Brand positioning is a marketing term that you may have heard, and while its name seems self-explanatory, it’s an intricate process that requires research and considerable effort to do right. While most companies attempt to “position” their brand in one way or another, there are lengths to which you can go to increase the chances of establishing your brand in the minds of consumers.

Brand positioning is all about perception, and how potential customers view you can be affected by a myriad of things. That’s why we wanted to share some important factors to consider when you are attempting to position your brand:

Where You’re At

You may not have formally positioned your brand, but that doesn’t mean customers haven’t developed an opinion of your brand. The first thing you need to do is figure out how your brand is currently perceived so you can figure out what you can build on and what issues you still need to address. A key to brand positioning is that it has to feel natural to customers, so here are some questions to answer:

  • Does your current positioning match customer perception of you?
  • Are you doing something that is making your brand stand out?
  • Is your message believable and consistent?

Consider the Competition

You may think that you’ve found the right target market and direction for your design and messaging to position your brand, but it may fall flat if you aren’t considering what your competition is doing. Brand positioning is all about standing out from the competition. If yours is too similar to a more well-established brand, then it may not get noticed. Determine what it is that makes your brand unique and consider how that fits with what your competition is currently doing. There should be a way to differentiate your brand.

Think about how cell phone carriers compete. While Sprint and Verizon battle over who has the most expansive network and data capabilities, T-Mobile has gained ground by showcasing the cost-effective value of their family plans. They saw an untapped market that the competition was ignoring, which fit what they had to offer, and capitalized.

Consistency is Key

One of the most important factors to consider when positioning your brand is making sure it can be carried out consistently through all of your marketing channels. Building a brand is about creating a believable experience for your customers no matter how they discover you—whether it’s via social media, a paid search campaign, video pre-roll, or traditional advertising.

Develop a consistent brand voice that can be used across your entire marketing strategy that matches the look and feel of your content. Make sure your team understands what you are trying to accomplish so they can execute your plan. If your customer service experience doesn’t align with the way you positioned your brand, it could deter customers from trusting you.

This is just scratching the surface of brand positioning. If you’d like to learn more, or get a marketing audit to see where you stand, then contact PCG Companies so we can make some good things happen.