Developing your Unique Selling Proposition as a Writer

Too many writers squish themselves into a silly little box.  As people, they’re multi-dimensional, interesting, unique, and exciting.  But then they sit down to start writing, whether they’re writing copy, blogs, or books, and they say, “Welp, gotta follow all those literary rules!”  Actually, they say, “Well, I am required to follow the literary rules.”  Because, you can’t use Welp and Gotta if UR a professional writer, right?

What happens is they look the same as all the other writers out there.  They squish into a box, and just like that song by Malvina Reynolds (and Pete Seeger), they’re, “And they’re all made out of ticky-tacky,
and they all look just the same.”  If you want to blow up as a writer, you need to stand out.  You need a unique selling proposition (a USP).  Here’s how to find yours.

Dig Into Your Own Story

Before you launch into your ideal USP, you first need to identify who you are.  Why do you do what you do?  What got you started?  As the Talking Heads said, “Well… how did I get here?” Apparently I’m on a song lyrics kick as I’m writing this.

Discover your own journey.  When you started out, you may have accepted any little job that helped you flex your writing skills.  Over time, you realized that personal injury lawyers needed lots of help, and you leaned into that.  Then, you could have a USP that sounds like “I help personal injury lawyers create content that makes them relatable, and shows the importance of working with them after an accident.”

That’s one of my takes, yours will take a little more digging.

Combine Your Strength and the Audience Pain Point

When you realize how you got to where you are, it’s time to lean into it.  Over the years you’ve developed strengths and skills.  When you use those to alleviate your audience’s pain point, you’ve narrowed down your USP.

Look at your own skills and strengths.  What comes easily to you?  Clarifying difficult topics?  Weaving in wit and humor into something normally dry?  Simplifying information that’s loaded with jargon?  Maybe something else?

Look at your audience and figure out what keeps them up at night (It’s not the caffeine, I assure you).  Are they stressed because they don’t have enough time in the day?  Are they desperate for qualified leads?  Do they not have the skills to communicate effectively?

Your unique selling proposition is the bridge.  Your client has a need, you solve that need using your unique selling proposition.  But that’s just a part of the concept.  It doesn’t have to be super-duper cut and dry.

USP Based on Style

The way you write can be your USP.  Remember way back to the opening of this blog?  Writers give up their personal style for what they think is appropriate.  In reality, a lot of people want to hire you because of the unique way that you write.  Your voice is what sells.

For example, maybe you’re a ghostwriter specializing in legal writing.  Your style of simplifying the often convoluted legal junk is what sets you apart.

You sounding like you, is what gives you an unfair advantage.

USP Based on Results

One of the fundamental rules in business is don’t talk about what you do, talk about what the client gets out of it.  Spin your USP based on what the end result is, and how people benefit from working with you.

I work with a lot of professionals to get their book written and published.  I can say that one of my USPs is working with business owners and turning conversations into published books.

Suppose you focus on copywriting.  You might say, “I work with companies to attract more leads with story-based selling.”

Make it all about what they get at the end; the process is less important after that.

USP Based on Niche

This is right along the lines of understanding your ideal audience.  You focus on a niche, and that helps you talk directly to your prospects.

What things are you really interested in?  If you love legal writing, you can have a USP that you work with personal injury lawyers.  Maybe you work closely with healthcare professionals, coaches, teachers, non-profits, or retail store owners.

Lean into that, because when you niche down, you actually open up many more opportunities.

USP Based on Process

Often people see the writing process as time-consuming.  Even if they hire a writer, it’s still a big waste of time.  Your process can set you apart.

Instead of sending a questionnaire and saying, “Hey, fill this out, then I can start writing.”  Schedule an interview that really dives deep.  Say, “Twenty minutes on the phone and I’ll know what you’re all about.”

Perhaps using collaborative editing – easy to do with a Google document.

Maybe you’ll position yourself saying, “Most writers take weeks before they turn over a final product. All I need is a 45 minute interview, and I’ll have a nicely polished draft that sounds just like you done by the end of the week.”

Don’t say that if it’s already noon on a Friday, that’s just not enough time.

Don’t Have the Time?  That’s Why Ghostwriters Exist

Speaking of time, what if you just don’t have enough of it?  Maybe you’re swamped with writing orders coming in.  Maybe you’re a business owner and you’re trying to do it all on your own.  Maybe you are thinking, “Scott, I’ve always wanted to write a book, but I’m not sure how to write a book!”

I got you covered.  But now, it’s decision time.  Are you going to register for the Author’s Mastery Academy (by clicking this big ass button).