Unique Selling Points for Marketing Products

Unique selling points in marketing are distinct product features or benefits that make your brand stand out from competitors in the minds of target customers. The technique of developing and then promoting distinct attributes is often referred to as creating a unique selling proposition. Strong brands have clearly identifiable qualities.

The ability to establish the connection between a desirable product attribute and your brand is often key to long-term viability. In a competitive marketplace, if your brand is not clearly distinguishable from others, customer choices become relatively arbitrary. With a unique selling proposition, you make it easier and more sensible for a customer to buy your brand by clearly establishing a value proposition.

The good news for businesses is that you have a lot of options for developing and promoting distinct benefits. The marketing mix provides general categories for distinction. You can focus on product-related attributes, unique or beneficial distribution qualities, low prices, or stellar promotion that causes your brand to stand out. Redbox has separated its brand on distribution through kiosk-based retail locations. Kitchen and bath fixture company Kohler has largely built is brand image of "boldness" through distinct, abstract advertising.

Customers buy goods because of the real or perceived benefits they provide. Thus, your objective should be to align your best benefit to the needs of targeted customers. Specialty supermarket retailer Whole Foods has centered its business on offering high-quality organic, natural foods to health-conscious consumers. Apple has dominated the mobile technology market in the 21st century by appealing to the desires of tech-savvy shoppers for cutting-edge innovation and product applications.

The key to effective marketing and presentation of unique selling points is focus. While your product may have multiple standout benefits, it is difficult to get customers to appreciate or recognize all of them. Thus, you typically need to focus on your greatest or most valuable strength. This helps in delivering focus advertisements that consistently reinforce your distinct selling point. One exception is focusing on a benefit known as a "cluster of satisfactions." This means that your primary benefit is that you offer an all-one-solution for customers who would otherwise need to buy multiple products. Apple's iPhone brand centers around a cluster of satisfactions.