For our first blog of the year let us think about marketing foundations and talk positioning. Positioning clarifies your message so that prospective customers understand you. It enables you to really think about your brand’s value and how you communicate your value to your customers – a worthwhile effort we hear you say.
Talking about positioning can be challenging and we have met many a company that have never actually done it. To us it is essentially the most important building block of your company’s growth. Marketing positioning is not a brand statement; it is more about differentiation in your target market and clarity in your messaging. It is your why, what do you want to be known for?
So why do it?
Sitting down to work on your strategic positioning is all about focus. It will help you draw out your expertise, your distinguishing factor. It should enable you to focus your sales and marketing efforts on your specialisation.
Pin it down
B2B marketing is generally about getting to the details quicker. First you must understand the unique needs that companies you work with have and then appeal to their goals. Aim to describe your products and/or services, their unique attributes and advantages, and how your business helps other businesses in as few words as possible.
Make it stick
Simple psychology says that people remember one thing, not lots of things. Simplifying your message through clear positioning saves competing on everything all the time, being specific about what you do and why, and helps you become memorable for what you do best. Focus on subject matter and experience around your core business.
Positioning is not branding, although it is certainly about perception.
Feeling overwhelmed about strategic positioning? Drop us a line, we’re here to help. Over the past 14 years Focused Marketing has helped hundreds of companies map their future, so that everyone in the organisation is on the same page through activities such as positioning workshops and messaging audits.