? If so, in what way?



? Can you definitely prove it?

? If you're not unique, are you better at what

you do than the competition? And if so, what

exactly is it that makes you better?

? Can you demonstrate in easily understandable

language (not BS) what it is that makes you

better or different?

? Do you provide quality--either at a price or

irrespective of price?

? Do you provide value? And that doesn't

necessarily mean offering the cheapest prices or

matching those of some fly-by-night outfit that

could very well not be around tomorrow.

? If you believe you provide value, can you

express it in 20 words or less, spelling out what

is the unquestionable benefit you provide at a

fair price to satisfied customers?

? Do you back up your quality products or

services with rock-solid, no-questions-asked

guarantees and unmatched customer relationships?

? Are you totally reliable? This goes beyond the

above two points and is the reason why some

companies have been in business for years, while

seemingly not being different than other

companies with similar products and services.

Perhaps a better way of posing the question would

be, Does your company have integrity?

? Do you give the impression that you've been

around for a while and intend to be around for a

good deal longer? That anyone dealing with you, (

particularly in a B2B relationship), should be

assured that you will unhesitatingly solve to

their complete satisfaction any and all problems

that might occur in your business relationship?

? Even though it may not necessarily be seen as

an obvious bottom-line revenue generator, are you

prepared to spend time helping solve customers'

problems, irrespective of whether this is part of

the service you normally provide?

? If you've been in business for a while, do you

have solid and reference-proof case studies,

particularly with locally recognizable satisfied

customers that you can talk about in your

advertising? Can potential customers call your

existing customers to verify their experiences

with you?

? If you went out of business tomorrow, would

anyone, apart from you, your mother, your dog and

your investors give a damn?

So let's assume you can answer yes to at least

one of the above items. (Perhaps, even more than

one.) If so, congratulations, you have a USP. Put

it down on paper.