There are many things we take for granted as Internet marketers. One of them is that ALL Internet marketers really have a handle on their business. Sadly, this is far from true. As one copywriter I know put it, “Some people don’t know their USP from their ROI.” Well, in this article, I want to cover both those subjects because I think they’re important to understand.

Let’s start with a USP. Many people who start a business think that people will buy their product or service simply because they are offering it. But let’s be practical about this. Very few businesses have a monopoly on the market. Almost everybody has some kind of competition. So when you have something to sell, no matter what it is, there is somebody else out there selling a similar product or service. So my question to you is a simple one. Why should ANYBODY buy from YOU?

Think about that for a while. How many REAL reasons can you come up with for a customer to purchase from you? If you can’t come up with at least a couple, you are in some serious trouble. Because dollars to donuts, your competition has plenty of reasons why customers should buy from them. This is why it is so important to come up with a USP or universal selling proposition.

Take a look at some of the top commercials on TV for some of the biggest companies and you will notice some kind of slogan or catch phrase that neatly sums up their USP. With Geico, it’s “15 minutes could save you 15% or more on your car insurance.” With Burger King it’s “Have It Your Way” inferring that you can get your burger any way you like. These are all USPs and they’re important to helping define your company. So if you don’t have one, get one. Take a look at your product or service and see what makes it stand out.

Okay, real quick about ROI or return on investment. Too many marketers get too hung up on sale dollars without actually looking at their ROI. We see this all the time with big PPC marketers bragging about $10,000 sale days. What they don’t tell you is that those days cost them $9,500 in PPC costs. The ROI is almost non existent. Personally, I’d rather make $200 a day without having to spend the money to get it. Remember, your income doesn’t come in right away. There is a lag between when the sale is made and the money is actually in your account. In the meantime, those PPC costs have to be paid…BEFORE you get your money. Cash flow, or in this case, negative cash flow, can kill many businesses.

It’s not how much you make. It’s how much you actually get to keep and how much you had to spend to get it. You should always be looking at your ROI. If I can get a higher ROI with a cheaper product, I’ll take that over a negligible ROI from a higher priced product…especially if I have to spend a fortune to promote that higher priced product.

Anyway, there you have it…a couple of quick thoughts on USP and ROI.

Do YOU know one from the other?

To YOUR Success,