what is a usp

A USP, or unique selling point, is a marketing statement that sets a product or brand apart from its competitors by offering a clearly articulated benefit to consumers that competitive products can't or don't offer. A successful USP should be compelling enough to attract new customers and should appeal to what the customer cares about while clearly differentiating the company's offering. It can be expressed in a positioning statement, which articulates how a product or brand meets a consumer need in a way that its competitors do not. A USP can be based on a product's unique characteristics, price structure, placement strategy, or promotional strategy.