The Benefits of Establishing Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

What is the one thing that makes your therapy business stand out from others in your field? When a client chooses a natural therapy practice, they are likely looking for more than just relaxation or recovery treatment.

Complementary therapy involves a more body-complete approach to health and therefore becomes an extremely personal experience. Clients look for services that make them feel special, taken care of, and confident in the therapy. As a complementary therapist, you have the opportunity to identify your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) that makes your practice special among other similar therapies in the area.

The USP and Providing Value to Clients

Every business should be able to define their USP; the unique selling proposition that makes the business especially valuable to clients. Your USP can be anything that is considered valuable to the clients, and that value doesn't have to have a dollar-sign attached. Your USP might be a welcoming playroom with  supervision to better assist mums and caregivers. Or your USP might be simple speed - quick appointments that fit into a busy schedule. You might offer a spa-like environment or provide useful goodie bags for home treatments.

The key is to provide value to your clients, a service or convenience that they care about beyond the professional quality of your therapy services. Once you identify (or develop) your USP, it can become a powerful marketing asset and inspiration for even more value-adding ways to improve your client experience.

Identifying the Unique Value of Your Practice

For a thriving complementary therapy business, you likely already have one or more USPs in place - even if you don't yet realize what they are. This is because the principle behind a USP - providing unique and appealing value to the clients - is part of doing business. Therapy practices often focus on the unique needs and values of their clients and try to provide the most supportive experience possible. These efforts have likely already produced a USP or two that keep your clients coming back.

Look into the ways you cater to your clients needs based on their unique circumstances and feedback. How do you make your waiting room more comfortable and the schedule more convenient for clients? How do you make their treatments more pleasant or beneficial beyond the methods of your practice?

Developing a USP for Your Therapy Practice

If you haven't yet developed a USP, your business may be new or have focused a little too successfully on the standard business model. The good news is that it's easy to develop one or more USPs for your natural therapy practice. All it takes is the kind of thought that those in health and wellness do best: What small changes would provide the most value to your individual clients?

Consider the people you know and have worked with. What would make their lives easier or their therapies more beneficial? You might provide a welcoming hydration station in your waiting room or send each client home with a home-therapy kit to continue their treatment benefits beyond their regular appointments. Consider what your clients value, the comments they make, and how you can make their lives better with minor changes to your business model. This is a great way to generate a USP and use your insight to offer something truly special to your clients alone.

Branding and Marketing with Your Unique Selling Proposition

Once you have identified your USP, it's time to make it public. Your current clients may know how valuable your practice is to their lives, but your future clients don't know yet. They aren't aware that choosing your complementary therapy services could enhance their lives beyond the therapy itself. This is where branding and marketing come into play.

Many brands work their USP into the brand design, catchphrase, and logos to help clients quickly find their value. Others weave their USP into the rich content of their blog, social media, and service pages. You can promote your USP directly, for example by advertising fast, no-waiting appointments for the busy professional. You can write about the value and benefit if your USP in ad copy and blog articles. You can include your USP in memberships or use it to entice new first-time clients.

Your USP is what makes your brand stand out from the rest, whether it's an environment, a service, or a shared attitude about the nature and purpose of your complementary therapy services.

Building Your USP Into the Business Model

Finally, you can build your unique selling proposition more deeply into your business model. Let's say that your USP is a spa-like environment. It may have started with warm towels and a pitcher of cucumber water but your clients have really embraced the idea and it's become your primary drawing point, your USP. Why not expand on that theme to the delight of your clients?

In this scenario, you might start playing spa music and invest in more comfortable chairs. You might incorporate oil diffusers or even invite guests to wear comfortable robes before and after their treatments.

Building Your USP Into the Business Model

Complementary therapy is all about the client experience. The services and treatments you offer are chosen by clients to make them feel better and to help build a more holistically healthy life. This makes your USP more important than ever. Why do clients integrate your therapy into their lives, what keeps them coming back, and why might they refer your service to a friend? The answer lies in your Unique Selling Proposition.

Want to make yourself stand out from the crowded complementary therapist marketplace? Read Chapter 4 of the ebook - Natural Marketing: 201 Marketing Secrets To Grow Your Natural Therapy Business and feel free to share the ebook with friends or peers who you believe will also find the information valuable.

If you would like to know more about how IICT helps complementary therapy practitioners save money, build their reputation and grow their business, contact us to find out more about our membership packages.