Marketing Applied Part 4: Stop the Fluff, the Art of Positioning

Have you ever struggled to communicate what your company truly does? Beyond your products or services, what challenges do you solve for your clients? If you, like many others, can’t articulate this in two sentences, then keep reading!

In the previous blog of the series, we discussed the importance of strategy. Now, let’s focus on positioning, which is at the core of it. After talking to your customers, analyzing your competitors, and understanding the market needs, you’re ready to take the next step.

What is Positioning?

Positioning is a fundamental concept in marketing that refers to the process of establishing a brand or product/service in the mind of the customer. It involves identifying a unique place in the market and creating a distinct image and identity that differentiates you from the competitors.

Positioning Equals Consistency

In a busy and competitive sector such as market research and insights, good positioning is key to establishing a clear, unique perception in your target audience’s mind. This differentiation is essential for attracting and retaining customers, as it provides them with compelling reasons to choose one supplier over another.

Consistency is crucial in positioning – and vice versa. To build that perception in your audience’s mind, your brand message should be consistently communicated across all marketing channels and touch-points, including sales. A consistent message reinforces the brand's identity and helps build a strong, recognizable presence in the market.

Internal Alignment

Clear positioning is also essential for internal alignment. When your work is technical and complex, and can also appeal to different audiences, it’s common to have an internal disconnect, where different teams have different ways of explaining the core work of the company – resulting in ineffective and unclear communication. By defining your positioning, you can ensure that every communication with clients or prospects is in line with the overall business strategy.

Crafting a Simple Value Proposition

A value proposition, or positioning statement, is one of the elements that bring your positioning to life. It is a clear and concise statement that explains what benefits your company provides to customers, how it solves their problems, and what distinguishes it from the competition.

In my years of working with different clients, I've seen how difficult it is for most people to “give up” on saying everything. It’s hard to be “choiceful”.

When crafting your value proposition, remember that your goal is not to explain the ins and outs of your work but to focus on the prospect’s perception of your brand. It’s less about you and more about them. That’s why, it’s so important to understand your audience; it is the first step in developing effective positioning, and consequently, your statement.

You might have already come across the four key questions to draft a positioning statement. But let’s refresh them together. When drafting your statement, distil everything you've learned during your research stage into four answers:

1. Who – Who are you talking to, and what are they looking for?
2. What – What do you want your sales team to talk about?
3. Vs who? Either a competitor or a challenge
4. Is – what is the benefit?

Be strict with yourself when answering these questions. Avoid the trap of thinking that you’re not addressing multiple audiences or that you’re not spelling out every single service you offer. A positioning statement is a teaser that succinctly articulates what makes your brand distinct and why consumers should choose it over others. It should be clear, compelling, and aligned with the target audience's needs and desires. It serves as the foundation for all marketing communications.

Now, you can implement

Positioning strategy requires time and brainpower but is pivotal for a business, bringing renewed energy, clarity, and enthusiasm to your team and clients. Once your positioning is defined and your proposition drafted and agreed upon, you are now in a good place to create and implement an effective marketing plan.

Five Key Takeaways:

1. Understanding Positioning: Positioning is about creating a unique and distinct image of your company in the customer's mind, setting it apart from competitors.
2. Consistency is Crucial: Effective positioning requires a consistent message across all marketing channels and touch-points to build a strong, recognizable brand.
3. Internal Alignment: Clear positioning aligns everyone internally, ensuring consistent and effective communication about the company's core work.
4. Simplified Value Proposition: A value proposition should be a clear, concise statement focused on the customer's perception, highlighting the benefits to the client.
5. Four Key Questions: When drafting a positioning statement, answer these four questions: Who is the target audience? What should the sales team communicate? Who or what is the competition? What is the key benefit?

This is the last blog of the Marketing Applied series, if you missed any of the previous ones make sure to go back and check them out – but stay tuned for more marketing advice on this channel!