Spend 30 seconds scrolling through Instagram and you’ll understand why standing out from the crowd is crucial for the success of any brand. As our attention spans get shorter and the amount of content we’re exposed to increases, it’s never been more important for brands to find unique ways to set themselves apart from the competition. This is where brand positioning comes into play.
What is Brand Positioning?
Brand positioning is the process of defining the space your brand owns in the hearts and minds of your customers. It involves identifying the unique benefits and offerings of your product or service, the target audience, and the key messages you want to communicate. Developing a strong brand positioning strategy is critical for businesses that want to create emotional connections with consumers as understanding what your customer wants and delivering on that need is directly correlated to increased loyalty.
Why is Brand Positioning Important?
Creating a strong brand positioning strategy is crucial for a company’s success in today’s exceedingly crowded and competitive landscape. Effective brand positioning helps businesses differentiate themselves from their competitors and communicate their unique value proposition to customers. Done correctly, it increases brand awareness, strengthens customer loyalty, and drives sales growth.
Developing A Brand Positioning Strategy
To create an effective brand positioning strategy, you need to consider the following:
Target audience
This is the primary group of people you want to reach with your brand message. It’s important to define your ideal consumer as it helps you better understand their needs, desires, motivations, and preferences. This, in turn, allows you to create a message that resonates and is more likely to break through the noise from the competition.
Unique selling proposition
Your unique selling proposition (USP) is the key benefit that sets your product or service apart from everyone else. Your USP should be a clear and concise statement that communicates the essence of what makes your brand distinct. One example of a brand with a clearly defined USP is Dollar Shave Club. Their USP is offering affordable monthly razor subscriptions, delivered straight to your doorstep. They differentiate themselves from traditional razor companies by focusing on convenience and affordability, while still providing high-quality products. Dollar Shave Club’s slogan, “Shave Time. Shave Money.” communicates their unique selling proposition clearly and effectively.
Competitive advantage
This is the core attribute that makes your brand stand out and gives consumers a reason to choose you over the competition. A competitive advantage can be your USP, your distinct brand image, your exceptional customer service, or any other aspect of your business that differentiates you from others in the market. One example of a brand with a unique competitive advantage is Casper, a mattress company. Casper’s competitive advantage is its focus on comfort and convenience. The company offers a 100-night trial period, free shipping and returns, and a unique foam technology that is designed to keep the sleeper cool and comfortable. Additionally, they have a wide range of mattress options to choose from, including hybrid mattresses and even ones designed specifically for plus-sized people.
Brand personality
Your brand personality is the set of characteristics and attributes that define your brand. It includes things like your brand voice, tone, and style, as well as the emotions and feelings your brand evokes for consumers. Virgin is a great example of a brand with a clearly defined personality. The company’s founder, Richard Branson, is widely seen as a fearless adventurer and risk-taker, which has helped shape Virgin’s identity as a fun-loving brand focused on innovation and individualism.
Brand promise
A brand promise is the commitment you make to your customers every time they interact with your brand. It should be a clear and concise statement that communicates your values and what customers can expect from your brand. Allbirds, for example, is a footwear brand that focuses on creating environmentally friendly shoes made from sustainable materials. Their brand promise is to deliver high-quality, comfortable shoes while minimizing their environmental impact. They provide transparency on their sourcing and manufacturing processes and strive for a minimal carbon footprint.
Six Types of Brand Positioning Strategies
Deciding on your approach to brand positioning depends on the industry, business category, and type of consumer you are hoping to attract with your branding and messaging. Here are six popular brand positioning strategies to consider and examples of brands that use them
- Price positioning: A price positioning strategy emphasizes low cost or high value, allowing businesses to compete on price and attract price-sensitive customers. Examples of brands that use this strategy include Walmart and Dollar General.
- Quality positioning: A quality positioning strategy emphasizes superior quality or craftsmanship, appealing to customers who are willing to pay a premium for high-quality products or services. Mercedes-Benz and Rolex are two well-known luxury brands that leverage a quality brand positioning strategy.
- Benefit positioning: A benefit positioning strategy emphasizes the benefits or advantages of a product or service, highlighting how it solves a customer’s problem or meets their needs. Apple and Nike are both brands that focus on superior product performance benefits as a core element of their brand positioning.
- Usage positioning: A usage positioning strategy emphasizes the context or occasion in which a product or service is used, positioning it as the best choice for a particular situation. Red Bull, for example, claims to give customers energy while Gatorade helps athletes with endurance.
- Competitor-based positioning: A competitor-based positioning strategy focuses on differentiating a brand from its competitors, positioning it as a better choice for customers. Examples of brands that use this strategy include Pepsi and Burger King, who position themselves as alternatives to Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, respectively.
- Personality-based positioning: A personality-based positioning strategy emphasizes the unique personality or character of a brand, appealing to customers who identify with or aspire to that personality. Harley-Davidson’s brand personality, for example, is all about freedom. Old Spice uses a quirky personality with offbeat humor to make fun of stereotypical manliness.
Choosing the brand positioning strategy that’s right for your brands depends on your goals, target audience, and the competitive landscape. By carefully choosing and executing a brand positioning strategy, you can build a strong, recognizable brand that resonates with customers, provides a distinct benefit and drives brand preference and loyalty over the competition.