Recall the last time you bought something in a deliberate way. 

Maybe it was a high-ticket item. 

Or maybe it was something that, if you made the wrong decision, could have caused undue stress or damage.

Maybe you were even one of several decision-makers, and you each had different ideas of what the key buying considerations should be.  

You probably read online reviews… 

Or joined forums and consulted people who purchased it. 

Maybe you had a spreadsheet of your options, compared the “pros and cons” of each, the price, the service level, the key criteria worth considering, etc. 

Can you remember what exactly made you pick the one you did? 

What made it stand out as the best choice for you considering everything else? 

Well, your ideal customers are doing the same thing. 

Whether they do it consciously or not, they weigh your offer against all the other options available to them. 

So the question is:
In a noisy and competitive marketplace, how do you influence them to conclude that you are their best choice?  

Ultimately, it’s how well you differentiate yourself that will stack the odds in your favour. 

How? 

By crafting a compelling Unique Value Proposition (UVP). 

So if you want to outdo your competitors whenever your ideal prospects are comparing you with them, read on and I’ll show you how to win that game!  

What’s A Unique Value Proposition? 

(Some call it Unique Selling Point (USP) but we prefer to emphasise the Value aspect.) 

A UVP is a statement that clearly explains to your ideal customers why they should choose you over everyone else in the marketplace.

To do this, you need to address these “sub-questions”:

• What your product or service is. 
• The benefits and the end results the user will enjoy. 
• Who is it best suited for and why.
• What makes it (and you) not just different, but better than all the other options out there.

You can express your UVP in many ways (I’ll show you some concrete examples and applications on Landing Pages later). It could take the form of some text, a concise statement, a short paragraph (or a group of paragraphs), or a bullet list. 

Here’s how we have incorporated it on our website’s home page:

In one glance, it’s clear what we do, who we do it for, the end results of the value we offer, and we give plenty of compelling reasons (and credible proof!) why our ideal customers should work with us. 

Why do we need to invest so much time in crafting a compelling UVP? 

In a word: differentiation.

And differentiation = conversion.

After all, conversion optimisation is all about the effective communication of the right value to the right people at the right time.

Sadly, much of the value many businesses offer remain hidden. 

Many of our attempts to convey our value don’t result in actual perceived value. (Not as far as the intended recipients are concerned anyway). 

There are so many amazing businesses out there that are doing meaningful, important work — but are not communicating the depth and the breadth of the value they are bringing to the world. 

The result: 

Unconverted traffic. 

Unmet needs. 

Transformations that could have happened but didn’t. 

Unrealised dreams. 

Unborn selves. 

OK, I’m being cheesy and dramatic here but you get the drift :) 

I’m not joking when I say that having “a bad UVP” can create missed growth opportunities of epic proportions.

In fact, if there’s one thing on your landing page that you should get right above anything else, it’s your UVP!

You see, a well-crafted UVP can boost your conversions because it does several things:

• It captures your ideal prospects’ attention.
• It helps establish relevance —fast. That is, it helps answer the prospect’s subconscious question: “is this page meant for ME? Why should I stay and explore deeper?”
• It conveys the concrete benefits they will enjoy if — and only if — they choose you.
• It positions your brand and/or offer as THE solution to their problems and their specific needs.
• It influences your ideal prospects to conclude for themselves that not only can you do or give them X (where X = the buying criteria they care most about), but that you are the best at it.
• If your prospects think they can only get X from you, then it creates an internal sense of urgency in them. It drives them to act. 

But to really explain what a UVP is, it’s worth clarifying what it isn’t.

What a Unique Value Proposition is NOT:

• It’s not a catchy slogan e.g., “A diamond is forever.”, “Maybe it’s Maybelline.”
• It’s not a tagline e.g., “Got Milk?”
• Even though it’s tempting to differentiate ourselves by “bragging” about our expertise, outstanding results, and why we are God’s gift to humanity… a good UVP frames those “we-are-amazing-because…” statements in terms of what specific, concrete benefits your prospects will then get to enjoy.
• They’re not hollow rhetoric that you spout just to bait prospects.
• If the UVP you have is something that one of your competitors could also say, then it’s not unique and therefore it doesn’t differentiate you well enough.
• A UVP is not just any benefit statement. It must MATCH what your ideal prospects actually value.
  
  For example, let’s say you’re a talented dancer AND an award-winning scientist.
  If you’re on a first date with someone who loves dancing, you’re better off taking them to the dance floor than talking about your latest breakthrough findings in the lab.
  
  The same principle applies when we are wooing prospects: we may have so many great things about our offer or company, but we should lead with “our stuff” that ALIGN with their interests, priorities, needs, motivations, and values. 

Now that we’re clear what a UVP is and what it isn’t, let’s take a look at some examples! 

Examples of Unique Value Propositions We Could All Learn From 

There are some brands that, in a single, simple sentence, manages to convey the compelling reason why their ideal customers should buy from them.  

FedEx: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.”

Domino’s: “Get your pizza in 30 minutes or it’s free!”

M & Ms: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

Carrefour: “Everything under the same roof.”

iPod: “1000 songs in your pocket.”

Grammarly’s Unique Value Proposition conveys what the user is able to do by using their app: 

Now let’s look at how we have incorporated them in the optimised landing pages that we have made for some of our clients…

You can choose the straightforward route and answer “Why Us”.

Feature your well-thought out list of reasons why and make sure it’s above the fold, just like what we’ve done for the Car Warranty Company:

If you have awards or some sort of recognition in your industry, shout about it just like what we’ve done above. 

Most people skim web pages so listing your UVP’s in easier, digestible chunks works well. 

Observe what we’ve done here for Snow Teeth Whitening: 

Notice how the above screenshot says:

“…advanced proprietary teeth whitening serum only available here.” 
Translation: the prospects can’t get it anywhere else.

“Original, patented safe LED activating technology”
Patented = exclusivity

“so you can wear it safely at home…”
Safety is always a big criteria for products like this so it always helps when you emphasise safety.
At home means it’s convenient, it’s not stressful, and it makes the whole experience dead easy. 

“…in as little as 9 minutes a day.”
Who doesn’t like convenient and fast processes, right?

I hope you’re getting some serious ideas on how to apply these to your own business.

Use Social Proof to Establish Differentiation.

Have you seen the movie Inception?

In it, Leonardo diCaprio was tasked to infiltrate the dreams of his “target” and implant an idea into his target’s subconscious mind.

Well, what if I told you that you could do an inception-esque way to establish differentiation through Social Proof?

Take a look at this page we’ve done for NiftyLooks: 

Position Social Proof elements strategically on your Landing Page for maximum impact.

Instead of tooting your own horn, let your most passionate brand advocates do all the talking for you:

As you can see, as these happy customers are raving about the yoga pants, their testimonials are arming the readers with reasons why they should buy:

• “Everybody keeps giving me compliments…” 

• “They’re comfortable, fit great, and wash well!”

• ”They make my shape look great especially the booty.”

Compliments, comfy fit, and a shapely boo-tay?

Yes-please-I’ll-take-5-pairs-thank-you! 

This is the beauty of saying something without actually saying it. 

The fact that it’s the customers who are saying these things and not the founder of NiftyLooks (or a salesperson) makes it even more powerful.

For some customers, Personalisation is a big plus. 

Sometimes, all it takes to build value and differentiate yourself in the marketplace is by providing your customers the chance to express their individuality.

One of our clients, Pet Collars, allows pet owners that experience and they love it: 

Combine that with an emphasis on using only premium quality materials plus a wide variety of choices and you’re golden. 

If your research indicated that your ideal customers value where you manufacture or where you source materials from, then it’s worth including that information in your landing pages.

Notice how we applied this on the Pet Collars landing page below:

Are you getting the hang of it now? 

Now let’s tackle how to craft your UVP. 

LPG’s 4-Step Guide to Crafting a UVP That Converts

Step 1. Know and understand your ideal prospects.  

Effective marketing begins and ends with your ideal customer: the one whom you intend you serve.

Let’s call your typical ideal customer “Bob”.  

(You might identify who “your Bob” is by researching and identifying market segments that are currently underserved, whose needs you could meet very well.)

Doing a lot of one-on-one talks with Bob works great. Talk to your Bob who hasn’t bought from you yet and ask him questions like: 

• What irks you the most about {your category of product or service}
  e.g., If your business is an e-commerce shop selling perfumes, ask Bob: “what annoys you about perfumes or the process of buying them?”
• How are you currently dealing with the problem?
• Can you describe a typical “moment of struggle”? 
• What buying criteria matter most to you?
• What alternatives have you used to address this problem? How well did it work?

Then talk to your raving customers.

You know who they are.

They’re your brand advocates. Those who love you so much they practically wax lyrical about you.

Ask them:

• How exactly does my product/service make your life better (easier, happier, richer, etc)?
• Recall the first time you ever bought from us. What made you decide to buy it?
• What, in your opinion, sets us apart from others you’ve tried?  
• Are there any hidden needs being solved by my product/service? 

Pay attention to their language and the specific words they use as they answer your questions, particularly when they’re specifically talking about your product/service. 

Identify the words that keep coming up and then use those same words in your messaging. 

For example if you talked to 40 of your ideal customers, and most of them mentioned (in one form or another) the words “fast”, “transformative” and “breakthrough”, use those same words in your communications strategy. 

Essentially you want to mirror their own words (and voice) back to them. This creates emotional resonance within them. 

Step 2. Do a “brain dump”.

Knowing what you know about Bob, what his pain points are, what matters to him above all else, etc, list all the notable benefits you offer (or can offer) to Bob.

Consider:

• What are Bob’s unmet needs? 
• What can I do (for Bob) better than everyone else? 
• What features or value can I add or create that wouldn’t cost me much but is of immense value to Bob? 

Here are some prompts…

Go through each item from the bullet list below as you ask yourself:

“What is it about my {check bullet list below} that, if I tell Bob, will get his attention and will make him want to buy from me?”

For example, “What is it about my {product or service} that, if I tell Bob, will get his attention and will want to buy from me?” (and then just continue down the list)

At this point you’re just coming up with ideas. So throw out everything you could think of. Don’t worry about writing something “stupid”.

• Product or service
  e.g., bespoke, customisable, foldable, invisible, world’s tiniest or most quiet, the “first”, best value for money, etc.
• Price/value for money 
  e.g., “if you buy our project management software you will replace at least 12 other apps that you’re probably using.”
• Leadership Team + their experience, qualifications (and spell out how those benefit your prospects)
  e.g., Don’t just say “We’re a pioneer in our field”. Spell out what this means to them: “In our 53+ years of doing this, we’ve dealt with just about any scenario possible. Working with us means you lower your risks of failure because you’ll get unmatched effectiveness that you simply can’t get anywhere else.”
• Service level  
  e.g., You have 24/7 customer service.
• Process or the way you do what you do  
  e.g., “We inspect all our overseas partner factories on random occasions to ensure they are not using child labour.”
• Materials you use and the manner you source them
  e.g., “We source the finest cashmere only from happy goats in the Mongolian Gobi desert.”
• Location
  This could be your business location, or the source of your key ingredients.
  e.g., “Our restaurant is the only one that serves lobsters shipped in from Maine and caviar shipped in from the Caspian sea every morning!”
• Speed of delivery
  e.g., Fast shipping, next day shipping or they get 10% off, etc.
• Quality
• Quantity
  e.g., Free trial for 60 days (instead of just 15 days), “our basic package comes with multiple licenses” (instead of the usual 1 which is what our competitors offer).
• The experience they get as a user
  e.g., “Do it all in just one click!”
• Guarantee
  What mind-blowing, better-than-a-refund guarantee can you come up with?
• Your reputation, character, skillset 
  Maybe you’re easy to work with, you’re proven to be trustworthy, or you’re a “full-stack” of some sort. For example, a full-stack developer is one who works with both the front and back ends of a website or application.
• History or origins
• Your philosophy and values
  Stating your philosophy and values can help you attract customers who share the same beliefs.
• Your WHY
  What is it about your mission, purpose, your reason for existing or why you built your business that will resonate with your ideal customers on an emotional level?
• Define what you don’t do, and/or who you don’t cater to.  Sometimes the value we offer lies not in what we do but in what we don’t do.e.g., It’s common for health clubs to charge “a registration fee” and to lock members into a contract. Therefore, one that doesn’t do any of those stands out.

Step 3. Prioritise + Refine

Now step into your ideal customer’s shoes and evaluate the list as they would.

Refer to the information you’ve gathered from step 1.

Knowing what you know about “your Bob”, pinpoint the things that matter most to him and hone in on tightening and elevating those statements. 

Remember that ALIGNMENT is key here.

Ex-Googler Steve Blank created a simple template for this. You could use it to jumpstart your creativity: 

We help (A) do (B) by doing (C,D, E).

 

If you recall, the UVP on our home page follows a similar format: 

“We skyrocket your business sales and conversions with our high-converting, affordable landing pages and websites.” 

Another UVP template you might like is from Crossing the Chasm by Geoff Moore:

For {ideal customer} who {needs/wants X}, our {product/service} is {category of industry} that {benefits}.

e.g., “For 7-figure tech companies that need specialised tech systems, our full-stack teams of software engineers is the ultimate leverage that will catapult you into the 8-figures and beyond.” 

If at first it feels “clunky”, don’t worry. The secret is to get on the right track first and then refine it over time.

Step 4. Test your Unique Value Proposition. 

Sometimes what people say in surveys isn’t what they actually do. This isn’t because they’re liars but because often, we’re not fully conscious of the real reasons why we do what we do.  So when asked about it, we can only express what we’re aware of.

Therefore, it’s important to validate your Unique Value Proposition by testing them.

Start with an A/B split test and see which one converts into more click-throughs, sales or leads. Then you can ramp it up by buying traffic.

As your business grows and adapts to changes, your products, services or even your ideal customers themselves will also change. Testing your UVP ensures that your UVP evolves accordingly over time.

If you need any help with any of the things we’ve outlined here, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We’ve designed our entire client experience to be simple, easy, and above all, lucrative.  

Of course, here at LPG we’re all about taking action so here’s your ultimate UVP checklist…

Your Ultimate UVP Checklist 

• Is it clear?
  Did you eliminate any business-speak, pretentious jargon or vague, generic-sounding, and even meaningless statements?
• Is it concrete?
  Does it convey what the product does, how it works, and the end results the user will enjoy?
  
• Can it be read and understood in less than 5 seconds?
• Did you incorporate it in your headline or in the area above-the-fold?
  
• Are the end results and benefits concrete?
• Is it concise but impactful?
• Does it match what your ideal customers actually value?
• Does it appeal to both logic and emotions?
• Is it something you can (and do) actually deliver — not just an empty promise?
  
• Have you validated your UVP by split-testing it?
• Are you using the customer’s language?
• Are you avoiding hype or any unsubstantiated claim?
• Can you craft a memorable narrative to make it sticky?
• Is your UVP being conveyed on all of your pages (home, about page, product/service page, etc.)?
• Does it clearly convey what makes your product/service not only different but better than the other options?  

Conclusion

Effectively communicating the right value to the right people at the right time is the essence of conversion optimisation.

And your Unique Value Proposition is the arrow that, if you sharpen, will cut through all the noise in the crowded marketplace and get your ideal prospects to notice you, to feel resonance with your message, and ultimately buy from you.   

So take the time to work and refine your UVP. Then ensure that it is being communicated on every landing page you create and every page of your website. 

And if you need help with any of the steps we’ve outlined above, we’ve got your back. Click the button below to tell us all about your project and what your goals are, and we’ll take care of the rest!