Let’s Talk About Positioning
Plus How to Tell If You’ve Found a Winning Strategy
We don’t talk enough about positioning.
It’s not as sexy as branding. Not as attention grabbing as the latest growth hack. And the positioning statement definitely hasn’t done it any favors.
But it’s a noisy, cluttered world out there. No matter the size, shape or category of your business, you’re in a heated battle to try and break through.
And good positioning remains your best chance at victory.
So this post is my attempt to talk about it and offer some features of effective positioning strategy along with examples of what it looks like in action.
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But first, what is positioning?
Search the web and you’ll find plenty of definitions of positioning — most of them riffs on the same theme. I like April Dunford’s as a succinct starting point from her book “Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning, So Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It”:
“Positioning is the act of deliberately defining how you are the best at something that a defined market cares a lot about.” — April Dunford
Positioning is based on the theory that as humans, we understand all things in relationship to other things. As we’re faced with anything new or unfamiliar, our brains look for ways to make sense of what’s in front of us by comparing it to things we already understand.
“Every object and person we encounter is unique, but we wouldn’t function very well if we perceived them that way.” ―Leonard Mlodinow
In order to be successful at positioning, we must understand the context from which our audience is viewing us from. So we can take what’s already familiar, and leverage it to introduce something new.
And in the best case, we can use what we sense are existing beliefs about one option (PC’s are for old, awkward, accountant types who are stuck in the status quo) as a tool to explain and reinforce what makes our option, the better choice (while Macs are for young, confident, creative types who ‘Think Different’).
In more practical terms, think of positioning as the DNA of your business. It’s a simple but impactful summary of what you do, where you fit, who you’re for and why it matters. All guided by what will give your product the best possible chance to break through.
What does good positioning look like?
More than anything, it just makes sense. It doesn’t require your audience to do any heavy lifting to know where to place you and decide if you’re for them.
Beyond making sense, there are some more specific markers of effective positioning, based on what we know about how humans make sense of themselves, and the world around them.
1). It’s distinct.
It takes a familiar context and injects the uncommon. So that within a grouping of choices, your benefits are decidedly unique. Like how Purple is the only mattress that resembles a giant, squishy, purple ice cube tray.
Distinction serves multiple goals — it not only captures our attention through pattern interruption, it reinforces memory, making it more likely that a product is remembered and considered.
Example: Oura entered a category dominated by household names like Apple and FitBit. So instead of introducing another fitness watch, they found a distinct position as the first and only fitness ring. They also claim better accuracy and more useful insights, but it's the obvious anomaly of the ring that's helping them to break through.
2). It’s simple.
It introduces something new, in an uncomplicated way. That requires resisting the urge to cram every best feature into your position. It doesn’t mean you can’t tout those other features, it just means that you’ve committed to focusing on the single, most important one.
Example: RxBar broke into the already crowded protein bar market by centering the simplicity of their ingredients through an even simpler “No B.S.” positioning. They carry that simplicity into their packaging, where you can’t miss the list of ingredients that make up the bar inside. RxBars also have Crossfit in their DNA. And they’re gluten-free and Whole30-friendly. And they also happen to taste a lot more decadent than most protein bars. But in staying committed to their core, ‘No B.S. ‘ position, they’ve managed to secure a space in a category saturated with artificial options.
3). It’s relevant.
It addresses a gap created by shifts in cultural, social or generational norms. By speaking to evolving tastes and values, it associates the brand with what’s happening now, and into the future. This builds urgency into your product and a kind of natural momentum that money just can’t buy.
Example: Moment describes itself as the ‘marketplace for creatives’ selling everything from high-end cameras to photography lessons. They’ve carved out a distinct position against better known e-tailers like BH Photo, Adorama and even Amazon by relentlessly focusing on the needs of the growing ‘creator economy’. Everything about Moment, from their website and product selection to their course topics and instructors, acts like a younger, cooler rebuttal to their stodgier competitors. Moment doesn't ship the fastest, offer the widest selection or compete on the lowest prices. And because of a positioning strategy built on shared values, they don't have to.
4). It’s multi-faceted.
It doesn’t simply begin and end with an assertion or a tagline. It has the ability to be translated and reinforced across your business, products and brand.
Example: Impossible Foods were not the originators of the meatless hamburger. But they were the first to position their meatless burgers as viable alternatives to real beef. Impossible's distinct “meat made from plants, for people who love meat” position, permeates every part of their strategy — from the way the product has been developed to resemble real meat to the refrigerated meat section from where it's sold. They don't want you to think of their burgers in the context of Boca or Morningstar or the countless other veggie burger brands. They want to be the only meatless meat for people who love meat. And they're using every opportunity they have to prove that out.
5). It’s philosophical.
It makes a statement about the world and how things ‘should be’ and centers your product as the means to a better way. That doesn’t mean taking an overtly political stand. But it does mean being willing to have a POV that suggests you’re not for “everyone”.
Example: Substack emerged as a leading challenger to mainstream publishing platforms, in part by positioning their product around real journalists struggling to get respect in a fake news world. By choosing Substack, there’s an implicit rejection of sites like Medium that don’t distinguish ‘real’ writers from the amateurs willing to write for free. Substack believes in the intrinsic value of journalistic content, which makes them the only choice for journalists who believe the same.
What else do you think makes for brilliant positioning? I’d love to hear your thoughts along with any examples you can point to from businesses who aren’t household names.
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