Have you ever wondered why we often use the words razor blade , labelo , or calodont in colloquial language when we mean a razor, lip balm, or toothpaste? When we do, we use brand names instead of the general names of a particular type of product.
There are many such examples (thermos, Photoshop, Tupperware, jacuzzi...) and it is no coincidence that we identify certain brands with the entire type of product to which they belong.
The reason for this phenomenon is the strong positioning of these brands in the market, or rather the perception that consumers have about these products in their minds.
Marketing positioning is an important and effective strategy practiced by every well-known brand today, and it can help create a better brand image and, ultimately, increase sales.
Content
What is positioning?
Why is positioning important?
Types of positioning
Tips for successful positioning
What is positioning?
Brand positioning is the process of occupying a specific position in the consumer's mind, with the aim of differentiating the brand from competitors and communicating key benefits.
Today, in almost every market, there are a handful of different companies offering similar or the same service or product to the same target audience. Positioning provides the opportunity for differentiation that helps consumers notice and remember a particular brand in a sea of competition.
The goal of positioning is to create a positive perception of the brand that is manifested through some competitive advantage.
For example, the Swedish car manufacturer Volvo is perceived worldwide as a brand that provides a high level of driving safety. This is no coincidence, but the result of implementing carefully designed positioning into a marketing strategy . Volvo is certainly not the only safe car on the market, but it is often the only one that comes to mind when people mention safe vehicles.
positioning-marketing
When you hear the word “cola,” which of the thousands of carbonated drinks sold under that name comes to mind?
Why is positioning important?
In addition to the aforementioned differentiation, positioning is also important because it ensures brand consistency in promotional activities such as advertising . Brand consistency leads to increased market recognition in the long term, which is why brands with a clear positioning strategy have an advantage over those that don't bother with it.
Well-executed positioning can also help increase revenue – not only through increased demand, but also through pricing. For example, consumers are generally willing to pay more for products they consider to be market leaders, even when competing products are of equal quality.
The position of a leading brand instills trust in the minds of consumers (consciously or unconsciously), and trust is one of the most important feelings that marketers want to evoke in their target audience.
Types of positioning
Being “number 1” in a market is just one possible positioning strategy. Below are other ways brands can differentiate themselves from the competition:
Customer support
If you are not the leading company in your market, you can be the company with the best customer support – that is always appreciated by customers. Regardless of the industry, providing quality support to a customer when using your services or purchasing your products can significantly differentiate you from the competition, and it does not have to require too much investment.
Positioning based on customer support has numerous advantages, the biggest of which is long-term customer retention . In addition, quality support can often justify a higher price.
Price
Low price positioning is one of the most common strategies, especially used by companies that are just entering a market. This strategy is particularly effective in markets where competitors offer the same or very similar products (eg supermarkets), but it also carries certain risks.
Namely, the human brain often equates low price with low quality . Also, low prices can bring you more customers, but only for so long until a new competitor appears and decides to have even lower prices. In that case, other positioning strategies prove more useful.
Quality
Quality , along with price, is the most common factor consumers look at when choosing between competing products. By positioning yourself as the higher-quality option in the market, you can justify the higher price of your product, but you must also justify such positioning.
When a customer chooses an option that they consider to be of high quality, they have higher expectations of that product or service.
Simplicity
Positioning based on simplicity and convenience can help attract cp number customers for whom alternatives are too complicated or demanding.
For example, delivery services often use this type of positioning because it is incomparably easier and faster to simply order dinner delivery through an app than to take the time and effort to cook that same dinner.
Other positioning strategies
In addition to these, there are a handful of other characteristics on which you can build your positioning strategy.
These include things like social media activity , employer branding, delivery speed, customer experience, and you can also position yourself as a solution to a specific problem that affects your target market.
Tips for successful positioning
Research the market
Market research is a prerequisite for quality positioning. The most important thing is to thoroughly analyze your current market position and the activities of your competitors .
In order to differentiate yourself from your competitors, you need to know what they are doing. Collect as much relevant data as possible, survey your customers, analyze your competitors' advertisements , and draw conclusions based on which you will create your own positioning strategy.
Identify your unique value proposition (UVP)
A unique value proposition ( UVP ) is a clear statement that communicates one key advantage of your brand over the competition. You can communicate your UVP in a variety of ways, such as slogans or visible messages on your website, as long as they are clear and unique.
For successful positioning, it is advisable to use one advantage that you emphasize in your communication. Although it may sometimes be difficult to decide on just one, keep in mind that today's consumers are inundated with hundreds of ads on a daily basis and if they manage to remember just one of you, you have done a great job.
Make sure you choose a good message because you only get one chance to make a first impression.
Be consistent.
Once you have established a strategy and decided which direction you want to go, be consistent in implementing your marketing positioning because consistency builds recognition.
All communication activities you conduct, such as advertising, public relations, and direct sales, must reflect the values you have chosen in your positioning.