powerful, right? I absolutely love this, and it was the perfect answer for the sharks who wanted to know why purchase XTorch and not a regular , much cheaper torch from the store.

That was all from me, folks! I hope you liked my article on the best unique selling proposition examples. When it comes to writing a USP, it is extremely important that every business knows their strongest points and what makes them stand out from competitors. This will be the key to identifying a unique selling point that actually sells.

In addition, if you liked this article, you may also like the following ones:

• 7 Powerful Ways to Create a Unique Selling Proposition
• 101 Incredible Mission Statement Examples (in 2021)
• 73 Amazing Vision Statement Examples to Spark Your Creativity

Also, let’s answer some of the most important questions when it comes to USP:

What is a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

A Unique Selling Proposition (USP) refers to the biggest strength of a company, that feature or service that makes them stand out from competitors within a particular niche. For example, providing an outstanding customer service or offering the fastest shipping.

What is the purpose of a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

The purpose of a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is to identify the feature or characteristic that makes your business better than the competition, and to help you drive more sales through it.

What are some Unique Selling Proposition examples?

Some Unique Selling Proposition examples include: Siteground's outstanding customer support, Magento's most customizable ecommerce platform, Hubspot's free CRM tool, and Starbucks' unique coffee experience.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave them in the comments below. And I hope to see you again soon!

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My name is Ani and I am a trilingual Digital Marketing & Analytics Specialist with 10 years of experience across multiple sectors including Cloud-based services, SaaS, Digital payments, Mobile apps, and Executive Education, among others.

My expertise covers areas such as Google Ads, Google Analytics, Search Engine Optimization, Content Marketing, and Social Media.

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Unique Selling Proposition Examples You Should Pay Attention To

Embarking on the marketing journey often starts with fundamental questions like "What is a unique selling proposition?" and "How can we create one that truly resonates with our audience?" 

You're in the right place to get all the answers you need. In this article, we'll showcase inspiring USP examples from 20 brands, guide you on crafting your own, and address some common queries about USP. Let's dive in together!

20 Effective Examples of Unique Selling Propositions and Their Benefits

As we've covered the definition of a unique selling proposition in our FAQ section below, we're convinced that jumping into real-life USP marketing examples is the key to truly grasping its essence, principles, and significance. Draw inspiration from different brands, adopt their best practices, and set the stage for repeating their success! 

1. Hiut Denim Co

This brief USP example communicates two crucial messages to the audience. First and foremost, Hiut Denim Co. highlights its distinctive feature – an exclusive focus on jeans production, setting them apart from brands that offer a broader range of clothing. Second, the company emphasizes that this specialization enables it to deliver exceptional quality beyond what its competitors can achieve.

2. Spotify for Podcasters

Spotify taps into the emotional connection with its audience, promising to elevate their brainchild, that is, podcasts. Simultaneously, the brand underscores its support for podcasters at any level and, equally crucial, the provision of free tools to achieve desired results. This is one of USP marketing examples that dismantles barriers and addresses any doubts in the audience's mind, emphasizing that it's unquestionably designed for them and about them.

3. Nomadica

Nomadica encapsulates three crucial USP elements within a single sentence. They stand out by offering high-quality wine in cans, a departure from the conventional bottle packaging used by most companies. Their competitive edge lies in a commitment to sustainability, resonating with a growing number of individuals each year. Last but not least, Nomadica clearly defines its target audience as environmentally conscious individuals with a passion for excellent wine, seeking to enjoy it not just in upscale restaurants but also while strolling in the park or relaxing at home.

Shopify proudly maintains its status as the top platform for online stores. Its USP example emphasizes that both established brands and aspiring entrepreneurs enjoy an equal opportunity for success. This assurance leaves no room for doubt among e-commerce representatives that Shopify is the ideal space to foster business development.

Shopify provides an extensive array of tools to support business growth and boost sales. One noteworthy tool in this arsenal is Claspo . By opting for our platform to create website widgets, you gain access to intelligent anti-bounce solutions. It ensures a positive user experience and a significant increase in conversion rates.

5. WooCommerce

If you are looking for USP marketing examples that employ superlatives, WooCommerce does it proudly by claiming to be "the most customizable." This instantly positions WooCommerce as superior to its competitors. Beyond that, the company addresses a fundamental need of its target audience – the desire to craft a distinctive website aligned with its ideas and visions rather than another online store that will be lost in the crowd. 

6. Webflow 

Webflow focuses on a common pain point for many entrepreneurs—the requirement to code for an effective website, often serving as a barrier to transitioning a business online. In this USP example, Webflow swiftly presents a solution, assuring potential customers that the platform will handle the intricacies of code writing for them. This approach effectively dismantles doubts and resonates with those seeking a hassle-free path to establishing their online presence.

7. Saddleback Leather

Saddleback Leather strongly emphasizes the exceptional quality of its products in its USP, boldly asserting that they will outlive their owners—an undeniably distinctive characteristic reinforced by an impressive 100-year warranty. This USP example sets the brand apart from competitors who predominantly position their products as status symbols or tributes to style. By highlighting the durability of everyday items, Saddleback Leather wins over an audience that values quality, longevity, and reliability.

With Claspo widgets, you can integrate your USP onto your website in the same way. Our floating bars are strategically positioned at the top or bottom of the screen, accompanying visitors as they scroll. They do not disrupt the viewing experience, subtly capturing attention while ensuring your USP remains prominently displayed and impactful.

Olipop positions its products as the "soda you grew up sipping," tapping into a sense of nostalgia. This evokes fond memories and serves as a subtle quality guarantee, as many can recall the excellent taste. However, as we've grown, our concerns extend beyond taste to the composition of the products we consume. In this USP example, Olipop emphasizes this shift, presenting a distinctive feature of its product—a healthier soda enriched with a range of beneficial elements.

9. PandaDoc

In the wake of the pandemic, businesses have shifted numerous processes online, and document signing is no exception. Recognizing the concerns and mistrust that electronic signing may evoke, PandaDoc strategically addresses these issues in its USP. Including a free trial is a deliberate move aimed at bolstering the confidence of potential customers and dismantling the last barrier to adopting the product.

This is one of Patch's classic examples of unique selling propositions, where they explicitly outline what they bring to their target audience. This tactic is particularly effective for new brands seeking to introduce themselves. Notably, Patch tells plant lovers they'll handle the most challenging tasks, relieving them of potential headaches. It's a straightforward and beneficial approach to connecting with customers.

11. Third Love

Third Love's USP strikes a chord by highlighting a common challenge almost every woman faces — choosing the right bra. It cleverly positions its bras as a solution that "checks all the boxes.” It is not just a marketing promise; it's their distinctive feature. Instead of relying on traditional size charts, Third Love provides a detailed quiz ensuring a perfect match, setting them apart from competitors in the intimate apparel market.

12. Bellroy

In this compelling USP example, Bellroy goes beyond mere description and actively demonstrates how its products stand out from competitors. Prospective buyers can interact with a slider to visually increase the contents of their wallet. It provides a clear and tangible illustration of the brand's superior convenience compared to alternative options. It's an engaging way for customers to experience Bellroy's unique benefits.

13. Warby Parker

E-commerce comes with a challenge — the inability of customers to try on items before making a purchase, leading many shoppers to feel uncertain about their choices. This dilemma results in frustration for buyers and a high return rate for online retailers. Warby Parker strategically constructs its USP around this prevalent issue.

The company provides a unique solution by offering customers the chance to try on frames at home — completely free. What sets Warby Parker apart is that customers can select up to five frames, alleviating the pain of choice and significantly increasing the likelihood that at least one of the products will fit. 

This USP example from Canva succinctly communicates the platform's competitive advantages. First, it highlights its user-friendly interface, a notable contrast to alternatives like Illustrator and ProCreate. Second, Canva boasts more affordable prices. This dual offering sends a clear message to the audience: Canva makes the creation of compelling graphic designs accessible to everyone, not just a realm for professionals.

15. HelloFresh

The "#1" technique in USP marketing examples is inherently positioning a brand above its competitors. HelloFresh takes this a step further by providing social proof – it implies that a substantial number of consumers have already been won over by its quality, making it the #1 meal kit. This USP also cleverly taps into the fear of missing out, prompting potential customers to wonder, "If this meal kit is so popular, why haven't I tried it yet?"

16. Southwest Airlines

Examples of unique selling propositions commonly differentiate a product based on price, but Southwest Airlines uses an additional hook. Beyond emphasizing affordability, the airline also taps into another typical traveler concern – hidden fees. Consequently, when faced with two budget-friendly options, customers are more inclined to choose Southwest Airlines, reassured by their commitment to transparency.

17. Dossier

Dossier employs a savvy strategy to differentiate itself from luxury perfume brands. It doesn't merely emphasize the considerable cost difference (70-90% less!) but also calls attention to the pricing policy, highlighting that luxury brand fans often pay extra for various factors unrelated to quality. Thus, the company challenges the notion that quality should come with an exorbitant price tag.

This unique selling proposition not only appeals to thrifty buyers but also wins the favor of those accustomed to choosing expensive brands.

18. Touchland

During the pandemic, numerous manufacturers flooded the market with hand sanitizers, yet they shared common drawbacks – skin dryness and a strong alcohol odor. Touchland disrupted the status quo, introducing germ-killing sanitizers that nurture the skin and smell perfectly. Positioned as "hand sanitizers for the senses," Touchland has carved a unique niche where everyday products transform into rituals of self-care. 

19. Minisocial

Influencer marketing has become a lasting trend, prompting numerous brands to seek collaborations with niche opinion leaders. However, not all brands are willing or able to invest in user-generated content from high-profile social media stars. This is where Minisocial steps into the game. The USP example from Minisocial distinctly outlines their differentiator – pairing brands with micro-influencer creators. This positioning establishes Minisocial as an ideal choice for direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands or small businesses.

20. Gorgias

Gorgias takes a strategic approach in a market with many customer service helpdesk tools and carves out a niche. It targets online retailers using Shopify, which is clear from its unique selling proposition. Gorgias skillfully addresses two crucial needs of the audience simultaneously – enhancing customer retention and simplifying the support team's workflow. The incorporation of AI serves as a notable competitive advantage that enhances the overall effectiveness of their USP.

How to Create Your USP?

Each of the above USP marketing examples is the culmination of a meticulous process involving research, analysis, the creative process, and rigorous testing. Traversing through each phase, you can craft a truly impactful USP that will significantly benefit your business.

Know Your Audience

All successful examples of unique selling propositions align with the audience's motives, needs, and values, making it imperative to adopt this approach. Millennials, for instance, prioritize a brand's ethics and social responsibility over price. Meanwhile, Gen Xers opt for practical products that simplify their lives. To delve deeper into your audience's preferences, engage in market research focusing on the following key questions:

• Who are my clients, and what are their main characteristics?
• How do they make purchasing decisions, and what influences them?
• Where does your brand fit into their daily lives?
• What problem does your product or service solve for them?
• How are they currently solving this problem, and why is your solution superior?

Conducting interviews or organizing focus groups can provide valuable insights. Additionally, reach out to existing customers for feedback on what prompted their initial purchase or what keeps them coming back.

With Claspo , you can conduct short surveys directly on your website through widgets. Place them on a post-purchase thank-you page to inquire about customers' motivations for the purchase and get valuable feedback that can enhance your understanding of your audience.

Study Your Competitors

Studying your competitors and their USP marketing examples is crucial to understanding how your brand stands out. It can also reveal your competitors' gaps, which you can fill, winning over customers. Questions worth answering in this part of the study include:

• Who are my competitors, and how do they position themselves in the market?
• What are their strengths and weaknesses?
• What is their USP, and why does the audience choose them?
• Which audience problem do they solve, and how can my brand offer a superior solution?

Conduct a SWOT analysis or use a competitive matrix to get valuable insights. Other effective tactics involve listening to their customers and experiencing their services firsthand. 

Competitor Reviews

Explore reviews on various platforms to understand customer feedback. Identify recurring praises and complaints. To craft your USP, focus on addressing the latter. For instance, if a competing restaurant has frequent delivery delays, your USP example could say: "Enjoy any dish without delays" or "Your goodies at your door within an hour!"

Customer Immersion

Take a step further by experiencing your competitor's brand firsthand. Visit their physical location or explore their website, following the entire customer journey up to the purchase (or even beyond). Throughout this process, note what you, as a customer, find lacking and areas you believe could be improved. Base your USP on these insights to offer what customers are missing.

Formulate Your USP

In essence, USP is about fulfilling the customers' needs in ways that distinguish you from competitors. Examples of unique selling propositions typically fall into several categories:

• Price: the lowest price, the best value for money, or the most attractive deal.
• Characteristics: unique properties or the highest quality of your product.
• Innovation: a groundbreaking product or service that can make a significant difference.
• Confidence: specific guarantees that instill trust and assurance in your customers.
• Convenience: your product or service is user-friendly, making it a convenient choice for customers.

Keeping these categories in mind, analyze your distinct features and benefits. Choose those that resonate with your audience and aren't already emphasized by your competitors. This strategic approach will ensure your USP hits the mark.

Write down your USP example using the formula: {Brand name} helps solve/satisfy {problem or need} with {unique feature/advantage/differentiation}. Afterward, review your draft, ensuring that your USP is:

• Easy to understand
• Customer-oriented

Test and Improve your USP

Testing your USP is crucial for two primary reasons. First, during a brainstorming session, you and your team may generate multiple compelling examples of unique selling propositions, making it challenging to determine which one will resonate most with your audience. Second, while the USP may be crystal clear to your team, its effectiveness remains a hypothesis until tested in the real world. Conducting tests allows you to gauge whether the USP truly connects with your target audience and delivers the desired results.

Since Claspo offers A/B testing, you can validate the effectiveness of your devised USPs using widgets. This method presents several advantages:

• Broad audience reach: Placing widgets on your website enables you to reach a significant portion of your audience, providing a robust sample for your experiment.
• Cost and time efficiency: You avoid investing time and money in creating a separate page or banner for your USP. Instead, effortlessly set up your widget to appear on chosen pages.
• No-code implementation: Creating and embedding widgets on your site within Claspo doesn't demand technical expertise. So you can cope without external assistance.
• Easy management: Tracking the testing results and stopping the experiment if necessary is possible in your Claspo account.

1. What is a unique selling proposition (USP)?

A unique selling proposition is a concise statement that distinguishes your product or brand from competitors, highlighting its unique benefits and strengths and explaining why customers should choose you.

2. How long should a unique selling proposition be?

It's generally recommended to keep your USP concise, ideally within one sentence and under 10 words. But you can still test different lengths to find what option appeals to your audience best.

3. Where to promote your unique selling proposition?

To share your USP with your audience, use all communication channels—social media, ads, landing pages, and your website. With Claspo, you can create eye-catching built-in or pop-up widgets to showcase your USP and grab maximum visitors' attention.

The unique selling proposition is your chance to tell your audience why your brand stands out and deserves their attention among a sea of competitors. With inspiring examples and practical advice from this article, crafting a compelling USP becomes a breeze. 

To boost your marketing game even more, subscribe to Claspo's newsletter. We promise a treasure trove of in-depth research, practical tips, and step-by-step guides, all geared toward helping you achieve the best results. Join us on this journey, and let's make your brand shine!

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Unique Selling Proposition Examples That Attract Millions

Creative juices not flowing as you wished they would, huh? They'll thaw by the end of this post.

A unique selling proposition (USP) or Unique Selling Point is what makes your product or service different from the competition. It is what sets your business apart and provides value to customers.

There are many reasons to have a USP, but it primarily allows customers to differentiate you from other businesses out there. It doesn't take long for potential customers to decide whether they want you or not.

To help you capture them in those fleeting seconds, we’ve put together the best unique selling proposition examples from various industries for your inspiration. Let’s roll!

What is a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?

The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is the unique benefit that a particular product offers to its customers. It was first coined by E. Jerome McCarthy in his 1960 book Basic Marketing: A Managerial Approach as a way for businesses to set themselves apart from their competitors.

It is often considered as the cornerstone of a marketing strategy and is used as a differentiator from other products within the same category.

In order to make your USP stand out, you need to ask yourself two questions:

1) What can I offer that my competitors cannot?

2) What do my customers already want that they don't know they want yet?

To have more success, it's important to have your USP be clear and concise so that it sticks with the customer. This is an important concept to remember when marketing a product because it helps to set you apart from the competition.

A USP has five basic components:

• Key selling points
• Key difference
• Competitive advantage

The benefit of a product or service is what draws people in, while the key selling point tells people what makes them better than other similar products. The emotive component attracts people on an emotional level and highlights why they should buy it.

The key difference states what makes your company stand out among its competitors, while the competitive advantage speaks to your track record or experience in this field.

What is an example of an effective Unique Selling Proposition?

An example of an effective Unique Selling Proposition would be using phrases like “new and improved” or “more advanced” to emphasize the newness, superiority, or advancement in some aspect of your product over one or more competitors' products.

Best Unique Selling Proposition Examples

"Empowering the world to design"

The online graphic design platform Canva has one of the best Unique Selling Proposition examples among the SaaS industry. Its service primarily focuses on streamlining the graphic design process to let anyone design beautifully without getting stuck at the limitation bar of high-price and difficult design software programs like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

“Empowering the world to design” conveys what makes the service unique and better without using too many words to explain. So what else does it signify?

• The simplicity of the product; drag and drop feature, ready-made templates, etc.
• Low prices more people can afford
• Competitive advantage in the market

"Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world. If you have a body, you are an athlete."

Another successful USP example is from Nike, the sports and footwear industry leader. As you might know, Nike sponsors top athletes in many sports branches to promote their products, technology, and design. In fact, you can track that down to the brand’s unique selling point.

By saying that its mission is to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world, it targets an audience. But what takes it dozens of steps ahead is the “*” sign and its explanation below— ”if you have a body, you’re an athlete.” By saying that Nike;

• Widens the buyer persona to not just athletes but basically anyone
• Signifies affordable prices at athlete-level quality
• Shows the company’s stand in supporting athletes and any sports activity

3. Coca-Cola

"Refresh the world. Make a difference."

Remember how we said ideally, USPs should be one sentence, but two is also okay? No? Now we did. The second one goes for Coca-Cola’s example.

The world-renown beverage corporation Coca-Cola diverts the focus on “refreshment” for their Unique Selling Point. Taking the simplicity of “refreshments and beverages” and connecting them to a more valuable meaning, it emphasizes the product and company difference by;

Stating the company's vision as sustainability for our planet, which is hinted at “Refresh the world.” Focusing on the “Make a difference” part to draw in the customers to consume the products to make a difference by joining the sustainability.

“Grow better with HubSpot”

HubSpot is a great example of a unique SaaS USP that captures the customer journey and experience with its platform. HubSpot provides an all-in-one platform that manages your CRM, sales team, marketing campaigns , and customer service all in one place. But what really makes HubSpot unique is the importance of growing your business with HubSpot.

HubSpot provides a ton of free tools to help build your business from the ground up. As you grow your business, your tools expand with more pricing, capabilities, and features.

With its USP, HubSpot aims to point out that it’s possible to start off with HubSpot’s free website builder and add any tool to integrate seamlessly into your account. Therefore, it’s how you grow better, plus more practical.

"Payments infrastructure for the internet"

Continuing with SaaS Unique Selling Proposition examples, the online payment processing service Stripe emphasizes the high volume of companies that trust it. If you’re not a worldwide SaaS brand, this example might be far-fetched for you. However, Stripe’s USP also underlines that the software is suitable for all online businesses by saying it’s for “the internet.”

"The platform commerce is built on."

Shopify is by far the most popular e-commerce platform, allowing anyone to create an online store without any coding or designing knowledge. It would be a shame if they couldn’t promote this value in their USP. Luckily, they successfully convey their Unique Selling Point by defining the SaaS as “the platform commerce is built on.”

What does it draw attention to?

• How Shopify allows many e-commerce businesses to launch and thrive
• How the platform combines everything needed to run an online store

"The simplest path to customer delight."

Hiver is a customer service software built for Google Workspace users. It is a valuable tool that offers seamless integration with Gmail, allowing teams to bring the entire functionality of a helpdesk and customer service software within someone's Gmail.

The USP of Hiver reflects its ability to allow support reps to deliver exceptional customer service without switching tabs.

This means users can continue working within their Gmail interface while managing customer inquiries, resulting in a more streamlined customer service experience.

Hiver makes us feel like, or very similar to, Gmail. Therefore, you don’t have to learn a new platform since the interface is intuitive enough to work on.

Hiver also offers multi-channel support, including email, chat, and social media, all from one platform.

All these show us how Hiver’s Unique Selling Proposition can meet its promises and presents various features to visitors and users.

"Melts in your mouth, not in your hand."

Let’s continue our list of the best Unique Selling Proposition examples from a sweeter point—but not a sticky situation. The famous candy brand M&Ms stands out among other similar candies by highlighting its hard sugar coating that preserves the chocolate inside and prevents melting in one’s hand. I told you there was no sticky business.

"When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight."

What would you expect from an ideal delivery and shipping service? To deliver your item fast, right? That’s precisely what FedEx uses for its Unique Selling Proposition. So what makes this a successful example?

It focuses on the customer instead of the brand. The boldness of the promise makes you remember it. It’s simply a tactile promise because FedEx has the infrastructure and network to deliver overnight.

10. Starbucks

"Expect more than a coffee."

Can’t start your day without a good old Starbucks coffee? Same, that’s precisely how genius marketing works. Starbucks is not only good at customer loyalty, but it also excels in Unique Selling Proposition.

The real success behind Starbucks is going beyond coffee. It’s getting people to connect various positive things in daily life with “Starbucks” coffee. For some people, it’s a good chat and tasty coffee with friends; for others, it means the right way to start a busy workday.

The USP “Expect more than coffee” conveys the company mission, which is “connection.”

11. The North Face

"Shaping the future of human/nature."

The famous outdoor recreation products company The North Face has a deeper connection with hiking as its founders were also two hiking enthusiasts. That is why the brand highlights its connection with nature in its Unique Selling Proposition.

The slash between human and nature says more than it seems. It signifies the company’s stand by hinting at sustainability as well as outdoor wear innovation.

12. Domino’s Pizza

"You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less—or it's free."

Differentiating a pizza company from others might be a challenging task. However, years ago, Domino’s came up with the famous USP that made them known to many people. Typically, pizza deliveries take long, but Domino’s made a bold promise of free pizza if the delivery exceeds 30 minutes.

“When you're only No. 2, you try harder. Or else.”

Unique Selling Propositions are all about embracing the difference—even if that seems like a weakness. That’s exactly what Avis Car Rental did in the year 1962. Avis struggled to get to the top in competition with the market leader Hertz for years.

Eventually, the company embraced its second place and turned it into a USP. This means that USPs don’t have to be bold promises; they should point at the unique company identity.

14. Tiffany & Co.

"The right one is worth waiting for."

Among many famous jewelry brands, Tiffany & Co. is specifically known for its timeless and elegant engagement rings. That being said, the brand found a creative way to communicate this uniqueness by making an analogy about love and how the right engagement rings from Tiffany’s.

15. Death Wish Coffee

“We live to rebel against blah beans—and a boring lackluster life.”

The coffee brand Death Wish Coffee is, in fact, a successful underdog that stood apart from industry giants with clever marketing. Its Unique Selling Proposition example stems from the brand’s specialty—the dark roast, in an amusing way.

16. Fullstory

"Craft a more perfect digital experience."

Fullstory is a SaaS product that focuses on user/data tracking to help websites or apps improve user experience. You can understand it from one look at its USP, which is “Craft a more perfect digital experience.” It is not only simple and promising, but it also focuses on the value customers will receive by using it.

"To create a better everyday life for the many people."

The famous Swedish-origin Dutch-headquartered furniture and homeware company, IKEA, focuses on the utmost benefit they bring to customers—offering high-quality furniture at low prices.

As the company explains as their brand vision, their service goes beyond home furnishing. Their aim is to contribute to making a better everyday life for many people.

Unique Selling Proposition - Your Questions Answered

How do you write a unique selling proposition.

Step 1: Identify your target audience.

Step 2: Jot down the problem your product solves.

Step 3: List what benefits set you apart.

Step 4: Clearly define your promise.

Step 5: Combine all in one paragraph.

Step 6: Condense it in one sentence.

What is the Purpose of a Unique Selling Proposition?

The purpose of a Unique Selling Proposition or USP is to explain what unique benefit sets a product or service apart or what makes your business a better choice among competitors.

How Long Should a Unique Selling Proposition Be?

An ideal Unique Selling Proposition (USP) should be no longer than one or two sentences. Keep it short and sweet. Don’t beat around the bush.

How would you differentiate between a value proposition and a unique selling proposition?

The Value Proposition is what you are offering to customers for what they are paying. The Unique Selling Proposition, on the other hand, is why customers should buy from you instead of someone else. It's more about creating that emotional connection with your customers.

The Conclusion Bit & USP Pitfalls to Avoid

You might think that a USP is all about marketing. While this is true to some point, Unique Selling Propositions are also sales presentations because they create a connection with customers as well.

Simply put, it’s a powerful tool when crafted right. However, it’s easy to fall into common pitfalls and create a USP that just doesn’t ring the bells. It might be;

A killer USP captures a lot of meanings in fewer words. It is meant to be inspirational for your target audience.

• Isn’t actually “unique”

It’s nice to get inspired by USP examples but keep in mind that yours need to be “unique” and different from others. It’s your promise, not another company.

Don’t make bold promises if you can’t stand up for them. If your sales team uses a catchy USP line but the product team can’t back it up, it’s sadly dishonesty.

• Is only in the headline

If people see your fancy Unique Selling Proposition only in the headline, they aren't likely to remember it. You need to let that statement melt into your company identity and reflect on every platform.

🎬 That’s a wrap. Which one of the USP examples in this post stuck with you? Share with us in the comments below!

Check out these blog posts:

• 10 Best Popup Message Examples To Get Inspired in 2022
• 23 Competitor Monitoring Tools Marketers Will Love To Use
• 13 Best Email Template Builder Software That You Should Use

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What Is a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and How Do You Craft One That Works?

A solid USP speaks to your customer's needs and gives you a competitive edge.

Hannah Ajikawo

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It’s no secret that customers have many options when it comes to the products and services they buy — but that’s not always a good thing. In fact, too many choices can often make it harder to choose. So how can you stand out in a saturated market and steer more customers your way? With a unique selling proposition (USP).

Think of your USP like a lighthouse. To cut through the fog of options, it must be the clearest beacon, attracting customers and leading them right to you. We’ll cover why developing a USP is crucial to your business, how to craft one, and how to measure its success.

What you’ll learn:

What is a unique selling proposition (usp), the importance of having a usp.

• How to craft and use a unique selling proposition

Three examples of unique selling propositions

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A USP is what makes your product or service distinctive from your competition. It’s the benefits you offer that makes you a different — and better — choice than other available options in the marketplace.

Besides key features and advantages, a good USP concisely communicates your brand values, value proposition, and what customers can gain — or solve — by using your product. Your sales reps should fully understand your brand’s USP and use it when pitching and prospecting. By painting a clear picture of what your product or service can do and why people should choose you, an effective USP helps your sales team sell.

( Back to top )

Plain and simple, it’s important to have a USP so that you can differentiate yourself from your competition and appeal to more customers. If you don’t stand out in the market, you’ll miss opportunities to connect with potential buyers, grow your customer base, and increase your revenue.

A USP helps your business internally and externally. It transparently tells your customers what you do and how you do it so they can make an informed buying decision. Internally, a USP informs your sales strategies, marketing messages, and sales channels.

USPs also influence your product development — especially in tech and software. Since their inception, USPs have evolved to meet the changing needs of customer expectations in the digital age. While functional benefits are still important, standing out is now more about the user experience (UX) you can offer and other things that are top of mind for customers, like integration capabilities and data security .

How to craft a unique selling proposition: 3 key questions

Crafting a USP is simple in theory, but it takes hard work to get it right. You must first define who you serve, what you do, and how you do it. Here are the three guiding questions I use to create a unique selling proposition.

1. Whom do you serve?

This is your target audience. Your USP will not fit everyone. Instead, it should be geared toward a specific customer with a unique set of needs. And that’s where buyer personas come in.

First, create your buyer personas. A buyer persona is an excellent way to bring a fictional representation of your ideal customer to life. Using existing customer data in your CRM and research about your competition’s customers, you can start to see a clearer picture of your ideal customer’s demographics — job titles, company size, education, industry, region, etc.

Dig deeper with surveys and interviews to discover what your customers do and what makes them tick, including their obstacles and motivations. The more detail you can add to your persona, the more effective your USP will be at resonating with them.

Next, conduct market research. The challenges your customers face aren’t created in a vacuum. The world constantly presents us with innovations and obstacles we must adapt to. What conditions must exist for your buyer persona to look to you to solve their problem? I suggest looking at things from the following perspectives:

• Macro level: Pay attention to what’s currently impacting the world. Upcoming elections, wars, the climate crisis, the stock market, and popular trends among different generations.
• Micro level: Look at factors influencing the key industries and geographies where you operate. For example, AI’s impact on business operations and productivity.
• Customer’s business level: Try to predict how your customers will be impacted by macro and micro events. This will give you an idea of any new opportunities or challenges they might be preparing for — or not. These are considerations you can use to communicate how your solution is the best option for their immediate needs.

Use market-reporting methods like interviews, surveys, and focus groups to gather your intel. You can email customers with a survey link or outsource to a research firm where experts will collect the data and analyze the answers for you.

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2. What do you do?

This is the function of your product or service. Regardless of what you sell, you have to differentiate it from others in the marketplace. Your USP should articulate this succinctly, and your buyer persona’s pain points should take center stage.

Some questions to ask yourself in this phase are:

• Why do they need what we sell?
• How does it improve their life?
• What challenges does it solve, and what does it help them do better?

When coming up with your answers, be sure to compare them with your closest competitors. You want to ensure you’re using different language, highlighting unique benefits, and truly setting yourself apart in a way that will resonate with your target audience.

3. How do you do it?

Here is where you describe how your solution works. I recommend focusing on the ICOs — issues, challenges, and opportunities — your product or service solves to answer this question. You can use data-backed case studies and testimonials to communicate your message or creative marketing campaigns to tell stories that connect and empathize with your ideal buyers’ challenges and desires.

Now that you’ve thought about your ideal buyer and what you do, it’s time to connect customer problems to your solutions. You know the competition is fierce. So, focus on what sets you apart — your product’s unique strengths and benefits. Map out your product solution with a matrix. Place your buyer’s challenges, your product solution, and your competitor’s solution next to each other. Pinpoint the detail that differentiates you from your competition and alleviates your customer’s pain points. Then, highlight that feature and confidently share why your solution is the winning option .

Here are USP examples from three industries to use as inspiration when crafting your own. Remember to think about who you serve, what you do, and how you do it.

• The company: An active shoe brand
• Who they serve: Busy professionals who are on their feet all day (such as service industry and essential workers)
• What they offer: An easy and modern slip-on design, so you don’t need to bend down to put on or tie your shoes.
• Their USP: “On-the-go comfort and style that won’t slow you down.”

2. Software as a Service ( SaaS )

• The company: A CRM software provider
• Who they serve: Sales teams who want to optimize their productivity and personalization efforts
• What they offer: A suite of AI-powered tools that helps you personalize at every touch point, maximize engagement, and increase productivity with automation.
• Their USP: “Get back to selling and close more deals — let AI and automation do the rest.”

3. Transportation

• The company: A rideshare service
• Who they serve: Traveling individuals and businesses with delivery needs
• What they offer: Convenient ride reservations and contactless delivery for everyday essentials
• Their USP: “Wherever you’re going, whatever you need, we’ll handle the ride.”

Shine a light on what makes you different

A solid USP speaks to your customer’s needs and gives you a competitive edge. Think about what’s affecting and influencing your customer’s lives. What macro and micro events are occurring that your product or service can solve? Concisely share what you do and how you do it — pointing out how you differ from the other options out there. Your core vision will remain the same, but your ability to pinpoint and communicate your product or service’s unique benefits, especially as they evolve, will help you guide customers through the competition fog, and right to you.

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More From Forbes

Unique selling propositions: what it is, why you need one and how to write your own.

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Ashley Deland is an award-winning business consultant & owner of Deland Marketing, recognized as winning Business Elite’s 40 Under 40.

All brands face competition in the market.

Consumers are savvy and spend time researching and evaluating their options before making a purchase decision, and you need your brand to stand out to gain their business. The unique selling proposition, or USP, is the factor or consideration presented by a brand as a reason their product or service is superior to or different from that of competitors. You must pinpoint what makes your brand unique in an oversaturated market of homogeneous competitors to target your sales efforts.

Identifying your USP takes some effort and creativity. Few brands are truly unique, but they find a way to communicate their value and distinguish themselves from competitors. For example, Apple is selling innovation, not technology tools. Robinhood is selling accessible wealth for all, not a product for the ultra-rich. Patagonia is selling a movement, lifestyle and impact more than a clothing line.

Entrepreneurs need to understand how to identify their USP to boost sales and guide their brand and marketing strategies.

How do you determine your USP?

Your USP is what makes your brand better than the competition—a specific benefit that helps you stand out and leave an impression. Choosing a bold and deliberate USP influences your branding, messaging, copywriting and other marketing messages. At its core, the USP should deliver a quick answer to the customer’s most immediate question: What makes this brand different?

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Best covid-19 travel insurance plans.

The USP is based on your strengths as a brand and what you provide for your customer. On its own, uniqueness is not enough of a strong sell. You must differentiate your brand in a way that resonates with the target audience. A memorable and compelling USP will be:

• Focused on the customer. What they care about is what matters and what drives business, not necessarily what you believe to be the most unique aspect of your brand.

• Assertive but justifiable. Your USP can take a specific position that makes a case for your products versus competitor products, which is more memorable. You must have something to support it, however, or else it’s just hollow words and sentiment.

• More than a statement or slogan. While you can communicate your USP through concise statements and slogans, it should pertain to virtually every aspect of your business. Your actions must align with your words.

To be clear, a USP isn’t a marketing offer. Steep discounts, always-free shipping, exceptional customer service or a risk-free return policy are not USPs. These can help with attracting and retaining customers, but they’re not unique. They’re also easy for competitors to copy and difficult for you to defend.

How can you write a strong USP?

Determining your own USP will take some brainstorming and effort. Here’s how you can go about finding yours.

Make a list of potential differentiators of your brand and products.

Be specific. Marketing messages rely on precision and position your product or services as a solution to a customer pain point. Consider every possible USP during this process—you will narrow them down later.

Research your competitors.

To determine what makes you unique, you must know what your competitors have to offer. Research your competitors and their USPs. Consider how you can introduce your brand or products differently.

For example, women’s shoes can be positioned in a variety of ways. They can be stylish, comfortable, durable or designed for a specific purpose. Christian Louboutin set out to create chic and luxurious evening shoes, launching a brand that communicates status instantly with its signature red sole.

Avoid the temptation to develop your USP around denigrating a competitor, however. This rarely succeeds. Emphasize what your brand has to offer instead of highlighting the weaknesses of another.

Compare your possible differentiators against the needs of your audience.

Your USP should communicate your value to the customer. Evaluate your audience’s pain points and gaps left by your competitors.

It’s easy for entrepreneurs to become enamored with their own brand or products and forget that they’re in business to serve the customer. You have to step back and scrutinize what your customers want from your brand. Go deeper than traditional demographics, such as age, gender and income, and look at the underlying motivation for purchase.

Remember, price is never the only factor in the purchase decision. Your competitors may have better prices, but increased brand loyalty leads to less sensitivity to price changes. Customers today are willing to pay more for the experience.

Analyze the data.

You have your list of possible USPs, competitor research and audience information. Compile all this information and look for areas that intersect to single out your most powerful USP. Once you have an idea, you can include it in a positioning statement:

[Your brand] offers [product or service] for [audience] to [unique value proposition].

This may not be the exact statement you will use on your website and marketing materials, but it should offer a starting point to clarify your USP, your audience and the best differentiators for your brand.

Create an elevator pitch.

With your position statement as inspiration, you can create a concise elevator pitch. This is a short description of your brand that explains what you do and builds a connection with the listener. It’s called an “elevator pitch” because it should be short enough to present during a brief elevator ride.

The framework of an elevator pitch includes:

• Stating the problem.

• Presenting the solution.

• Explaining why the audience should trust your brand.

• Describing your USP.

• Concluding with a call to action.

Define your competitive edge with a powerful USP.

A strong USP is more than a persuasive statement or slogan that appears on your About page—it’s the defining characteristic that differentiates your brand or products from the rest of the market.

Your brand and products need not be truly unique, as few are, to develop a powerful USP. Instead, you’re looking for uncharted territory to claim as your own and show your customers what makes you different.

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Write a Unique Selling Proposition

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Small businesses have the unique ability to be flexible and focus on solving customers’ problems in a way that helps those customers make a good purchase decision.

To get your creative juices flowing, you can use these exercises and examples of unique selling proposition templates.

In a Hurry to Write a Unique Selling Proposition? Click straight to the exercises:

• Use These 5 Questions to Build an Irresistible Marketing Message
• Write a Unique Selling Proposition Based on What Frustrates Your Customers
• FREE Templates to Write a Unique Selling Proposition
• Where to use your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)

Is it time to write your unique selling proposition?

It’s time to write a new unique selling proposition when you see:

• Visits to your blog drop.
• Email open rates go down
• Your conversion rates drop
• Your bounce rates go up

Assuming those are happening (and they can happen to even the best of us), it’s time to take a close look at re-connecting with your ideal customer, what matters to them and to get them choosing you again.

The 5-Power Questions for Developing a Unique Selling Proposition

Can I just tell you that this is the easiest, shortest, least complicated way to get laser-focused on your ideal customer and to craft a unique selling proposition , platform and brand that I’ve run across. You will be able to answer these questions in less than 30 minutes. But I want to warn you that actually CRAFTING the message will take a little longer.

When I first ran through this process, I answered the questions in just minutes, but it took me about 20 hours over the course of two weeks to tighten it up enough to create an explainer video and to use it as part of my signature talk.

Who is your ideal customer or audience

Who are you talking to? You know this drill. Find a single individual to talk to.

Put yourself in their shoes, follow them through their day, create an avatar or profile.

Do what you need to do so that you not only KNOW who they are. Your goal is toknow them as well as you know yourself, your spouse, your kids, your dog.

What is the problem that they are trying to solve?

Now, pretend that you’re a camera, or fly on a wall or silent observer and watch your ideal customer.

What is the problem they are desperately trying to solve? They may not even KNOW what the problem is, but YOU know. You can tell by observing and watching their actions,

How they do what they do,

how do they feel about what they are doing and where they are getting stopped and frustrated.

It’s a lot like watching a toddler trying to figure something out or a pet chasing its tail. You see what’s happening, you feel their frustration, and you know what to do. This is the moment you are capturing.

What is their perceived notion of how this problem is solved?

Let’s stay with the toddler/pet analogy.

How does your ideal client THINK they have to solve this problem? They try this, they do that, what is the outcome? Again, you are the observer, what happens when they try something and it doesn’t work?

What are they trying, what’s the outcome and how does it make them feel?

How does everyone tell them their problem is solved?

Now we’re at the point where they go looking for solutions.

What is everyone telling them they have to do? Are they doing that?

If they are doing it, why isn’t it working for them? And, i f they aren’t doing it, what’s stopping them?

Notice how I’m describing this, it’s absolutely critical to stay in observation mode and NOT in thinking mode.

Thinking will come later. For now, just watch and observe your ideal customer going through the process of solving this problem from only what they see and what they know.

How do you believe this problem is solved?

This is the fun part ! This is where you step in and save the day! What is it that YOU KNOW that they don’t yet know?

It’s really important that you share this information in a kind and nurturing way as in “It’s not your fault” or another option is to sweep in and say — “It used to be this way, but NO MORE”.

The most important point is NOT to make them feel stupid because that will just drive them away. Your goal is to make them feel SMART for having been through the process and finally discovering your amazing solution

9 ways to spin your USP so that your ideal customer sees the wisdom of choosing you. You can choose to use one or as many as three in your marketing message.

Make it exciting.

What can you say about your message that would make it sound exciting to your audience? “Losing weight doesn’t have to be difficult. Have fun shedding pounds while you dance” Make your message exciting when your product or service is perceived as difficult or elusive.

Make it Interesting

To make your message interesting, create contrast and controversy. Take a common belief and turn it on hits head. For example; “Make more money by doing less and focusing on what delivers results.”

Keep it Simple

Create a simple statement that summarizes the core message in just a few words. Like, “Do Less Marketing Make More Money.”

Make it Newsworthy  

Write a message that sounds like a news story or news announcement. For example, “Not following a sales system is costing you customers! You are working harder, spending more money and letting ideal customer slip through your fingers, because you aren’t focused on ideal customers, your?e not following a process, and you treat all customers the same.”

Give it a Unique Spin

Position your product or service as being truly unique. If you have a unique process or system of delivering a result – that is unique. If your product has a unique design, then feature it in your message. “Get a better night’s sleep with our unique sleep number technology that allows you and your partner to each have your own firmness setting.”

Position it as a Secret Weapon

This is ideal for a product or service that makes your custoers and clients look and feel superior. “While all your friends are slaving away at the gym, you’ll be eating what you love while losing weight.”

Give it a Customer Focus

Look for elements of your message that meet the needs, wants, desires and removes fears, solve pains and problems. Remind customers of their pain and problem, then state the promise of your benefit and outcome. “Being maxed out and burned out leaves you feeling stressed and overwhelmed — invest just 5 minutes a day and free up 10 hours a week.”

Make it a BIG Breakthrough

Feature your product and service as a brand new and improved breakthrough. Make a statement comparing what people had to do before and what they can do now. “You used to have to spend hours at the gym to burn the same number of calories …”

Be the missing link to success

Take the blame away from your customers by telling them it’s not their fault because they didn’t know about your product or service or they didn’t have access to it. “The reason your sales & marketing hasn’t been successful is that you’ve been adding on more and more to the mix — what you SHOULD be doing is taking things AWAY and only doing the strategies that are generating your ideal clients.”

Where to Use Your New Marketing Message

I think there used to be a rule in marketing and marketing materials and messaging that says don’t try to accomplish too many things with one exercise — well I’m breaking that rule right here. This outline is SO POWERFUL and I’m so grateful for having run into it in my travels.

You can use this for:

• Developing your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
• Crafting a signature talk or presentation
• Explainer videos to use on your site
• Articles for your blog or your guest posts
• Developing training and informational products to help other people
• Entire content calendars

Potential Customers Peeves, Passions and Frustrations

Draw a rather large circle on a piece of paper .

Make the circle big enough so that you can write all kinds of words in it – maybe even draw some basic pictures or icons as well. Give the circle the name “My Customers’ World”.

Now put yourself in the mind of your customer. Picture them clearly going about their day.

• What are your customers committed to during their day?
• How do they define excellence?
• What are the things that thwart their being excellent as far as your product or service is concerned?

Mine this Information

Mining this kind of information is literally GOLD for your business. Remember, your customer isn’t thinking about your product or service, they are thinking about what they need to be successful. Then as they go through that, there are things that come up that STOP them from being successful.

This is when they start looking for solutions to what’s stopping them. This is where they start self diagnosing. The company that is THERE at this moment and that uses the words to what their problem is and gives them a solution will go to the top of the list.

Draw another large circle on another piece of paper.

Label this circle “My World”. This is where you get to list all the cool stuff you product or service does.

Don’t be shy. List each button, each feature, each doo-dad.

Write down each process, each question you ask, each special little thing you do. Then write down all the reasons that you do it exactly that way.

Don’t think about the customer right now – just think about why you do what you do. You have reasons — write them down.

Look for overlaps. Now, take a look at the circle labeled “My Customers’ World” and

• Pick out the ONE thing that you KNOW frustrates them and keeps them from being the best they can be.
• Place that ONE obstacle that keeps them from being their best in the intersection between the two circles.
• Then look at the circle labeled “My World” and find the ONE item that most closely solves their problem.

What do you see?

What you should see is the perfect marriage between frustration and solution. If you don’t like what you see or it doesn’t excite you — don’t worry. Go back to the circles and try again. Mix and match your world with your customers world until you hit on the perfect HOOK.

Use These Fill-In-The-Blank Templates to Write Your Unique Selling Proposition

Personal introduction.

My name is [NAME], the CEO of [COMPANY]. Our company manufactures [PRODUCT] for [TARGET CUSTOMER] that allows them to [OUTCOME FROM YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE.]. Unlike [OUR COMPETITION], we [PRIMARY COMPETITIVE POINTS OF DIFFERENCE].

“Have You Ever” USP

Have you ever [THE SITUATION THAT THE PROSPECT FACES]? [COMPANY NAME] manufactures [PRODUCT LINE] for [TARGET MARKET] so that you can [PRIMARY VALUE PROPOSITION / BENEFIT]. Unlike [TRADITIONAL ALTERNATIVES/COMPETITIVE OFFERINGS], [OUR PRODUCT] is [COMPETITIVE POINT OF DIFFERENCE].

What Do You Do USP Template

We (or I) work with … in this section DESCRIBE your ideal customer. Who struggle with … This is where you want to put in THE ONE biggest, most emotional frustration that your ideal customer has around what you’re selling. And would like to … Here is where you put what your customer WANTS — you know emotionally wants — not some pablum – something that would make their heart sing. What makes my…Different From…. Is that we (or I)… This is where your differentiator – competitive advantage – or USP goes. As a result, my clients receive …. What benefit do your customers get from your experience?

The Problem-Solution  USP

Problem: “[Customer Type] are often frustrated by the effort it takes to [Action].” Solution: “[Your New Solution] eliminates the need to [Customer’s Old Solution].” Why You: “For [Duration], [Customer Type] have trusted [Your Company] to provide the best solutions in [Customer’s Industry].” Value: “With [Your New Solution], you can [spend less/make more] [time/money] [Action].” CTA : “I’ll give you a call to learn more about your situation (Get Contact Info). Thanks for your time.”

Subject Line “Unique Selling Proposition”

In the same way that an email subject line piques your interest and introduces what’s in the email, a subject line elevator pitch can do the very same thing in a conversation.

To create a subject line elevator pitch simply start by brainstorming and writing down everything you want to say regardless of word count.  You can use this basic outline:

• who are you
• what problem you solve for customers
• why is your solution unique
• how will they benefit

The Examples of Unique Selling Proposition

Here are a few examples of unique selling propositions from a variety of companies that might give you some more ideas.

Lawn Doctor

CrazyEgg – “Make Your Website Better. Instantly”

Goshare – “your friend with a truck”, unbounce – “convert more”.

Now it’s your turn! See what amazing unique selling proposition ideas you come up with for your business.

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Unique Value Proposition: How to Create a UVP (With 7 Examples)

Your brand’s value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered. It’s the primary reason a prospect should buy from you.

It’s also the #1 thing that determines whether people will bother reading more about your product or hit the back button. On your site, your value proposition is the main thing you need to test—if you get it right, it will be a huge boost.

In fact, if I could give you only one piece of conversion optimization advice, “test your value proposition” would be it.

The less known your company is, the better your value proposition needs to be.

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People should read and understand your unique value proposition., use the right language for your unique value proposition., what the value proposition is not, the structure of a unique value proposition, why the presentation of your value proposition matters, 1. campaign monitor, 4. evernote, 1. cloudflare, 2. continuum financial, use “boosters” for your value proposition, example of a value proposition “booster”, 1. message testing, 2. a/b testing, 3. pay-per-click advertising, what is a unique value proposition (uvp).

A unique value proposition (UVP) is a clear statement that explains the benefits of your product, how it solves customers’ problems, why it is different from the rest, and why customers should buy it.

In marketing, an ideal unique value proposition must provide the following:

• Relevancy. Explain how your product solves customers’ problems or improves their situation.
• Quantified value. Deliver specific benefits.
• Differentiation . Tell the ideal customer why they should buy from you and not from the competition.

Your value proposition has to be the first thing visitors see on your homepage, but it should also be visible at all major entry points to the site.

It’s not just for aesthetics or to placate a CEO or copywriter. Ultimately, it can improve your customer lifetime value . When I reviewed a bunch of websites , a missing or poor value proposition was one of the most common shortcomings. The value propositioning definition includes 3 important factors; make sure you cover all of them in yours.

You can also check out the Pe:p Show discussing value propositions .

A value proposition is something real humans are supposed to understand. It’s for people to read. Here’s an example of what a value proposition is not supposed to be like:

Revenue-focused marketing automation & sales effectiveness solutions unleash collaboration throughout the revenue cycle

Would you be able to explain the offer to your friend or how they’d benefit? Didn’t think so. Unfortunately, it’s no joke. Such meaningless “jargon propositions” are abundant. Avoid blandvertising at all costs.

Your value proposition needs to be in the language of the customer (informed by customer research and buyer intelligence ). It should join the conversation that’s already going on in the customer’s mind. To do that, you need to know the language your customers use to describe your offering and how they benefit from it.

You cannot guess what the right language is. The way you speak about your services is often very different from how your customers describe them. The answers are outside your office. You have to interview your customers to find it out, or use a messaging research tool like Wynter .

It’s not a slogan or a catch phrase. This is not a value proposition:

L’Oréal. Because we’re worth it.

It’s not a positioning statement. This is not a value proposition:

America’s #1 Bandage Brand. Heals the wound fast, heals the hurt faster.

A positioning statement is a subset of a value proposition, but it’s not the same thing.

The value proposition is usually a block of text (a headline, sub-headline, and one paragraph of text) with a visual (photo, hero image, graphics).

There is no one right way to go about it. I suggest you start with the following formula:

• Headline. What is the end-benefit you’re offering in one short sentence? It can mention the product and/or customer. Make it an attention grabber.
• Sub-headline or a 2–3 sentence paragraph . A specific explanation of what you do/offer, for whom, and why it’s useful.
• 3 bullet points. List the key benefits or features.
• Visual. Images communicate much faster than words. Show the product image , the hero shot, or an image reinforcing your main message.

Note: Having solid product images are just one piece of the ecommerce pie. You’ll find 247 ecommerce guidelines in this research-based report.

Evaluate your current value proposition by checking whether it answers the questions below:

• What product or service is your company selling?
• What is the end-benefit of using it?
• Who is your target customer for this product or service?
• What makes your offering unique and different?

Use the headline/paragraph/bullets/visual formula to structure the answers. (Here’s a value proposition worksheet you might find useful.)

What makes a great value proposition

The best value proposition is clear : What is it? For whom? How is it useful? If those questions are answered, you’re on the right path. Always strive for clarity first.

If your value proposition makes people go “hmph?”, you’re doing it wrong. If they have to read a lot of text to understand your offering, you’re doing it wrong. Yes, a sufficient amount of information is crucial for conversions, but you need to draw them in with a clear, compelling value proposition first.

Research about value propositions in marketing  says that the key challenge companies have is identifying an effective value proposition, followed by communicating it clearly.

What makes a good value proposition?

• Clarity! It’s easy to understand.
• It communicates the concrete results a customer will get from purchasing and using your products and/or services.
• It says how it’s different or better than the competitor’s offer.
• It avoids hype (like “Never seen before!” or “Amazing miracle product!”), superlatives (“best”) and business jargon (“value-added interactions”).
• It can be read and understood in about 5 seconds.

Also, in most cases, there’s a difference between the value proposition for your company and your product. You must address both.

Original value proposition research by CXL showed that users:

• Noticed the value proposition more quickly when it had more text (i.e. took up more real estate on the page).
• Spent longer on a value proposition as opposed to elsewhere on the page when there was more to read.
• Recalled more services offered by the site when more services were listed.
• Described more website advantages when there were more features and benefits available to read.
• Preferred information in the form of bulleted lists.
• Preference for page design was influenced by which variation was originally seen.

A key role for the value proposition is to set you apart from the competition. Most people check out 4–5 different options/service providers before they decide. You want your offering to stand out in this important research phase.

7 great unique value propositions examples

It’s tough to find perfect value proposition examples. Probably because it’s hard to create a great one. I find flaws or room for improvement with most value propositions I come across.

I’m also fully aware that I’m not the ideal customer for many of the examples shown below, and my critiques are educated hypotheses that should be tested.

Here are some good examples along with my comments:

• Very clear what Campaign Monitor does (email marketing).
• Includes the benefits to using it in the heading.
• Paragraph expands on the benefits of using the product.
• Relevant images that support text-based claims.

• It’s clear what Stripe is and for whom.
• Specific benefit-oriented paragraph.
• Relevant visuals.

• Clear statement about what Trello does for you in the heading.
• Elaboration in the subheading.
• Relevant images that show collaboration in action.

• Heading speaks to larger benefits for your life.
• Subheading takes you into how Evernote delivers those benefits.
• Clear call to action.

• Headline promises that Square will underpin your entire business.
• Lead paragraph expands on the features offered.
• Relevant image.

• Clear and succinct heading that explains what Zoom does for you.
• Lead paragraph supports the heading’s premise.

• The headline is okay, but it could be clearer (i.e. “Keep track of your laptop, phone or tablet. Get it back when it gets stolen or lost.”)
• The following paragraph does a good job explaining how Prey is useful.
• Offers an immediate test option (up the top).

Poor value proposition examples, and their updates

Some lessons from the department of “Don’t do this!”

Here’s Cloudflare ‘s evolution…

• Awful clarity: “Helping Build a Better Internet”? Nobody will understand what that means—nor does that solve anyone’s problem.
• Subheading offers some clarity and detail, but that info should be in the headinng.
• Image looks like a stock photo.

• Still lacking clarity in the heading as to what benefits it’s offering.
• Subheading is a lot more benefit-focused than the previous version.
• Image is at least custom and applicable, but the placement of text around it is odd and doesn’t really fit.

Here’s Continuum Financial ‘s evolution…

• No proper value proposition in place at all—the headline congratulates themselves on a five-year anniversary.
• Awkward phrasing if not flat-out incorrect (“…we look forward continuing to deliver…” and “What stage of your financial journey are you at?”
• No imagery above the fold; those below are stock photos.

• The heading at least refers to value the company can offer: financial happiness.
• The subheading expands on the heading: the company offers trustworthy, simplified financial assistance.
• Background image might not seem immediately applicable, but it alludes to the results people often hope for when reaching their financial goals.

So how do you make your offer unique? Often, it’s hard to spot anything unique about your offering. It requires deep self-reflection and discussion.

How to write a unique value proposition

If you can’t find anything, you’d better create something. Of course, the unique part needs to be something customers actually care about. There’s no point being unique for the sake of being unique (e.g. “the ball bearings inside our bicycles are blue”). Even if what you sell isn’t unique , you can still come up with a great value proposition.

Here are two articles that can help you find a “theme” or angle for your value proposition:

• Value Propositions That Work
• The Five Propositions that Help Companies Create Value for their Customers

Remember: You don’t need to be unique to the whole world, just in the customer’s mind.   The closing of a sale takes place in a customer’s mind, not out in the marketplace among the competition.

Sometimes, little things tip the decision in your favor. If all major things are pretty much the same between you and your competitors, you can win by offering small value-adds. I call them boosters.

These things work well against competitors who don’t offer them. Boosters can be things like:

• Free shipping;
• Fast shipping/Next-day shipping;
• Free bonus with a purchase;
• Free setup/installation;
• No setup fee;
• No long-term contract, cancel any time;
• License for multiple computers (vs. 1);
• (Better than) money-back guarantee;
• A discounted price (for a product);
• Customizable.

You get the idea. Think what small things you could add that wouldn’t cost you much but could be attractive to some buyers.

Make sure the booster is visible with the rest of the value proposition.

Notice the “Free Shipping” sign in the top left? That’s a booster.

How to test your value proposition

You definitely have to test your value proposition. How? There are three main ways.

By far the best way to test your value proposition is to put it in front of the very people you’re trying to market to, and get their perception on it. This is what message testing is for. It tells you exactly what your ideal target customers think:

• Do they find it clear?
• Is it relevant to them? Do they get it’s for them?
• Most importantly: do they want the value promised? Does it make them go “I want that”?
• And finally, is it differentiated? Is it clear why choose you over alternatives?

You will get rich qualitative information on how/where it’s falling short, so you can improve it.

The best way to conduct message testing is with a tool like Wynter .

Another good way to test your value prop is to craft two candidates (or more, if you have tons of traffic) and split test them. This will take at least 4 weeks on most sites, and requires a minimum of 500 signups/conversions per month. (You need to do proper sample size calculations upfront to know exactly how many).

The limitation here is that A/B testing will only be able to tell you if B is better than A, and by how much. It tells you nothing about the ‘why’. It offers no insight into how to improve your value proposition (unlike message testing).

Learn how to run A/B tests effectively .

Another way to go about it is to use Google Ads or Facebook Ads . This can be costly and takes at least a week or two.

Split test ads with different value propositions that target the same customer. The ad with a higher click-through rate signals a possibly better attention grabber and interest generator, but on the downside, it doesn’t necessarily mean higher sales conversions.

Send the traffic to a corresponding landing page and test conversions, too.

You need a value proposition and you need to communicate it clearly on all the main entry pages: homepage, product pages, category pages, etc.

If you don’t state why users should buy from you, you will lose most of them. To craft a great value proposition:

• Focus on clarity above all else.
• Use the headline, sub-headline, bullets, and image formula.
• Test, test, test.

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Peep Laja is the founder of CXL. He's a renowned conversion optimization champion and was nominated as the most influential CRO expert in the world.

After setting up and running Speero (previously CXL Agency) for five years, he started CXL Institute, where data-driven marketers get trained.

Over the last 20 years, Peep has worked in web development, marketing consulting, B2B sales, SEO, PPC, and SaaS.

Join the conversation Add your comment

great, this really helped me for my marketing class. thanks!

Good post. A value proposition is not for products or services only. In the same manner you can create what is called Professional Value Proposition. To do so, answer the following three questions: 1.Why can I be useful? What business driver should I respond to? 2.How do I proceed? Which area should I focus on? 3.What results can I deliver? For what improvement? To learn more http://blog.instarlink.com/en/content/generate-value-proposition

Well written and highly useful post.

Thank you for sharing

Thanks for this post it was brilliant to see a visual representation of the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to UVP’s. It’s been great to see examples of a UVP translated into website design. We’ve been getting caught up and stuck around our UVP and this has really helped.

We’ll come back and share our landing page when we’re less embarrassed by it!

Janine and Jo

great ! nice information for me

Google ventures said explain your value proposition in 5 seconds. I searched how to do that and found your article. Fantastic advice and 100% rebrandable :) Great links too – thanks

fabulous..!!!

I have read so many content regarding the blogger lovers but this article is actually a good post, keep it up.

Wow this might be one of the best posts I’ve read on value statement optimization. Simple, easy to read, and no longer than it needed to be. Hope to put some of this into effect soon for our own startup!

Amazing Post again.. just can’t get off this blog.. this is my 5th article in a row.. great sensible, useful content with lot of case studies and research.

I wanted to send this to my staff and some clients. I didn’t: “You have to present your value proposition as the first thing the visitors see on your home page, but should be visible in all major entry points of the site.”

Its educative,informatory,and well advising for right decision. continue with good job. kind regards.

I just wanted to thank you. I am in the web design industry, and my home page introduction isn’t really talking to anyone. I don’t have a value proposition on my home page, the the message is weak overall. Funny enough, I checked my competition, and they are the same! This info is really going to help point me in the right direction. I appreciate it.

This is very detail and great value for creating the value statement! Excellent work.

Really, really detailed, meaty article. More copywriters and designers should read this article. I must have read it 5 times, just to grasp a little more of what you where saying. Thanks to you I just increased my launch page skills a few points.

Quite informative! I really like the comparative analysis, it really highlights key elements of a good value proposition

Great article. Great Examples. Got some work to do now.

My site is kind of embarassing and to this end we are looking at a total update in our approach. Most of what is on this site to be removed to better focus on what we do in the Real Estate industry, ie. Sell, buy and consult.

A very good post, Peep. I’ve really got down what a homepage needs to have.

Teaching a concept through good and bad examples are always informative and entertaining as well. I believe that creating a good value proposition can help us in researching and selecting the right keywords for our target audience. Next, it also helps in creating content that address their problems. Finally, providing a series of solutions that make them want to buy our products or services.

I use a lot of explanations to clients as to why don’t ‘Welcome to…’ gleefully looking forward to using yours! :-) many thanks

Great article! Articles on UVP generally focus on SaaS businesses and don’t give much attention to e-commerce, so thanks for including a solid e-commerce example with Down & Feather.

informative article. keep it up. i’m following each of your article because it might help me creating my next website.

Found the article very helpful. I am designing a website and these tips are handy and useful. Thanks for publishing.

Very helpful article Peep. I have been focusing much more on conversions for websites and you clearly explained what a value proposition is. The examples you provided made it very clear. I’m going to check out some more of your posts. Thanks for your help :)

A strong value proposition is specific, often citing numbers or percentages. It may include a quick synopsis of your work with similar customers as a proof source and demonstration of your capability. It’s outcome focused and stresses the business value of your offering.

An excellent article! Great examples of what to do and what NOT to do. After 3 years online, I am finally learning how important a UVP really is.

Well done. Too often I see companies – especially young tech companies – loading up with proposition with tech jargon. We really have to get to the issues our customer cares about before they will listen.

Awesome reading, clear and makes sense. I am a full time student and am writing an assignment where I have to put value proposition of my product. After reading this article, I am much clear how I should frame my value proposition. Great work. Thank you so much.

Extremely in depth article I must say. Will definitely take it into account and do lots of testing. Should be interesting!

Those are useful value proposition examples indeed. I know there are plenty of such articles on the Net (I mean helpful ones), but there should be even more! Those are invaluable to beginner bloggers. Thanks!

Great post… I will definitely use these tactics as it relates to my endeavor I am working on.

It would be perfect to see you giving the alternatives to L’Oreal and Band-Aid.

Your website’s usability sucks. You have zoom disabled for mobile devices. Did it ever occur to you that some people may want/need to zoom? Other than that your content is good.

Really great and useful content here, thanks for putting this together :)

As always, great post Peep.

But I am wondering, could you give some examples of how eCommerce sites can do value propositioning great? If you sell, for example, archery gear, what would you do?

Excellent and decent post. I found this much informative, as to what I was exactly searching for. Thanks for such post and please keep it up.

Great article, I learned a lot.

Combined with your article about how worthless carousels/sliders were, I created a new graphic on our site. I would love any quick feedback: http://www.designpanoply.com

The slider is still there, but doesn’t play automatically, and the arrows pop up when it gets hovered over.

Keep up the great content :)

My coach just brought out the unique value proposition for my site and I came here to find out more about UVP. Great content and very useful to help write the website copy. I think I have my UVP figured out but if anyone would like to comment on it please email me.

The explaination is very useful for a business. There is this learning that could acquired by reading the article.

Great stuff, Peep.

I was really struggling to create something super exciting and totally unique but the point about using small boosters to make our value proposition unique helped a lot.

Also the distinction between what is actually unique with what is unique in our customers’ minds.

We have implemented a bunch of your tips for our new website’s value proposition.

Great post Peep. I probably have read this at least 10 times by now, love the visuals and analysis.

I thought your article was super valuable and wanted to share it. I used it in my recent post: Step-By-Step Guide: Create A Unique Selling Proposition for Your Landing Page ( http://blog.usefedora.com/create-unique-selling-proposition-for-landing-page )

This will be very useful & helps us to be competitive.

Great points and such an important topic. Having the right value proposition can really get your business going. Customization is the key.

Great article.

Explain in a good way to understand.

In Brazil, brands have a poor understanding in value proposition.

thanks for the book!

Thanks for one of the best summaries of what a value statement should be and Not BE!

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How To Write a Product Description (Examples + Template)

Struggling to write compelling product descriptions for your store? Try these expert copywriting tips to inform, persuade, and boost your sales.

Ever dismissed product descriptions as unimportant? Assumed that as long as the information on your product page is accurate, you’re good to go? It’s time to think again.

Product descriptions are more than a summary of what you’re selling. Written correctly, they can boost your store’s conversion rate and make your products seem more valuable. The right words can even make customers happy to pay more.

Here’s how to make product descriptions work harder for your ecommerce business .

Let Shopify Magic write product descriptions for you

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What is a product description?

A product description is a piece of marketing copywriting that tells people what a product is and why it’s worth buying. Beyond a list of product details or features, descriptions tell a story about what makes a product special and persuade customers to make a purchase.

Product descriptions can vary in length, style, and format, and may be written in a brand’s unique voice.

What makes a good product description?

A well-crafted product description can significantly impact sales, customer satisfaction, and brand reputation by performing a dual purpose:

• It informs customers about product details, such as its features, uses, and benefits. This helps customers understand what the product is and how it works.
• It convinces customers of the product’s value. This is where the persuasive power of a product description comes into play. It answers questions like, “What problem does a product solve?” and “What makes it better than the competition?”

By addressing these points, a good product description paints a clear picture of a product’s value proposition . It highlights the unique benefits and advantages that set a product apart from its competitors.

Good product descriptions move buyers through a sales funnel , turning them from interested browsers to motivated buyers, making them more likely to hit the Buy button.

How to write compelling product descriptions that sell

Many online stores list the features of their products and call it a day. While clear information about your items is important, you also need to tell people how a product can help them. 

Let’s look at how you can create descriptions that capture your product’s value:

• Speak to your ideal customer
• Highlight benefits, not features
• Avoid generic phrases
• Support superlatives with facts
• Feed customers’ imagination
• Tell your product’s story
• Use sensory language
• Add social proof
• Make descriptions scannable
• Set and measure KPIs

1. Speak to your ideal customer

When product descriptions are written with a broad audience in mind, they can become vague and fail to resonate.

To make your descriptions engaging, speak directly and personally to your target audience. Anticipate and answer product-related questions as if you were having a one-on-one conversation, using language and terminology that resonates with your ideal customer. That includes using the word "you."

Take a look at how The Oodie , an apparel retailer, harnesses this approach in the product description for its I Love Plants Oodie.

I Love Plants Oodie product description:

“Can’t stop buying plants? Unbeleafable. Don’t worry—us too! Cover yourself in your favourite obsession in our NEW I Love Plants Oodie! For every I Love Plants Oodie sold, one tree is planted across the world.”

When writing product descriptions for your ecommerce business, start by visualizing your ideal customer. What kind of tone do they appreciate? What vocabulary are they familiar with? Are there certain words they dislike? What questions might they have?

Think about how you would communicate with your ideal customer if you were selling your product face-to-face in a physical store. Then, try to incorporate that language into your ecommerce site. This approach can help create an online conversation that resonates more deeply with your customers, making them feel understood.

2. Highlight benefits, not features

While it’s natural to be excited about the unique features of your products, potential buyers are more interested in how these features will benefit them. They want to understand how your product will solve their problems or enhance their lives.

Writing an effective product description, therefore, requires highlighting the benefits of each feature—addressing any uncertainty or cognitive bias around the helpfulness of your product. A good example of this approach comes from Dr. Squatch , a company that sells natural soaps for men.

Pine Tar soap product description:

“Made with real pine extract, this all-star bar is as tough as a freshly cut bat. A true MVP of the shower, this heavy-hitter knocks out grime with its gritty composition and ultra-manly, woodsy scent. Toss in the exfoliating oatmeal and the super-soothing shea butter, and you’ve got a bullpen of natural ingredients that will strike out any stink.”

Dr. Squatch’s product page places the ingredients list of its Pine Tar soap on a hidden tab, choosing instead to lead with a description, which paints a vivid picture of the experience of using the product.

The description suggests that the soap performs its function (to clean) in a way that’s specifically suited to its target customer (men looking for a natural yet heavy-duty bathroom product). 

When writing product descriptions, consider the benefits of each product feature. How can your product make your customers’ lives better, easier, or more enjoyable? What problems does your product solve? Remember, you’re not selling a product; you’re selling an experience.

Dr. Squatch’s description also uses a brand-relevant extended metaphor (baseball) and overtly masculine adjectives (“tough,” “woodsy,” and “gritty”) to appeal to its target audience. Fine-tuning your copywriting in this way can help your product resonate.

3. Avoid generic phrases

When you’re unsure what to say about a product, writing descriptions can get challenging. It’s tempting to resort to general, overused phrases such as “effective” or “high quality.” However, clichés fail to impress potential buyers. They’ve heard these claims before, and they don’t provide unique or persuasive information about your product.

To avoid banalities, be as specific as possible in your copywriting.

Take Beardbrand , for example. Instead of making broad claims about the effectiveness of its products, it provides detailed reasons why its Best Sellers Bundle is so popular.

Beardbrand Best Sellers Bundle product description:

“ A do-it-all beard wash, hair shampoo, face wash, and body wash in a massive 14 oz. bottle. Formulated with hydrating, coconut-derived surfactants, this wash is gentle enough for your beard, hair, and face yet strong enough to wash everywhere else.

“Life is hard; soften up with this do-it-all beard and hair conditioner featuring an ultra-moisturizing punch of coconut oil and shea butter. Utility Softener doubles down as a hydrating shave lotion that helps reduce razor burn and irritation.

“An award-winning blend of jojoba, abyssinian, castor, and babassu oils makes Utility Oil the only oil you’ll ever need. Use this lightweight, moisturizing blend as a beard oil, hair oil, skin moisturizer, face serum, and pre/post-shave oil.

“Finish off your grooming routine with Styling Paste — a medium hold, satin finish styling aide for hair and beard. It locks in your look while leaving hair soft, flexible, and touchable for a natural, flowing, and reshapable style.”

Detailed descriptions like these serve multiple purposes. First, they add credibility to your products. By explaining the specific benefits of each product, you show potential customers that you know your products well and believe in their value.

Second, detailed descriptions help customers visualize how they’ll use the products. By painting a clear picture of the product experience, you help customers understand exactly what they’re buying and why it’s worth their investment.

Lastly, detailed product descriptions build trust. When you can speak with authority about the granular details of your products, customers are more likely to trust your brand.

💡 Once a product description has enticed a customer, Beardbrand uses a subscription model to generate recurring revenue from them.

4. Support superlatives with facts

Superlatives can sound insincere in product descriptions—unless they are substantiated with clear evidence. If you claim your product is the best, the easiest, or the most advanced, you need to provide specific reasons why.

An example of this product-writing technique can be seen in the product description for Casper’s Wave Hybrid Snow mattress .

Casper Wave Hybrid Snow mattress product description:

“Our most supportive mattress paired with Snow Technology for continuous cooling all night long. Here’s how The Wave Hybrid Snow unlocks your deepest and coolest night’s sleep—for even better tomorrows:

“Foam is divided into continuous ergonomic zones to provide maximum support and spinal alignment. Our most advanced solution to nighttime overheating keeps you 6° cooler all night.”

While Casper makes the bold claim that its product can unlock your deepest night’s sleep, it backs up the rhetoric with factual evidence. The product description explains how “Casper Labs testing” has verified mattress performance. Additionally, Casper offers a 100-day free trial period to show confidence in its product and allow customers to verify the claim for themselves.

If your product really is the best in its category, provide specific proof. Otherwise, tone down your product copy —or quote a customer who can provide a positive subjective opinion.

5. Feed customers’ imagination

Research proves that physically touching a product in a store can create feelings of ownership and increase the likelihood of a purchase.

So, how can you recreate that effect online, when your customers can’t physically interact with your products? High-quality product photography and videos can help—but there’s also a powerful ecommerce copywriting technique to increase desire: let your reader imagine what it would be like to own your product.

Notice how Todd Snyder applies aspirational content, in the form of a tagline and hero image, to promote its Spring clothing collection.

Clothing collection tagline:

“Dreaming of the Amalfi.”

Todd Snyder transports website visitors to the Amalfi Coast in Italy, a place associated with luxury, chill vibes, and classic style. The image helps link Todd Snyder’s clothing collection to the dreamy lifestyle you’d find in this famous Italian spot.

To practice this copywriting technique, start a paragraph with the word “Imagine” and finish it by explaining how your readers will feel when they own your product. Then, use what you’ve generated to write an aspirational tagline in your brand’s voice.

Let’s say you’re selling an espresso machine called the Barista Pro. First, you might create this imagined scenario:

Imagine stepping into your kitchen, the sun peeking through the windows. You pull a perfect cup of coffee from your Barista Pro and experience the rich aroma of a freshly brewed latte. You feel satisfied and energized.

From that scenario, you can craft a product tagline:

Start each day with an extra shot of joy.

6. Tell your product’s story

One effective way to create engaging product descriptions is to tell the story of your product. A well-crafted narrative can make your product more relatable and memorable, helping it stand out in a crowded marketplace.

A product’s story can include the inspiration behind its creation, the challenges faced during its development, or the impact it has had on customers since launch.

When crafting a product story, consider the following:

• What inspired the creation of the product?
• What challenges were faced during development?
• How does the product reflect your brand’s values or mission?
• What impact has the product had on customers’ lives?

7. Use sensory language

Sensory language refers to words that describe how we experience the world: how things taste, smell, look, feel, and sound. By using sensory words in your product descriptions, you can help customers imagine what it’s like to own your product.

When you use sensory language in your product descriptions, you’re not just making your products sound more appealing—you’re also engaging more of your customers’ brains. A recent study has shown that social media influencer posts can generate higher engagement when they contain sensory words like “crumble” and “juicy.”

Another study revealed that exposure to tactile verbs (e.g., “touch”) can prime your brain to react as if you’re actually touching an object.

When writing your own product descriptions, think about how your product engages the senses. Whether it’s the “crisp” sound of a new keyboard, the “smooth” feel of a luxury fabric, or the “bright” flavor of a fresh fruit, sensory language can make your product descriptions more engaging.

8. Add social proof

When potential customers are unsure about buying a product, they often look for advice from trusted sources. While you can provide reassurance through high-quality product descriptions and other on-page tactics, you can’t be a neutral third-party.

This is where customer reviews and industry testimonials come in. Social proof is the idea that people are influenced by others’ actions or opinions. Examples of social proof include a comments section, customer reviews, quotes from professional critics and review sites, or mentions from mainstream newspapers and industry magazines.

Athletic wear brand Gymshark includes detailed customer reviews on each product page. They go beyond a traditional star rating system by including six relevant and easily understandable review criteria, such as “comfort” and “squat proof.”

Asking customers to review specific product features is a simple, effective way to show that you understand what your customers care about.

If you don’t have enough customers to host an active review section, consider allocating some of your marketing budget to sponsored content about your product in a relevant, well-known publication.

At the very least, you can include images of people using your products to create the impression that your product is popular and trusted. Seeing others use and enjoy a product can reassure potential customers that they’re making a good choice.

9. Make descriptions scannable

Does your website design encourage visitors to read your product descriptions?

Consider how Kettle & Fire presents its product information. The brand uses eye-catching icons, simple dropdown tabs, and bullet points to make the content easy to scan.

Visitors can quickly scroll through the page and understand pricing, key benefits, ingredients, usage recommendations, customer reviews, and the brand’s values, all within a few seconds.

Kettle & Fire also organizes information based on what customers care about most. Different categories of information are separated by contrasting background colors, providing an instant visual guide.

Keeping your product descriptions clear and easy to scan makes them more reader-friendly and appealing to potential customers.

Here are some visual ideas to make your descriptions more scannable:

• Use headlines: Grab your visitor’s attention with compelling headlines.
• Use bullet points: Break up information into easy-to-read bullet points.
• Use white space: Don’t be afraid of white space. It can make your content easier to digest.
• Use a readable font size: Using a bigger font size can improve readability.
• Use high-quality product images: Well-designed and placed images can convey a lot of information quickly.

10. Set and measure KPIs

The aim of a product description is to convince a shopper to buy. But how can you tell if your descriptions are doing their job?

Here are some common key performance indicators to monitor on your product pages. They can indicate whether your product descriptions are working:

• Conversion rate tells you how many page visitors you converted into leads or customers.
• Cart abandonment rate shows how many shoppers put an item in their cart but left without buying. All stores deal with cart abandonment, but if this KPI is poor, your product descriptions and checkout process may need some work.
• Return rate highlights how many products are being returned . If it’s high, it could mean that your product descriptions or images aren’t accurately representing your products.
• Support inquiries . If you’re getting lots of questions about a product through email or a live chat feature, it could mean that the product description isn’t clear.
• Organic search engine rankings directly correlate with the amount of traffic entering your website. Good product descriptions help with search engine optimization and make your products show up in search results, leading to more visitors and sales.

Once you’ve picked which KPIs you want to watch, consider running some tests to see if you can optimize your product descriptions. A popular type of test used to iterate descriptions is A/B testing . This involves making a new version of your product description and serving it to a subset of your audience, allowing you to compare the performance of each version in real time.

You can run multiple A/B tests to fine-tune your product descriptions, until they are fully optimized for your KPIs. Try an app like OptiMonk to run tests on your Shopify store.

Product description template

Even if you’re using AI to write great product descriptions , you need to consider the features and benefits of each product individually. Every product serves different needs, and every set of potential customers has distinct buying triggers. 

That said, it’s possible to take a similar approach to writing product descriptions across your store, by developing a product description template containing open-ended prompts. 

Try developing a template with two sections: a brainstorming section followed by a draft description section.

Product description brainstorm

Answer these questions for each of your products to develop unique, relevant information that you can craft in to a product description:

• Who’s the ideal customer for this product? Knowing who your product is for is foundational to writing a good description.
• What are the products’ basic features? Collect dimensions, materials, functions, care instructions, and other factual details about the item.
• When should the product be used? List the intended use cases for your product. Highlight the ideal scenarios for when a customer should use your product.
• What makes the product special? Think about the unique benefits of your product and why it’s better than similar offerings from competitors. 

Product description draft

Once you’ve collected your product information in a document, use the following template to draft your product description.

• Write an attention-grabbing product title: Keep your copy short and simple while communicating a product use or benefit. For example, if you’re selling a patterned yoga t-shirt, you could call it the Fleck Studio Shirt.
• Craft a short paragraph: Turn your product information into an entertaining description that tells a clear story. For example, you could describe a scene in which your product is being used.
• Create a bulleted list: Add a section that lays out product features and materials.
• Include social proof: Deploy a product review app to capture customer reviews on your product page and integrate any customer feedback that already exists on search engines or social media platforms. 

Get your free ecommerce copywriting template

Want to write compelling copy that convinces your website visitors to click, sign up, or buy? Master high-conversion copywriting and increase your sales with our easy-to-follow framework.

Product descriptions are always worth the effort

Writing product descriptions for your online store isn’t about listing features. It’s a chance to connect with your target customers and show them exactly how a product fits into their lives.

Taking time to share your enthusiasm about a product’s backstory, design process, and thoughtful details proves you’re excited about your store’s items—making it more likely your customers will get excited, too.

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Product description FAQ

How do you write a product description statement.

To write an effective product description, follow these steps:

• Know your audience: Understand who your ideal customer is and what they care about. Use language and terminology that resonates with them.
• Highlight benefits, not features: Explain how your product can solve a problem or enhance the customer’s life.
• Use sensory language: Describe how the product feels, smells, sounds, tastes, or looks to help customers imagine owning or using it.
• Tell a story: Share the inspiration behind the product or its impact on customers to make it more relatable and memorable.
• Avoid clichés: Be specific and avoid overused phrases.
• Include social proof: Add customer reviews or testimonials to build trust and credibility.
• Make it scannable: Use bullet points, subheadings, and white space to make the description easy to read.
• Include a call to action: Encourage customers to make a purchase or take the next step.

What is the purpose of a product description?

Product descriptions have two purposes: to inform and persuade potential customers. Product descriptions inform readers by detailing a product’s features, helping them understand use-cases and value. Simultaneously, they persuade readers by showcasing a product’s benefits and solutions, compelling them to purchase.

What needs to be in a product description?

A product description should clearly highlight the key features and benefits of your product to attract customers. You should make it engaging by using persuasive language that speaks directly to their needs and desires.

What is a good product description format?

A good product description starts with an attention-grabbing product title, followed by a brief paragraph telling a story about a product’s value. Next, include a bulleted list of product features and details for easy scanning. Add customer reviews for credibility, and finish with a compelling call to action .

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