In the world of marketing, it's very important to execute each step with care and professionalism to get your desired results faster. Some of these steps or methods are particularly important because they're like a mirror reflecting your brand's mission and vision to your targeted audience, telling them what your business is all about, what makes it different, and why they should choose it. Positioning statements do exactly that, so if you’re wondering how positioning statement marketing exactly works and how it’s properly executed, stick with us!
Positioning statements are an essential part of any company's marketing plan for their role in giving a clear and concise description of your business's unique services or products and how it sets itself apart from other businesses in the same field, i.e. your competitors. Professionally made positioning statements can help you clarify what your business stands for, who it's tailored to, and why your targeted audience should choose it over others in the marketplace.
To create a great and effective statement, you have to take several things into account before getting started. Here’s a general overview of what a professional positioning statement consists of:
Your business's targeted audience is the particular group of people who would be interested in buying your products or asking for your services, so basically, they're your potential customers or clients. Understanding your business's targeted audience is particularly important for tailoring your brand's services, product features, and overall marketing strategies to effectively meet the specific needs of your targeted audience, as well as their preferences and behaviors. By identifying and fully understanding your targeted audience, you'll be able to successfully craft great positioning statements that are guaranteed to give your business a boost.
By frame of reference, we mean the niche or category in which your business operates, so it's your brand's exact area of specialty. By defining your brand's frame of reference, you'll be able to provide your potential clients with context so they can fully understand what your products or services can do for them, and how they compare to your competitors. The frame of reference helps you to differentiate your business from others by addressing unmet needs or filling in gaps within your marketplace, which makes your business stand out and allows it to position itself strategically within the market. This makes the frame of reference an important factor in creating a positioning statement that is both effective and specific.
The point of difference highlights the set of quality characteristics, advantages, and features that make your brand stand out from the rest. It's what makes your business special and worthwhile. If you make your point of difference clear and evocative enough, you'll give your business a competitive advantage because now it has something that will pique the interest of its targeted audience. A good point of difference defines your business's identity and helps in spreading its mission, vision, and promises to its audience in a professional way. Additionally, it resonates with your audience's needs and desires which over time increases your brand's relevancy. Taking this into account is crucial for the efficacy of your positioning statement marketing strategy.
This is where you provide evidence or justification for all of the claims and promises that your business has made. You can base this on the special features and how well they perform, and try to support this by using your clients' testimonials or any other factor that will prove your brand's credibility. This way, you'll be able to increase your client's trust in your business, which will eventually lead people to buy your product or ask for your services without any hesitation. A reason to believe is the thing that seals the deal with your potential clients through your positioning statements.
Here are a couple of examples of our favorite effective statements made by huge brands and businesses to make things clearer for you.
The statement:
"For individuals who want the best personal computer or mobile device, Apple provides state-of-the-art technology with stylish design, intuitive user experience, and seamless integration across devices."
Why it works:
The positioning statement begins by stating unequivocally that the people it is aimed at are those who desire the best personal devices to assist them in their daily lives. Then, the statement moves on to tell us what sets Apple's mobile devices and personal laptops apart from their competitors by stating the unique attributes that they're offering, like state-of-the-art technology, stylish designs, intuitive user experience, and seamless integration across devices. Apple's reason to believe is already shown in its reputation for being innovative with its designs. So, this is why this positioning statement worked for them.
The statement:
"For athletes who want the best performance athletic gear, Nike provides high-quality, innovative products that inspire and enable them to achieve their full potential."
Why it works:
Nike starts by addressing their intended clients, which are athletes who are searching for the best performance athletic gear, aligning with the brand's identity and audience. Then, Nike moves on with the positioning statement to tell us about its unique selling point, which is providing these athletes with high-quality gear that helps them reach their full athletic potential. Finally, the brand's extensive record of supporting elite athletes, inventive product designs, and dedication to excellence and performance provide compelling evidence to support its claims and promises.
Crafting your own evocative and effective positioning statements requires extensive market research, a very good comprehension of your business's targeted audience, and a clear articulation of your brand's unique value proposition. Here's a quick step-by-step guide to help you out:
To determine the precise consumer or company demographic that your brand is targeting, you have to carry out an extensive and in-depth market research project. Study them enough to fully understand their demographics, psychographics, behavior, and needs. As we’ve already seen in the examples above, your potential clients are the ones you address first in your positioning statement. Therefore, do not underestimate this core step.
Study the competition around you. This way, you'll be able to find the gaps and areas where your business can differentiate itself from others. There's always the possibility of offering something that others don't, even if it's within the same niche or field of work. With enough research, you'll find what sets you apart from others.
Your unique selling points should include the specific benefits that your target audience can expect from your business when choosing it, which is what makes your statement effective. Identify what special benefits or features your services or products have and use them to set your brand apart from the rest of the competition, giving your potential clients a reason to choose you over others.
Now, it's time to execute what we've learned so far. Create a brief, appealing, and evocative statement that accurately captures the essence of your company's identity and value proposition by combining the target audience, frame of reference, point of difference, and reason to believe.
After crafting your positioning statement or statements, try them out with a small group of people to gather the feedback and insights you need to keep refining it until it's perfect.
Positioning statement marketing is a very effective method to get your brand's vision, services, and products out there for the world to see in a professional way that will drive more people to your website and give it the credibility it deserves. If you're feeling confused or unsure about any of this, it's always a great idea to consult a professional.
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