No-brainer: the smart shift in USP your business needs to stand out, with Chantal Cornelius

Is it time to rethink everything you’ve ever learned about the USP (or unique selling point)? What is a USP in business and do they work? How do you know?

What’s the alternative?

In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, speaker and author Chantal Cornelius explains why she abandoned the concept of USP in business growth long ago. After twenty-five years of achievement in her own marketing company, extensive research, and three books she knows her no-nonsense approach isn’t edgy for the sake of it – it just works.

Setting out the secrets for success taken from her recently released book StandOut Strategies, this second conversation* with host Phil Rose outlines:

• The five types of strategy a business can use to stand out from the competition – and each turns everything we know about USP in business on its head.
• Why services and high-ticket items aren’t about helping someone to do something. It’s about them feeling something like reassurance, connection or a sense of belonging, even excitement, an energy rush or the power of impact.
• If 95% of our buying decisions are made subconsciously, irrationally and emotionally, how do we tap into this powerful seat of motivation to become the ‘no brainer’ option?
• The vital question every business owner should be asking their clients and customers – along with how (and how not) to ask it.
• Why some don’t ask or miss the important details of what’s said. What language should you be picking up on and what do you do with it? What’s holding you back?

Tune in to find out which strategy aligns with your company’s culture, purpose, and client base.

Discover new ways to understand what clients want and how to serve them because, in that way, everyone wins. By digging in deep and getting to the root of what people struggle with and what they desire, we can show up and deliver using our unique skills and abilities.

Is it time you upgraded the USP in your business growth plan to something else?

*check out Chantal and Phil’s first podcast foray into marketing success here.

We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did. To get our message out there, share this episode with someone you think could benefit from it. Thank you.

Chantal Cornelius:

Chantal left the corporate world in 2000 to set up Appletree Marketing. It was the second best decision she’s ever made. Since then, she’s filled her time helping hundreds of coaches, consultants, and speakers to grow their businesses. Her marketing advice is straightforward, practical, and down-to-earth. She’s written three books, with the latest, StandOut Strategies, published in October 2024. When she’s not speaking, training, or handing out marketing advice, you’ll find Chantal riding her horse, growing vegetables in her garden, or whizzing down a ski slope— but not all at the same time!

Memorable Quotes:

• "Standing out isn't about being different; it's about being true to yourself and your customers."
• "In business, it's not just about doing things right—it’s about doing the right things."

Takeaway Action:

• Reevaluate your business strategies—are they truly standing out, or just blending in?
• Take time to reflect on your business’s core purpose and how it resonates with your clients.
• Commit to continuous learning and personal development, whether through reading, speaking, or networking.

Books and Articles Referenced:

Stand Out Strategies. Chantal Cornelius.

One in Ten: How to Survive Your First Ten Years in Business. Chantal Cornelius

Magnetic Marketing. Chantal Cornelius.

Learn More:

• Visit the Ignium website
• Subscribe for more exclusive content in the Ignium Spark Tank here
• Listen to the show here

Connect with today’s guest:

  Check out Chantal’s book, Standout Strategies—available now.