Synkd Blog
The Brand Entrepreneur

Brand: positioning, positioning, positioning.

A recent marketing workshop in Melbourne CBD (thank you Basics Bananas!) gave a timely reminder about the importance of positioning when it comes to effective brand and brand strategy.

The clear insight: many businesses who are doing it hard have no defining difference and no exclusivity from their competitors, essentially selling the same or similar product or service and competing either on cost alone or solely on product features.

Brand positioning, however, provides the ability to position your business uniquely in the mind of your customer to gain a strategic advantage. That strategic advantage, of course, is to ensure your current and ‘soon to be’ customers always think immediately of your brand or business (above all other competitors) when they think of your specific product or service or when they encounter a problem that your brand specifically solves.

Brand positioning, also referred to as a positioning strategy, brand strategy, or a brand positioning statement, uses a range of strategies that may include pricing, promotions, distribution, packaging, and competition to identify and secure a unique niche for a brand, product or service.

A solid example would be security doors for houses. As a potential customer, if you’re concerned with the security of your family, say you or a family friend/colleague have recently been the victim of a home intrusion, or you or your partner value the idea that you want more home protection due to a spate of reported home robberies in the area, you’ll be open to investing in a reputable product that acts as a clear deterrent. (On a subtler note, a useful tip would be to leave a large old pair of men’s size 13’s outside the front and back door of your property (hint: buy a cheap pair from your local Salvo’s if there are no guys in your house): Key Insight: no one wants to mess with what could be inside! Remember, perception is everything! Plus it’s likely to be a more cost-effective solution, but there’s no price on the safety of your family/loved ones and the resulting peace of mind right?)

In this case the strategic advantage ‘brand positioning’ can offer a security door supplier would be to ‘own’ the association and ideas/themes of ‘security doors’, ‘security’ and ‘safety’ – so anyone in the market for such a product would automatically think of the security door suppliers ‘brand’ or ‘brand name’. The resulting behaviour or action is likely to be one of many: ask a family member, friend or advisor, ‘Google’ it, check out Facebook or other online platforms, visit the website, watch the video, make the sales call, book an appointment, install the doors, get the t-shirt, ‘feel’ immediately safer/protected.

Yes, fickle or unconvinced customers may well seek three quotes, however building the brand over time with consistent tactics and messaging will overcome issues of cost, because the value has already been built into the brand name and supplier’s reputation. If those customers choose an ‘inferior’ or alternative product instead? Reality check – they were never your customer in the first place!

Brand positioning therefore truly is a battle for the customers’ mind with the battle itself played out in the mind of the customer. The overall goal? Create a unique impression in your ideal customer’s mind and ‘own’ that little brain nodule or stored memory cell in your customer’s brain so that the customer associates something specific and desirable with your brand
that is distinct from everyone else in the marketplace.

That’s the power of brand.

The added problem with brand positioning is that it occurs whether a company develops a position or not. People will make their own mind up about your business or brand if you don’t guide their thinking, beliefs and opinions. The best option? Take a proactive approach and positively shape the brand positioning in the hearts, minds, souls and eyes of your desired customers.

So, it begs the question, what security door brand or supplier were you thinking of?
Final question: How did that brand get into your head?
Again, that’s the power of brand!

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I hope you learned something new, insightful or useful from this blog.

As The Brand Entrepreneur, I believe in helping businesses build a ‘brand blueprint’ for business growth. I do this through a series of workshops designed to help businesses realise and communicate their ‘Why?’ Successful brands in the future care about customers, not branding. I believe that future is now. I’m passionate about creating brand stories & design assets that help brands get ‘in sync’ and connected to customers they care about for serious growth.

Jamie Thomas – The Brand Entrepreneur

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