Brand Positioning Strategy determines how customers perceive your business and sets you apart from competitors. In this guide, we explain what Brand Positioning Strategy means, why it matters, and how to build one step by step. You’ll learn to define your target segment, point of difference, and frame of reference.
What Is Brand Positioning Strategy?
A Brand Positioning Strategy is a focused plan that carves out a unique space in customers’ minds. It aligns your product or service with the needs and values of a specific audience. Therefore, you appear distinct and memorable.
Why Your Business Needs a Brand Positioning Strategy
- Clarity: A clear strategy guides all marketing efforts, ensuring consistent messaging.
- Differentiation: You highlight unique benefits that competitors can’t match. Consequently, you boost customer loyalty and willingness to pay.
- Focus: You avoid spreading resources too thin by targeting the right audience with the right message.
Five Steps to Craft Your Brand Positioning Strategy
1. Choose Your Target Segment
Begin by pinpointing a single group of customers who will benefit most from your offering.
- Action: Conduct surveys, interviews, and market research.
- Tip: Use demographic, psychographic, and behavioral data to refine your segment.
2. Define Your Frame of Reference
Next, decide which competitive category you belong to. This tells customers where to place you in their mental map.
- Example: “Premium organic skincare” or “budget-friendly ride-sharing.”
- Outcome: Shoppers know whether to compare you with high-end or mass-market brands.
3. Identify Your Point of Difference
Your point of difference must be unique, relevant, and sustainable. It answers, “Why choose us?”
- Criteria:
- Desirable: Appeals directly to your target segment’s needs.
- Distinctive: Competitors don’t offer the same benefit.
- Deliverable: You can consistently fulfill the promise.
- Exercise: List all product features, then highlight only those that meet these criteria.
4. Ensure Points of Parity
Points of parity establish that you belong in your chosen category. They cover the “must-have” features.
- Example: In toothpaste, fluoride protection is a parity point.
- Advice: Match competitors on essential attributes before emphasizing your differences.
5. Align the Marketing Mix (4 P’s)
Finally, reinforce your positioning through product, price, promotion, and place.
- Product: Design features and quality that support your point of difference.
- Price: Set a price that signals your positioning (premium vs. value).
- Promotion: Craft messages and visuals that emphasize your unique benefit.
- Place: Choose distribution channels preferred by your target segment.
Writing Your Positioning Statement
A concise positioning statement includes three elements: target segment, point of difference, and frame of reference. Use this template:
“[Brand] offers [point of difference] to [target segment] in the [frame of reference].”
Example:
“EcoBath delivers skin-nourishing, 100% plant-based cleansers to health-conscious consumers in the premium personal care market.”
Monitoring and Evolving Your Strategy
Markets shift, so revisit your Brand Positioning Strategy regularly. Conduct quarterly reviews to:
- Track competitor moves.
- Gather customer feedback.
- Adjust your positioning if consumer needs change.
Moreover, make small tweaks rather than radical overhauls. This approach maintains brand consistency and trust.
Conclusion
A solid Brand Positioning Strategy gives you a competitive edge. By choosing the right audience, defining your category, highlighting true differences, and ensuring category credibility, you guide every marketing decision. Start today to carve your unique space in the market and win customer loyalty.
Outbound links:
- Brand positioning on Wikipedia
- Harvard Business Review: How to Write a Brand Positioning Statement
- Forbes: Nine Strategies To Help You Build Your Brand
Read more: Elevate Your Brand with Placeit: Your Ultimate Design and Mockup Tool
