You Are Not The Only One
Positioning is all about how we present ourselves to our customers. It’s what makes us different from other competitors. It can be said that there are two types of businesses out there today – those who have a clear idea of their positioning and those who don’t.
In marketing, positioning is an important concept that helps to define your product or service among competitors. A company must position itself as being different from other companies if they want to succeed. To understand how positioning works, you need to know what makes up a brand identity. You also need to consider why customers choose one brand over another. Finally, you should think about how these factors can help you create a successful business strategy. If you’re not sure where to start with positioning, then read on…
What Is Brand Identity?
A brand identity is the set of characteristics that make up a particular type of organisation. These include its name, logo, colours, slogans, tagline, mission statement, values, personality traits, etc. The purpose of having a strong brand identity is so that people will recognise your products or services when they see them. This way, potential clients will associate your company’s image with quality goods and services. When this happens, more people will buy from you because they’ll feel like they already know you.
How Do People Think?
You must understand how people’s minds work.
We don’t readily accept new ideas. We are already bombarded with information – social media, TV, news, etc. We build knowledge by connecting it with our old understanding. We add new ideas in our minds by comparing them with old ones – like how the new concept is either similar or different from the old one. In short, we adjust the new idea in the same way we make adjustments when adding something new to a showcase. We move other things or sometimes replace one or two things.
For each category of product or service, people have already chosen their favourite. They have a hierarchy of brands in their head for each category. For example, when I think of cola, Coca-Cola is at the top, then Thumps-Up, and Pepsi is at the third position.
In many categories, I only have one or two brands in my mind. For example, in the instant noodles category, I only know Maggie. So, if you introduce a new instant noodle, I will put it below Maggie in my mind. (Or I may replace Maggie with the new noodles). So, it’s always relative.
People just update their existing maps of brands in their heads.
Why Does Positioning Matter?
When you try to sell a new product or service, you need to find ways to convince people to change their current map of brands in their heads into yours. How do you do this? By making yourself look better than others. That means showing off your strengths and highlighting your weaknesses. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about a car manufacturer or a restaurant chain. People compare everything against everyone else. They use comparisons to decide which option is best.
How To Position Your Brand?
First, you need to understand your target audience. Secondly, it is essential that the positioning of your product or service matches their needs and expectations. Thirdly, make sure that your positioning statement reflects what makes your company unique from others in its industry. Finally, be consistent throughout all marketing materials.
Positioning is literally creating your “position” in your audience’s minds. In my opinion, you create your position in two ways:
1. You show them how better/different your product is from the competition. Your product may be faster, stronger, cheaper, efficient, safer than the competition.
2. You tell them that there’s nothing like your product. You are the first. You have created a new category for yourself.
The Importance Of A Good Positioning Statement
A well-written positioning statement can help you get more sales because it enables you to stand out among competitors. A strong positioning statement also gives you an edge over those who haven’t thought through their positioning statements. If you want to succeed as a business owner, you should develop a clear positioning statement.
Here are some tips on writing a great positioning statement:
• Make sure that your positioning statement has three parts: 1) What problem does your product solve? 2) Who are you targeting? 3) Why would someone buy your product instead of your competitor’s product?
• Use action verbs whenever possible. This shows that you are offering something tangible to customers.
• Be specific. Don’t say “we provide quality products”; instead, state exactly what kind of quality products you offer.
• Avoid using words such as ‘best’, ‘only’, etc., unless you mean it. These words imply comparison. Instead, focus on describing why your product is superior to other options available.
• Include benefits. Benefits give value to your product. Without these, no one will care about your product.
• Write short sentences. Longer ones tend to confuse readers.
• Keep paragraphs short. The average reader skips long sections.
Position One. Or Position None.
You can put your brand at the top by differentiating your brand from the rest of the crowd.
You can do it by being first in your category. Or at least second and accepting that you are second and showing them why they should choose you because you are second. If you are below 2nd or 3rd position, your growth is limited.
Or you can create your own category and become first in it. To do so, you can leverage your existing positioning, if any. For example, if you are already known, for one thing, you can combine your new thing with it and create a special category for you. Sony had introduced the “Walkman” series of mobiles to do the same.
Always remember, you must be aware of what’s already in your prospect’s minds. You must also consider the competition as seen through the eyes of your audience. Not through your eyes.
Find your place in a given category. If you are not first, you have a serious disadvantage. If you can’t place yourself in the first or second position in the hierarchy, there’s no point in remaining in that category. You will be just another “me too” product.
Leave that category and create your own category and be the first in it. It is better to be a big fish in a small pond rather than a small fish in a big pond.
And if you can not create a new category, then seriously consider leaving the product or service. Find something else.
