Once you've written what you want to say, ask your clients questions about what makes your business stand out, what you offer that is of highest quality, etc. Why? You want to state benefits of doing business with you from clients' perspective, not yours-and I can tell you that what you see as a benefit of doing business with you may not be what your clients feel.

Creating a few different business and personal USPs, then practicing them, can make difference between connecting with people and not connecting. So practice your new introduction on everyone you know until words feel comfortable to you... Practice in mirror... and tell everyone you know you'd like to borrow them to practice, too.

Additional information on USPs can be found on Internet at:

USP History and The Basics www.emediaplan.com/admunch/Biographies/Rosser.asp

A Compelling USP Description by Dale Chambers www.cism.com/featurearticles/compelling_description.htm

If you don’t have a USP (Unique Selling Point), Create One by Karl Ruegg www.topten.org/public/AP/AP86.html

3 Steps To A USP By Barbara Ling www.riseway.com/usp.html

How to Write an Elevator Speech www.avnmembers.co.uk/knowledgebase/Business/elevatorspeech.htm

Use Your Unique Selling Proposition To Make The Sale by Jana M.Kemp www.janakemp.com/article3.htm

Unique Selling Propositions (Some Questions To Consider) www.virtualtechnocrats.com/selfhelp/businessebook/marketing/usp.html

Explains USA, UPS and all other word's they're called by Dennis S. Vogel www.voy.com/31049/17.htm

MARKETING - 12 Unique Selling Propositions http://www.homebiz.ca/News/Archives/052200.htm#MARKETING%20-%2012%20Unique%2 0Selling

Your USP: Why Should I Hire You? by Kevin Donlin http://www.careerowl.ca/candidates/resources.htm

Maria Marsala is an internationally known coach, author, and speaker. A former Wall Street trader and manager, she is the author of the ebook Thinking of Starting a Business... Let's Talk About What's Next. Subscribe to her free ezine "Helping You and Your Business Grow" at http://www.coachmaria.com

** You gain free word-of-mouth advertising when your customers tell everybody about your unexpected "thank you" letter and how good they feel about doing business with you.

** You have an opportunity to resell more (or other) products or services. You can even promote this by including a special price or discount offer in your "thank you" letter.

** You enhance your image as a consumer-oriented business.

Your unexpected "thank you" does not have to be lengthy. You don't have to write it individually for each customer or client. You can use same text for everybody with just a few minor changes -- like inserting customer's name. You don't even have to take time to type envelopes and mail letters. You can send your "thank you" by email or fax. Just be sure to personalize it as much as possible.

EXAMPLES

If you ordered books from Amazon.com, you received a good example of an unexpected "thank you" letter by email. Their "thank you" email message even includes titles of other books you can order on same subject.

I recently spoke with an MLM distributor who sends what she calls a "congratulatory letter" to all her new distributors 2 days after they sign up. In it she repeats specific financial goals new distributor mentioned before signing up. Then she includes a brief description of how business will enable distributor to achieve them.

Most buying decisions are made on impulse. Later we look for logical reasons to justify our decision. Help your customers with this by sending unexpected "thank you" messages. Remind them of benefits they will gain by using your product or service. It reassures them of wisdom of their decision ...and reduces your cancellations and refunds.