Staking Your Claim: A Guide to Brand Positioning

In an over saturated marketplace, where countless brands are vying for attention, how do you as a business owner or brand manager ensure that your brand stands out? How do you position your brand in the minds of your audience so that they not only remember you but also choose you over the competition?

This year, I decided to start doing some 1:1 mentorship sessions and one question that pops up in every session I have had with a mentee is “How do I better position my brand?” This is really a question about standing out vs fitting in. Every business owner or manager must know that blending in is sort of like the proverbial ‘kiss of death’, you are going to get lost in the crowd. What you want to do is spark a connection with your target market, plant your flag where no one else has (successfully) staked their claim and stand out.

Firstly, let’s talk about Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA)?—?the holy grail of brand positioning. It’s common to hear brand managers, marketers say that brand positioning helps you achieve TOMA. I believe it’s the other way round. Achieving (everything you do to get) TOMA is how you position your brand in the market. To achieve TOMA, you must strive to be remembered for something specific. Identify a unique aspect of your brand that resonates with your target audience and embed it deep within their consciousness.

So what are these things you need to do to achieve TOMA and a uniquely positioned brand?

1. Know Your Audience: This is something that comes up every time we talk about any kind of brand/market strategy. It sounds repetitive but that’s only because it cannot be overemphasized. To effectively position your brand, you must first understand your target audience. Do a deep dive into what their unmet needs, desires, and realities are. What are their pain points? What exactly are they looking out for in a brand? By actually taking the time to know and understand your audience, you will be able to tailor your positioning strategy to address the specific needs and aspirations that they have.
2. Understand the Competition: A thorough and detailed analysis of your competitors is very essential for successful brand positioning. Identify who your competitors are and study their strengths and weaknesses. Knowing this?will help you find the opportunities to differentiate your brand and position it uniquely in the market. The thing with this point is that like knowing your audience, a lot of managers and executives seem to know that it needs to be done.?The real work is in how you execute it…really get down to the granular points. What channels are they using? How are they communicating with their audience? What has worked?for them? Your goal is not to imitate, rather, it’s to spot gaps only you can fill. Ask yourself one question?—?What can my business deliver that no one else is? Unearth that special sauce and put it front and center in everything you do.
3. Define Your Differentiation Strategy: Standing out from the crowd is essential for effective brand positioning. Rather than trying to match or imitate your competitors, focus on what you can do differently. Identify your unique selling points, your core values, and your brand’s personality. Embrace what sets you apart and use it as a foundation for your positioning strategy. Differentiation is the key to capturing attention?—?it’s how you actually stand out. There are several ways to draw up your differentiation strategy and I will be highlighting them further down this article.
4. Craft a Compelling Brand Positioning Statement: A brand positioning statement serves as a North Star for your brand. You should?make sure?it is concise, memorable, and encapsulate the essence of your brand’s unique value proposition. Broadcast plainly what your brand stands for and why it resonates. Use this statement as the framework for all of your brand decision-making processes. Let it shape every piece of communication from branding to advertising.
5. Craft a Communication Framework: Consistency is key when it comes to brand positioning. Develop a communication framework that aligns with your brand positioning statement. Ensure that all your messaging, visuals, and touchpoints consistently convey your brand’s unique position and value proposition. It’s crucial that your team lives and breathes your positioning too?—?that way it automatically comes through in every customer touchpoint. Make sure anyone representing your brand intrinsically understands and communicates your unique value and voice. This contributes to the quality of your brand experience?—?you want to create a brand experience that leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Consistency is king.

If you really want to get it right with your brand positioning, you have to take a stand for something meaningful. Don’t just push products?—?push big ideas. Give your audience/users a cause worthy of their passion. If you tap into shared experiences, you’ve earned true loyalty. Keep proving you get what they care about and they’ll go all in and out for your brand.

Types of Differentiation Strategies:

There are many ways to separate from the herd if you think boldly. Here some common archetypes to help you understand what differentiation strategy may work for you.

The White Knight:

Call out competitors’ weaknesses; fix them better. Think of this sort of like a “Us vs Them” strategy. Your play is to identify the pain points your audience experiences despite the solutions that the competition offers and demonstrate how your brand offers a superior solution compared to the competition. Position yourself as the ultimate solution to their problems. Examples of white knights include:

• Dollar Shave Club: They called out the high cost and inconvenience of buying razors from traditional brands and offered a subscription-based model with affordable and convenient razor deliveries.
• Warby Parker: They identified the high prices and lack of options in the eyewear industry and introduced affordable, stylish glasses with a direct-to-consumer approach.

The Artisan:

Become THE authority in one niche craft or expertise. Focus on serving a specific niche or addressing a particular need exceptionally well. Position your brand as the go-to expert in that specific area. Examples of artisans include:

• Patagonia: They focus on outdoor apparel and gear, positioning themselves as experts in sustainable and high-quality products for outdoor enthusiasts.
• Tesla: They specialize in electric vehicles and sustainable energy solutions, positioning themselves as leaders in the clean energy and automotive industries.

The Apex Predator:

Lead on ambition, innovation, elite performance. Strive to be the best and biggest player in your industry. Position your brand as the industry leader that sets the standard and outperforms the competition. Examples of Apex predators include:

• Apple: They strive to be at the forefront of innovation, consistently launching cutting-edge technology products that set industry standards.
• Amazon: They have become a dominant player in e-commerce, continuously expanding their offerings and setting high standards for customer service and convenience.

The Robinhood:

Democratize access through price and value(quality). Compete on price by offering the best value for the money. Position your brand as the most affordable choice without compromising quality. Examples of Robin Hood includes:

• Walmart: They offer a wide range of products at affordable prices, positioning themselves as a one-stop-shop for budget-conscious consumers.
• Aldi: They focus on providing high-quality groceries at lower prices compared to traditional supermarkets, appealing to cost-conscious shoppers.

The Rolls-Royce:

Represent first-class luxury and prestige. Emphasize the superior quality of your products or services compared to the competition. Position your brand as the pinnacle of excellence. Examples of Rolls-Royce include:

• Rolex: They are known for their luxury watches, emphasizing the exceptional craftsmanship and prestige associated with their brand.
• Rolls-Royce: They position themselves as a luxury car manufacturer, highlighting the superior quality, performance, and status associated with their vehicles.

The Mad Scientist:

Shake things up through rule-breaking originality. Introduce something new and different to the industry. With this play, you are the disruptor. Challenge the status quo and position your brand as a game-changer. Examples of mad scientists include:

• Airbnb: They disrupted the hospitality industry by introducing a platform that allows individuals to rent out their homes, challenging the traditional hotel industry.
• Uber: They revolutionized the transportation industry by introducing a ride-sharing platform that connects drivers and passengers, challenging traditional taxi services.

The GPS:

Make complex user journeys stupidly simple. Here, think convenience. Simplify the user experience, making it easier and more convenient than your competitors. If it takes 10 mins on average with the competition, it takes you 5 mins. If it takes 6 clicks with the competition, it takes 3 clicks with you. Position your brand as the most convenient choice. Examples of the GPS include:

• Google: They provide a user-friendly search engine and intuitive online services, positioning themselves as the go-to choice for quick and easy access to information.
• Apple (again): They focus on creating seamless user experiences across their devices and services, making it easy for customers to navigate and interact with their products.

Brand positioning boils down to identifying and owning what makes you unlike anyone else. It’s declaring what you uniquely stand for. And it’s ensuring every brand action reinforces that territory in people’s minds. Do this and they won’t just remember you?—?they’ll promote you. Just keep that flag held high once you’ve staked your claim.