A unique selling proposition, or unique selling point, is a marketing device intended to make your business stand out to your target market. It’s the real or perceived benefit that convinces your target market to invest in your service. For pet sitters, it’s crucial to define your USP, as many pet sitting businesses offer the same kinds of services.
To define your USP, you must first evaluate how your business measures up against your local competitors. Take a look on the internet and check out some of the websites of your local competitors.
As you looked at the websites and marketing materials of other pet sitting businesses in your service area did you notice differences in the services or customer experience that your pet sitting business provides?
If nothing jumped out at you immediately here are some questions to get you started:
Do you offer free initial interviews or consultations?
Do you offer a uniquely secure key system?
Do you offer a rare pet sitting service?
Do you have more years of experience serving your local area?
Do you specialize in exotic pets?
Do you offer overnight visits or house and pet sitting?
Do you offer payment by credit card or paypal?
Do you offer text message or email daily or weekly pet updates?
Do you offer weekly or monthly dog walking packages?
Do you offer any additional convenience to your customers?
Do you offer online or email booking service?
Do you offer dog training services?
Do you have accreditation with a pet sitting association?
Do you have a disaster emergency plan?
Do you have an arrangement to have a vet on call for emergency service?
Another important question to ask is – is there anything that other competitive pet sitting services lack that you could provide in your business? Is there a customer need that is not being met in your area?
The answers to these questions and those like them can help you define your USP and give you the extra edge against your competitors.
Also consider the needs and desires of your target market. What services do your target market value? Is the need already being met by a competitor in the business? If it’s not, you may have an easy opportunity to develop a USP. For instance, if your target market contains active, outdoorsy young adults, it’s likely that they take their pets out for runs with them. In a scenario like this, you could offer an “exercise” service in which you stand in for the owner and jog along with the pet if no other business does.
Evaluate your business against others objectively. It’s easy to think that you’ve found a USP when, in reality, it’s common or existed as part of the business for years. Think outside of the box and get as unique as you can. What does your competition fail or refuse to provide? What can you only offer potential customers who want a pet sitter?
Sometimes, uniqueness in a business can be difficult to identify- especially if the market is already saturated with business offering similar services. In cases like these, you may want to make your unique selling point yourself. Consider the experience you may have in pet sitting or your familiarity with certain breeds of animals.
Have you worked at a veterinary hospital or volunteered at an animal shelter?
Do you have pet first aid training?
Do you have experience administering medication or providing daily shots?
Do you have experience preparing raw or special diets?
Do you have grooming experience?
Do you network with other local pet care providers and can offer backup care?
Now put together the elements of you USP into a single statement. (2 sentences at most).
Make it short, sweet and enticing so that potential customers know why they should use your service and think of you the next time they need a specialized pet sitting service.
1) Make it benefit-oriented (tell your client what’s in it for her or him).
Danielle – do you have a USP you could share with us?
Hi Carrie – sure. This is just an example.
Example USP – We specialize in older pets. All our sitters are experienced in the care of aging animals and are able to administer medications and give diabetic shots and IV fluids. All sitters are certified in pet first aid.