Each of us has a story that is as unique to us as the DNA running through our veins. Our story is what differentiates us and our business, it also showcases our USP (unique selling point). It’s a way to tell others how we got to where we are now, including the trials and tribulations along the way.
A story creates a connection and helps to build rapport with who you share it with. As we know, rapport is key to building strong relationships, which in turn helps build our network and opens doors!
Each of us are unique, but it is not necessarily the aspects of our personality/skills in isolation that are the differentiator, it’s the combination. That is our USP. KFC’s mystery 11 herbs and spices as a combination are something they don’t. Stop. Marketing! You might be a Gen Z, food product designer with a degree in human geography – as a combination, that is unique!
Working out your USP takes some thought and there are some questions you can ask to help you think through it:
· What are my strengths?
· What do I do better than others?
· What feedback to people give me?
Once you have an understanding of your USP, you now want to detail out your history. You could think through the following:
· Where you started
· Where you are now
· How you got to where you are now
Being British, it is a struggle to ‘sell’ ourselves or even talk highly about our achievements and our strengths. It’s one of the things that our friends over on the other side of the pond are VERY good at.
Now you have your story drafted out you should practise it out with people you feel comfortable with. The more you practice it, the much easier it will come! You’ll also want to think about adapting your story based on your audience (more on this in my next blog post on ‘How to Ace Your Elevator Speech’)
So now you have your story! Let me know in the comments if you have your own story created? Or if this has spurred you to do it?! Do you better know what your USP is now?
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