The process of defining your brand position and messaging is complicated and time-consuming. Essentially you’re establishing your authority and building your customer’s trust in you and your offerings. Many entrepreneurs want to skip  defining their brand altogether, but it is critical for effective marketing and the success of your business. 

First, what exactly is brand positioning? It’s the process of setting your brand apart from others in the mind of your client. Your brand’s positioning is how your customer identifies your services and products. It also refers to a brand strategy or positioning strategy. Here are some steps you can take to define your brand positioning.

1. Determine the Current Position of Your Brand and What Makes it Unique

Is your product marketed distinctively? Does it blend in with every other product in its category? Define who your target customer is. Then you need to identify and document your values and mission. What makes your product or service different from everything else on the market? These are all core elements for the foundation of your business’s positioning statement.

You then need to look at what makes your brand unique and what strategy for brand positioning is best for your business. Once you do that, competitor research is the next step. From this research you will begin to see patterns and understand that many companies have similar weaknesses and strengths. You may discover that one of their deficiencies is your strength.

2. Understand Your Competition and Competitor Research

In this step, you need to perform a competitor analysis to identify your competitors. You’ll do this by researching the market that you are in. Using a market keyword see what businesses are listed. Social media platforms like Quora provide excellent information on competitors in your industry.

Next, conduct in-depth analysis and research your competitor. See what offerings they have. Look at the marketing strategies that they use as well as their weaknesses and strengths. What is their position in the market?

3. Create Your Brand Positioning Statement

Four key elements influence your brand positioning statement. They are the market definition, target customer, brand promise, and the evidence that your specific brand delivers what it promises.

The early processes of researching your competitor and understanding your current market position will provide you with the information for these elements. The Cult Branding Company provides a template for your position statement. It’s as follows:

For [target customers], [company name] is the [market definition] that delivers [brand promise] because only [company name] is [reason to believe].

After you create the positioning statement, you can develop your own tagline. HubSpot illustrates some of the following examples on their website:

• M&M: “Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands.”
• De Beers: “A Diamond is Forever.”
• L’Oréal Paris: “Because You’re Worth It.”
• California Milk Processor Board: “Got Milk?”

4. You May Need to Reposition Your Position

Really, your brand positioning depends on your customer’s perception of your brand. It’s not something that a marketer has the power to decide. Your intention is equally important and supports your positioning statement.

Once you understand how positioning works a positioning statement or tagline can clarify the essence of your brand. Look closely at that essence and compare it to what your target customer wants. That’s when the possibilities of building a strong position become real.

5. Position Your Brand in the Client’s Mind

Make every employee who is in contact with customers a representative of your brand’s position. Every member of your company should impart that brand position expression on the customers and clients. Document every brand touch point for each customer interaction. Everything your company does turn into the expression of your desired brand positioning.

Your company really has the chance to do something special with their brand positioning. It takes hard work, a lot of research, and the conviction to bring the customer the best product ever. Fortunately, there is help if you need it in the form of agencies that specialize in web design and SEO.

For instance, if you sell materials or equipment, manufacturing / industrial SEO & web design | Hook Agency can assist you with marketing research and SEO to help your product reach your target audience.