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Slater’s 50/50 Burger really is under all of the toppings
Have you ever thought that for something to be a unique selling proposition it needed to be really significant, like the Craftsman Hand Tools Lifetime, Unlimited Warranty or owning a patent or having a guarantee like FedEx’s guaranteed next day delivery? I used to. Then I began to pay attention and discovered that unique selling propositions (USPs) only have to be distinctive and important to the prospect.
To give you an example of a business person doing a good job of developing his USP, I’m going to continue my analysis of restaurateur Scott Slater and Slater’s 50/50.
If your uniqueness appeals to your target market, then you may have a unique selling proposition. The goal is to have some distinction that sets you apart from others so that patrons have a reason to come. Almost any branding campaign can create a unique selling proposition just by heavy and constant repetition of their brand name and tagline, like Cadillac’s “The all new 2010 SRX – The Cadillac of Crossovers.” The problem with a campaign like Cadillac’s SRX is that small and mid-sized businesses lack the advertising budget to build a brand just on the repeating an advertising slogan over and over on TV. This particular slogan gets extra impact by relying on the established brand to imply that this is the best of crossovers because it’s a Cadillac.
Scott Slater, on the other hand, takes the path of most small businesses. Slater’s 50/50 creates a unique selling proposition with the 50/50 burger. He further builds his distinctiveness with the fact that they are gourmet burgers, his “Burgers by Design” tagline, his unique recipes for Slater’s Signature burgers, and having the largest beer selection in Orange County. The largest beer selection in Orange County could be a unique selling proposition but by itself it limits him to Orange County, and he’s always subject to someone out doing his selection.
Once he gets thoroughly established in his market area’s consciousness for this unique selling proposition, any others who come along trying to differentiate themselves on a 50/50 burger, even if it’s something other than bacon and ground beef, looks like an imitator, which normally limits them to the cheaper imitation product slot.
In all sales and marketing, you greatly increase you chance of building a successful business by having a unique selling proposition. The key point to remember is that your area of uniqueness must appeal to your ideal customers. It has to set you apart, making you appear better than your competitors so as to draw them to you and get them to return. Slater’s 50/50 shows that the unique selling proposition can be a simple difference, a gourmet burger that’s 50% ground bacon and 50% gound beef. He reinforces it then with other distinctive dishes, a design your own burger option and the largest beer selection in Orange County all backed up with flat screen TVs scattered throughout the restaurant set to various games. As I mentioned in my last article, he knows his ideal customers and has built everything around what will attract them.
If you want to learn more about unique selling propositions, please join my community by opting into my mailing list. The opt-in box is at the top of the right column. My eCourse, 9 Steps to Finding Prospects Who Want What You Provide, a $47 value includes “How to Stand Out in a Cast of Thousands: Lesson 6 – Identify Your Unique Selling Proposition.” I give tips on how to create your own unique selling proposition and use it to stand out in the market.
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