Your USP is your Unique Selling Proposition.

This is the identity that you create that sets you apart from your competitors in your marketplace.  This is the answer to the question in your customer's minds "why should I do business here?".

One thing that you have to remember though, as you develop your USP, is that you need to make sure that your USP addresses a concern that actually exists in your marketplace.

If your USP boasts something about your business that you think is important to you but none of your customers find important, then you have missed the mark.  If you have a Pizza shop and you are bragging about how fast you can deliver the pizzas but most of your customers are walk-in customers and they actually come there because of the taste of your pizza, then you have missed the mark.  You are promoting a feature of your business that is not relevant to your customers.

As you set up your USP, make sure that you not only identify and address important features or benefits, make sure that they are the features and benefits that your marketplace is actually looking for.

Jonathan Hook teaches businesses how to consistently and predictably increase profits through implementation of a proven marketing system at TheMarketersMind.com

Every entrepreneur who is looking for a new business idea has heard the advice: "find a need and fill it." I'm here to tell you to forget it. That advice could doom your business to fail even before you start.

Think about your last trip to the mall.

Be honest now. How many of those shiny, new packages you brought home contained something you really needed? I mean for your basic survival?

More than likely the items you bought filled a "want," not a need.

Consider the Mercedes buyer. Does he buy a Mercedes because he needs its great gas mileage? Or does he "want" the impression of status it conveys for his image? Does he need the car's safe handling for his family? Or does he "want" the younger, sexier feeling driving a Mercedes provides?

The fact is, people make purchases based on emotional reasons. Then, they use logic to justify their desires.

Many a product that satisfied a need has failed because it was impossible to get people excited about it.

When you're looking for your next business venture choose one that fills a "want." People will always pay more for a "want" than a "need." And your odds for success will multiply.

Tags: affiliate marketing, internet marketing, niche marketing, internet marketing tips, article marketing

You have, no doubt, heard the advice from marketing experts to get testimonials from your satisfied customers. And, like a good student of marketing, you know you should use these testimonials in your ads and sales letters to increase consumer confidence in your company.

But what about when you're just starting out? What if your product hasn't been sold yet? How do you get customer testimonials before you even get customers?

Sure you could give people your product to sample in exchange for their endorsement. But I've got another idea you might like to try.

Find books, articles and news stories that have been written about your industry. Then quote what industry leaders and experts are saying in your marketing materials.

For example, let's say you've invented a new child's toy. Your toy is special because it is educational as well as fun. Now find a passage you can quote from, let's say the National Toy Council that says educational toys are better for children. Find as many quotes as you possibly can that seem to support your product.

When you use these quotes from experts in your field, you get the added benefit of their implied endorsement. Be careful, however, not to suggest that these experts have actually tried and recommend your product. That could quickly get you slapped with a big, fat lawsuit.

When I wrote my manual "How To Start Your Own Home-Based Coupon Book Business," I quoted The Entrepreneur's Ultimate Start-Up Directory. In that book, author James Stephenson stated "Community coupon books are hot, and starting a business that designs and produces coupon books is a sensational new business endeavor to set in motion."

I also found other marketing experts like Dan Kennedy and Kevin Nunley who indicated that coupon advertising is highly effective and profitable. I used their quotes in my sales letters and still do.

Of course, once your business takes off you WILL solicit testimonials from your satisfied customers.

But until you've hit the big time, use the quotes of industry experts to make it appear like you have.

Tags: article marketing, affiliate marketing, internet marketing tips, niche marketing, Jonathan Hook

Has this happened to you?

You're in the process of selling your widgets to a prospect. You've turned features into benefits. You've given him an amazing demonstration. You've attempted several closing techniques.

Overall, you've done such a marvelous job of proving the value of your widget, that you're convinced he's ready to sign on the dotted line.

Suddenly, he hits you with: "What's the catch?"

Most people have been taught to believe that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Sometimes, you can oversell to the point where your prospect thinks there has to be a catch.

Your response to this question can be critical. If you say, "There's NO catch," your prospect will, nevertheless, assume you must be hiding something.

So what is the best way to handle this situation?

First, be prepared for it. Don't get caught with your pants down. Hesitation or stunned silence will lose you the sale every time.

You may even want to provoke the subject before your customer does with the question, "You're probably wondering what the catch is, right?"

Then, give your customer a catch that is true yet meaningless to him.

The best way for me to illustrate what I mean is through an example from my own personal experience.

Years ago, I worked for a promotional company that sold coupon books to golfers by phone. The golfer who purchased a book would receive six rounds of golf for the price of one. The deal definitely sounded too good to be true.

My closing technique went something like this:

ME: "Now, I bet you're wondering what the catch is, right Bob?"

BOB: (Laughs) "Yes, I am."

ME: "Well, you're right. There IS one catch."

BOB: "I knew it." (Bob tenses, preparing for the worst.)

ME: "The catch is that the golf course owner requests that you call in

advance to book your tee-off time. But you probably do that anyway,

don't you?"

BOB: "Usually I do, yeah. That's it?"

ME: "That's it, Bob."

Bob: "Sounds great."

ME: "Great! So how many books would you like, one or two?"

See how I've given Bob a catch to earn his trust - but I've made it a catch he can live with!

Try this technique yourself the next time you're faced with the "too good to be true" scenario.

Find a small catch about your product - create one if you have to. Just make sure it's a catch that your prospect doesn't care about. You'll gain credibility in his eyes and close a lot more sales in the long run.

Tags: website optimization, internet marketing tips, affiliate marketing, Jonathan Hook, niche marketing

I coined the term "P.O.W.E.R. Marketing" to describe five steps you must take when crafting any ad or sales letter.

P.O.W.E.R. is an acronym for: Provoke a Problem, Offer a Solution, Win Trust, Evoke Emotion, and Remove Risk.

Many small business owners forget some of these steps when they create their marketing materials. But the most successful sales letters contain ALL of these elements.

Let's look at each step of the P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System:

1/ PROVOKE A PROBLEM:

Your ad should begin by stoking the fire under a problem your prospect

identifies closely with. This is often done in the headline, the sub-head

and the first few paragraphs of the body copy.

An example might be the famous mail-order ad that asks, "Do You Make

These Mistakes In English?" The goal is to stop your reader in his tracks

and make him want to read more.

2/ OFFER A SOLUTION:

If you write your ad correctly, the solution to your prospect's problem

should be YOUR product or service. But many ad writers remember the

"solution" but forget the "offer" part.

You need a solid offer so your prospect knows what he's getting. Your

offer should include your product, the price (which may include a

discount with an expiry date), payment terms and even bonuses.

Bonuses are especially effective if offered for a limited time only.

Spend a lot of time creating your offer. Make it irresistible. Your offer will

make or break your campaign. And it's the most essential part of the

P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System.

3/ WIN TRUST:

When your prospect reads your ad or sales letter, he is often doubting

what you say. He knows you are trying to sell him something. He's been

burned before by other, unscrupulous marketers. Why should he believe

YOU are any different?

So remember to present your credentials. State your years and level of

experience. Quote the results of tests performed on your product. Show

photos of your product in action. All will enhance your credibility.

But the best way to win your prospects' trust is through the use of

testimonials. You've read statements from customers that began, "I was

skeptical at first. But then I tried XYZ brand." Your prospect will believe

a testimonial over YOU because he perceives that the customer is

someone like him.

As soon as you can, start collecting testimonials from satisfied

customers. Most are happy to oblige. (And while you're at it, ask for

referrals too.)

4/ EVOKE EMOTION:

People buy things based on emotion not logic. They may realize buying

your product would be a smart move. But you must get them excited to

get them to take that step.

To get your prospect excited, speak in terms of benefits, not features. A

feature is a specific characteristic of your product. A benefit is what your

customer will get from that feature.

An example? The lighted keypad on a cell phone is a feature. The

benefit? No more fumbling in the dark to answer a call or dial a number.

When describing your product, make sure you always translate each

feature into its corresponding benefit to the consumer.

5/ REMOVE RISK:

To really explode your sales, you need to remove all risk from your

prospect. To do this, develop a strong guarantee and promote it heavily.

It's not good enough to simply state "Guaranteed" at the end of your

offer. In fact, the more specific you make your guarantee, the more

powerful and effective it becomes.

Here's the guarantee I use for my "How To Start Your Own Home-Based

Coupon Book Business" manual:

"Try my manual for 60 days FREE.

If you're not completely convinced

that this business is the one you've

been waiting for - send it back

for a FULL REFUND. NO QUESTIONS ASKED."

For my "Coupon Book Business Builder's Tool Kit," I offer a ONE-FULL-

YEAR Unconditional Guarantee.

Some marketers even offer double or triple your money back.

Don't be afraid to make a strong guarantee. Sure a few dishonest

people will take advantage of you. But your increase in sales will far

out-weigh your losses.

Remember to use these five steps in all your marketing messages. Employ the P.O.W.E.R. Marketing System and watch your sales sky-rocket.

Tags: internet marketing tips, internet marketing, Jonathan Hook, article marketing, affiliate marketing