What is your agency’s Unique Buying Proposition (UB.P.)? 

Three definitions for U.B.P. 

Nationally-known insurance consultants Roger Sitkins and George Nordhaus and I have slightly different definitions.  But there is a common denominator: It is important for your agency to stand out in the crowd.  You must separate and distinguish yourself from the thundering herd of insurance agents, brokers, direct writers, financial planners, and other financial services firms.

Sitkins: Your U.B.P. is the distinct and appealing idea that sets you and your agency apart from every other me-too competitor.

Nordhaus: Your U.B.P. is that which your competitors cannot, or will not, do. 

Cookson: Your U.B.P. is the product, service or concept that positions you as the leader in satisfying customer needs. 

Your U.B.P. expresses what your agency is doing to create value-added  services for your customers.

How is a U.B.P. expressed and used? 

You should be able to express it in a six-word (or less) statement.  Call it a tagline, a slogan, or a theme.  I call it a positioning line. Positioning lines should be included on all marketing materials, usually in concert with your agency logo and name. 

Positioning lines usually evolve from a longer Positioning Statement, a two or three paragraph summary of an agency’s value-added benefits for customers.

The development process is valuable 

Remember, your U.B.P. must convey precisely why your agency is distinctive. It must be true. And it must always be developed and stated with the buyer in mind. 

The process of developing your U.B.P. that I recommend will not only open up thinking about your positioning statement but also open up discussions about agency marketing operations generally. Saying we offer superior service is not good enough.  You need to dig deeper. What makes your service superior?   

We commend this mini-survey process to you. 

. Ask at least ten new customers why they picked you.

. Ask at least ten long-time customers why they stay with you.

. Ask your agency associates why they think the agency stands out 

. Ask the proper follow-up questions.  If a customer says “you have good

  service,” ask him for an example of what he identifies as good service.

What about the competition? 

Good question. Take a close look at your competitors’ advertising, Web site, sales literature, and signage.  How are they positioning themselves?  How do you differ from them?  How can you separate yourself from them in a memorable way?

Your U.B.P.  is an enduring statement of value 

The process is not easy.  It takes thought. It takes time.  It involves an important decision that will help your agency grow in the years ahead.  It is not a one-shot deal. The best positioning lines in every business last for years and years. Why?  Because they are statements of value  based on beliefs and principles.  Principles and values are enduring.  I know this sounds a bit high-falutin’.  But it’s a fact.  

Positioning statements are not about empty sloganeering!