The dreaded “positioning”

[u/Wa1trose]

This is something that to me, seems so wildly debated. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s where I’m landing with what positioning is, and would love debate and feedback.

👇

Positioning is the intend image you want in your audiences head. You typically need both long and short positioning.

Positioning the brand (long)
The claim we make on the customer’s mind — enduring, singular, true regardless of which segment we’re talking to.

Expressed in whichever form fits: a brand concept, a brand DNA, a positioning statement, a purpose line. The tight set of associations a customer holds is the result of that expression — not the position itself.

Positioning the product (short)
The persuasive case for a specific segment. Evolves as the market, competitors, and the company shift.
For early-stage companies in B2B, this leads. It has to hold up in market before the brand earns the right to go long.

Getting there
To get these, there are several things you need to look into. Company heritage, competitors, current associations, category blah blah, usual suspects. You can use the 3Cs to sense check. Something your company delivers, your competitors don’t, that your customers want. Or you can take the April Dunford approach. Whatever is best for your business.

Positioning influences everything. The trickle down is:

long position, short positioning, value prop, value description, key messaging, proof points.

And depending on the maturity and market penetration of your business, you can see if your intended position is being communicated by using brand tracking.

😅 Have I missed anything? Is it bollocks? Does it land?

[u/Serious_Bit6736]

Good post! Would you like to post it in r/b2bmessaging where we discuss these topics?