Brand positioning is an essential element of a winning branding strategy. Positioning simply refers to how your product or service is viewed in the minds of prospects and customers relative to other products or services available in your niche.

The term positioning has two connotations: a vertical and a horizontal one. In terms of the vertical connotation, the term refers to the order in which your product ranks relative to the products of your competitors in the minds of your customers in your industry niche. (For example, which product comes to mind first when I say the word cola?)

In terms of the horizontal connotation, the term refers to the qualities and attributes your product represents in the mind of your customers, again relative to your competitors.

While you cannot directly control the ranking that your product or service enjoys in the minds of your customers, you can influence how you position the product in terms of qualities and attributes. That is, by properly positioning your product relative to your competitors in the minds of your competitors, you will have much more control over how your brand is perceived in the marketplace. You will then effectively have a guide or map for how to execute your branding strategy.

Brief Exercise:

Identify the key differentiators of your product. Ask yourself: why would customers buy from me? What makes my product different? Be sure to list at least 4-5 traits that set your product apart and make it unique.

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