What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition?
What Is Your Unique Selling Proposition?
(And Why “High Quality” Is Not One)
If you’re a small business owner trying to stand out online, you’ve probably heard the phrase:
“Define your unique selling proposition.”
And then immediately thought… okay, but how?
Let’s make this simple.
Your unique selling proposition, or USP, is the clear reason someone chooses you instead of someone else.
Not because you’re nice.
Not because you care.
Not because you’re “high quality.”
Those are expectations.
Your USP is your positioning.
It’s the angle you bring to solving a specific problem for a specific person.
And if your marketing feels interchangeable, this is probably the missing piece.
A Real Example: A Baby Photographer
Let’s say you’re a baby photographer.
If your website says:
“I capture beautiful moments for your family.”
That’s sweet. But it could belong to anyone.
Now let’s sharpen it.
Maybe you specialize in:
Natural, in-home newborn sessions
Calm, unposed moments
Supporting overwhelmed first-time moms
Styling guidance so they don’t spiral about outfits
Now your positioning might sound like:
“I photograph new mothers in their own homes, capturing the quiet, in-between moments so they feel seen in a season that often feels invisible.”
That is a unique selling proposition.
It’s specific.
It’s emotional.
It’s targeted.
And most importantly, it’s not for everyone.
This Applies to Any Small Business
A wellness coach might say:
“I help women get healthy.”
Or she could say:
“I help busy women over 40 stabilize their energy and hormones without extreme diets or cutting out everything they love.”
An Etsy shop owner selling kids party supplies could say:
“Custom party decor for kids.”
Or:
“I design bold, modern party kits for moms who want Pinterest-worthy birthdays without spending 40 hours DIY-ing everything.”
The difference is clarity.
Specific people.
Specific problems.
Specific approach.
That’s what makes you stand out in a crowded market.
Who Is This Actually For?
If your answer is “everyone,” you don’t have a USP.
Your brand becomes stronger when you narrow.
Not because you’re excluding people.
But because you’re creating resonance.
When someone reads your website and thinks:
“Oh. This is exactly for me.”
That’s when you stop chasing and start attracting.
Why You, Not Someone Else?
Your difference often lives in:
Your background
Your lived experience
Your methodology
Your standards
The type of client you love working with
You don’t need to be the best in the world.
You need to be the best fit for a specific type of person.
That’s brand positioning.
About Those Fill-in-the-Blank Brand Statements
Okay. Let’s talk about the worksheet thing.
You’ve probably seen this formula:
I help ______
Who struggle with ______
By ______
So they can ______
Listen.
I don’t love generic fill-in-the-blanks. It can feel like branding mad libs. It’s not how real humans talk. And I can spot a templated brand statement from a mile away.
But.
If using a structure like that helps you understand the framework behind your positioning, great. Use it.
Just don’t stop there.
The framework gives you clarity.
The clarity gives you confidence.
Then you get creative with your messaging.
Structure first. Voice second.
We’ll talk more about that in another post.
The Real Reason This Matters
If you cannot clearly explain your unique selling proposition, people default to comparing:
Price
Follower count
Turnaround time
That’s when you feel replaceable.
Clear positioning protects you from that.
It strengthens your marketing.
It simplifies your content.
It makes selling feel more grounded.
And if you’ve already defined the core problem your business solves, this becomes much easier. Your USP builds directly on that foundation.
If this feels harder than it should, that’s normal.
This is foundational brand strategy work. And it’s exactly the kind of clarity we build inside Move It Along Studio and inside Build Your Brand in 45 Days.
Because without positioning, you second-guess everything.
With it, you move forward with confidence.