How can you avoid common positioning errors?

Uno de mis proyectos del año anterior fue desarrollar todo el plan de marketing para una empresa naciente del sector salud. Los socios estaban emocionados con la idea de ser empresarios y no quería desilusionarlos pero era mi deber como profesional aterrizarlos y hacer preguntas ácidas para generar un plan de marketing robusto y sobre todo diferenciador. Analizando al competidor, pionero en brindar el servicio que mi cliente deseaba implementar, resultó que no encontrábamos un verdadero diferencial en la propuesta de valor que favoreciera a mi cliente por lo que fue necesario replantear el nicho de mercado y ajustar el tipo de servicio volviéndolo más integral. A veces pecamos en creer que "somos únicos" el desafío está en serlo.

The key point is how we are recognizing our indirect competitors, many businesses are not able to define the borders of their market therefore they don't know who are the main indirect competitors for example for a circus an indirect competitor could be a TV show. This broader understanding of competition helps businesses identify potential threats and opportunities beyond their immediate industry or sector.

It's very risky to launch a new product, and position it without considering the competition. It’s not just about knowing what they do; it's about understanding the value they deliver to customers and how that value proposition compares to yours. By deeply understanding your competitive landscape, you can identify gaps, opportunities, and potential pitfalls in your positioning strategy. I would focus on: customer perception, value proposition, unique selling proposition and target market. By adopting a value-centric approach to competitor analysis, you can develop a positioning strategy that resonates with your target audience and drives sustainable business growth.

Je pense sincèrement que se focus sur le concurrent n'est pas la bonne stratégie. Le concurrent à sa propres réalité, ses propres forces et faiblesses liées à sa capacité à comprendre son client idéal. Se focus sur le client par contre la la meilleure stratégie. On saura forcément ce qu'il n'aime pas entendre, voir, avoir, ressentir, etc.. et donc on saura comment se positionner par rapport à lui. Trop observer le concurrent peut nous amener à produire les même erreurs ou pièges que lui. J'apprends à mes élèves à utiliser le Triangle d'Or Marketing (ICP - Positionnement - Offre) pour avoir les meilleures bases pour lancer son business

Gain customer insights by conducting surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Use this data to tailor your messaging effectively. Instead of relying on technical jargon or internal company language, align your communication with how customers articulate their problems and desires. Moreover, focus on addressing their needs rather than simply listing product features, emphasizing the benefits your offering provides in solving their specific challenges. By identifying the most critical needs of your target audience, you can craft a value proposition that directly resonates with their priorities, ensuring your positioning strategy is aligned with customer expectations and preferences.

Let's start with knowing your most loyal customers. What do they see, and how do they see your product or service differently than others? This can be a source of great insight. It can help you determine where you need to focus your positioning. Be on the lookout for the one meaningful and differentiating factor that sets you apart from the rest, and then DOUBLE DOWN! Get ruthlessly focused on that being what you offer. Good things will happen.

To avoid common positioning errors, it's crucial to know your customers. Understand their needs, preferences, and perceptions of your brand. By aligning your positioning with what truly matters to them, you ensure your brand stands out effectively and resonates with your target market, minimizing the risk of misalignment.

I’d also add that understanding your prospective customers is extremely valuable at this stage. Yes, we want to know what our customers love about our product and brand. But missing out on the perspective of non-users (especially those who choose competitors) can lead us to a highly biased position in the market. We start to market for who we already have, versus understanding the reasons why users aren’t choosing us. Now, it’s not easy or cheap to learn from our prospects, but by investing here we can learn where our intended positioning is currently failing or falling short.

Crafting a clear and concise value proposition is pivotal in steering clear of common positioning errors. By doing so, you effectively cut through the clutter of messages bombarding today's consumers, quickly capturing their attention and conveying the core benefit of your product or service. Emphasizing benefits over features ensures that your audience understands the positive outcomes they can expect, rather than getting bogged down in technical details. Moreover, a strong value proposition provides differentiation by highlighting what makes you unique among competitors and clarifying the reasons why potential customers should choose your offering over alternatives.

the more specific the better? Sometimes that's precisely what makes the difference in positioning. Then you will reach the right target group. Trying to appeal to everyone just means that the target group may end up not knowing exactly what your product is or what they can get from you.

Colocar la propuesta de valor bajo el microscopio es un reto. Ser veraz, concreto, íntegro y comunicarlo adecuadamente es parte de la tarea. Luego, alinear estos atributos es parte de la magia de crear algo único respondiendo preguntas como: - Mi producto o servicio qué resuelve? Cómo lo resuelve y para qué lo resuelve? Es por eso que hoy el mercado habla de "soluciones" cuando nos ofrecen un producto o servicio, porque subliminalmente quieren posicionar el concepto de "solución". Y quién no quiere una solución ?

Here is a simple and practical framework for your positioning. Make sure it is: 1. Clear - single-minded is best 2. Meaningful - to your customer, of course 3. Differentiated - vs the other options 4. Credible - you need proof you can deliver Take the time to ask yourself if this holds for your brand. Feel free to ask one of your customers questions about your brand using these variables as a guide. For example, it may be clear to you, but is it clear to them? Is what you deliver truly meaningful and valuable? Market conditions and customer experiences change over time. Remember to check in on these things from time to time to determine if refinement is needed.

Avoiding common positioning errors starts with a clear understanding of your value proposition. Knowing what sets your product apart enables targeted communication that resonates with your audience. Ensure consistency across all marketing channels to reinforce your position. Regularly gather feedback to align perception with intent. By staying true to your unique value and continuously validating it against customer expectations, you can navigate the market effectively and avoid missteps. #PositioningStrategy #ValueProposition

Crafting the perfect statement can be a challenge for many. Feel free to use a "Brand House" document to explain your proposition. It can be a much easier tool to work with because it breaks out the elements of a brand's positioning in clear parts. Being able to see all the key parts of the 'Brand House' document together and how they build off each other makes it easier to understand. This inclusivity is not just for the marketing team, but for everyone in the organization, highlighting the value and importance of each individual's role in the brand's positioning. Remember, this isn't a customer-facing document, so you don't have to worry about how it sounds. Clarity is most important, along with making clear choices.

Common positioning errors can diminish the effectiveness and distinctiveness of a brand’s identity and message. A common mistake is to assume that a positioning statement is a tagline that must be memorable for customers and employees. Another error is to use the positioning statement only to differentiate the brand from competitors. A positioning statement’s role is to align all your teams on how your brand solves customers’ problems. Understand the people who use or might use the brand, not just the category consumers. Learn about their life circumstances, self-image, and cultural context.

In B2B, the most common positioning error I see is no positioning. Far too often product managers will tell me the target market is "SOHOs, SMEs, and Enterprises." And that'll make me just want to hit my head against something. When you say the target market is everyone, prospects interpret this not as a flexible product, but as you not doing your homework and being indifferent to the needs of real-world customers. Instead of selling something to everyone, you'll sell nothing to anyone.

A well-defined positioning statement keeps messaging consistent and sharp. It ensures your brand remains focused on its strengths and resonates with the right audience, driving better results across all platforms.

Crafting a clear and concise positioning map helps avoid common errors such as blind spots in understanding the competitive landscape and identifying gaps for the brand, as well as the risk of me-too positioning where the brand unintentionally mirrors established players' value propositions. Additionally, it prevents misunderstandings among the audience by ensuring that the brand's positioning is tailored to meet the specific needs and desires of the target customer segment. A well-designed positioning map serves as a visual roadmap, ensuring that the brand occupies a unique and compelling space within the market, thereby enhancing its competitive advantage and relevance.

A positioning map is like a battlefield layout. It helps you see where you stand in relation to others. Plot your competitors based on factors like price and quality. Where do you fit in? Are you a high-end option or a budget-friendly choice? Use this map to find gaps in the market. Maybe there’s room for a mid-range product that combines quality with affordability.

Visualize your competitive landscape: Plot yourself and your competitors based on key attributes relevant to your market. Identify your strategic position: Determine where you stand in relation to others to avoid overlap and maximize differentiation.

Sich eine Positionierungskarte als Spielbrett vorzustellen, und sich selbst und den Mitbewerb einzuordnen, sorgt für spannende Diskussionen. Jede Figur steht an einem anderen Punkt, der zeigt, wie du von den Kunden gesehen wirst – zum Beispiel als cool, günstig, hochwertig oder praktisch. Diese Karte hilft, deine aktuelle Position zu bestimmen und aufzuzeigen, wohin du möchtest.

Dollar Shave Club effectively targets busy men seeking affordable and convenient shaving solutions, using a smart positioning tactic that avoids common errors. Faced with the challenge posed by traditional razor companies' reliance on expensive subscriptions and marketing, Dollar Shave Club employs humorous online ads to promote their direct-to-consumer, low-cost razor subscription service. By sidestepping the "Language over Strategy" trap, their marketing effectively communicates the brand's value proposition of high-quality razors delivered conveniently at a low price, resonating directly with their target audience and positioning them as the solution to overpriced and inconvenient alternatives.

Confiar en tácticas de posicionamiento genéricas u obsoletas es un error que puede costarte caro. Usar las mismas tácticas que tus competidores solo te hará perderte en la multitud, mientras que tácticas desactualizadas pueden desperdiciar tiempo y recursos. En su lugar, elige e implementa tácticas que estén alineadas con tu declaración de posicionamiento y propuesta de valor, y que sean creativas y relevantes para tu audiencia. Desde la fijación de precios hasta la promoción y el servicio al cliente, cada táctica debe reforzar tu posición única en el mercado.

Vermeiden Sie generische Positionierungstaktiken. Einzigartigkeit ist entscheidend. Kopieren Sie nicht blind die Strategien der Konkurrenz; dies führt nur zu einer Verwässerung Ihrer Marke. Setzen Sie auf innovative Ansätze, die mit Ihrer Markenidentität und Ihrem Wertversprechen übereinstimmen. Wählen Sie Taktiken, die für Ihr Zielpublikum relevant und ansprechend sind. Denken Sie an Aspekte wie Preisgestaltung, Verpackung, Vertriebswege und Werbestrategien. Besonders wichtig: ein herausragender Kundenservice, der echte Werte schafft und Vertrauen aufbaut. Bleiben Sie dynamisch und passen Sie Ihre Strategien an die sich ändernden Marktbedingungen an.

Develop a communication plan: Choose the right channels and messages to reach your target audience effectively. Utilize storytelling: Engage customers with relatable narratives that showcase your value proposition.

Imitating another brand will only make yours look like a watered down version of that brand. That's why both Apple and Microsoft are winning in the tech niche. They're doubling down in their unique offerings. If Apple were to try and offer complex software to steal users away from Power BI or Microsoft Team, they would be seen as copy cats. Apple is better off making products for the masses. And they're winning for it.

To avoid pitfalls, develop a competitive positioning that is: - Credible (it is true to the brand purpose) - Sustainable (can be sustained over the long term) - Viable (offers the company opportunities to stand out) - Relevant (resonates with the target audience)

Competitor analysis and consistency are crucial in avoiding positioning errors, as exemplified by Patagonia's differentiation strategy in the competitive market catering to environmentally conscious outdoor enthusiasts. Patagonia effectively addresses the challenge posed by established brands by prioritizing sustainability as a core differentiator. Through the use of recycled materials, advocacy for environmental causes, and a product repair program, Patagonia distinguishes itself from competitors who may solely focus on performance features. By avoiding the "Market over Target" error, Patagonia resonates with its target audience, positioning itself as a leader in eco-conscious outdoor apparel.

Want to ensure your positioning hits the mark? Do your research: ↳ Understand market gaps and how your product/service actually fills them (Problems & Solutions). ↳ Clearly identify your competitors. Study how they are doing things, and how you're going to differentiate! (Innovate, don't imitate) ↳ Know your audience. Who are you targeting? How do you reach them effectively? What resonates with them? (Keep your channel optimisation and comms strategy as strong as your USP/s) Make a statement: ↳ Be clear, consistent and credible (Messaging will fall flat if things aren't crystal clear, reinforced, and your product/service doesn't back up your claims) Visualise! ↳ Map out ambitions and the journey ahead. Positive mindset = success.

The most common positioning error is the error of not actually trying to take a position. Taking a position is scary - it says no to pieces of the market. It's says no to a feeling of more potential. And yet, it's completely critical to take a simple, clear position, if there's to be any hope of effective brand building work. It's not impossible without a clear position, but it's a lot harder.

One of the key mistakes companies make is trying to craft a brand position around too many characteristics. You have to put a stake in the ground around one key factor, and then expand upon other details using key pillars and a full positioning statement. The main differentiator is singular.