One of the biggest marketing instructions you’ll ever hear is:
Define Your Unique Selling Proposition
In other words: find those things that help you stand out from the crowd and make clients take notice.
However, when you’re a VA, coach, consultant or solo-services professional it can sometimes be difficult to figure out how you are “unique” compared to all those other people offering the same services as you. Then defining your USP becomes relatively difficult.
To overcome this dilemma of finding your unique selling proposition, the answer lies in defining your unique story.
Stories are used everywhere – in films and books and even in social context when we enjoy telling a story or listening to someone else’s story. In reality, millions of these stories use the same story framework – e.g. the hero’s journey through hardship and pain and eventually overcoming his struggles to start living his dream. Yet all those stories are also different, due to different characters, situations and geographical locations.
Did you know you also have a unique story? Your experiences in life, your background and knowledge, your talents and skills, the different places you’ve been to, absolutely everything in your life contribute to your unique story. Your story also makes you different from any other person, because no-one else has experienced everything in exactly the same way you did.
This is one of the secrets to stand out from the crowd and make clients take notice. You can use your unique life experiences and your own journey to engage and connect with your ideal clients.
So, find your Unique Selling Proposition, by formulating your Unique Story Proposition.
There’s however a catch with formulating your Unique Story Proposition. You cannot do it in isolation. When you want your story to engage clients, it should be a story that they want to listen to and can easily relate to.
When you start writing your story, think about what your clients are interested in. In other words, what do they want and need and what solutions are they actively searching for. Then think about the solutions you provide to their problems and how you arrived to those solutions. That becomes your story.
The truth is: your clients love to hear your story and telling them about your journey – how you got where you are today – is a great way to engage them. When you share your story on your website and in your marketing materials it not only connects with your ideal prospects on a personal level but also increases your credibility and helps building the know, like and trust factor.
So, what’s your story?
Share it with us in the comment box below.
I am just a simple person. A Civil Eng’r. but have discontinued to work since marriage,1993. No regrets of course but thankful instead because I did help taking care of my mom for five short years before she went home to our almighty Father. I were available when my daughters needed me most. Now that my daughters are old enough to take care of themselves and busy with their studies, I just want to complete myself, earn some and help my immediate family financially. Yes, my siblings, I am the ninth child of eleven children of my parents. I have many nieces and nephews who wish and want to continue their studies but their parents do not have enough money to let them continue their dream. Here I am wishes to help and came to your site….
Ellen, thanks for sharing your story with us. You definitely have a great reason (a big Why) to do what you want to do. Keep your goal in front of you and let it motivate you to take the necessary action 🙂