KEITH ROSEN: Here’s an interesting statistic: 99.99% of every person DNA on this planet is exactly the same. It’s only that last .01% that actually makes us unique. So, think about what makes you unique when it comes to your competition. Unfortunately, saying that you have a great product, service, warranty or guarantee—it’s no longer enough and in actuality it reinforces the similarities between you and your competition. So, what can you say that will make you sound different and unique that will separate you from the rest of the pack? It’s by creating your MVP, also known as your most valuable proposition.

(voiceover continues) What’s the MVP Focus?

-Product

-Service

-Feature

-Warranty

-Unique Customers

-Unique Staff

An MVP can be either a unique product, service, feature, warranty, something unique in your customers, something unique in your staff or employees that no one else can claim or virtually no other company can claim. To trigger your creativity and develop your MVP, here’s one thing you can do: exploit the obvious. Think back on the days of Domino’s Pizza when they said, “30 minutes or less or it’s free.” Well I’m sure at that point there were lots of other pizza places that were delivering pizzas in 30 minutes or less. However, Domino’s took that concept and exploited something that was so obvious, turned it into a marketing vehicle that made them one of the most successful franchises in the world. The other day I was sitting in an airport and I looked at one of the advertisements in the airport lobby and it said, “Four out of five of the world’s largest banks run Oracle Software.” Talk about something unique that no other company can claim, that’s what I’m referring to when I say, “exploit the obvious.” So, take the time to think about what you’re currently doing that you might take for granted of. As I mentioned before, maybe you have an exclusive client list. Do you offer something like a fair price assurance where you can guarantee on delivery? How about on something that no one else can deliver? For example, one of the manufactures out there of vinyl replacement windows is a company by the name of Traco. Now, when you pick up Traco’s brochure, it has a picture of the statue of liberty’s crown. Why? Because Traco was the one that was commissioned to replace all of the windows in the head of the statue of liberty. Can anyone else claim that? No. Is it something unique and different? Absolutely. So, take some time to think about what you can offer that sounds different and unique so that when you leave a prospect or walk away from a meeting they’re going sit there saying, “Well, gee, I’ve never heard that before.”