Positioning is in my opinion the most important marketing and sales strategy. It is the difference between being perceived as unique and just being another option. It can justify a higher price and inspire loyalty beyond reason. And positioning sets the foundation for the brand as a guiding principle of how the company should act.
Positioning is about creating associations in the minds of customers that distinguish your brand from all others. Customers choose brands based on their perceived position. Mentally, we categorize all products and services into categories such as “cars”, “mobile phones”, “advertising agencies”, etc. The brain automatically links a brand to a category, along with our accumulated knowledge, opinions and feelings about it.
In other words, your brand already holds a position in the minds of those who are aware of you – whether or not this position is the result of a deliberate strategy. That position is a consequence of everything your company has done, from product behavior and personal interactions to marketing communications. Take Volvo Cars and “safety” as an example. Since Volvo introduced the three-point safety belt in 1959, Volvo has been seen as the safest car in the world – and constantly enforced that position by smart communication.
In short: Positioning is a strategy to strengthen or change an existing position. It involves to create and convey a clear image of:
- The product category your brand operates in, or wishes to operate in, and
- What differentiates your brand from all others in that category
A common misconception is that a strong position can be created by presenting the brand as “better”. But “better” rarely works in the long term, since it’s a highly subjective opinion. What does work in positioning is being different, often referred to as differentiation. If your brand is perceived as different in a relevant way, it opens the door for taking market shares from your competitors.
To succeed with your positioning, start by asking yourself:
- What position does your brand currently have in the minds of customers and prospects?
- What position would you like your brand to have?
- Which other brands are you competing against for that position?
- Do you have the financial resources and long-term view to capture and defend the position?
But please be aware. Building a strong position takes time and demands focus and perseverance. However accurate your positioning strategy and implementation is, setbacks will come. You need to have a long-time perspective and stick with the decided positioning strategy. New trends and competitors will test your focus and sometimes it’s easy to divert. Like when we as Pyramid decided to have a 100% focus on being a B2B agency – still the question if we shouldn’t add a B2C customer came up frequently – which would have ruined a very successful position.
Do you want to know more about how to build a strong position, just reach out to ulf.vanselius@comprend.com