Position your brand as category leader
Position your brand as category leader
Don’t go a step further until you undergo this little visual exercise: Try to place yourself in 1945 in the cold waters off Normandie, France. The Germans have ceased the beach head and been there for months, planning to defend their position against attack. Oh, and they are well-entrenched and well-armed with bunkers strategically placed along the cliffs with high-caliber cannons and machine-gun turrets pointed toward the sea.
As we know from history, the invading forces were successful in defeating the Germans. However, the victory required a monumental effort and the allies paid a huge price in lost lives and equipment.
This visualization provides an analogy for the difficulty you will face if you position your brand in direct competition against an established brand or brands within an existing product category. In some cases, though, it is inevitable, depending upon the differentiation that is inherent in your product/service.
However, in most cases it is highly recommended for you to avoid this scenario if at all possible. Before you determine which best describes your current situation, read the following.
We suggest you approach brand positioning in this way:
1. Identify the key differentiator/s of your product/service. This can be done by listing the characteristics of your product in order of market value, known and/or perceived, then conducting a comparison to existing products. The differentiators are the valuable characteristics that do not overlap the competition.
2. Research your marketplace. Determine market pressures or common needs that the differentiators in your product address. For example, let’s say your product is unique software that provides optimal delivery scenarios and costs for deliveries that must occur within required timeframes to customers of an OEM product. Your differentiator could be stated as follows: Differentiator 1 – Our software will optimize delivery solutions based on various required delivery times and budgets.
3. Name your newly created market category. In the above scenario, you might have called the new category OEM Delivery Optimization Technology. You’ve just created shelf space in the grocery store! But, before sales and marketing can begin promoting and selling, a few steps need to be taken...
4. Develop your positioning statement/s. In order to provide sales training and create effective marketing communications, you will want to start with some messages that will communicate the differentiation of your product and promote the key benefits. To explain this process would require an entire article. You might want to employ a marketing firm to walk you through this process.
5. Publicize and Promote. This is where marketing communication will develop your web site, public relations initiatives, marketing materials, videos, sales training materials, trade show booth/s, using the positioning statement as the basis for all messaging.
6. Sales Training. Many marketing communication practitioners stop too early. Our firm operates under the premise that the sales force is one of marketing’s key providers of market intelligence, especially in the case of a new product/service launch. (see our article entitled "Right-handed sales, left-handed marketing" at resources.danskincreative.com)
If you stick to these steps, you will avoid the common pitfall of predetermined followership and have an opportunity to take the high ground – to stake the claim on your very own category – spending your time defending it against competitors, rather than trying to cease it from them. It’s a much better approach.
Position your brand as category leader - To learn more about this author, visit Mick Danskin's Website.
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So you have a new product or service and you are diligently researching to find out who is your competition and how are they marketing themselves. Stop!
Don’t go a step further until you undergo this little visual exercise: Try to place yourself in 1945 in the cold waters off Normandie, France. The Germans have ceased the beach head and been there for months, planning to defend their position against attack. Oh, and they are well-entrenched and well-armed with bunkers strategically placed along the cliffs with high-caliber cannons and machine-gun turrets pointed toward the sea.
As we know from history, the invading forces were successful in defeating the Germans. However, the victory required a monumental effort and the allies paid a huge price in lost lives and equipment.
This visualization provides an analogy for the difficulty you will face if you position your brand in direct competition against an established brand or brands within an existing product category. In some cases, though, it is inevitable, depending upon the differentiation that is inherent in your product/service.
However, in most cases it is highly recommended for you to avoid this scenario if at all possible. Before you determine which best describes your current situation, read the following.
We suggest you approach brand positioning in this way:
1. Identify the key differentiator/s of your product/service. This can be done by listing the characteristics of your product in order of market value, known and/or perceived, then conducting a comparison to existing products. The differentiators are the valuable characteristics that do not overlap the competition.
2. Research your marketplace. Determine market pressures or common needs that the differentiators in your product address. For example, let’s say your product is unique software that provides optimal delivery scenarios and costs for deliveries that must occur within required timeframes to customers of an OEM product. Your differentiator could be stated as follows: Differentiator 1 – Our software will optimize delivery solutions based on various required delivery times and budgets.
3. Name your newly created market category. In the above scenario, you might have called the new category OEM Delivery Optimization Technology. You’ve just created shelf space in the grocery store! But, before sales and marketing can begin promoting and selling, a few steps need to be taken...
4. Develop your positioning statement/s. In order to provide sales training and create effective marketing communications, you will want to start with some messages that will communicate the differentiation of your product and promote the key benefits. To explain this process would require an entire article. You might want to employ a marketing firm to walk you through this process.
5. Publicize and Promote. This is where marketing communication will develop your web site, public relations initiatives, marketing materials, videos, sales training materials, trade show booth/s, using the positioning statement as the basis for all messaging.
6. Sales Training. Many marketing communication practitioners stop too early. Our firm operates under the premise that the sales force is one of marketing’s key providers of market intelligence, especially in the case of a new product/service launch. (see our article entitled "Right-handed sales, left-handed marketing" at resources.danskincreative.com)
If you stick to these steps, you will avoid the common pitfall of predetermined followership and have an opportunity to take the high ground – to stake the claim on your very own category – spending your time defending it against competitors, rather than trying to cease it from them. It’s a much better approach.
Position your brand as category leader - To learn more about this author, visit Mick Danskin's Website.
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Michel NerayMichel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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 Mick Danskin (Visit Mick's Website) Mick Danskin jumped the fence from corporate marketing communication strategy and management to form his own marketing communication firm. With over 20 years of hands-on experience in the marketing trenches, Danskin paints a candid picture of current issues facing marketing officers. Mick has worked for and with $Billion industry leaders such as Bank of America, and Lithonia Lighting (now Accuity Brands)and growing small businesses, offering his passionate and creative approaches to promoting their brands, product and services, or overcoming significant communication challenges. His company, Danskin Creative Communication, Inc. operates out of the Atlanta, Georgia metro area to service clients throughout Georgia, in North Carolina, California, Oregon, Texas, and Mississippi. Danskin earned his B.A. Degree in Communications from California State University, Fullerton.
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