Business | Knowledge
FORGET LOOKING FOR USPS, THEY ARE UNICORNS, THEY DON’T EXIST… THE KEY IS TO FIND YOUR DIFFERENTIATOR
STUART MASON, FOUNDER OF HERE’S HOW TO,
TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN WHY AS A BUSINESS YOU NEED TO FIND WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT AND STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD, RATHER THAN YOUR USP.
There, I have said it. Now let me explain it. Business owners are often told they need to discover their unique selling proposition, or USP
Uniqueness is fleeting. Differentiation is sustainable… and dare I say it, scalable.
. Not
to be confused with UPS, that’s for your deliveries. Indeed, it’s the default statement by most business advice ‘gurus’.
It sounds impressive, doesn’t it? Be unique, stand out, be the only one. The problem? In today’s crowded, noisy, price-conscious marketplace, being truly ‘unique’ is nearly impossible. And even if you do stumble on something no one else is doing, how long will it take before someone else copies it? Let’s be honest, in the print and graphics sector can you be unique? There’s a better way forward: Differentiation. It’s not about being the only option, it’s about being the obvious choice.
This is where the battle is really won. Let’s dig into how you can stop obsessing over uniqueness and start building a business that stands out for all the right reasons.
1. STOP CHASING UNICORNS: WHY YOUR BUSINESS DOESN’T NEED TO BE ‘UNIQUE’ TO WIN Here’s the uncomfortable truth: customers only care about whether you solve their problem, save them time, take away their pain, or make their life easier. Print businesses are everywhere. None of them are
truly unique, they all sell pretty much the same. Here’s the weird thing, some of them have queues out the door. Others struggle to pay the bills. Why? Because they’ve found a way to be different in the minds of their customers. Maybe it’s the vibe, the speed of service, the local community feel, or the fact they remember you.
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2. DIFFERENTIATION BASICS 101: HOW TO MAKE CUSTOMERS CHOOSE YOU WITHOUT COMPETING ON PRICE
Competing on price is the quickest route to working harder for less money. Differentiation flips the script. Our industry is rife for ‘races to the bottom’, no one wins that race. When you clearly communicate why you’re different, and deliver on it, then customers will stop comparing you purely on cost. Position value before price. Customers start weighing up the value you bring. Imagine two print shops. One delivers a box of leaflets on time. That’s ok, that’s what they said they’d do, that’s what was expected. The other delivers the same box with a hand written note thanking the customer for their order and a voucher for next time. Both do the job. Only one leaves a memory. Guess which one gets the repeat business, even if it costs a bit more? People rarely remember what you did, but they always remember how you made them feel.
3. THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SECRET: WHY SERVICE ALONE WON’T SAVE YOU
Lots of businesses proudly talk about their customer service. ‘We’re friendly and helpful!’ Well, so is the competition. And here’s the kicker: most customers will never know how good your service is if their overall experience is bland or frustrating. The experience is the full journey, it’s everything.
From the moment someone hears about you, through to how they interact with your website, your people,
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