What is Positioning?
Positioning is the act of designing your company's offering and image to occupy a distinctive place in the mind of your target market. It's about what makes you different from and better than the alternatives. Strong positioning answers: For whom? What is it? Why should they care? Why you vs. alternatives?
Why Positioning Matters
In crowded markets (which is most technical markets), positioning determines whether you're seen as a commodity or a unique solution. Without clear positioning, you compete on price. With strong positioning, you compete on value and fit.
How to Implement
- 1 Identify your competitive alternatives (including 'do nothing')
- 2 Determine your unique attributes
- 3 Map attributes to value for specific customers
- 4 Identify customers who care most about that value
- 5 Craft a positioning statement that captures this
Common Mistakes
X Positioning too broadly to appeal to everyone
X Defining competitors too narrowly
X Focusing on features instead of value
X Positioning based on what you want, not market reality
Related Terms
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