Jack Trout Positioning
Amit Bolds
What is the place that your brand occupies in the mind of its target audience? This is how Al Ries and Jack Trout identified the concept of positioning in their book "Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind," which was published in 1981. They didn't invent this term but they did make it their trademark.
The origins of the positioning concept are a bit murky. Some experts say that ideas like market segmentation and positioning were important in brand advertising as early as the 1920s. But these concepts didn't appear in marketing textbooks and journal articles until the 1950s and 60s. Around this time, advertising legend David Ogilvy was using the positioning concept in several of his campaigns.
In his book "Ogilvy on Advertising," Ogilvy talked about the Dove campaign he launched in 1957 and explained, "I could have positioned Dove as a detergent bar for men with dirty hands, but chose instead to position it as a toilet bar for women with dry skin. This is still working 25 years later."
Trout said that positioning is not about what your product does, but how it's perceived by your audience. He believed that to succeed in positioning, you need to differentiate yourself from competitors with a clear and concise message that communicates your unique value to your target market.
Volvo has been known for its safety features for ages. And today, the brand is also focusing on being reliable and sustainable. They're even planning to go fully electric by 2030! Safety, reliability, and sustainability are what set Volvo apart from other cars in its category.
There is one thing I want you to take away from this blog post: Differentiation is the key tool that marketers use to influence how their target market perceives their product or brand. Whether it's through the design of the product or the way you promote it, you can influence what pops into your audience's head when they hear your name or see your logo.
I work with Highlight QA, a video game testing company that wanted to stand out from its competitors. Rather than relying on the tired old differentiator of "high-quality games," they chose a positioning strategy that emphasized their purpose and values. They wanted to be known as a people-first company, one that prioritized empathy, a positive atmosphere, and diversity. By emphasizing their purpose and not just the outcome of their services, they aimed to set themselves apart from competitors.
To bring this to life, they designed a website with vibrant colors and a great UX. They also created a style guide for all their marketing materials that reflected their values and highlighted the people-first approach. By differentiating themselves in this way, they created a unique and memorable brand identity that resonates with their target audience.
Another type of positioning strategy is niche service specialization, where a company focuses on offering a specialized service to differentiate from competitors and attract customers who are looking for specific expertise.
For example, some digital marketing agencies are full-service. They provide marketing services for all channels and platforms, including email marketing, content marketing, PPC advertising, video marketing, and more. These full-service agencies are like a one-stop shop for all your digital marketing needs, and they can help you create a comprehensive strategy that covers every aspect of your online presence.
On the other hand, some agencies prefer to specialize in just one or two areas, like social media marketing or SEO. While they may not offer the same breadth of services as full-service agencies, they can provide a deeper level of expertise in their chosen field and may be better suited to certain types of projects or clients.
Instead of being jack-of-all-trades, professional services firms can hone in on a specific industry and become masters of their craft. For example, a law firm with expertise in environmental law can offer legal advice and representation to clients in the environmental industry. A software development company that has built healthcare applications can offer specialized services to healthcare providers, like developing electronic health record (EHR) systems or medical practice management software.
By focusing on a specific industry, a company can build a reputation as an industry expert and develop a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by its clients. This allows them to provide a level of expertise and service that generalist firms may not be able to match.
By targeting specific roles within a company, you can create a strong bond with your clients and make them feel like you really "get" them and can provide targeted solutions that make their job easier.
Stripe, a worldwide payments company, achieved early success by catering directly to the developer community. Its focus on making developers' lives easier played a significant role in acquiring customers.
Companies can position their products or services based on the benefits they provide to other businesses, such as increased efficiency, cost savings, or improved productivity. For example, a software company could position its product as being able to streamline business processes and save time and money for its clients.
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