What is positioning? It's a business or marketing term that is regularly bandied about without a clear understanding of what "positioning" means.
Many people hear the word "positioning" and equate it with the activity of coming up with a snappy tag-line. Then again, folks might confuse "positioning" with the process of messaging or even branding.
But positioning is actually a business process that concludes with a gameplan to achieve market - customer demand for a company, its products and/or services. The positioning process drives a company to deeply probe/analyze its business strategy, market approach, technologies, products, customers and influencers and use that information/insight to determine the right strategies - programs to achieve differentiation, propel customer acquisition-retention and build overall market momentum.
It's not something that occurs in a vacuum outside of day-to-day management - all relevant management must be committed to, and participate in, the positioning process. In addition to this focused management attention, effective positioning also requires a healthy degree of objectivity drive the process through the natural politics of business life.
In a macro sense there are four stages to the positioning process:
(1) Analyze internal business dynamics, mindsets, opinions, strategies & plans;
(2) Interview-test the market environments to determine trends and assess perceptions;
(3)
Based on thoughtful review of stages 1-2, confirm or shift internal
business assumptions, adapting positioning strategies and
business-marketing plans accordingly; and
(4) Guide & execute positioning, brand and marketing programs (corporate, product & channel)
As one of my business mentors Regis McKenna said quite distinctly, repeatedly and for me, memorably, "positioning is a process, not an event." Positioning is indeed the process that helps companies and management understand the underpinnings of what will drive sales, create leads and build revenue. But, you have to start from a strategic perspective in order achieve strategic, long-term results.
Shivonne Byrne, Innuity CMO
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