But I don't actually know any of her songs! Lady Gaga has got herself a huge amount of publicity by one her unique selling points: her outrageous dress sense. I know so much about her because she focuses so much on something which is not part of her core music.

Most printers would like to be as well-known as Lady Gaga.

Most printers would like to right up there in their customers' minds

Last month we talked about how pain drives the customer to purchase. But the customer also needs to choose with whom they are going to make their purchase.

To be the printer that the customer chooses, you need to have something different. When I started this series of articles I pointed out that many printers didn't sound different. And that a choice was therefore made on price.

That's why you need to show that you are different

Printers with a unique selling point create stronger partnerships with their customers. This is because the customer wants to work with the printer because they are different. There is a clear reason for using them over the competition. So printers with unique selling points have much more influence over their customers. And they can achieve much greater sales and profits from these customers.

Printers without a unique selling point can't achieve the same results from their customers. They sound just the same as the competition. So they have no control on the purchase decision. The customer's purchase decision is made on price. Without a unique selling point, there is a poor relationship with the client.

So a good unique selling point is important to achieve the sales you need. But what makes a good unique selling point? Here are three key elements:

1) A good unique selling point appeals to the customer

Remember that your sales pitch needs to be all about the customer. So telling them what's different on your sexy press won't cut it. On the other hand, if you have something different about your products, that may well work. But only if the product can be linked to a clear need of the customer.
However, a good unique selling point doesn't have to be about print. It could something about the way in which you do business.

Whatever it is, the customer needs to be able to grasp it quickly.

2) A good unique selling point is easy to understand

The print industry is full of jargon. And printers love to use complicated words. I think I have a good knowledge of print. But I sometimes struggle to understand just what a print sales person is talking about! If the customer doesn't understand you unique selling point, it will lack impact. So using plain, simple language is important.

Talking about your workflow won't work with most customers. But you could talk to them about how your processes will solve problems in their business. You could talk to them about how your processes will reduce the customer's administration overhead. But the customer must immediately understand why you work differently from the competition.

3) A good unique selling point is different

I have often asked printers what makes them different. And I often get the same tired old answers: price, service and quality.

Of course, that is the same response that 98% of printers say. So it leaves the buyer with little option but to choose on price. And that's because those unique selling points are anything but unique!

Surely service and quality are great ways to stand out

Of course they are important. But buyers expect good service and quality anyway. They won't differentiate you from your competitors (unless your competitors have failed in these areas).

You will need to show buyers that you have good service and quality later in the sales process. And you even may impress your prospect how you can improve on current standards. But service and quality aren't immediate selling points.

What may make you stand out to your prospect is one particular aspect of your service or quality. And it is this one aspect which may make your service or quality better than the competition's.

Maybe you send your clients a cake every Friday. Maybe the despatch department sends a text message confirming despatch and delivery. These are all part of good service. But, on their own, they may also make the unique selling point.

But anyone can send cake and text messages

Sometimes a unique selling point isn't unique. Maybe some other people do it. But if it is not too common, and if you market it right, it can be the unique element of your sales message.

How do you make your message unique?

Here are three action points that you can get going with straight away:

1) Pick your perfect customer

2) Decide what do/could you do that is different and would make you stand out them

3) Develop your sales message to include this

With so many printers around you need to make sure that you are memorable

You need to make sure that you stand out from the crowd. You need to make sure that you are uppermost in your buyers' minds.
But maybe dressing staff up in Lady Gaga outfits isn't quite the way to do it!
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P.S. If you are a printer or a print management company you should visit my new website www.profitableprintrelationships.com . Click here to make sure you receive articles like this regularly, and to receive the free e-book "10 common print selling errors and what to do about them".