Home Marketing Brand Positioning- 3 effective steps to differently Positioning a Brand

Brand Positioning- 3 effective steps to differently Positioning a Brand

Do you know what is brand positioning? Brand positioning is a process where a company designed it’s products, services differently from other companies and create a positive image in the consumer’s mind so that they can occupy a distinctive place in the minds of the target market or potential customer.

Did you ever realize why you trust more on Nike, when you searching for a good athletic shoe? Because Nike positioned itself as it made comfortable and good quality shoes for athletes.

So in this blog, I will discuss all about brand positioning, and that will help you to grow your business.

Jumping above the water wearing Nike shoes

What did I get to learn from here?

  1. Definition brand positioning
  2. Processes of positioning
  3. Communication of brand positioning
  4. Positioning & branding for a small business
  5. Conclusion.
  6. Frequently asked questions.

Definition of Brand Positioning

Video source: Intellectual indies

After selecting an attractive target audience, so now the marketer’s next task is to position the product in the consumer’s mind that it is something different or it has more benefit from the competitor’s product.

Don’t know about how to select an attractive target audience? Check our blog.

Most important we have to communicate our created differentiation and value to the target market. So that they can understand the product’s differentiation.

Processes of Brand Positioning

infographic of brand positioning.

So to position your brand effectively in a target market you have to communicate the difference and the similarity between your brand and your competitor brands.

You also have to identify three main objectives to better positioning, competitive frame of reference, POD & POP, brand mantra.

Choosing a Competitive Frame of Reference for brand positioning:-

So first, we have to find our competitor. So how do you know who is your competitor?

Our main competitor is, who compete with the same type of product line that we have and also targeting the same market.

For Example, Ola’s potential competitor is Uber. After finding a potential competitor we have to analyze that competitor.

Analyse competitors mean we have to observe all data of competitors. We have to observe all the strengths and weaknesses of competitors so that we can position our product better and different from them.

If our competitor is a division of a larger company then we have to observe why they doing this business, whether they doing it for growth and profit or they milking it.

 Milking means they generating profit from this business but that they invest in the other business.

 By analyzing all competitor we can get a better guide to position our brand.

Identifying Potential Points-Of-Difference (PODs) & Points-Of-Parity (POPs)             

After analyzing the competitor we need to build POD & POP associations.  

PODs:-

The POD is the benefit that a company associates with its products and that benefit is different from competitor and consumer belief that no other company gives them that benefit.

So creating a unique POD is very important. Examples of Apple’s PODs are design, ease-of-use & irreverent attitude.

 To create a good POD we have to focus on three things one, the benefits which we add with the product, that consumer should feel personal.

Second, what benefit we promise to provide we also have the resource and a commitment to keep that promise.

  Third, our benefits what we offer that must different from the competitor.

POPs:-

  In POD we differentiate our benefits but we have made some similarities also

We have to communicate with consumers that our product is not a different product it’s similar to that competitor’s product but it has some different PODs that serve you in a better way.

Example: Suppose we have a bicycle business, here we can also present pop as, our bicycle is similar to other bicycles in functionality.

And its PODs are it world’s strongest bicycle because we use better materials and its long-lasting, it is the fastest cycle, etc.

Brand Mantras:

After creating a unique and strong PODs & POPs we also have to make a brand mantra.

Brand mantra is a mantra or a tagline that guides the whole organization on how to treat with the customer or to understand what is the brand’s purpose. It is not only for organization people but also for the customers. And it also represent the brands essence.

 A brand mantra should be small like three to five words and it also must represent the brand’s promises and essence. Like Apple’s mantra, “Think Different,. It also depends upon our unique and strong PODs.

apple's think different logo

Designing a Brand Mantra:

Brand mantras are specially designed for motivating peoples. To create a brand mantra it has three criteria:

  • Communicate – A brand mantra should clear about what is unique in the brand and it should define the brand’s categories. So that when people see it they can recognise.
  • Simplify –It should simple and memorable and for that, we should make it short.
  • Inspire – It should relevant to all the employees so that it can inspire them.

 The brand mantra is created by mainly focusing on PODs. Because it should provide clear information that what is a brand’s products or what they sell.

Communication of brand positioning

After creating a strong and unique point of difference, point of parity and an inspired brand mantra, marketers also have to communicate all those values to consumers.

A man communicate people with a megaphone.

Category Membership:

After that, we have to communicate about the product’s benefits to the leading brand’s members. Some consumers know about the product but they did not believe that product is better than leaders.

We also have to convey customers by communicating about the benefits, how it better from a competitor’s product. And associate with some well-known brands. So that they can trust our brand.

Communicating POPs & PODs:

We learn earlier that only making unique PODs & POPs is not enough, for a better brand positioning we have to communicate that effectively.

Generally, POD & POP’s benefits are negatively correlated. Because when we position our product, as the cheapest product then the consumer may think if it is cheap then it’s not a good quality product.

So we have to manage our communication in both the direction. We also have to convince people about the relation between the product benefit and the negative attribute.

Monitoring Competition:

So earlier we made the point of difference, point of parity and a brand mantra. After that, we communicate all that benefits values to the customers.

After all, it’s going all well but it’s not enough. To sustain in this competing world we also have to regularly research about desirability, and differentiability of the brand’s POPDs & POPs in the market and competitors to understand the brand’s positioning might need to change according to the consumer need.

 Generally here are three variables are available to assess potential threats of competitor

  • Share of Market – By knowing the market share of competitor
  • Competitor’s share of mind – By knowing which company’s name comes first in a consumer’s mind when they asked about that industry.
  • Share of hearts – By knowing from which company customer most prefer to buy the product.

By knowing that we can improve our positioning strategy.

Positioning and Branding for a Small Business

A small businessman working

Building a brand for small businesses is a little difficult because they have limited resources and budgets.

 It’s a little difficult but not impossible, by giving little more focus and consistency in marketing programs we can creatively find new ideas to promote the product to consumers.

  Some examples:

  • We also can build a brand for small businesses by focusing on only one brand and one key association. And the key association is the point of difference.
  •  We also have to convince people to try our product. To encourage trying we can give them samples of our product. So if they like then they might purchase.
  • Now, these days small businesses also can use good advantages of the internet and make a better profile to attract customers.
  • Generally small business relays on word of mouth. We can create social networks and low-cost sponsorship. We also can create a brand community among our current customers and our prospective customer, it is a cost-effective way to reinforce loyalty.
  • To build a brand of a small business or also a big company, a company’s brand elements plays an important role. Brand name, logo, packaging that enhance both brand awareness and brand image. So brand elements should be memorable and meaningful. By creating innovative packaging we also can increase our brand awareness.   
  • Also, creatively conducting low-cost marketing research through online.
  • By associating with other persons, places, etc. So that there image also influence us.

Conclusion

If you are an offline businessman then first try to come on online platforms, because from online you can serve the whole world which you can’t do by staying offline.

And your business is going good in offline then also you have to try for online. Offline businesses also can build a strong brand by using social media platforms, by creating word of mouth, by satisfying customer fully, and collect all customer’s data and build loyalty.             

If you also want to build a brand to create a big empire then you have to thoroughly understand all those things which I discuss above.

And another most important thing which is also important from understanding this is implementing.

If you learn all these things and learn all world’s things about how to grow business and don’t apply them practically to business then everything is useless. So whatever you learn to apply them. I hope you understood all things about brand positioning.

FAQs

What is brand positioning?

Brand positioning is a process where brand managers design the company’s product, offering, and image to occupy a distinctive place in the customer’s mind.

How to improve brand positioning?

To improve brand positioning first you have to define your competitor and analyze them.
 After that you have to see their market share, then you have to know, which company name comes to customers’ minds fist when you ask about your industry.
 Then you have to know, which company customers prefer to buy. Analyze that data and change your marketing program according to the result.

Brand positioning examples?

Patanjali positioned as it made organic products, Dettol positioned as it kills 99% germ.

Why brand positioning is important?

It is very important because, if we have a mobile brand and we positioned that brand as the best gaming phone, then the game lovers’ customer attract to our brand.
And if we satisfy them highly then our customer that customer remains loyal to us.

What is the strategy to brand positioning?

To build a good brand positioning you have to first choose your competitors and then analyze.
Based on that analysis you have to make some PODs and POPs. That differentiate your brand from others. And then make a brand mantra. Then communicate all that PODs, POPs effectively with customers. 

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