11/10/2012

Positioning a Winning Brand

If you take three identical products and try to sell them to different customers, each of them has just as much chance as the others of attracting customers and being bought. The tie-breaker would lie in how you market and position each of the products because when it comes down to it, half of the selling factor is really just what you can make customers believe. That is what you call brand positioning.

Brand Positioning


Set your business apart.

One thing about brand positioning is that rather than having you “fit in” to any preconceptions or standards, the aim is to set you as far apart from the competition as possible—in a good way, that is. Whether your product is as simple as a shaving razor or as grand as a sports utility vehicle, the major factor which will determine the eventual fate of your products and brand name is how well you have positioned yourself within your intended niche.

Gleam Toothpaste, to give an example, got its tubes flying off the shelves by pitching a “miracle ingredient GL70” that fights bad breath, something which is more commonly known as just plain old chlorophyll. The kicker? Almost all the other brands had chlorophyll too, but no one else bothered to do some research and go with that angle. By taking a common denominator from all the brands and making it look unique to Gleam, the marketers have set apart their own toothpaste and made it very special. Funny how marketing works.

Asking the right questions.

Figuring out just where your brand should be positioned is sort of like putting together a jigsaw puzzle because you have to get things just in the right places. And to do this, part of the process is asking yourself the questions that would not only give you insight on where your brand currently is but also on where you want to go with it. The most striking would be “How am I different?” because in this case it’s not only yourself that you have to convince but more importantly the customers.

If you’re looking to readjust where your brand name lies, there are numerous paths you can take and many different tips and tricks to try out. Social media, for example, is a powerful tool for talking with your customers and spreading the word about your brands. Brand positioning in Pinterest is one of the options to give an example. Here are a few tips on how to position your brand.

  • Define your purpose.
  • Know your competition.
  • Be creative; there are no limits to imagination.
  • Ask for help when you need it.
  • Be flexible and open to suggestions.
  • Find the way to make yourself unique.

Final words.

Brand positioning is all about how customers perceive you. Be bold, be fearless, and don’t be afraid to break off from the trends when you know you can make your own.


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