Brand positioning.
Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe you haven’t. Boiled down into a nutshell, it’s the process of the tactics and strategies you use to position yourself a certain way in the minds of your customers. It’s the message and story you tell that reveals who you are as a company.
Interestingly, the word “brand” originates from “branr,” a Norwegian word that means “to burn.” So, you could think of brand positioning like strategically burning your message into the hearts and minds of your customers, so it sticks.
There are three C’s to consider that can help you tease out your positioning if you aren’t clear on it just yet.
C # 1: Company
The first C to think about is your company. It’s a great idea to ask a few questions.
For instance:
- What do you know to be true about your company and your brand?
- What is the purpose of your business and brand?
- Why does your business even exist?
- What problem does your business solve?
Asking questions like this about your business can help you begin to solidify a solid idea of what you’re trying to communicate to your customers and clients. If you don’t know the answer to questions like this, it’s very difficult to have any sort of messaging that’s focused and targeted. Focused and targeted resonates, or “burns” itself into a customer’s mind. Scattered and nebulous leaves customers just as confused as you!
C # 2: Competition
- Who are you competing against in your industry?
- What makes your company different from your competition?
- What do you do better?
- What is unique about your company, services, or products?
It’s important to answer questions like this about your competition so that you can position your brand in a way that’s different from your competitors but still serves your customers well.
C # 3: Customers
- What are some things your customers are looking for?
- What problems do they have that your business can solve?
- What unmet needs in the market could you fill?
- How do you want your customers and clients to think and feel about your business?
- Is there something about your business that is appealing to your target market?
Asking questions about your customers helps you solidify what exactly you want your customers and clients to remember about your business. Remember to brand is to “burn” something in their minds.
You want whatever you burn in their minds to be exactly what they want and need. But you can’t figure that out without asking questions about just who your customers are and what they are looking for.
Goals of Effective Brand Positioning
Ultimately, you want to dig up that singular idea that connects the three C’s together, that intersects them and pulls them into one cohesive message and position. Think of this singular idea as your brand’s core or essence.
For example:
- Look at Disney’s brand position. It can be distilled down into one word: happiness.
- Look at IBM’s brand position. It can be distilled down into one word: smarts.
- Look at Apple’s brand position. It can be distilled down into one word: streamlined.
You want the core or essence of your brand to communicate who you are and what you’re about in a way that’s true and authentic, as well as different from the competition around you. Your brand essence needs to be powerful and matter to your customers, not just you.
Asking questions like these can help you distill those answers down into the resonating, resounding message you’re looking for. When you find it, that dear friends, is your brand position.
See Also:
You Need a Brand Positioning Statement – Stat!
