Positioning Statement Basics

A pos it io n in g s tat em en t is th e ph ra se t hat f o ll ows y our bra n d nam e. It ex pla in s yo ur u n i qu e se lli n g pr opo sit io n an d is s uc h a na tu ra l o ut g row th o f t he b r an d pos iti o ni n g th at t he two a re in ext r i ca b l y li n ke d. A we l l-c ra ft e d pos it ion i n g stat em e nt de fi nes yo ur com pan y 's dir e ct io n. I t a nsw ers som e o r a ll o f t hes e esse nt ia l ques t ions : W ho yo u a re W hat bus i ness yo u are in W hat peo p le yo u s er ve W hat is nee d ed by the ma rket yo u se rve A g a i nst w ho m yo u com p e t e W hat is d i ff e re nt a bou t y ou r b usi n ess W hat u n i que be ne f it is d e ri ve d fro m yo u r p ro d uc t o r ser v i ces W hat e mot io ns yo u wan t to e vo ke i n you r c ust om ers A pos it io n in g s tat em en t is use d in co nj un ct io n w it h a bu si ness logo to prov ide t he t ar ge t ma rk et wi th e as i ly me mo ra b le a nd co m pr eh ens ib l e i n fo rmat io n. Id ea lly , a b us i nes s pos it io n in g s t a te me nt w i l l s p r in g t o m in d w he ne ve r a pe rso n i n t he tar g et m a rk et t hin ks o f t he b us i ness. F o r e x a mp le , yo u w il l p r o b a b l y be fa mi l ia r w i t h t he fol l o w in g pos i t io ni n g s t a t e m e n t s Q an tas : T he Spi r it o f A us tr al ia V i rgi n Bl ue : K ee p in g th e A i r Fa i r K M a rt : C ut t i n g t h e Cos t o f L i v in g To yot a: O h Wha t a Fee l in g ! BMW : Sheer Driving Ple asure V a n il la Co ke : R e w a r d Y o u r Cu r io s it y A us t r a l ia n F o o t ba l l Lea g ue : I d Li k e t o S e e T ha t I n res ea rc h st u di es, t he re ca ll o f p os it io ni n g sta te me nts, a nd ev en mo re im po rta nt l y t he a b il i ty t o ma tc h th o s e s t a te me nts to t he co rr e ct bra n ds, is no tor io u s l y low. T h is is o n e r easo n w hy so me peop l e d e bat e t he i mpo r ta nc e of pos it io ni n g sta te me nts. T he k ey to e n han c in g p o s it io ni n g s ta te me nt r ec al l is qu i t e s im p le: t o us e i t , us e i t , us e i t o n e ve r yth i n g a nd n e ve r c ha ng e it. T he re a re s e ve ra l for mu la e f o r cre a t in g a s uc c es s f u l pos it io ni n g s ta te me nt, a s il l us t rat ed i n the ta ble o ve r t he p a ge. M a ny o f th e exa m p l es a r e in te r na t io na l s o ma y n o t be f a mi l ia r.

Fo rmula e fo r Crea t ing a Pos it io n ing St at ement

1. Ask a question Does she or doesn't she? Clairol 2. Use a two-fold delivery with a twist Common sense. Uncommon results David Ingram and Associates 3. Show your unique commitment We try harder Avis 4. Address a specific need For women whose eyes are older than they are Robert Powers (skin cream) 5. Explain product superiority Takes a licking and keeps on ticking Timex 6. Be abstract but client-centred After all, it is your information Authentex Software 7. Evoke a benefit in a fresh way Let your fingers do the walking Yellow Pages 8. Describe your product in a novel way Liquid jewelry Lorr Laboratories (nail polish) 9. Use an emotive call to action Reach out and touch someone AT&T 10. Link company name to product benefit Never forgets Elephant Memory Systems 11. Use an evocative call to action Put a tiger in your tank Esso 20. Brag about yourself We take the world's greatest pictures Nikon 21. Link a product feature with an abstract need A diamond is forever DeBeers 22. Tie your slogan to your logo Get a piece of the Rock Prudential Insurance Co. 16. Turn a business maxim on its ear Think small Volkswagen 17. Use a cheeky call to action Let us tan your hide Crisby Frisian Fur Co. 18. Link a well-known phrase with your product benefit Understanding comes with Time Time magazine 19. Revisit a familiar call to action Reach out and bust someone Crime Stoppers 30. Distil your business into one phrase The Document Company Xerox Corp. 31. Be whimsical It's the real thing Coca-Cola 32. Brag about your product and your client You and Betty Crocker can bake someone happy Betty Crocker 33. Say it staccato Soothes. Cleanses. Refreshes. Murine Co. (eyedrops) 34. Dare to be different Dare to diff LOEB Cola 12. Suggest the cost of not using your product Because so much is riding on your tires Michelin 13. Use an imperative call to action Just do it Nike 14. Be grotesque to make a point Wears like a pig's nose W. M. Finck & Co. (men's overalls) 15. Use a one-word call to action Think IBM 24. Take a breath and say it all Finest anti-knock non-premium gasoline ever offered at no extra cost Union Oil Co. 25. Combine a feature and a benefit in the same phrase Make yourself at home IKEA 26. Describe your service and its #1 benefit in two words Advertising pays Industry maxim 27. Declare a superlative feature The world's #1 selling financial software Quicken 28. Personify your product Laughs at time Du Pont (paint) 29. Make a compelling promise The world on time Federal Express 23. Link a feature with your address We corner the market Irving Rivers Ltd.

Aurora Marketing

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18/03/2005

Info Sheet Positioning Statement Basics 20050318 v1c