Brand positioning is more than just telling a story – it’s about telling a story that resonates with your audience.
After all, you don’t want your brand to be simply seen; you want it to be remembered, trusted, and chosen. Data tells us that eight in 10 consumers only buy from a brand they trust.
In this article, we’ll unpack what goes into brand positioning and how you can create a strategy that works. We’ll also look at a few stellar examples and answer frequently asked questions.
Table of Contents
- What is Brand Positioning?
- Steps to Develop a Powerful Brand Positioning Strategy
- Brand Positioning Examples
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Brand Positioning?
Here’s a common question among those new to the concept: What do you mean by positioning?
Simply put, brand positioning is how you set your brand apart from others and express its unique value to the world.
When done right, brand positioning becomes the basis of your creative strategy, influencing your branding kit—from voice to design.
But why is brand positioning crucial? It’s simple: without it, your brand risks being just another business in a sea of other ventures.
That said, strong brand positioning does the following:
- Builds trust
- Fosters loyalty
- Creates an emotional link to your audience
It ensures that your brand remains top of mind when the audience is ready to make a decision.
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Steps to Develop a Powerful Brand Positioning Strategy
What are the components of brand positioning?
What are the steps for brand positioning?
These are among the common questions brand owners ask when building a brand positioning strategy. To help, here’s a step-by-step guide to position your brand and make it stand out in the market.
1. Define Your Target Audience
First, who is your target audience? And just as crucial, what are their needs, desires, and pain points?
As you define your target audience and do audience segmentation, there are two things you need to pinpoint:
- Demographics. These data pertain to your audience’s age, gender, location, income, and education level.
- Psychographics. On the other hand, this data pertains to your audience’s lifestyle, values, interests, and needs.
It goes without saying that knowing who your audience is is just one piece of the puzzle. After all, you also need to know what drives their decisions and buying behavior so you can truly make an impact.
2. Identify Your Value Proposition
The promise you make to your audience is also essential in brand positioning. At the most basic, it should answer the question, “What’s in it for me?”
A strong value proposition clearly explains how your brand meets buyers’ needs better than anyone else.
For instance, the social media posts above, designed by Penji artists, clearly state the brand’s benefits and what sets it apart from other products.
3. Analyze Your Competitors
What makes your brand unique? Is it your product quality, stellar customer service, or patent solution?
During your competitor review, take note of their:
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Messaging
- Market strategies
After all, data reveals that 9 out of 10 Fortune 500 do competitive analysis. Without a doubt, market differentiation is crucial to building brand loyalty. After all, you can only position your brand well when you know how your competitors are positioning themselves.
4. Develop a Brand Positioning Statement
A brand positioning statement is your brand’s North Star—it defines who you are, what you offer, and why it matters.
To craft one, simply go through the first three steps and put everything together in a statement. Here’s a simple template you can use:
“To [target audience], [brand name] offers [unique benefit or solution] because [reason why you’re different or better].”
What is an example of a brand positioning line? Here are a few:
- EcoHaven Cleaning Products: To environmentally conscious households, EcoHaven offers safe and sustainable cleaning solutions because we use biodegradable ingredients and plastic-free packaging that protect your home and the planet.
- FitSync Wearables: To fitness enthusiasts and busy professionals, FitSync offers personalized health tracking and seamless device integration because our innovative wearables combine cutting-edge technology with user-friendly design.”
- LuxeNest Furniture: To style-savvy homeowners, LuxeNest offers customizable, high-quality furniture because we blend timeless aesthetics with modern functionality to create pieces that reflect your unique taste.
5. Create Consistent Messaging Across Channels
Consistency is what ties your brand messaging across all platforms. Whether it’s social media, email campaigns, or your website, maintaining a unified voice and tone reinforces your brand identity and builds trust with your audience.
For instance, the social media posts above use the same fonts, colors, and layout—it’s obvious that they follow the same brand guidelines designed by Penji. This ensures that all visuals feel connected and on-brand, making it easier for audiences to associate each post with the brand.
6. Leverage Visual Branding
Lastly, your visuals—logo, colors, typography—should reinforce your brand’s positioning. This factor highlights why building a brand book is crucial; you want visuals that create instant recognition and help convey brand values.
For instance, the image above is a great visual brand positioning example. As seen in the image designed by a Penji artist, the cohesive use of elements of design principles across the pages ties the content smoothly. As a result, the brand reflects a presence that aligns with its market positioning.
Brand Positioning Examples
Here are a few brand positioning examples from global brands:
Apple: Innovation and Premium Quality
- Positioning: Apple is positioned as the leader not only in innovation but also in offering cutting-edge tech with a sleek, premium design.
- Why It Works: Their brand positioning anchored on simplicity, quality, and innovation resonates with both tech enthusiasts and general buyers.
Nike: Empowerment and Athletic Performance
- Positioning: “Just Do It,” meanwhile, captures Nike’s brand as a motivator for athletes of all levels.
- Why It Works: With its focus on inspiration, Nike connects with its audience at an emotional level while showcasing high-quality sports gear.
Coca-Cola: Happiness and Togetherness
- Positioning: Coca-Cola’s focus is on sharing joy and creating happy moments with its drinks.
- Why It Works: Personal stories and nostalgia make Coca-Cola a global symbol of happiness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few frequently asked questions related to the topic:
Brand positioning is how a brand is designed to be perceived by its target market compared to other players. In simple terms, it’s what makes a brand stand out and why buyers choose it over others based on its unique value.
The main purpose of positioning is to establish a unique and clear place for a brand, product, or service in the minds of its target audience. That said, it helps the audience understand why it’s unique and better than others, making it easier for them to choose it.
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