1. Positioning

2. POSITIONING Positioning
Developing a marketing strategy to influence how a particular market segment perceives a product in comparison to the competition
Goal is to create a difference that is:
Meaningful
Valuable
Logically or emotionally powerful
“Ownable”
Positioning = the unique and valuable space in the customers head and/or heart you want to own

3. Positioning Strategies
Text features two strategies:
Head-to-head
Direct competition along similar attributes
E.g. Hertz and Avis
Not used by market leaders
Differentiated
Niche: find smaller, less competitive markets
E.g. Edys Low Fat ice cream
This is too narrow
Labels do not matter – strategy does

4. Many Different Positioning Strategies
By Attributes and Benefits
By Price or Quality
By Competition
By Product Class
By Product User

5. DEVELOPING YOUR POSITIONING
1. Identify attributes of importance to the TM for this category
2. Assess TM’s perceptions of you and competitors along these attributes
3. Select positioning & execute it through mix
4. Monitor the position

6. PERCEPTUAL MAPPING Basis: consumers group products to simplify buying
Marketers seek to:
Identify their place on the map
Identify customers’ “ideal points”
Influence this map and/or their place on it in the target’s mind
Research-based when possible, intuitive when necessary
Multi-Dimensional Scaling

7. PERCEPTUAL MAPPING Identify how you differ from competitors
Focus on differences that have meaning
Identify axes
Each axis must be a key attribute (buying criteria)
Locate your and all key competitors on map
Based on how target sees things
Hints
Label axes as descriptively as possible
Avoid “price” and “quality” labels – too generic
Use descriptions your customers would use
Make more than one map

8. PERCEPTUAL MAPPING
New Product?

9. Positioning Statements
A succinct description of the core target audience to whom a brand is directed
AND
a compelling picture of how the marketer wants this core target to view the brand.
For internal customers
Brings clarity/focus to development of strategy and tactics
Different than a tag line
Tag flows from positioning

10. Positioning Statement
Key elements that feed the positioning statement:
Target Audience – description of the most loyal brand users
Frame of Reference - the category in which the brand competes
Benefit/Point of Difference - most compelling benefit the brand can own in the hearts and minds of the target relative to the competition.
Reason to Believe - the most convincing proof that the brand delivers what it promises.

11. Positioning Statements
Good positioning statements are:
Meaningful
Differentiate-able
Own-able
Believable
Memorable
Actionable
Grow-able

12. Possible Positioning Statement
FedEx example
For businesses big and small, FedEx is the most reliable overnight delivery service on Earth. We use the largest fleet of trucks and airlines in the world to get your critical items into the hands of those who need them – when they need them. And we guarantee it.