Unique Selling Points are like a golden signpost in the world of marketing. They represent what your readers will be drawn to, i.e. why they will choose your book as opposed to other books in the same genre.

What does your book claim to provide?

Example:

There are hundreds of trainers in shops, why choose one pair over another? Some have more ankle support, others are more cushioned, some have flashy lights. They are all branded with a promise of making your feel a certain way when you wear them: invincible, comfortable or fashionable. The same applies to books.

Identifying what your book is specifically about versus other similar books, helps your ideal readers choose your book. If they are looking for a humorous book on cats, let them know that your book offers this, but it also has a scratch and sniff feature. If they are looking for a book that will help them improve their skating technique as a beginner, and you have written a book about it, let them know, but tell them yours is different because it is written by a professional.

Think about what makes your book stand out from the rest. This may seem rather difficult at first, but the method in your handout helps to break it down and keep it succinct.

This lesson will help you tell your readers in just two lines what is special about your story/content.

Magic formula: looking at what you are claiming to provide (e.g. a personal journey of discovery, the most extensive compilation of vegan recipes, an expert view on King Charles Spaniel's nocturnal habits, etc.) and then stating how your book achieves this.

Watch the video, download the handout and check out the examples for guidance.

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK PROPOSAL

by Francesca Hepton

Section 1. CONTENT

1. 
   
   What are your book’s Unique Selling Points?

Now you have a clear mission. But before readers invest in your book they need to know how it’s going to uniquely help them. They want to understand the “takeaway” value of your book.

Marketers often refer to this as your unique selling proposition (USP). Don’t let the uncommon terms confuse you. 

"Buy this product, for this specific benefit."

The proposition must be one the competition cannot or does not offer. It must be unique—either in the brand or in a claim the rest of that particular advertising area does not make.

The proposition must be strong enough to move the public, i.e. attract new customers as well as potential customers.

Many authors feel a number of emotions when reading that last paragraph. “Aversion” is a common feeling. Typically, authors don’t like to focus on marketing. In some ways, it feels like we are degrading ourselves, pimping out our art. After all, our job is to write the book and it’s someone else’s job to sell it. Right? Sorry, that’s your job too no matter which avenue you go down (publisher or self-publishing)!

Think about whether at some point in time, somewhere, you found what you considered to be a poor product, book, film, or song bur despite its poor quality, the product did extremely well in terms of sales.

Maybe you had a similar message, product, or song. Maybe yours was even 10 times better. Maybe yours didn’t sell much at all. Your problem wasn’t your product. Your problem was your marketing – how you have presented and packaged your book.

 Every author wants his or her work to connect with readers. This means that those readers must buy their book. In the future, we’ll devote adequate time and energy learning how to become master marketers. That specific training is for another module.

For now, simply write out your unique selling proposition. You don’t need to make it difficult. You can even “borrow” a similar structure on the following page.

HELP: I’ve listed 2 examples below. 

Part 1: If consumers in the target market purchase and read my book, they will (benefits):

Example 1: …identify their coping mechanisms through a process of self-awareness

Example 2: … enjoy a fun adventure and feel empowered at the end.

Part 2: Because the book will (features): 

Example 1:… take the reader through a powerful 5-step model that helps them move through their hurt and into a phase of healing.

Example 2: … inspire self-confidence using the headband worn by the protagonist as a metaphor for the power of self-belief.

Example 1: If consumers in the target market purchase and read my book, they will identify their coping mechanisms through a process of self-awareness because the book will take the reader through a powerful 5-step model that helps them move through their hurt and into a phase of healing.

Example 2: If consumers in the target market purchase and read my book, they will enjoy a fun adventure and feel empowered at the end because the book will inspire self-confidence using the headband worn by the protagonist as a metaphor for the power of self-belief.

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 Your turn to discover Your Magic Message USP

Part 1:

If consumers in the target market purchase and read my book, they will (benefits):

1.

2.

3.

Part 2:

Because the book will (features): 

1.

2. 

3.

Now write your Magic Message out in full: