How to create a USP from your business story, even if you think you don't have one

Maybe you started the business because you couldn’t find something you actually liked. Or you saw a problem nobody was solving properly. That story can become a reason for people to choose you.

You might be selling the same thing as 20 other businesses. But maybe you source differently, make it differently, explain it better or treat customers differently. Your USP might be hiding in the boring details.

“Started a business” isn’t very interesting. But why you left your job, what went wrong, what you struggled with and what made you keep going? Now there’s a story people can remember.

What made you angry enough to start this business in the first place? What did you think was broken in the industry? That frustration can become a strong point of view for your brand.

Look at what existing customers keep mentioning. “I came to you because…” or “The reason I keep buying from you is…” can reveal things you never thought were special. Sometimes your customers know your USP before you do.

Maybe there’s nothing revolutionary about what you sell. That’s okay. The way you built it, the choices you made and the journey behind it can give people a reason to care about it.

You don’t need to manufacture some dramatic “We are the first-ever…” claim. Take something that is genuinely different about your business and tell that story really well. That's usually a much stronger USP.