Comments on: Drowning In Competition? – Here’s Your Lifeline

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 23:20:32 +0000

Thanks for the great compliment Lee. I’m glad you’ve found my articles helpful.
You’re a great testament to paying close attention to your brand.

By: Lee Duncan | The Double Your Business Coach

Lee Duncan | The Double Your Business Coach — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:32:39 +0000

Hi Ed,

This is a terrific series of articles you’ve put together. For several years now I’ve paid scant attention to branding with small business clients, but in the past 8 months, having rebranded my own business at the end of 2009, I have begun to appreciate just how important and useful it is.

I’ll be coming back to read through the entire series and undoubtedly recommending that several of my clients take a look here, too.

Thanks,

Lee

By: Why Your Website Needs Branding | Dan Chase Web Consulting

Why Your Website Needs Branding | Dan Chase Web Consulting — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:55:50 +0000

[...] (USP). Ed Roach over at Small Business Branding has a great post on what to do if you are Drowning in Competition. In it he describes the use of USP as helping you eliminate your competition by narrowly defining [...]

By: Visual Branding: What message are you sending? | Small Business Marketing & Branding

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:52:34 +0000

[...] Read the Rest. [...]

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Fri, 11 May 2007 13:40:59 +0000

Thanks for dropping by Andy. I hope the article inspires business readers to take a hard look at how they position themselves and see if they can benefit.

I enjoy writing here as it appears many readers are looking for answers for ways to increase their sales, and it’s good to have the opportunity to pass on our observations and also to learn from reader’s comments back to us.

By: Andy LaPointe

Andy LaPointe — Thu, 10 May 2007 20:10:42 +0000

Ed,

Really good article. I like the way you approach the USP.

By: The SmallBusiness.com Blog » links for 2007-05-09

The SmallBusiness.com Blog » links for 2007-05-09 — Wed, 09 May 2007 13:20:04 +0000

[...] Drowning In Competition? – Here’s Your Lifeline | Small Business Marketing & Branding Focus on one compelling reason a customer should consider buying from you. (tags: marketing) [...]

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Wed, 09 May 2007 02:23:16 +0000

Dan, proposition is historically correct.

Over the years, a number of my peers and books I’ve read somehow changed the “P” to point and it stuck with me. Since it referred to the same thing, I never saw the harm.

Companies I’ve worked with helping to develop their USP have the hardest time staying focused on it. Sometimes it absolutely frightens them to stick to it. They are so accustomed to going to market telling the world all the things they do. But, when they finally get it, it empowers them. A grand thing to witness.

Have a great week,

By: Why Your Website Needs Branding

Why Your Website Needs Branding — Wed, 09 May 2007 01:45:57 +0000

By: Dan Chase

Dan Chase — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:10:44 +0000

Thanks for a great article, Ed! I’m a firm believer in USP. However, when I first learned of it it meant “Unique Selling PROPOSITION”. Same intent of course, but for some reason I like it.

As you describe, the finer-tuned we are in our niche, the easier we have it in the marketplace with less competition, as it also becomes easier to become experts in our USP. Nobody can beat us! We start out ahead, and keep building the gap behind us!

The difficult part is the beginning. Getting clear on defining what our USP *is*. Many of us, including me, start our entrepreneurial adventures without a clearly defined niche. I have to say this is OK… however, we must keep our eye on refining what we are best at, and defining what our USP is. Then we will begin to pull ahead.