Value propositions describe the unique selling propositions (rational facts), or USPs, and unique buying propositions (emotional reason that someone buys) or UBPs. If you don’t have at least a couple of those going for you, don’t bother. Every one of your Joe Schmoe friends with a marketing degree (or who has a friend or sister with one) insists that they can give you the correct definition of a brand positioning statement or the formula to positioning your brand. And it’s not uncommon to come out of this brainstorm with 40 or more key strengths. Too many times we see companies trying to force every USP or key strength they can into that block. via @Imaginasium. info@imaginasium.com But so often, it isn’t. To athletes of all abilities, Nike is a producer of high-quality, innovative athletic wear that strives to inspire people all over the world to be active because we believe in creating a better, more sustainable future for our people, planet and communities through the power of sport. “A positioning statement is an expression of how a given product, service or brand fills a particular consumer need in a way that its competitors don’t. via @Imaginasium. Lead to a competitive business advantage. This statement tells your clients and prospects how you want to be perceived in the marketplace. Who are the types of businesses or consumers you want your brand to reach? So how does that translate to your external audiences? Again, “all things to all people” is not a position. Here, you'll learn exactly what a positioning statement is and how to create a unique selling […] 920.431.7872 Every brand decision should be judged by how well it supports the positioning statement. What is a positioning statement? They purchase (and apply for work) based on emotion and then rationalize later with facts. In fact, the goal, whether achievable or not, would be to reduce or eliminate them altogether. The wording of your positioning statement may vary. The biggest problem I’ve faced in creating effective positioning statements, however, is communicating what a brand positioning statement actually is. A positioning statement is an internal document that identifies your target market and describes how you want them to perceive your brand. It’s how we’ve helped countless clients stand out from the competition in the minds of their prospective customers and employees. Are you up to the task? For voice of customer research, you will need to hear directly from your customers, if possible. Write headlines and copy around those and remember to always focus on what’s in it for the customer or employee, not what’s in it for you. Websites are typically where most people are going to learn about you and are the quickest and easiest to update. Provide Evidence. You can’t start to tell your story until you nail your positioning. Positioning Statement – is the description of the company’s objectives for a specific strategy.It helps set the business apart from its competition. Why should inspire. Therefore, positioning must align with the already-established beliefs of your customers, and the strategy is constr… What one or two (or more) words will best describe the feeling they’ll get from that strength? Lead to a competitive business advantage3. It also sets the direction of the business, it’s branding and marketing strategies. But be careful. And help you better serve your customers.Because your positioning is about your expertise. It has to be simple and easy to remember. To children of all ages, The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that serves to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling because we believe in the power of exploration, happiness, and magical experiences. And, having reviewed your competitors in the last step, you probably aren’t the only company who does what you do (and if you are, you probably wouldn’t be reading this article). It’s a common misconception. Check your key strengths against the competition. What will make them FEEL differently about you. According to the Cornell Community blog, a positioning statement is a concise description of your target market as well as a compelling picture of how you want that market to perceive your brand. Positioning statements then flow from value propositions. The goal of positioning is to eliminate as many substitutes as possible. 6 Examples of Excellent #Positioning Statements via @Imaginasium. For example, the USP of a zero-turn lawn mower could be a strong transmission and powerful engine, but the UBP could be the fact that you can cut your lawn quicker so you can spend time doing the other things you love in life (spending time with family, golfing, whatever). It needs to summarize WHY I would want to do business with or, in this case, work there. A statement or set of statements specifically used to create an image in the mind of your customers. What do the letters of USP represent. And that’s a good thing. Which of the following is NOT true based on this perceptual map? Now your positioning statement is ready to be the foundation for your brand personality, voice, tone, look, and feel. That brand can be a company’s products and services, or the company itself. Since positioning statements are meant to be an internal tool, we created some fictional example statements for actual companies that have recognizable brands and clear brand positioning. Positioning is vitally important, because positioning is the foundation for telling your story. Summertime is the best time to audit your positioning statement for effectiveness, and it’s easy to do. It may be easier to remain all things to all people. Hobbies? A positioning statement is a concise description of your target market as well as a compelling picture of how you want that market to perceive your brand. Does it provide a clear, distinctive, and meaningful picture of the brand? This shouldn’t be viewed as an elevator pitch or a tagline, but rather as an opinion on who you are and who you want to be. It is going to require some digging deep into who you are and who you want to be. For example, the positioning statement of Volvo: “For upscale American families, Volvo is the family automobile that offers maximum safety.” 1. By evaluating messaging, strategies, and other activities and decisions in the context of the brand positioning statements, you can ensure that all decisions and actions are in line with your brand. You can’t build brand credibility until you prove that your brand is reliable and … Figure out what you believe. So you’re tasked with figuring out the brand positioning statement of your company or the company you work for and don’t know where to begin. Positioning refers to the place a brand resides in the mind of customers. Denis works tirelessly to ensure that Imaginasium's customer experience is firing on all cylinders and that the firm is truly living it's vision of helping clients live their story by clarifying their message, building understanding inside their own walls, and creating the marketing that moves customers to action. [#PositioningStatement] A #position is as much about what you aren’t as what you are. Try to capture that in a brief statement that best describes what you can offer, and jot down a … Select Accept cookies to consent to this use or Manage preferences to make your cookie choices. Remember, your positioning statement is an internal tool. It includes two elements: The great Simon Sinek said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Any person in an organization can articulate what they do. Does it differentiate itself from the competition, Does it serve as a filter for brand decision making. A brand positioning statement is a document that’s been created for a business and its brand. The fact you more than likely can't eliminate all competition doesn't matter. No, not everyone will produce a product with as clear an impact in people’s lives as the next company, but every organization exists for reasons bigger than simply “to make money.” Find that reason. So, in our example, when people hear “people first culture” they should feel cared for/about and when they hear “perseverance,” they should feel like it’s a company that won’t quit. Every product and marketing decision you make regarding your brand has to align with and support your positioning statement. How does your product or service help them with this problem? The first step, choosing the focus (what business are you in), tends to be very difficult. Or perhaps the fear of missing out by walking away from small segments of your established offering is just too scary. A positioning statement describes the customer and paints a picture of how you want the market to perceive your brand. What is a positioning statement? To motorcycle riders and enthusiasts of all walks of life, Harley Davidson is a global manufacturer of distinctive and customizable motorcycles featuring leading-edge styling, innovative design, and distinctive sound that brings the brand to life through equipment, apparel and experiences because we believe regardless of where you come from we are brought together by passion, freedom, and the open road. This statement should include 1) the target segment, 2) the brand name, 3) the product/service category or frame of reference in which you are establishing this market position, 4) the key points of differentiation, and 5) the reasons customers should believe the positioning claims. And not all of those reasons are of equal importance. For example, if we were to do an employer brand for a large manufacturing employer, let’s call them Heavy Duty Equipment Corp. (or HDEC; apologies to any actual company named Heavy Duty Equipment Corp.), we might list strengths like: We’ll brainstorm a list of all of the possible things people might think of when they think of Heavy Duty Equipment Corp. We try to stay away from emotions and focus on facts at this point. Criteria for Evaluating a Positioning Statement, This website uses cookies to improve service and provide tailored ads. While some of the following may or may not be our clients (yes, some are), we have developed clear, differentiating positioning statements and messaging for countless clients over the past two decades, and positioning is part of our bread and butter. Consider replacing. No, it's not easy. These are the five most powerful emotional reasons someone has to do business or work for you. [#PositioningStatement] Are you positioned as a true #expert in your industry? Be strategic and be bold via @Imaginasium. A positioning statement conveys a benefit that your target audience cares about, and it serves as the central theme for everything you do in … A good positioning statement is a gui… Your #Positioning statement is an internal tool. Positioning statements will describe why customers should use one product or service over another, in other words, why your zero-turn mower is different or superior to a specific segment of the market and why that segment should care. via @Imaginasium. This requires some competitor review and voice of customer research. Once your positioning statement stands up to these questions, you are done. They’re looking for a great experience they can count on. These are some requisites that the positioning statement needs to comply with. This is where it takes some effort to dig deep. Do they look “cool?” Do they look “safe?”. This list will help you in the later steps. That’s okay, because the next step is to select the single strongest emotion out of that list. So, what does a positioning statement template look like? (And having a positioning statement saves you tons of time in the long run.) And don’t forget to make content marketing part of your digital strategy as you update your website. A positioning statement is a concise description of your target market as well as a compelling picture of how you want that market to perceive your brand. It provides “the framework or context within which the company’s strategies are formulated.” It’s like a goal for what the company wants to do for the world. If you don’t do the very important work of launching it internally, you run the risk of causing confusion or, worse, mistrust with your internal customers, your employees. What keeps them up at night? These aren't things that will differentiate you from your competition. positioning statement should simply communicate parameters of a position, somewhat like a slogan but not a vision statement a positioning statement should consider target market and unique selling proposition (USP) It takes some hard work to dig beyond the superficial claims most companies make in order to get to the key unique value propositions that customers are willing to pay attention to and pay more for. Now is not the time to judge or throw out ideas, just get them all out on paper. That being said, here are 11 triggers that may lead you down this path: It’s just that everyone says they have the best service, quality, price, people, etc. Survival of the fittest. That’s why the next step in crafting your positioning statement is to take your five USPs and, for each one, begin listing any emotions you think a person should feel when they first learn of that strength. Take some time and list all the ways you provide your product or service. So let’s explore what a positioning statement is and what it is not. It’s a single sentence stating exactly what your position in the employer marketplace will be. The differentiator field—the “that” field—can often be where positioning statements begin to fall apart. Positioning Statement, Mission Statement vs. Again, we recommend drafting a plan for how you will roll out this messaging out externally, or you’ll fall victim to “Random Acts of Marketing.”  Then prioritize based on impact, cost and time to implement. Denis Kreft is the president and co-founder of Imaginasium. Is this the sort of hyper-competitive market you want to make your mark in? It simply breaks down a business’s goals, target audience, system of beliefs, and more. A position is as much about what you aren’t as what you are. But it is so worth it. Though it may read like something from your promotional materials, your positioning statement is an internal tool. via @Imaginasium. Few companies can afford to redo everything at once. To people who need stuff built, The Boldt Co. is an architecture, engineering and construction company that builds communities by releasing convention and tradition, because we believe that challenging assumptions encourages us to approach every project with flexibility, imagination and an eye toward the innovative to deliver greater value to our customers every time. Take some time with your company work or do business or work for.... Statements, however, is communicating what a brand resides in the long.... Some effort to dig deep with 40 or more key strengths through which should... To learn about you and are the five most powerful emotional reasons someone has to be the most and. Is internal focused, your positioning statement – is the lens through which you should view positioning. 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