Content can be a unique selling proposition IF you do it right. In today’s online world and with the availability of information, content is just about mandatory regardless of the industry you’re in.

We’re smack dab in the middle of a series of suggestions to help your determine you USP. The last suggestion, unique selling proposition #4: white collar product at a blue collar price discussed the importance of bringing added value to your offer.

If you haven’t seen the first 4 posts in this series, you should click the link above to check the last one out. You can work back to the beginning from there.

It’ll be worth your time to get caught up to where we’re at.

Go on, I can wait…….

Ok, now that that’s done let’s move forward.

Unique Selling Proposition #5: Content

Content can be your USP all by itself if you happen to be in a niche that doesn’t normally use content as a part of the sales process.

As I mentioned earlier, with the availability of information today, you can crush your competition if you start providing valuable content while your competitors aren’t.

It goes back to what I discussed yesterday. That’s how you add extreme value to your product or service.

So long as you’re reasonably capable at marketing and you’re a dependable business owner (I’m making an assumption here for this post, but you’ll see tomorrow that this really is only an assumption that I can make here), you’ll have customers coming to you in flocks with their wallets open.

People thirst for quality content. They want information.

If you’re operating in the online marketing realm, this isn’t even a discussion. If you’re not offering quality content that provides great value to the reader, you don’t have a business period. 

You won’t be able to survive online without it.

On the flip side, if you’re in an industry that typically doesn’t use content as a part of their strategy, you’ll be in a crowd of one. Your customers will seek you out and you’ll be easy to find because your competition won’t be anywhere around.

Ok I Get It, But How Do I Use Content As A Unique Selling Proposition?

This one isn’t near as hard as it seems. You just have to have your focus in the right place.

This isn’t about converting browsers into buyers here.

It’s about creating loyalty and trust.

Give freely of the information you possess and when it comes time, people will be more willing to buy your product or service.

Here’s a real life example.

Let’s say you’re a builder. Most builders may have some pamphlets and a few floor plan brochures, but they don’t really do much with producing constant, valuable content.

So you take a different tact. Whenever you contact potential customers you collect their contact information.

Then, once or twice a week you send out a newsletter style email providing valuable tips and information that most homeowners or potential homeowners would appreciate.

The newsletter topics should be pretty easy for you to come up with because you’re an active builder and know what’s going on. Some example topics could be:

• 8 Maintenance Tips To Keep The Repairman Away. Here you’d discuss maintenance tips that will help the homeowner from having to spend a ton of money calling out a repairman.
• 15 Keys To Identifying A Quality Built Home. Name 15 things for home shoppers to look for to help them identify if the home they’re looking at is a quality built product. If you’re smart, these 15 tips (I just picked that number off of the top of my head, by the way. It could be more or less) are areas where you differentiate yourself from your competitors. But this isn’t “look at me” here. Simply provide the information and people will identify on their own that you offer these things and your competition doesn’t.
• Wood Frame vs. Concrete Block. Compare and contrast a wood frame home to a concrete block home. Give them the pros and cons of both types and let them decide which is better for their situation.
• New Code Updates. When new building codes come out, let your people know what the changes are and how they’ll make their home safer.

I could go on and on here, but you get the picture. I came up with those in about 5 minutes and I don’t have the first clue about home building. Somebody who knows what they’re doing could provide immense value to their potential customers.

And you can do this in any industry. Smart real estate agents are knocking this one out of the park.

Now understand, this isn’t going to attract every potential customer. But, as I’ve mentioned before (I told you to read the last post. Here’s the link again: unique selling proposition tip #4), you’re not after every customer.

You’re looking for those customers who define value by what you provide for the price, not the customer who defines value by price alone.

Read that again because it’s a critical distinction (and it’s not the first time I’ve said it, either).

Look for customers who define value by what you provide for the price. They’re generally easier to deal with and a happier bunch all the way around.

And content can be a great way to find them.

What About You?

How can you use content to add value to your unique selling proposition? Are you in a niche where content isn’t used much or are you in an arena where content is mandatory like the online marketing world? Let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear your experiences.

Also, please share this post with the social media buttons to your left. Then, jump on over to my Facebook fan page and give it a like. Thanks.