What’s Positioning Anyway

Empathetic Positioning

Crowded brain.

That’s what we’re dealing with.

Everywhere we go there are ads, brands shouting, noise between our ears.

That’s why positioning must exist. What positioning is is shaping an idea so that it can be placed next to something familiar that people already understand and agree with.

It’s not your job to persuade someone that your brand is something in particular. Your job is to get someone to think of you when they think of something in particular.

It’s an association, not a domination.

By pointing out something they already know and believe, you can begin to build a story that fits in an available slot, nudged up by something they’re already comfortable with in their worldview.

For amateur marketers, you fill a spot with talk about a product or service as faster, better, fresher, safer, stronger. But that’s not what people really want. They want something deeper, a feeling.

The answer, of course, is complicated, but when you lean into empathy, the realities of what you’re marketing and what your target is looking for become clearer.

It’s worth remember that you are not your target. Your target is someone else who sees the world differently.

Here’s a quick test to learn more about positioning: If you organized a blind test of what you offer with what others like you offer, why would someone still choose you?

As good as it feels to hear, it’s not because you’re better. It’s deeper than that.

 

Stay Positive & What Does “Better” Really Mean?

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Garth Beyer
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