Creating a Strong Brand Positioning in Your Market  

Brand positioning is the process of placing your business in the minds of your customers.  The goal is to create a unique impression so that consumers associate something specific and desirable with your brand that differs from the rest of the marketplace.
1. Two-Step Brand Positioning Strategy Process
  • Determine how your business and competitors are currently positioned.
  • Develop a distinct, value-based idea and craft a brand positioning sentence that communicates your value and uniqueness in comparison to your competitors.
2. How to Create a Brand Positioning Statement
  • Target Customer and Market: Examine demographic descriptions of your target audience and the relevance you have to your customers.
  • Brand Promise: Pinpoint the most compelling (emotional/rational) benefits that your brand owns relative to your competition.
3. Positioning Statements versus Taglines
  • Positioning statements are for internal use to help guide marketing decisions, while a tag line is an external statement used in promotional campaigns.
  • Create a tagline or slogan, which can be developed from a positioning statement, that helps establish the position you’re looking to own.
4. Criteria for Evaluating Your Brand Positioning Strategy
  • Is your promise believable and credible, matching consumer perceptions of your brand, focusing on core customers?
  • Is it memorable, motivating, easy to understand and consistent in all areas of your business?
5. Integrating Your Brand Positioning in Your Customer’s Mind
  • List every point of interaction with consumers and ask:
  • How can I more fluidly communicate my brand’s desired position?
  • Does every touch point look, say, and feel like what I want my customers to perceive?
  • Turn everything you do into an expression of your desired positioning.
A well-crafted positioning statement is a powerful tool for bringing focus and clarity to your marketing strategies.  It can help you make effective decisions to differentiate your business, attract target customers, and gain market share from your competition.
Source:  The Cult Branding Company, by BJ Bueno; Positioning:  The Battle for Your Mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout