Brand positioning is about more than just a clever slogan or a cool logo. It’s the lifeblood of how customers understand your business in a sea of competition. Whether you’re opening up shop or repositioning, strategically positioning your brand is an imperative step to cut through the noise, build trust, and create loyalty in a crowded market.
This guide will take you through the how and why of it, and give you tools to help position your brand in the best possible way to appeal to your key audience and keep you top of mind. If you want to know how to strategically position your brand, this is your starting point.
What is Brand Positioning and Why is it Important?
Brand positioning is that special space your brand holds in the minds of your customers. What is all boils down to is a single sentence: “Why should your audience choose your brand over someone else’s?”
Where you position your brand affects everything you do for your business– from how you talk to your audience to the emotional relationship you have with people related to your brand. For instance, you use Apple as a technology innovator, but Patagonia brands itself as environmentally friendly and ethical. Their position sets them apart and makes SAS not only a first choice but also a long-term choice.
How to strategically position your brand starts with understanding what space you want to own in the customer’s mind.
Here’s why this matters:
- Stand out from competitors: A well-defined brand position distinguishes you in today’s crowded markets.
- Create a loyal audience: When your message intersects with a customer’s belief, an emotional connection develops, leading to lifelong loyalty.
- Boost perceived value: Customers are eager to spend more on brands they find different or greater.
- Clarify choice: When your values and promises are well-defined, customers can make choices in favor of your brand.
Now, let’s dissect the how, including how to strategically position your brand, to get your brand in the right place.
Define Your Target Audience
Understanding your audience is the key to solid brand positioning. When you design branding for “everyone,” it ends up appealing to no one. In order to target well, you need to know what the needs, pain points, and desires are for your core audience.
How to Define Your Audience:
-
Develop In-Depth Buyer Personas
Build detailed buyer personas for every audience that will access your content. -
Create customer personas
That reflects demographics, psychographics, or behavioral traits of your target customers. For example:-
Type A: Sarah, 29, eco-conscious millennial, cares about sustainability, buys small.
-
Persona B: John, 45, fast-paced businessperson, rates convenience, technology and quality as his top factors.
-
-
Compile information by doing Internet Research
You can perform surveys and interviews, analyze social media engagement, and customer reviews to get a sense of what your audience thinks about businesses similar to yours. Tools such as Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and SEMrush can be used to gain a deeper understanding.
Key Questions to Ask:
- Who are your ideal customers?
- What struggles or difficulties do they have?
- What are they looking for solutions to?
- What do they think of your competitors now?
When you know your audience, you can better hone your message and brand identity, which is crucial to strategically positioning your brand.
Define your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the statement that you make to prospects and customers that lets them know how you are different from your competition. It’s the answer to the “what you will get?” issue in clear, benefit-oriented language.
How to Create a Strong UVP:
-
Sell on value, not on features
Features describe what a product or service does; benefits describe why that matters to your customer. For instance, instead of “Our jeans are made of organic cotton,” use “Feeling great because your jeans are made sustainably.” -
Analyze Competitors
Analyze your competitor’s products. What are they looking to highlight in their value propositions? Find the gaps, or the places you can do better. -
Solve a Specific Problem
A good UVP must also address your audience’s core pain point & provide incredible value.
Knowing your UVP is at the heart of how to strategically position your brand and differentiate yourself.
Example UVP
Here’s inspiration for a meal delivery service aimed at busy parents:
“Fast, healthy chef-made meals delivered right to your door so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family.”
Brand Personality and Voice in Your Writing Style
Your brand personality is like how your brand “acts” as a person, and your voice is how it speaks to people. Not only is it a good way of keeping your audience engaged and informed, but it also gives you something to reference back to in future posts.
Ways to Build Your Personality and Vibe:
-
Pick 3-5 adjectives
That represents your brand. Are you whimsical, commanding, innovative, empathetic?For example:
— A high-end skincare brand could emphasize elegance, trustworthiness and nurturing.
— A tech startup might strive to be innovative, friendly, and approachable. -
Develop a Tone Guide
Write up rules for the language your brand uses in writing and speech. Do you take a formal and professional tone (a B2B corporate business-focused tone), or instead use an informal and conversational one (youth targeting coffee shop)? -
Ensure Touchpoint Consistency
Make sure the way you interact with your brand in every touch point—from social media, to blog content, to packaging design—is true to your chosen personality.
Establishing a consistent tone and style plays a vital role in how to strategically position your brand in a memorable way.
Maximize for Competitive Positioning
When you are creating a brand position, you have to consider your position against your competitors. The key isn’t imitation; it’s differentiation.
Guideline for Positioning:
-
Perform a Competitor Analysis
Develop a competitive map and list out the UVP, price points, ideal customer segments, and perceived strengths/weaknesses of each of your top competitors. Look for things where your brand can distinguish itself. -
Focus on Emotional Connection
Nike does well not because they have fast shoes, but because they inspire their customers with an aspirational message (e.g. “Just Do It”). Figure out a way for your brand to bring an emotional story home. -
Nurture Customer Advocacy
Once you have a powerful position, you want them to tell their story. True word-of-mouth advocacy can help to crystallize your one special place in the market.
Emotional connection and customer loyalty are major parts of how to strategically position your brand effectively.
Emphasize Your Brand Position Internally and Externally
Once you’ve chosen your brand position, consistency is key. Every point of contact with your audience should mirror what’s unique about your brand promise.
Touchpoints to Optimize:
-
Website
Dial your UVP into the headline of your homepage and supporting copy. Try to incorporate testimonials, case studies, and strong calls to action. -
Social Media
Leverage platforms such as Instagram or LinkedIn to showcase your brand’s unique selling proposition. Make content that is organic, shareable and resonates with your brand’s ethos. -
Customer Onboarding
Welcome new users with brand email sequences that feature your UVP (for example: “Here’s how we make [your product] better than the others.”).
Reinforcing your value at every stage is an essential tactic in how to strategically positioning your brand to stay top of mind.
Turn Your Brand Positioning into Motion
It’s not a “set it and forget it” exercise to position your brand strategically. Rather, it should be seen as a constant dialogue with both customers and rivals. By sticking to your brand values, listening to your audience and doubling down on what makes you unique, you will be relevant in any shifting tide of the market.
If you are ready for a more advanced approach to branding, begin by identifying your UVP and ensuring that your mission aligns with the needs of your target audience. And don’t forget, a sharply defined, well-positioned brand doesn’t just fight off its rivals—it wins.
Consistency, clarity, and alignment are the foundation of how to strategically position your brand successfully. Revisit your strategy often to ensure you continue meeting expectations and delivering value.
Learn more about What Is a Brand Positioning Statement
