How does a startup or enterprise strengthen itself as a brand in an increasingly competitive context? Today we are increasingly competing for small portions of markets and the key is to know how to differentiate ourselves by adding value in what we do.
The key is not only to create a brand and a brand purpose based on our business model, as we have already mentioned in other articles, but also to be clear about our brand positioning when talking about it.
In 1969, a marketing expert named Jack Trout introduced the concept of brand positioning to the world and a few years later, he and Al Ries wrote the seminal book, Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind, and the rest is history.
Today, almost half a century later, the concept of positioning is just as relevant to businesses, and probably more so than it was then because people have a wide variety of brands to choose from thanks to the Internet, not just locally but globally.
What is brand positioning?
Ries and Trout define positioning as “an organized system for finding a window in the mind. It is based on the concept that communication can only take place at the right time and in the right circumstances.”
Brand positioning is defined as the preferred place the brand wants to occupy in the mind of the target consumer. The benefits you want them to think about when they consider your brand. An effective brand positioning strategy will maximize customer relevance and competitive distinction by maximizing brand equity.
Why is brand positioning important?
Brand positioning allows a company to differentiate itself from its competitors. This differentiation helps increase brand awareness, communicate value and justify pricing, all of which impact the bottom line.
But not all brand positioning strategies are similar or have the same objective. Depending on your product, service and industry, your positioning will vary. To approach an initial strategy, we review some common positioning strategies that can serve as a reference.
Types of brand positioning strategies
Customer service
The most tangible benefit of this strategy is that excellent customer service can and will justify a higher price. Apple products, for example, have a very high price tag, but the support team is friendly and responds quickly.
These service interactions are also an integral part of the brand promise, as an initially dissatisfied customer can become a promoter if they have a great service experience.
It is important to be consistent: if you promise excellent customer service, but fail to deliver it, it will generate negative reviews, complaints and claims on social networks and even complaints in Consumer Defense. It is important to train the team with the right customer service software to deliver on your promise.
Based on convenience
This positioning strategy is based on the convenience of a product or service that is more convenient to use than that of the competition. This convenience can be based on location, ease of use, broad accessibility, multi-platform support and more. Convenience can also be due to product design.
Price-based
Positioning your product as the cheapest on the market will undoubtedly generate a large customer base, because no one likes to spend more than necessary. Offering the lowest price is an easy way to attract potential customers to buy your brand.
The only limitation is that a lower price may mean lower production quality, even if that is not the case. It can also start a price war, although that will only apply in certain industries, such as air travel.
Quality-based
Brands implement this strategy when they want to emphasize the quality of their product. Often, this quality comes at a higher cost. The quality of a product can be demonstrated through exceptional manufacturing, small batch production, high quality materials and even sustainable practices that make it more costly to produce.
Differentiation strategy
A differentiation positioning strategy is based on the uniqueness or innovative qualities of a product compared to traditional competition. Tesla is a great example: before Tesla vehicles existed, there was no such attractive all-electric vehicle available for purchase.
This strategy targets consumers who value innovation, who will be attracted to your brand and product. The only potential limitation is that the public may be put off by the lack of a history of use. A completely new product needs the brand to provide demonstrations of how the new technology or product works.
