Have you ever ever puzzled how traditional manufacturers like Coca-Cola and Walt Disney remained profitable all these years? The reply lies of their model positioning assertion. These manufacturers knew what they stood for and will talk it clearly to their staff, suppliers, and prospects.
What’s a positioning assertion, and how will you successfully craft one? Let’s dive into the main points.
What’s a Positioning Assertion?
A positioning assertion describes your services or products and explains how they meet the wants of your goal market. It ought to state your distinctive worth and model id, in addition to the way you need your model to be perceived by your prospects and opponents.
It’s usually an inner personal doc not meant for public information as a result of it highlights your key differentiators and aggressive benefits. The positioning assertion can be designed to assist your advertising and marketing crew align their campaigns with the corporate’s model and worth proposition.
Why a Positioning Assertion Issues
With so many choices on the market, consumers need to know what they’re getting earlier than absolutely committing to a purchase order. When you will have a transparent positioning assertion, prospects will perceive your small business at first look.
A positioning assertion additionally makes it simpler for advertising and marketing groups to create impactful campaigns that obtain their targets. You’ll be able to cut back the dangers of failed campaigns as a result of your crew may have a transparent imaginative and prescient of your model and may precisely convey it.
Each time the advertising and marketing crew launches any on-brand expertise, it is going to resonate with the supposed market main to raised gross sales and decrease prices. Your services or products will stand out from a sea of opponents as a result of it’s clear what makes you totally different and why they need to select your model.
Key Components of a Positioning Assertion
When crafting a positioning assertion, you need to perceive the important thing parts it ought to cowl. Defining every factor will enable you create a transparent assertion that gained’t go away any doubt as to its interpretation.
Listed below are the essential parts of a positioning assertion:
Goal Market: Who you serve
Realizing your audience will enable you create purchaser personas that outline their motivations for buying your services or products. Establish their demographic, psychographic, or behavioral traits and uncover their ache factors and challenges.
Understanding what motivates them to make use of your answer will enable you outline the end result or expertise they anticipate. Having a deep information of your audience will guarantee an in depth and clear positioning assertion, that doesn’t have obscure particulars that are open to interpretations.
Our product is tailor-made for tech-savvy millennials who search comfort and sustainability of their every day lives.
The instance above clearly states that the goal prospects are millennials who know learn how to use know-how and worth comfort. From the assertion, it’s already clear who the product serves and the fitting method to achieve them.
Model Promise: What worth you provide
When you already know your prospects, you’ll be able to clearly articulate the issue you’re fixing for them. This may also enable you exhibit how your services or products solves this downside.
Reply the query: What downside does your product clear up, or what want does it fulfill for patrons? The reply is the first profit or worth proposition of your answer.
We provide an eco-friendly meal supply service that gives nutritious, chef-prepared meals delivered proper to the doorstep, saving you time and lowering your carbon footprint.
Within the above instance, it’s clear that you just provide a meal supply service that’s eco-friendly, nutritious, and ready by cooks. It targets prospects who’re eco-conscious and closely favor sustainable efforts.
USP: The way you place your provide
Your positioning assertion ought to clearly outline your distinctive promoting proposition (USP). Lead with the advantages of your services or products moderately than the options. Consumers resonate with the end result of a suggestion (advantages) moderately than the way it achieves them (options).
Reply the query: How would you like your audience to understand your product or model?
We place ourselves because the premium selection for health-conscious people who prioritize each high quality and sustainability of their meals decisions.
Much like earlier examples, the assertion above emphasizes high quality and sustainability because the USP of the meal supply answer. When aligned together with your advertising and marketing efforts, potential prospects are instantly conscious of the advantages of your services or products.
Model Objective: Why you are in enterprise
It’s additionally necessary to speak the underlying mission or function behind the model. Workers and prospects alike rally behind a model whose function is one thing they help and imagine in.
Your worth proposition ought to reply the query: What drives your organization past monetary achieve? The next assertion reveals that the model is working in direction of a much bigger aim of a more healthy planet. It’s the driving power for creating handy and environmentally accountable options.
We’re dedicated to revolutionizing the meals business by providing a handy and environmentally accountable different to conventional meal preparation, in the end contributing to a more healthy planet.
Differentiator: What makes you totally different from the competitors
Researching your opponents will enable you determine learn how to place your model available in the market. Don’t cease at opponents providing the identical items and providers. As a substitute, analysis corporations that supply different options to the identical audience.
Your positioning assertion ought to have the ability to reply the query: What makes your product or model stand out available in the market? Within the instance under, the service is differentiated by regionally grown, natural elements packed in biodegradable supplies.
In contrast to different meal supply providers, we supply regionally grown, natural elements and package deal our meals in biodegradable supplies, guaranteeing each freshness and sustainability.
When defining the worth of your provide, provide you with 3-5 core differentiators that set you aside from the competitors. The mixture of those key differentiators will enable you present a singular answer that different manufacturers can’t simply copy.
Positioning Assertion vs. Mission Assertion
It’s typical to confuse a positioning assertion with a mission assertion. In any case, they seem to supply the identical issues if you first learn them. Nonetheless, a mission assertion is a small part of a positioning assertion. The mission assertion solutions the “why” of a enterprise, whereas a positioning assertion contains the “what, why, and the way.”
Mission statements are additionally public-facing. Most manufacturers publish them on their web sites, brochures, and different advertising and marketing supplies. They’re crafted so prospects can know why the enterprise operates.
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Solutions the “what, why, and the way” of the enterprise |
Solutions the “why” of the enterprise |
Worth Proposition vs. Positioning Assertion
The worth proposition is one other time period usually confused with a positioning assertion. A positioning assertion has a broader scope than a worth proposition, and it’s normally crafted after you’ve outlined your model’s worth proposition.
The worth proposition defines how your services or products is totally different from different options. It identifies your main buyer and provides an summary of the advantages your model delivers. In the meantime, the positioning assertion incorporates the worth proposition with the mission assertion. The worth proposition is the “what and the way,” whereas the mission assertion is the “why.” When mixed, they kind the positioning assertion.
Crafting a Positioning Assertion
Now that you already know what a positioning assertion is and the way it differs from a mission and a worth proposition, it’s time to craft one. When writing your positioning assertion, outline the weather described above. You should use the next information questions that will help you.
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Utilizing the questions above as your start line, you’ll be able to comply with these steps to put in writing your positioning assertion:
1. Brainstorm concepts.
Put aside a devoted and centered time to brainstorm solutions to the questions above and let the concepts circulation naturally with none filters. As your crew comes up with solutions, pay attention to the ideas that excite you.
Brainstorming is a inventive course of that may enable you provide you with the uncooked supplies to construct your positioning assertion. Because the crew shares concepts, you’ll determine a sample that your viewers may also resonate with.
In case you want additional inspiration, you’ll be able to create a imaginative and prescient board that accommodates pictures that characterize your prospects and the surroundings the place they’re utilizing your services or products. You’ll be able to research these photos to know your prospects’ feelings, traits, and actions.
You may as well draw inspiration from related manufacturers, together with your opponents. Don’t copy their statements, however observe how they crafted their messages.
2. Create detailed buyer personas.
Positioning statements is probably not public-facing, however they’re customer-focused. Your prospects have to be on the coronary heart of your assertion, and as your model evolves, it should at all times stay devoted to serving their wants and needs.
Be as detailed as potential in figuring out your viewers’s ache factors, attributes, motivations, and preferences. You’ll be able to create buyer segments that may enable you additional refine your messaging.
3. Reduce out pointless phrases and be concise.
Positioning statements aren’t long-winded paperwork that span a number of pages. They’re clear and concise statements that assist readers rapidly grasp the essence of your model. Ideally, it ought to be 3 to five sentences most.
Take away any repetitive phrases and give attention to translating advanced concepts into less complicated phrases. Think about a couple of fastidiously chosen however impactful phrases that ship a strong assertion. Evaluate your assertion from the eyes of a first-time reader and guarantee it captures their consideration.
4. Combine your distinctive enterprise qualities.
Spotlight the qualities that make your model stand out to your prospects. Replicate on your small business values and convictions that humanize your model, and ensure these qualities are prominently featured in your assertion.
Be cautious of utilizing the identical phrases and traits as different model manufacturers. The market is commonly saturated, and also you need one thing distinctive and memorable. Because the market evolves, consistently revisit these qualities and enhance on them so your positioning adapts to altering buyer calls for.
5. Attempt for transparency and authenticity.
Immediately’s shoppers demand manufacturers to be genuine and clear. Typically, your quirks and imperfections set you aside from others and make your model extra relatable, so don’t be afraid to be susceptible and sincere about your model’s areas for enchancment.
Transparency creates buyer loyalty by constructing belief and enhancing your model’s popularity. Keep away from making guarantees you’ll be able to’t preserve in your assertion as a result of it will frustrate your crew and mislead your prospects.
Positioning Assertion Template
Right here’s an easy positioning assertion template that works for any enterprise:
For [customer], [brand name] is the [brand category] that [unique value proposition], not like [competition]. We [brand promise] as a result of we imagine [brand purpose]. Our [points of differentiation] units us aside from [competition].
Placing the assertion into follow, right here’s an instance for a clothes model.
“For [environmentally-conscious consumers], [EcoChic Fashion] is the [sustainable clothing brand that offers stylish and eco-friendly apparel], not like [fast fashion retailers]. We [prioritize transparency and ethical practices] as a result of we [believe in creating a more sustainable fashion industry]. Our [use of organic materials, fair labor practices, and transparent supply chains] units us aside from [other clothing brands].”
Manufacturers are distinctive and it’s possible you’ll want a distinct format to convey your positioning, relying in your targets. Nonetheless, the format above is a generic template that captures all of the important parts of a positioning assertion.
You may as well use a persona-based method in your positioning doc, which defines a number of buyer personas and addresses their particular wants and preferences.
16 Positioning Assertion Examples
To higher perceive how a positioning assertion works and to provide you inspiration on learn how to draft yours, listed here are 16 examples of positioning statements from a few of the greatest international manufacturers. We’ve dissected their statements that will help you outline your individual messaging parts.
Since positioning statements are inner paperwork, these statements have been curated from the manufacturers’ web sites and public statements.
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model positioning assertion examples
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Nike is well-known for offering sturdy, fashionable, and modern athletic put on. They have been one of many first manufacturers to launch an NFT and embrace rising channels just like the metaverse.
Why it really works:
Nike’s positioning assertion is complete but concise and immediately identifies the goal buyer. It’s a textbook instance of a positioning assertion answering who (athletes), what (Nike), why (top-performing), and the way (high-quality supplies). It communicates an easy and centered model promise that additionally units it aside from the competitors.
All through its historical past, Apple has proven that it understands its prospects intently and is aware of the values they cherish. That features the newest cutting-edge merchandise with a constructive carbon footprint.
Why it really works:
Apple defines what it gives to prospects (the most effective computing system) and emphasizes its model promise (dedication to utilizing the newest tech analysis to create probably the most modern merchandise). We have now seen this within the lovely and cutting-edge merchandise that Apple gives—from the iPhone and MacBook to Apple Watches and now the Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Have you ever ever puzzled how the 137-year-old model Coca-Cola nonetheless thrives regardless of quite a few controversies involving sodas? Coca-Cola enjoys a constructive model popularity as a result of the corporate is evident on its model positioning.
Why it really works:
Coca-Cola focuses on making a constructive buyer expertise that they intently affiliate with consuming one among their refreshing drinks. You’ll be able to see this throughout their advertising and marketing communications, which emphasize happiness, making a constructive distinction, sustainability, and constructing sturdy relationships.
Let’s have a look at one other fashionable drink model that has taken the world by storm. With over 38,000 Starbucks shops globally, you’ll be able to argue that this firm, identified for its specialty espresso and tea drinks is a worldwide phenomenon penetrating each tradition.
Starbucks’ mission assertion has advanced all through its 20-year historical past, and the newest reads:
Why it really works:
Whereas technically a mission assertion, the sentence additionally encapsulates Starbucks’ model positioning. The corporate is evident on what it gives prospects—a cup of espresso or tea and a nice dialog. The aim can be clear: to create a human connection. We are able to see this in how Starbucks baristas (referred to as companions) deal with their prospects and within the firm’s dedication to top-notch product high quality.
Tesla is thought for its dedication to sustainability and is credited for introducing premium electrical autos available in the market. They aim center to upper-class shoppers who’re environmentally conscious and searching for a solution to cut back their environmental impression.
Why it really works:
The assertion is evident on Tesla’s model promise—construct a sustainable planet. They point out how they’ll fulfill this promise through the use of solar-powered batteries utilized in electrical autos and different vitality technology and storage merchandise. Whereas the goal market isn’t explicitly talked about, it’s clear that the model targets shoppers who’re serious about sustainable practices for a greater world.
The Walt Disney Firm is a multinational conglomerate that operates a variety of companies from theme parks to film manufacturing. It has a single aim: to make individuals blissful.
Why it really works:
Disney continues to seize markets of all ages worldwide as a result of they meet a common want: being blissful. That is on the core of all the pieces that they do, and by being absolutely dedicated to delivering this model promise, they discover all avenues, together with the newest technological improvements.
Airbnb revolutionized the hospitality business when it launched its reserving platform, which empowers people to grow to be hosts and lease their properties to vacationers. Since its inception, the corporate has remained revolutionary with its modern options like Experiences, Metropolis Portal, Emergency Stays, and AirCover.
Why it really works:
Airbnb stays true to its product—a reserving web site with expanded options to meet the promise of giving vacationers distinctive experiences worldwide. Their differentiator can be clear: They provide the most important collection of numerous, top-rated, and personalised locations to remain. You’ll be able to expertise this if you go to their web site and see how one can ebook all the pieces from a fortress in Germany to a treehouse in Bali, Indonesia.
You’ll be able to’t point out on-line purchasing at present with out interested by Amazon. The corporate has established itself as the first vacation spot for all the pieces you want, together with quirky gadgets you didn’t know you wanted.
Why it really works:
Amazon units itself aside by promising buyers a variety of merchandise delivered rapidly. By having tons of of product classes and introducing Amazon Prime (with 2-day delivery), the model fulfills its promise. Amazon can be clear on what differentiates it from the competitors—a ardour for innovation and dedication to operations excellence. You’ll be able to see this with Alexa and Echo, two gadgets that give buyers a extra personalised expertise.
McDonald’s is one other revolutionary model that has stood the take a look at of time. It modified the meals business when it was established within the Forties resulting from its quick and reasonably priced means of serving high quality meals.
Why it really works:
The positioning assertion emphasizes McDonald’s key differentiators of providing a fast, pleasant, and constant service. No matter which McDonald’s outlet you go to, you’ll discover just about the identical menu and retailer aesthetics.
In a world that has come to embrace distant and hybrid work, Slack has grow to be an important software for enterprise communication. It’s an environment friendly answer to resolve the shortcomings of ineffective e mail communications.
Why it really works:
Slack’s positioning assertion emphasizes its function as a productiveness platform meant to assist customers successfully join with one another. It describes the way it achieves this promise utilizing no-code automation, fast search and information sharing, and fixed crew connection. Its web site provides an extended model that includes Slack’s mission to “make individuals’s working lives less complicated.”
Spotify modified the music business when it launched its music streaming app in 2008. The innovation gave tens of millions of individuals entry to a freemium service the place they will take heed to numerous music and the place artists can publish their music.
Why it really works:
Spotify’s model assertion discloses its mission of unlocking human creativity after which proceeds to explain the way it will obtain it. It additionally mentions the 2 goal audiences (artists and followers) and what they will get from the platform (publish and take heed to music).
Everybody acknowledges Volvo for creating protected vehicles. The model produced a few of the most iconic automobile fashions since 1927 and is credited for introducing the three-point security belt, an invention that saves tens of millions of lives.
Why it really works:
Volvo is happy with its security heritage, and this reveals in its positioning assertion the place they promise to be a model for individuals who care about others and the planet. This additionally displays of their transfer to create absolutely electrical and hybrid vehicles, with a dedication to rethink sustainability of their operations.
Streaming films and TV reveals have been just about unprecedented earlier than Netflix made it fashionable within the late 2000s. Netflix has advanced from a model renting DVDs to a manufacturing home creating unique films and reveals. It leads the pack in streaming providers, streaming in over 30 languages to 190 nations.
Why it really works:
Netflix’s model promise is evident—it needs to entertain the world. The positioning assertion declares how they’ll accomplish this by giving customers entry to the most effective TV collection, documentaries, movies, and video games. From DVDs to on-demand streaming, Netflix fulfills this promise. And whereas there are a lot of on-demand streaming providers at present, Netflix differentiates itself from opponents by giving members management of what they watch with a easy subscription.
Similar to Spotify and Netflix, Uber modified a whole business when it first launched. Born on a snowy night when the founders couldn’t get a taxi, Uber began as a journey hailing app that has since grown to delivering meals, connecting freight shippers, and offering non-emergency medical transportation.
Why it really works:
Uber is evident that they’re a tech firm whose mission is to attach the bodily and digital worlds to handle motion challenges. They accomplish this with an app that makes transportation choices accessible for everybody. This readability and focus assist them determine wants within the transportation sector and supply digital options like Uber Eats and Uber Well being to handle them.
The Dove model is among the most traditional advertising and marketing examples of how positioning can alter the market’s notion of a product. Initially, Dove’s positioning was created to distinguish itself from the competitors. As a bar of cleaning soap, it wanted a solution to stand out, so it focused girls and positioned itself as a moisturizing cleaning soap. A long time later, Dove nonetheless targets girls (and women) however now focuses on a distinct positioning—the idea of actual magnificence.
Why it really works:
Dove gives not solely bar soaps however an entire vary of important magnificence and cleaning merchandise. It additionally realizes that the wants of its main goal market (girls) have modified. From having a product-centric positioning, it moved to a customer-centric positioning, as mirrored in its positioning assertion.
This new positioning continues to achieve success with Dove’s Actual Magnificence advertising and marketing marketing campaign, which has garnered shopper consciousness and loyalty for over a decade. They’ve additionally created the Vanity Venture to assist teenage women deal with the true idea of magnificence.
Our final instance on this checklist is a small-to-medium enterprise with a strong model that is aware of its positioning available in the market. Thrive Market is an e-commerce platform that brings collectively totally different natural manufacturers and makes use of sustainable practices to ship orders to prospects. Their model positioning assertion is brief, clear, and full.
Why it really works:
Thrive Market is aware of what it gives (membership-based purchasing) and what makes it totally different (highest-quality, wholesome, and sustainable merchandise). The assertion highlights the model’s values of affordability, life-style, and accessibility.
Ultimate Ideas
Writing a model positioning assertion is only one piece of the puzzle for constructing a powerful model. When you’ve nailed down your assertion, you also needs to put money into creating compelling visible branding that captures the essence of your model. Inventive advertising and marketing businesses will enable you rework your statements into impactful visible guides.
Keep in mind that occasions change, and a positioning assertion isn’t set in stone. Revisit it from time to time and consider if it nonetheless displays your small business’ provide and worth, in addition to your prospects’ wants and needs. By consistently refining your assertion, you’ll have a tried-and-tested information to creating fascinating shopper experiences.
Incessantly Requested Questions
What is an efficient model positioning assertion?
A very good model positioning assertion successfully communicates the services or products’s distinctive worth proposition, audience, and differentiation. It’s a transparent and concise assertion that’s memorable and captures the essence of the enterprise.
What are the 5 positioning statements?
There are 5 forms of positioning statements which can be generally utilized by companies:
- Profit-based Positioning: That is the commonest sort because it focuses on the first profit or worth proposition to the primary audience. Slack’s positioning assertion clearly outlines the advantages of utilizing its product.
- Value-driven Positioning: Value is a main motivator for many consumers. In case your model’s major differentiator is value (both affordability or being a luxurious merchandise), then clearly embrace that in your positioning assertion. One instance of this sort is Netflix’s positioning assertion, which emphasizes that customers can take pleasure in the advantages with a easy subscription.
- Drawback-based Positioning: Addresses a particular ache level or buyer problem and describes how the model supplies an answer. In its model positioning assertion, Amazon identifies the wants of its goal prospects and describes the way it solves this problem.
- Competitor-based Positioning: Highlights how the model differs from competitors by outlining its core differentiators. Airbnb’s positioning assertion clearly describes what makes it totally different from different reserving websites.
- Utilization-based Positioning: Describes how the model’s product or providers will likely be consumed by the audience. For instance, Spotify’s model assertion describes how artists and followers will profit from the platform.
What is an efficient instance of positioning?
Dove’s advertising and marketing journey is a superb instance of positioning because the model was in a position to stand out from different bar soaps whose main perform was cleaning. It was in a position to carve a spot for its product available in the market, which has since been dubbed the Dove impact. By figuring out the actual wants of its goal market (girls of all ages), Dove was in a position to transfer from a product-centric to a customer-centric positioning that continues to stay related and purposeful.
What’s the format for a positioning assertion?
Ideally, a positioning assertion ought to have the next parts:
- Audience
- Distinctive promoting proposition (USP)
- Model function
- Model promise
- Differentiating issue
In regards to the Writer
Author
Geri Mileva, an skilled IP community engineer and distinguished author at Influencer Advertising Hub, specializes within the realms of the Creator Economic system, AI, blockchain, and the Metaverse. Her articles, featured in The Huffington Submit, Ravishly, and varied different revered newspapers and magazines, provide in-depth evaluation and insights into these cutting-edge know-how domains. Geri’s technological background enriches her writing, offering a singular perspective that bridges advanced technical ideas with accessible, participating content material for numerous audiences.
