Advanced Brand Positioning
As we already dived into brand positioning basics in the previous post, let's make this one super simple and quick.
In a more advanced way of brand positioning, we draw some maps in our audience's minds. These maps are basically the crossing of x- and y-axis with labels on the edges, which make everything easier to understand what kind of a brand we have, and what the other brands in the market lay down.
Let's jump in.
1. Positioning based on the target audience
What is the dominant gender among the customers, and what's their age mostly?
On the x-axis, find your audience's age group; on the y-axis, find your audience's dominant gender.
2. Positioning based on the price point
How do you position your product or service in means of pricing policy and the perceived value?
On the x-axis, find whether your product/service is perceived as expensive, affordable or cheap.
On the y-axis, find whether it is a luxury item (i.e. gain when they have but nothing when they don't), or a necessity (i.e. default to have, but pain when they don't)
3. Positioning based on communication
How would you like to be perceived in means of your visual and cognitive communication?
On the x-axis, find out whether your brand is subtle (calm, cool, not pushy) or loud (being everywhere, having colorful bold messages, etc.) in its dialogues with the audience.
On the y-axis, find out if it's distant (much more respectful, colder relationship) or it's intimate with the audience.
4. Positioning based on the market stance
Where do they perceive your brand when they compare you with the big, corporate organizations?
On the x-axis, find the area that matches the most for your brand between traditional and contemporary/modernist edges.
On the y-axis, find the area if your brand looks/feels corporate and serious, or it is more like a playful friend to your audience.
5. Positioning based on decision-making
When they think about your brand, how much rigidity or fluidity do they see?
On the x-axis, find out your area between being mainstream (i.e. that improves the one exists) and being avant-garde (i.e. radically different, highly innovative, creates a new approach).
On the y-axis, find out if they see you as a strong, bold and assertive brand with its decisions, or as gentler.
6. Positioning based on the service process / accessibility
How easy do they think they can reach to your product or service? How thorough is it to use and implement in their lives?
On the x-axis, find out if your brand is accessible for all (i.e. you don't expect to do a deep segmentation) or it is exclusive for some (i.e. not everyone can buy it, it's just for a special group of people).
On the y-axis, find out if the process to find it and use/implement it is easy (straightforward) or detailed (thorough).
7. Positioning based on the end-product
Seeing what they can get from you as a product, do they feel like it's just crafted for them, or is it just the same as other customers'?
On the x-axis, find out if your brand gives a digital/hi-tech solution or a very natural one.
On the y-axis, find out if it's a result of the mass production, or is handcrafted (tailor-made) for each customer.
After completing this exercise for your brand and your competitors, you will have the super power to see just like your target audience.
It is wearing THEIR GLASSES.
Building and designing a brand is not an easy and quick task, but it consists of numerous exercises and actions to take.
Let me know if you feel that your brand needs an expert help about how to find its position in the market.
Long live successful brands! 🥂
Imagery:
Edu Carvalho, Pexels.com
Say Straight, Pexels.com
Moose Photos, Pexels.com
Pixabay, Pexels.com
Tolga Aslantürk, Pexels.com
James Wheeler, Pexels.com
