Still pushing your USP? It's time to connect with your UBT.

Originally published on The New Group blog on 11.1.07

The days of the unique selling proposition (USP) are over. People don't want to be sold to anymore, they want to be part of a community, associate with others they trust and consume the products and services that their group of like-minded souls supports. Think Amazon reader comments, customer reviews on CNET, niche communities in B2B spaces of all sorts, people want to hear the objective opinions of peers to inform their purchase decisions.

Enter the concept of the unique buying tribe (UBT). This is a concept woven into a great book about branding, ZAG by Marty Neumeier - check it out on your next plane trip, it's a quick insightful read. People want to trust the brands they support and the companies they purchase from. More than ever people trust the opinions of their peers above and beyond your marketing communications and advertising.

So consider thinking of your audience as a tribe and think about how you can provide ways to build trust with that tribe, they'll tell others why they trust your brand and provide a powerful source of influence in the market.