I used both a USP and a YOU-S-P on my website.

The header has a USP (which is too graphic to mention here). But the YOU-S-P was the funnest part of creating the site! I have a page called "Rachel D. Young Facts" where I took Chuck Norris Facts and wrote them about myself and my business.

Clients enjoy getting to know about me, see that I have a sense of humor, and forward the site to all their colleagues. In fact, I haven't marketed the site since its inception! All my leads are referrals!

Thanks for the YOU-S-P tip. It's certainly grown my business 100-fold! (And a big "shout out" to Gordon Ramsay and Kitchen Nightmares! I love that show!)

Definitely the single best piece of advice ever - especially since we're returning to the 1-to-1 style of marketing through social media.

In fact, I just did a teleseminar with Rebecca Coleman last night which talks about that one thing specifically:

http://dro.hn/EbAc

Very well done today gentlemen...too often we lose ourselves in WHAT we do and WHERE we are serving...this is often our first and most severe breach of trust...with ourselves...see you at Cecil's, oh, and stay outrageous...

I totally agree with YOU-S-P! I was courting a prospect for about 2 years. Visited their office several occasions but kept in touch via email most of te time. One week I decided to visit the prospect a few times for the week just to touch base. Prospect is now a client and the feedback I got - You sold me on YOU with your visit to my office. Your personality came through more and I now know who you are.

Jimmy and Travis,

"YOU" are correct - it is vitally important and beneficial to make yourself the star and celebrity, not the 'business.' The advice I usually give on this subject is to first anoint yourself as the expert (celebrity expert), THE go-to resource, and then BOLDY, CONFIDENTLY, and CONTINUOSLY promote it, everywhere. Great video, keep up the great work.

Jim Palmer - The Newsletter Guru

Hi guys,

I agree with this to a point, but how does this affect things when you want to sell your business somewhere down the line?

It seems if the only reason people buy my services and/or products is because of ME, then my business won't be worth anything to anyone else when I'm gone . . .

How do you profit from YOU-S-P without sabotaging your exit strategy?

Thanks,

Paul
=

Thanks guys… Great comments all.

Paul, I want to address your question because it's a good one.

You can handle the sale issue in a couple different ways. The way I prefer is to use the personality marketing approach (YOU S P) and then when you sell, you can license the use of your personality and "you as a spokesperson" to the business for an ongoing fee.

By doing this, you've just created for yourself a new stream of income as a celebrity, personality and character. The business can choose to pay the license fee or pass and then you're clean.

If you don't want any part of the business after it's sold then build it without the personality. The key is to know what your exit plan is.

If your plan is to sell and you know that going in then you may want to build the business with more of a corporate brand or a character you can sell with the company. This is harder and requires more money invested in marketing, advertising and brand building.

It's really a choice you should make early on in the business and build it to suit.

Hope that helps,

Jimmy

Another great idea. We are podcasting, creating you tube videos, writing ezine articles and newsletters to mark ourselves out as NLP in business mavens. Seems to be working although it's a slow process.
Warm regards
Graham and Claire
http://www.businessnlpbrighton.co.uk

Nice one guys! love the YouSP concept! and so true in the way we do business today! Its all about connection and relationships, and the only one who can connect and engage is 'YOU'! keep it going,and keep me laughing! lol <3

This is the best advice! Once I added me to my marketing my business took off. In my email newsletters I get the most comments on my personal note. I was concerned about the selling of the business so thanks for your great suggestion on that.

Just want to second the create a character that is yourself. Being authentic is the key! If I hide that I am a Mom business owners who works from home that hurts me. But if I embrace it then it works.

Love this video! Thanks!

Where is the fast forward module found?

Great advice guys! What is the fast foreword system? Hey, gimme a break its 6am...Joe

You guys crack me up. Beginning with diarrhea all the way to the end with "stay classy" y'all are totally practicing this YouSP concept. Love it!

First off, You two are flippin hilarious and you know how to put a smile on my face! I chuckled on the lindsay lohan comment...to funny!! On a more serious note, your blog post hits on a very important part about advertising that definately should not be overlooked.