What’s your magic ingredient?

You are unique. You are a blend of knowledge, skills and experience that no-one else has.

As business owners we are often asked what makes us different. What is our USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? If you are a one-person band the answer is easy, it’s you.

Now comes the hard part. How do you distil that unique blend that is you into a succinct marketing or sales message? How do you use it in your business networking introduction?

This is the challenge we’re posing for attendees at our June business networking meetings. So, before you cry for help, read on.

Finding your magic ingredient, superpower or secret sauce

Whatever you call your differentiator nobody wants to hear War and Peace when you explain it. Your challenge is to sum it up in no more than two sentences.

It’s often easier to start with the long description and then edit until you nail your core message. We’re talking business here so what do you bring to your clients that your competitors don’t? Let’s call it your magic ingredient, superpower or secret sauce. Whatever helps you to define it.

You could list all the jobs you’ve done, the courses you’ve studied, all your qualifications and the projects you’ve been involved in. Have you won any awards? What for? What have been the tough times or decisions you’ve survived? Of all these experiences what do you draw on the most to help your clients? Is this where you will find that magic ingredient?

Still struggling?

Here are some more ideas…

• Ask a couple of good clients why they chose you rather than a competitor.
• Take a look at your testimonials, appraisals even your school reports, what are the consistent messages?
• If you are an experienced and regular networker could your business network help you? You could book a one to one with someone and ask them to interview you to help you work out that special something.

What to do with it when you’ve found it.

Your magic is of limited use if no-one knows about it. This is not about being the ‘Great I am’, it’s about helping people see why you might be the right person for them to work with (or not).

Here are some examples for you to ponder…

1. After 20 years working in conventional medicine, I realised that ‘this complementary therapy’ helped my patients get better quicker so now I’m now qualified to offer a combination of traditional and alternative treatments.
2. Travelling solo to far flung places in my 20s gave me insights that mean I can plan adventurous trips that allow my clients to experience a real taste of other cultures in their precious down time.
3. As a life coach my clients tell me that my calm demeanour and objectivity reassures them when they are feeling stressed or anxious.
4. Our members say that our collaborative approach to developing the programme and our community makes us stand out from our competitors.
5. My years as a hostage negotiator have given me unique insights that I bring to every training course I deliver.
6. Our secret sauce is our togetherness. (Thomas Frank, Head Coach Brentford FC)

I hope these suggestions will allow you to tell us what makes you stand out in our business networking introduction rounds in June. I look forward to hearing yours.

Of course we need to understand what you do as well as what makes you different so this article should help you to nail that message.