Finding Your USP

 A Unique Selling Proposition. Known as USP, for short. Popular in marketing, and now everywhere. We all know it helps differentiate a product or service from others. On-time performance has been a USP for some airlines, luxury for others. But the more important question is, how do you find your USP if you are a brand/product/service or even a person?

If you do find it, you may be able to use it in a sales pitch, or demonstrate it consistently for people to identify it with you. Packaging is an easy and tangible way to do it. At least externally, if your product has a packing option. For an institution, it's tough to find one, but worth trying. Perceptions get built anyway, but you can help them along with your branding, AND performance over time. Air Deccan had Simplifly as a slogan, which expressed its desire to bring a flight within a common man's reach. Just like Maruti when launched, was a 'people's car'. 

As far as professors go, you could be known for your teaching methods, skills, knowledge, student-friendly (or the opposite) behaviour. I remember a professor from IIMB because of the exams he gave us- open book. He would give us ten statements, and ask us to agree or disagree with each, supported by references. One of the toughest exams in pre-internet times, when we had to read books/journals in the library for getting those references.

Tribes India

Not satisfied with buying a house with a lake and a plane (my last post was about those), I went shopping again. To an interesting place (Tribes India) that sold tribal craft from all over India. Managed to chat up two lovely young ladies working there, and their manager. Got some interesting stuff, too. They have outlets in multiple places across India. Do visit one when you can. Support our tribals.

 Priya and Srinanda work at the store, and were good salespeople-persuasive, but not aggressive. Their boss is in the pic below- a selfie!

 They pose sportingly at my request, in their metalwork products section!

Labeling People

Labeling products is helpful, as it tells you what the product is expected to do, or in the case of food products, what it contains.

But reducing a person to a label is not such a great practice. For one, we were not always like the label. We might not be in future, too. For instance, when we were kids, we were not Democrats, Republicans, or Feminists or Liberals, or Bhakts. At best, these are passing phases, based on current impulses and influences. Religion or caste could be a little longer-lasting influence in our case in India, but many people outgrow these too.

Closing the possibilities of what we can be/do, as a result of labelling is also very likely. For instance, calling someone  a nerd or its opposite (duffer? Party animal? Good-for-nothing?) too early in life is a bad idea. People are multi-dimensional, and sometimes don't discover themselves until late in life, maybe due to lack of exposure or opportunity.

Introvert and Extrovert are similarly, not extremes, and we are usually a  combination of both to different degrees. Having an open mind with regard to people may be a good idea, in general.

Entrepreneurial Thoughts

Here are some thoughts on the subject of entrepreneurship. Since my area is thinking, this seems appropriate to me.

Why do some products/services succeed wildly when many bite the dust/become so-so survivors?

In my not-so-humble opinion (IMNSHO), it is because no one needs them. If a person (lots of people) needs (need) something, they move heaven and earth to get it. Lots of examples come to mind, ranging from a matchbox to a mobile phone or its service provider, to the life-is-jhingalala TV dish, to the internet connection (for the mobile-haters) provider, to Blogger (for those who can't resist putting finger to keyboard), to a pair of scissors (for those with overgrown nails or nose hair or just a packet that needs to be cut open), to a can-opener (beer cans don't these, so they are exempt), a ticket to a good movie, or concert- they don't need no salesman.

Insurance, on the other hand, is a product no one will stand in a line to buy. So don't start an insurance company. Rather, start a food stall, even if you do a pani-puri or idli-sambar. Find a product or service (liaison with government offices until achche din come along) that people will gladly pay for, and you are in (a good) business!

That's the key, and that's all you need to know-from me. The rest you can figure out as you go along. Happy entrepreneurship!