Brand Positioning

Effective Brand Positioning is contingent upon identifying and communicating a brand's uniqueness, differentiation and verifiable value. It is important to note that "me too" brand positioning contradicts the notion of differentiation and should be avoided at all costs. This type of copycat brand positioning only works if the business offers its solutions at a significant discount over the other competitor(s).

The brand positioning process involves:

1. Identifying the business's direct competition (could include tertiary players that offer your product/service amongst a larger portfolio of solutions)
2. Understanding how each competitor is positioning their business today (e.g. claiming to be the fastest, cheapest, largest, the #1 provider, etc.)
3. Documenting the provider's own positioning as it exists today (may not exist if startup business)
4. Comparing the company's positioning to its competitors' to identify viable areas for differentiation
5. Developing a distinctive, differentiating and value-based brand positioning statement, key messages and customer value propositions.

More generally, there are three types of positioning concepts:

1. Functional positions
   • Solve problems
   • Provide benefits to customers
   • Get favorable perception by investors (stock profile) and lenders
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2. Symbolic positions
   • Self-image enhancement
   • Ego identification
   • Belongingness and social meaningfulness
   • Affective fulfillment
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3. Experiential positions
   • Provide sensory stimulation
   • Provide cognitive stimulation