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You’ve nailed your USP, UVP, and tagline. The messaging doc sounds legit. Strategic. Maybe even a little spicy.

You’re feeling good. So you check the box and move on.

But that’s where so many brands stall out.

Your messaging isn’t meant to sit in a Google Drive folder and collect digital dust. It’s meant to do something. Like attract your ideal clients, drive conversions, and make sales easier.

And if it’s not showing up across the copy on your website, sales pages, and LinkedIn presence? You haven’t finished the job.

(If you’re wondering what the difference between messaging and copy is, here's a quick breakdown.)

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👋🏻 Welcome to issue 48 of straight-to-the-point insights that turn why they buy into how you sell. (Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe ​here​.)

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Wait… do I even need a USP and UVP?

Short answer: yes. But let’s break down why. Because these acronyms get tossed around a lot without much clarity.

USP = Unique Selling Proposition

This answers the question: Why should someone choose you instead of a competitor? It’s your most strategic point of differentiation. And without it, you blend in.

UVP = Unique Value Proposition
​This is about the value you deliver, not just how you’re different. It zooms in on how you solve your ideal client’s problems better, faster, or more meaningfully than anyone else.

💡(I like to think of them like this. USP = what sets you apart, UVP = why your ideal client should give a sh*t about what sets you apart.)

Most brands skip these entirely. Or write them in such vague, fluffy language that they could apply to anyone.

“I help businesses grow.”
Yep. So do a million others.

“I help overwhelmed business owners get clarity and confidence.”
Getting warmer… but still too broad.

A strong USP/UVP makes it obvious who you serve and why they should choose you. It moves you out of the comparison pool and positions you as the solution.

Before jumping into how to apply this to your copy, here’s a quick story that might sound familiar.

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📚 You know what a study guide doesn’t do?

My 16-year-old isn’t exactly a model student, but I’m going with this analogy anyway.

He takes notes (and mediocre ones at that). Fills out the study guide because he has to and makes a ton of flash cards. So in theory, he has all the content he needs. But when it’s time for the test? He’s stuck.

He doesn’t know how to connect the dots between what was said in class, what’s in his notes, what the teacher emphasized, and what’s likely to show up on the test.

And the best part? I was an educator for 22 years. But will he let me help? Absolutely not. Apparently, I “don’t get how his teacher works.”

Honestly… I see the same thing happen with business owners all the time.

You’ve got the brand guide.
You’ve got the statements.
You’ve got all the “right” pieces.

But instead of using them to make decisions or write stronger copy, you’re trying to remember everything and hoping it clicks.

Messaging isn’t something you memorize. It’s something you apply.

Your USP and UVP aren’t answers on a study guide. They’re what help you figure out what to say—when it actually matters.

A client recently scheduled a strategy session because she was stuck rewriting her home page. She had all the right pieces (messaging docs, voice notes, brand statements) spread across a dozen open tabs.

It wasn’t about plucking the perfect sentence. She needed help figuring out how to use those core ideas in a way that actually worked—across her copy, not just in one spot.

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So how do you go from “strategic messaging doc” to “this is working”?

Say you’re a small B2B sustainability consultancy. Here’s your (fictional, but realistic) brand messaging:

🧭 Positioning: We help mid-size manufacturers transition to climate-resilient operations. Without compromising performance or profit.

⭐ USP: We’re the only consultancy specializing in sustainability strategy and operational implementation for mid-market manufacturers.

💡 UVP: Unlike other firms that hand over a strategy deck and disappear, we partner with your internal team to execute, train, and deliver measurable impact.

🗣 Tagline: Sustainability that sticks.

Looks solid on paper.

But unless that message shows up in your actual content, your ideal clients won’t see what makes you different.

Here’s how those statements translate across platforms:

Website homepage headline:
​“Most sustainability consultants hand you a PDF. We help you implement it.”
→ Clear, direct, grounded in the UVP.

Sales page subhead:
​“Sustainability doesn’t work if it never leaves the strategy deck. That’s why we stay hands-on from kickoff to execution.”
→ Expands the UVP and drives the key differentiator home.

LinkedIn headline:
​Helping mid-market manufacturers build resilient, profitable, sustainable operations
→ Direct from the positioning statement.

Testimonial prompt strategy:
​“Tell us what it was like having us on the ground during implementation.”
→ Shapes social proof that reinforces your USP.

Social proof quote graphic:
​“We didn’t just get a plan. We got a partner. They stuck with us until it worked.”
→ The tagline, in your client’s voice.

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Here's where the disconnect happens:

• You’ve got a great UVP. But your homepage headline hasn’t been touched in 3 years.
• You clarified your USP. But your service page still leads with features instead of benefits.
• You came up with a punchy tagline. But it’s not showing up anywhere that matters.

Or… you haven’t actually defined any of them yet. And you’re wondering why your content is attracting, engaging, or converting.

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Strong messaging should do more than sound good.

It should:

• Make your homepage unmistakably clear
• Guide how you tell your brand story
• Shape the flow of your sales pages
• Influence the structure of your service offerings
• Help clients self-qualify and say “yes” faster

You don’t need more copy. You need copy that knows what it’s doing.

This is one of the most common issues I come across during copy audits. Often, the content sounds fine—polished, even—but there’s no strategy. It’s just words filling space. And if your messaging isn’t aligned, you’re not just missing conversions. You’re probably confusing the people you most want to attract.

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Now let’s talk about the platform where most people think they’re applying their messaging, but aren’t: LinkedIn.

If your LinkedIn headline says something like:

“Founder | Consultant | Fractional CMO”

You’re not using one of the most valuable pieces of real estate on the platform.

You get 220 characters to show people why they should care. Not just what you are. But what you do, who you help, and why it matters.

Instead of this:

“Operations Consultant | Small Business Advisor”

Try:

“Helping purpose-driven founders streamline systems + scale profitably. Without burning out their teams”

That one line is doing the work of your USP and UVP. It sets the stage for why someone should click, connect, or keep reading.

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Don’t forget your banner.

Your banner isn’t an art canvas. It’s a billboard. Use it to reinforce your UVP or tagline, highlight a key outcome, or visually represent the transformation you create.

If your UVP is all about high-touch support or implementation, your banner should make that promise visible through a bold statement, a short testimonial, or a clear visual that connects.

Here's an example to see what it looks like in action when a banner and headline work together to clearly showcase a USP and UVP.

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Testimonials? They should back up your messaging.

If your USP says you deliver strategy and hands-on implementation, your testimonials should echo that.

“They didn’t just give us a plan, they partnered with us until it worked.”

That’s gold. Because now you’re not the only one saying it.

Too many people collect generic praise:

“Great to work with!” “Smart and kind!”

That’s sweet. But it’s not the quote that gets someone to book a discovery call. Specific stories sell. Vibes don’t.

Instead, guide your clients when you ask for feedback. Prompt them with specific questions that speak to the transformation your messaging promises.

Then feature those testimonials across your profile, from pinned posts to the Featured section to recommendations.

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The About section? Keep threading the message.

This is an ideal place to:

• Reinforce your UVP through stories, stats, and client results
• Weave in your tagline (ideally near your CTA)
• Share your point of view and positioning with clarity

CTA tip: Link to something that aligns with your USP/UVP such as a case study, a resource, or your services page.

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This is also why how you work with a strategist matters.

Messaging isn’t just a deliverable. It’s a foundation that requires strategic application.

So if you’re working with someone on positioning and messaging, great. But don’t stop the second you’ve got a tagline and three statements.

Stick with them. Let them help you apply it. Or at the very least, ask for a roadmap so you’re not winging it with high-stakes content.

Because strong messaging without strategy-backed implementation? It’s just another asset sitting unused (like my son’s chem notes).

If your brand messaging is sitting in a folder and never made it past the PDF, it’s not a failure. It’s just unfinished.

Let’s fix that.

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One last thing before you go…

🗓️ On May 5th, I’m teaming up with Melissa Glick, a business strategist, for a live conversation about sales and messaging. We’ll talk about where they differ, how they overlap, and common mistakes you can avoid. I’d love to see you there!

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Until next time,

Stacy

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P.S. Not sure where the breakdown is?

If you’re too close to spot the gaps (or too busy to fix them), a copy audit or strategy session can show you exactly what to tweak. And how to turn that messaging doc into ROI.

👉🏻 Do you know someone who would find this newsletter helpful? Forward it to them with a quick note explaining why.
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