Question

Decide on a product or service for which you will develop a PSM.

You may choose an existing product or service (ex AT&T U-verse) OR make up an interesting product or service to sell (ex the Booze Cruiser: We bring the party to you!)

Come up with a list of central selling points and consumer benefits. This list should have a minimum of six items. Most lists will have more than six items.

Decide what action you'd like to motivate in the reader of your PSM. For example, do you want your reader to buy the product, or go to a website for more information, or sign up for a free trial offer, etc.

Develop the PSM in its entirety. . In writing your own PSM, please make sure that you Gain Attention in the opening paragraph, Build Interest and Reduce Resistance in the body paragraphs, and Motivate Action in the closing paragraph.

Answer 1

What Is A Central Selling Point?

A central selling point (CSP), also called a central selling proposition, is the essence of what makes your product or service better than competitors. In online marketing, communicating your CSP clearly and quickly is one of the keys to getting customers to convert on your site.

Why Is A Central Selling Point Important?

A central selling point defines your company’s central position in the marketplace, getting at the heart of your business: the value you offer and the problem you solve. A strong CSP clearly articulates a specific benefit – one that other competitors don’t offer – that makes you stand out.

If all the products appear to be the same, your prospective customers won’t know which one is right for them. Being clear about your central selling proposition helps them differentiate between the variety of choices available to them. It is a crucial part of effective selling, especially online where consumers have so many options.

A CSP can also serve an important role internally as it forces you to consider your company’s mission and its very reason for being.

As a business owner, you need to consider and communicate who your business is for, what drives you to offer the services you offer, and how you want to make a central impact.

Your CSP is your key differentiator and the reason your customer will buy from you.

Central Selling Point Examples

Zappos is an online shoe store, and there is nothing especially central about selling shoes online. However, their selling point is central: free returns. There is no penalty whatsoever to returning a pair of shoes you don’t want, a major convenience to customers.

Toms Shoes is a shoe manufacturer. Again, there is nothing especially central about that. But Toms Shoes’ central selling point is that for every pair of shoes a customer purchases, the company donates a pair to a child in need. Toms Shoes helps put shoes on needy children’s feet; this is their central selling point.

CSPs are by their nature central to each business, but roughly fall into three major categories: