1. Positioning

2. What is Positioning? • What does a GPS tell you?

3. What is Positioning? • Positioning is where you are • In the mind of the consumer • Relative to you competition • Creates an image... a unique identity • Examples: • Jones Soda is positioned as... • Mark's Work Warehouse is positioned as... • Walmart is positioned as... • Lexus is positioned as...

4. Types of Positioning • Benefit • The value equation is composed of benefits • Product is positioned as having more benefits than competitors • Problems: • Adding too many benefits can detract from the core brand • Some benefits are easily duplicated by competition

5. Types of Positioning • Target • Focus on a particular target market (no need to position the brand outside the target market) • Should be somewhat exclusive (people in the target market feel some sense of identity, uniqueness, not “mainstream”) • Problems: • Target markets can be unpredictable (changing trends) • If outsiders start buying the product, it may no longer appeal to the target market

6. Types of Positioning • Price • Can only go two ways here: position product as most expensive (high quality, luxury good) or least expensive (good value) • Luxury goods are more about status than quality • Problems: • The product must deliver on it's other promises (ex: less expensive offerings from the same brand dilute its status, if top quality is promised it must be delivered) • If a product is too cheap, it might be perceived as lower quality than its competitors even if it's the same

7. Types of Positioning • Distribution • Finding a unique way to distribute your products • Ex: • Avon's direct sales • Jones Soda's unconventional retail locations • Amazon's online sale

8. Types of Positioning • Service • Provide extra service/convenience • Ex: • 24-hour grocery store • Greeters • Tea, music, candles in store/change rooms • After-sales support • Problem: • Can't go back once service is offered and becomes part of the brand's positioning

9. How to Position a Product • Positioning Premise • Have to be prepared to alienate some consumers (can't be everything to everyone) • Positioning defines who the product is for, but also who it is not for • It is possible to be “inclusive” and position your product as “for everyone” • Consider the differing strategies of DC vs. Nike

10. How to Position a Product • Long-term positioning • Repositioning is expensive (product development, promotion, distribution, etc.) • Companies want their positioning to be sustainable • So avoid basing it on specific technological innovations

11. How to Position a Product • Relevant Positioning • Must be relevant to consumers • Something important to them

12. How to Position a Product • Clear and Coherent • Consumers must understand your key messaging

13. How to Position a Product • Distinctive Positioning • Must stand out from the crowd • Positioning is a better way to do this than just relying on pricing/advertising/etc. To get consumers to buy

14. What brands come to mind... • Cereal • Hamburgers • Watches • Chocolate bars sunglasses

15. Positioning • What types of positioning does each use?