Why It’s So Important to Know Your Marketing Thumbprint

So you’ve found your small pond, your niche—or “nitch.”
Great!
You’ve identified how you’re going to be that unique fish, how your colors and your dorsal fin designs and fish eyes are going to hypnotize everybody else in the pool.
Awesome!
But you have to be responsible enough to know that just because you stand out with your marketing somehow doesn’t mean you’re going to stand out the right way.
The Right Way Is Attracting The Right People
And the right people are the ones that you’ve identified as:
People whose need you can serve with your product or service with the least amount of convincing.
What are their characteristics?
The marketing term is demographics — Age, sex, ethnicity, geography, education, marital status, kids, no kids, income, etc.
But there are also more psychological traits —What your market likes, dislikes, considers most important, their lifestyle preferences, etc.
Once you know who you’re talking to, define what your message is. What is it that you want to tell them? You must answer the two key questions that they’re always asking:
- Why should I buy this, and…
- Why should I buy this from you?
Your message of who you are, what you do, and why those in that market should buy from you over everyone else must be very direct, definite, and sharp so that it can cut through all the clutter in the mind of the customer.
That’s where you have to stand out!
One of the ways to stand out is to have a “nitch” as I like to call it (because it rhymes with what? Rich!) or in other words, your specific uniqueness about you and/or your product:
Your unique selling proposition, or USP.
Your USP Is Your Marketing Thumbprint
Take a look at your thumb. Go on, nobody’s looking, don’t worry. Nobody has a thumb print like that. It’s absolutely true, yes?
That’s what your business has got to look like.
A fantastic marketer works with a single USP — a single thumbprint — that targets a specific need you can serve with your product.
Not several USPs. Just one. The others can just be part of your features and benefits.
Your one USP has got to be specific, relevant, and as sharp as a knife to fully communicate:
“This is why you deal with me. And this is what we do that nobody else does.”
To create the very best USP you need to know that target customer and create it according to them.
What do your specific customers want? What would really serve them? Your USP must be customer oriented — of benefit specifically to your target group.
Now you understand why it’s so important to know who your target demographic is and why I go on and on about marketing, and why you should love it too 🙂
And now you also understand that attracting the right people to your business AND getting them to buy will ultimately determine your success, mediocrity or failure.
So because this information is SO important, I created this free web class, The 500 Million Dollar Secret, to elaborate on this lesson more and show you how to approach your marketing in a simple way that will make you rich.
I know for some people marketing can be intimidating – whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned business owner. But it doesn’t have to be.
Click here to register for the class and select a date and time that works best for you. See you there!
Now it’s your turn! Give me your feedback on unique selling propositions and marketing thumbprints. Who do you think executes the most effective USPs in the market today? What makes them so good? What are your thoughts or experiences on advertising and marketing?
For Your Freedom,








Hi Harv-Couldn't agree with you more starting with “Be YOURSELF!” Too many people look to model themselves after someone or something else and lose their “uniqueness” and 'USP.' I believe you can not be all things to all people. I just finished reading Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh the CEO of Zappos.com. Now that's a guy that has a 'USP.'
Thanks for all you do and your uniqueness Harv and thanks again for your endorsement of my book. Have a great weekend!
@ Harv – good to see this post. Act like a refresher course from what i learned from you in the seminar 2 years ago. Now, i am going to relook into my company USP and see how are we identifying ourself in the mass market place..of course, perhaps reconsidering our demographics, etc..doing 20% of targeted work and getting 80% of spot-on lead will be the aim.
@ Tom – Yeah! I am reading Tony Hsieh's book on Delivering Happiness also..Very inspiring book, only 10% into it but i am already so sure i will finish the book. Definitely another must read for aspiring entreprenuer.
Like it very much. And have to find out what a tag line and the
RSS 2.0 feed are. Thanks Harv, you are a great mentor. Enjoy Sydney and have a safe trip back home when you are ready to head back.
You're going love it! Once you're finished, check out Time-Out!
Spot on Harv! I need to find people who own beach houses, cottages and cabins that are into Driftwood, so they will buy my mirrors, tables, lamps and candle holders. I had a blast creating azcanuck.com at the UIBC and now I want the world to see it!
I love your ideas. Unique Selling Proposition? My main goal is always to help people – with education, financial abundance, skills and positive feelings of self worth and confidence. I am with four network marketing companies but mainly market the marketing one to help people market whichever item or company they want. I was hoping to focus my ideas with the coaching I signed up for at UIBC. I will be calling to find out more about that in a couple of minutes…I haven't heard much so far.
I wanted to thank you for the memory sticks. I was watching Alex and you yesterday. You are both so lovely and so helpful! Thanks so much!!:-)
USP????….To be a helpful, supportive marketing education facilitator
Nice post!
Getting clear on who your *right people* are is the difference between making money now and never making money!
I just recently launched the Action Dude training company for first time business owners and new entrepreneurs.
The Action Dude
http://www.theactiondude.com
My problem is locating the people that I am looking for with my business. I do not want to blanket advertise to everyone. I know my target market but I do not know how to hunt them out.
Josh Bulloc
Kansas City, MO
How Can I Help?
A small example of how this applies at our spa: We use a sandwich board out front on the sidewalk. We have massage as one of our services. I like to put on something short such as 'Need some stress relief? Come chill with us” I suggest they call us for availability. It has been very hot outside this summer. I stand across the street and watch reactions to the sign. I ask folks when they come in how they found us. When I offer something very specific, customers respond to the directness better than a vague offer…
Hi Loretta. Regarding your USP above, you need to be MORE unique….”supportive marketing education facilitator” does not provide enough information to your target. Go back over this blog about getting more and more specific in your demographics. Good luck. – Harv
Hi T-Harv!
First, a very great thank you for your devotion and energies to help us attend are true Peak Potential!
I come from Wizard in Squamish that I’ve token with my wife. It was the best of all my courses.
My associate and I are lunching the SouriaVélo. It is unique on the planet. It is the most beautiful, the most ecologic, the most solid and fun guaranteed product that we designed for children between 2 to 6 to teach them the delicate movements of balance.
I know what I’m talking about. We have built from scratch this rugged high-end educational product.
My clients are parents, grand-parents, those who wants to invest one something that is built for years of enjoyment. The market is out there waiting. After one year of hard labor, I’ve sacrificed on a year of musical teaching in a primary school to jump full in that great project. I am happy to come out of dark to face the music again!
From September 12 to 14th, my associate and I will attend the most important bike show in Canada, EXPOCYCLE, that is held only once a year. It is open only for manufacturers and retailers. It will be a 3 days bizness sprint. So be it!
On behalf of the Souria team, have a nice day!
Martin Dessureault
CEO SOURIA PRODUCTS
http://www.souria.ca
819.800.0815
DH Partners Media Planning – I put my approach to business in the name.
Baloney.
Go read “THE IRRESISTIBLE OFFER” How to Sell Your Product or Service in 3 Seconds or Less by Mark Joyner.
In the same time it takes you to read THIS article, instead you'll learn how to market your business in 30 minutes or less . . .
or it’s free!!
Excellent dead on post Harv.
One thing I have learned is that the 30-day money back guarantee is dead. Moving into a position where the seller appears to be at risk (you folks went over this at UIBC) is far more enticing for would-be buyers.
From 200% money back guarantees to free trial products and then offering to BUY the product of choice if a trail user doesn't like yours seems to be very effective from studies I've seen. Heck C*alis is known for doing the latter. And the perceived risk is non existent, heck it benefits the buyer to return it.
I've been toying with the idea of how to add a USP into MLM products, as products aren't sold through distributors directly it's a little harder to offer anything more than the company's money back policy. Sure you can offer $20 if they return the product but it seems a little more tedious.
What seemed more viable was the ability to create an add-on user experience unique to yourself as a distributor, eg listbuilding newsletters, webinars, ebooks, video tutorials. Naturally some of this can be money makers but the point is, you can build your own brand and separate yourself from the pack even in MLM scenarios.
This post is a real eye opener though, I never thought of being so straight to the point and obvious with USPs but I'm off to highlight these facts in my businesses!
Who executes the the most effective USPs today? Apple computer. I mean, the iPod is just an mp3 player. iTunes is just an online music store. I'm not really sure WHAT the iPad is besides an over sized iPod touch. And I've used macs exclusively for years. But they have such a unique thumbprint of being at the cutting edge of tech and visionary at product design/development. They even made white earphones and wires an icon! Who else? McDonald's. (Crappy)Hamburgers for goodness sake. The largest seller of Coca Cola products in THE WORLD! Absolutely fabulous USP – “You know exactly what you're going to get, no matter what country, city, continent”. Consistency. No surprises. Who else? Warren Buffet/Berkshire Hathaway. 2 rules. Buy and hold. Only go into businesses you understand. My USP at http://www.CareForElderlyParents.com? Everything you need, all in one place, easy to use.
This was awesome. Yes, you need to change your pitch to the customer not everyone is the same. I like asking questions.
Stop assessing young people who don't have the funds for this overrated course with no certificates once completed. Shame on you, go back to your own country and charge the bullshit fees there. Oh thats right, your country is in deep financial shit, thats why your out here spreading crap, to young minds.
Go home stupid.