Are the royal family this country’s USP?

Unless you have been shut off from civilisation for the past 8 months, you may be aware that a Royal wedding took place in April. Whether you were taking part in the celebrations, attending one of the thousands of street parties held, or tuning in to watch the all important balcony kiss, you will remember the day for years to come. The scale of the crowds was a reminder of just how rare such displays of patriotism are in Britain. Unlike other countries, we do not celebrate a national day. The royal wedding helped remind us just how captivated the rest of the world is with our little island.
The royal wedding triggered much discussion in the TLC Business office: Harry’s ‘bed-head’ hair; the unfortunate wardrobe choices of certain members of the royal family, would Prince Phillip stay awake and why was the rest of the world so interested?

The discussions prompted us to consider this: ‘far from being a drain on public finances, are the royal family this country’s USP?’.

A USP can be defined as a unique benefit of a product or service that differentiates it from competing brands. “Fifty other companies sell the same products and services as you do. Why should I do business with you rather than one of your competitors?” This can easily be applied to the UK. Some countries have amazing beaches, tropical climates, luxurious lifestyles, why would a tourist choose the UK over Spain, Thailand, America or Australia? One reason could be the heritage the royal family brings to this country; they help us stand out from the crowd.

Just days after the engagement was announced, magazines celebrating the couple were in the shops, souvenirs were being created and talk shows were discussing the lead up to the wedding. The announcement of a new royal was the catalyst for a wealth of opportunities for Britain to reassert itself on the global stage and a chance to present the country in a positive light.

The initial cynicism of ‘can the country really afford this?’ was gradually eroded as millions decided to embrace the bank holiday and sentiment behind the day and help put on a show for the rest of the world. Crowds filled the streets of London as millions turned up to join the party. 26 million more tuned in to watch the day unfold. 2 billion people around the world, 22.7 million in the US alone and 400 million on Youtube (the biggest ever live streaming audience ever), drawn in by the pageantry of the ceremony and the history of the royal family, watched on captivated.

“Our culture and heritage reputation is very strong around the world,” says Visit Britain spokesman Paul Eastham. “At the heart of that lies the monarchy.”

Even the most fervent anti-Royalist cannot deny the Royal Wedding has brought positive exposure to the UK and boosted tourism.  Estimates suggest the Royal Wedding boosted the economy by £1 billion on the wedding day alone. Going forward, the royal couple are primed to charm the world and in doing so, keeping the UK on the world’s stage for years to come, boosting the economy and country’s global profile.

So if the royal family is the UK’s USP, what is your business’?

If you’ve got something that is unique, your competitors can’t replicate and your customers want, you have a competitive edge that can help your business thrive.

The royal wedding demonstrated that the royal family might just be the USP this country has been searching for. Make sure that you recognise the USP in your business and if you don’t have one, get one!

It doesn’t just have to come from what you sell. It can equally reside in how you sell. Make sure you take the time this month to find what your USP is, it might be staring you right in the face.