BACK TO SCHOOL: A MARKETING 101 REFRESHER FOR HOSPITALITY PROS (Part 2/4
Throughout the month of September we’re celebrating back-to-school season with some concepts from marketing class. So grab a seat in the McConnell Marketing Classroom and try to pay attention, this will be on the test.
This week’s marketing concept is the Unique Selling Proposition or USP.
An easy way to understand USP is by thinking of it as your “different and better.” What’s different and better about your company compared to the competition? While you’ll probably be able to generate a pretty sizeable list of things that separate you from your competitors, USP represents your biggest differences and advantages. Narrow your list of qualities down to one or two key points to come up with a USP.
What makes you special?
Okay, So I Understand My Unique Selling Proposition, Now What?
Billionaire entrepreneur Lynda Resnick has this to say about the USP:
“What makes you different than your competitors? Wrap your advertising message around that USP and communicate it in a clear and concise manner.”
Her comment highlights the two-part nature of an effective USP. First, identify the USP, then figure out how to communicate it to your audience. If you can’t effectively express what your Unique Selling Proposition means, then it’s useless!
Hotel Example:
To illustrate what the USP means for hoteliers, we’re going to use a property located just down the street from us, the Courtyard Youngstown-Canfield by Marriott.
The Courtyard is located right next to Kennsington Golf Club and has easy access to route 224, a major local thoroughfare which can take guests to nearby attractions including Youngstown State University and Mill Creek Park.
We’re doing this from an outsiders perspective so it’s hard for us to narrow down their true USP, but just as an estimate from hotel marketers we’d identify the Courtyard’s USP as #1 their convenient golf course access, and #2 the Courtyard by Marriott experience. They are the only Courtyard in the area so brand recognition alone is a big differentiator and having the extremely close access to a golf course is also something most other hotel’s cannot offer.Though the hotel’s access to route 224 is certainly a benefit, there are other properties nearby that offer the same access so we can’t consider it a part of their USP.
Overall, the Courtyard does a good job of promoting both their golf course access and their brand through their marketing material, they are a good example of an effectively communicated USP.
Feeling smarter yet? Stay tuned for the rest of our back to school marketing series throughout the month of September, and be sure to check out part 1 if you haven’t.
