cat[&]tonic

Brand positioning first. Marketing tactics second.

By Published On: July 29, 2024Categories: Branding, General
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Unless you work for Trader Joes or Tesla—both known for their ability to thrive with minimal marketing efforts—you’ll probably need to dip your toe into the shark-infested waters of marketing eventually.

Just kidding. It’s not that bad. But it’s not a leisurely swim either.

Most marketing today happens on that big, messy, wonderful place called the internet. It takes effort, patience, and finesse. And the rewards are well worth it.

This blog is not for you if you work for Trader Joes or Tesla. It is for you if you’re standing on the shore contemplating your first marketing move.

Don’t make this mistake

We’ve seen this before: Many companies new to marketing (or coming back after a long hiatus) haven’t thought much about their brand positioning. Sure, they have websites and some marketing materials (mostly for tradeshows), but much of the messaging is too self-centered. It leads with product and service offerings, company history, and other “about us” details that aren’t initially compelling.

Consequently, when a prospect visits their website, gets an email, or sees an ad, they see messaging that gives them no real reason to stick around. It’s a shame and it doesn’t need to happen.

The good news: this mistake is easily remedied with the creation of a rock-solid branding positioning.

What is brand positioning?

Brand positioning is the unique (sometimes tangible, sometimes intangible) value that a brand offers to its customer. It’s the foundation on which all communications are built. It’s the very essence of who a company is and what they stand for.

In the article The Right Way to Build Your Brand from Harvard Business Review, they write “… a well-designed customer promise not only leads directly to sales but also provides an effective framework on which to organize a company’s activities.”

Why brand positioning matters

  1. First impressions count. You should be leading with the benefits your product or service delivers to people. There’s a place for product features and company history in your messaging, but that comes later. How you help your customers comes first.
  2. Differentiation matters. If you’re not saying anything different than your competitors, why would people buy from you instead of them? By highlighting the unique benefits that address the specific pain points of your audience, you’ll be well ahead of your competition.
  3. Emotional connections rule. People buy based on emotions and justify with logic. If your brand positioning speaks to people’s desires, needs, or challenges, you’re much more likely to resonate with them.

How to do Brand Positioning Right

Get the Lay of the Land

No matter how long you’ve been in business, it’s smart to reassess your brand on a regular basis. Things within your organization can change gradually without you noticing. Things outside your walls will change at breakneck speed. What’s in today will be out tomorrow, and vice versa. Whatever is going on, your brand needs to keep up and stay relevant. To find out where you stand now, take a brand assessment. We use this handy worksheet before diving into brand positioning work for our clients. It will help you get started too.

Know Your Audience

Understand who your target customers are, what they care about, and what challenges they face. There are lots of ways to get this information. Conduct a survey of your current customers (Survey Monkey works great and they have a free subscription level); look for reputable survey data online (we use GWI); ask questions or take polls on social media (both LinkedIn and Facebook make it easy to create short polls); hire an outside firm to do the heavy lifting. Here are some sample questions to get you started.

Lead With Those Benefits

We said this already, but it’s worth repeating: Build your positioning around the benefits your products and services provide and the problems they solve. Talk about how they’ll make your customers’ lives better. If you’re not sure where to start, use this brand positioning template to discover and define your voice. Here’s an easy hack for making sure you’re keeping benefits front and center: Count the number of times you say “you” and “we” in your positioning copy. The former should outnumber the latter by at least 2-1.

Use Clear and Compelling Language

In general, it’s best to avoid jargon and complex language, even if it’s specific to your industry. Imposter syndrome in business is real, and you don’t want to alienate anyone. We’re saying you should dumb it down—just speak in a way that’s relatable and not overly complicated. Use metaphors and analogies to make points, and people will flock to you like they flock to a Swiftie show.

Prove it

Use testimonials, case studies, and social proof to demonstrate how your product or service has benefited others. Real-life testimonials and examples are incredibly powerful. Here’s a quick story about how we helped a B2B client find their voice and create authentic brand positioning. (See what we did there?)

Keep it Consistent

The creative side of marketing is a ton of fun. Like us, you probably got into this business because you love brainstorming campaign ideas and offers, making ads and videos, and developing unique and interesting content for target audiences. No matter how creative you get, your brand positioning should remain consistent on every channel you’re utilizing. Your website, social media, banner ads, emails, and every other tactic should all convey the same core message.

Pro tip: having that core message defined and documented in your brand guidelines document will make your life infinitely easier as you’ll have those benefits to refer to when you’re developing anything new.

Be Authentic

The internet makes the old-timey snake oil salesman look like your harmless Uncle Bob. Today, shady marketers, spammers, and phishers have made it hard for legit businesses (like yours) that solve real problems, find audiences. Marketing is broken in many ways, but companies that speak genuinely in their communications and avoid making claims they can’t back up will win the long game. People appreciate honesty and transparency. So just do that.

Tell your Story

With your benefits as the star of the show, you’ll reel in new customers. With your story in a leading support role, you’ll keep them interested. The human brain is wired to connect with others through stories. When you tell your brand story, you’ll form an emotional bond with your audience. Share your journey, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the impact you’ve made on your customers. Stories humanize your brand and make your messaging more relatable.

Conclusion

Whether you’re an experienced marketer or planning your first campaign, re-evaluating your brand can give you a new perspective. So, take a step back and assess whether your brand is positioned for success. Remember, your prospects don’t care about how great you think your company is—they care about how your company can make their lives better. Lead with that, and the rest will follow.

For a deeper dive into the wide world of branding, check out these blogs and case studies.

5 Ways to Rethink Marketing
Around the Agency – August 2024 Edition

About the Author: Danette Knickmeier

Danette Knickmeier
The number of hats Danette wears at the agency rivals the number of toppings you can put on a pizza. Now seven years into her second residency at cat&tonic, she enjoys putting her many talents to use, including (but not limited to) account services, project management, strategic planning, copy and content writing, general operations, and snack ordering. Her wicked planning skills and natural ability to keep projects on task—without annoying all parties involved—make her our go-to, get-it-done person. Danette’s first stint at [c&t] lasted six years before she got the itch to try on a few larger agencies for size. She grew professionally and made several life-long friends in those days, but she missed the small agency vibe and was eagerly welcomed back by her life-long [c&t] friends.

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