Marketing Positioning: Everything You Need to Know to Understand It
What is positioning in marketing?
Positioning is defined as the place that a brand, product, or service occupies in the mind of the consumer; its attributes, user perceptions, and its perceived value. It consists of developing a unique proposal that stands out from the competition and thus obtains greater attention from a specific segment of consumers.
Depending on the positioning of our product/brand or company, we can design market entry strategies or probably modify some programmed action. Product positioning is a decision that the company exercises, trying to achieve a defined brand image, in relation to competitors within a market segment. In this sense, the term product positioning applies to decisions regarding brands, but it is also used for commerce, companies, and product categories.
Positioning according to Kotler
Born May 27, 1931, in Chicago, United States; Philip Kotler is considered the master of Marketing.
After his career as a university professor, in 1967 he published the book Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, and Control, called “the bible of Marketing”. Among his achievements of him, it is worth mentioning that he has provided advice to large companies such as IBM, Motorola, and Bank of America.
One of the key points in his speech is that positioning is necessarily linked to the well-being of the consumer and society, so marketing should not only be part of the strategy of any company, but it should be the center of the same. He insists on the idea that the focus of companies should be more focused on customer satisfaction and the benefits of their product, than on distribution and financial value.
Kotler was the manager of the marketing concept for exclusive wholesale sales to existing. According to the American, you have to create new ways to stand out, without stagnating; and as he explains it, it is also necessary to worry about society, that sensitivity is not lost in daily tasks; and that a segment is achieved for customers; that is, that the product is as close as possible to the needs of consumers. He affirms that traditional Marketing is dead and that aligning marketing actions with strategic planning helps companies make decisions with the possibility of making as few mistakes as possible. What Is Positioning In Marketing?
It is of great importance that consumers feel part of the business because if this point is not taken into account, any marketing attempt simply dies.
In this virtual age, Phillip Kotler gives some tips that will surely help to capture ideas on how to position yourself:
- Online presence brand: The power exerted by digital marketing and social networks is indisputable, if a company does not join these, it is making the most serious mistake.
- Operates through the pipeline : (the funnel) of sales.
Every company must have commercial channels that Kotler describes as follows:
- Prospecting clients.
- Understand the needs of the target audience.
- Develop solutions.
- Create the proposal.
- Negotiate contracts.
- Seal.
Understanding the above, the responsibility of leading the first three stages corresponds to the Marketing department, and to the sales department the rest.
By developing this scheme, you avoid making a large number of errors when employing suitable personnel.
- Physical stores must be reformulated: they must not only be sold, it is necessary to allow the customer to live an experience that generates a differential positioning.
- Do not leave design aside: Understand that the environment plays a determining role when it comes to building customer loyalty.
- Allow 24-hour attention: In the wide world of Internet browsing, it is necessary to monitor the number of visits and comments on what is published, since this must become a priority in any company or person so that at any time it can make a change.
- Telling stories: A positioning that lasts is based on the feeling of the relationship between the brand and the consumer.
Positioning according to Armstrong
Gary Armstrong is a Distinguished Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has contributed numerous articles to major business magazines, as well as being a consultant and researcher. His work stands out in many companies carrying out market research, sales management, and marketing strategies.
According to Armstrong, positioning consists of establishing the best way to serve the target audience, discovering through research, the positioning of the competition in terms of the product, and then creating a detailed marketing plan.
The position of a product corresponds to the way in which consumers define it, based on its main attributes; that is, the place it occupies in their minds, in relation to the products of the competition.
For Gary Armstrong, positioning means inserting the unique benefits of the brand and its distinction, in the minds of customers. Today, consumers are getting too much information about products and services, with the balance being their relief. To streamline the buying process, customers organize products, services, and companies into categories, and then position them in their minds.
A company recognized for its quality in certain segments will seek this position in a new segment, as long as there are enough buyers looking for quality. But in many cases, two or more companies will pursue the same position, each finding different ways to achieve distinction.
Each company must differentiate its offering by creating a unique set of benefits that appeals to a substantial group within the segment.
Armstrong simplifies the positioning task into three steps:
- Identify a set of possible competitive advantages and build a position based on them.
- Choosing the right competitive advantages.
- Select a general positioning strategy. The company must formalize the chosen position to the market in an effective way.
He concludes that it is not possible to build solid positions on empty promises. If a company positions its product as offering improved quality and service, it must deliver the quality and service that has been promised.
Positioning according to Jack Trout
John Francis » Jack » Trout, was born on January 31, 1935, and died on June 4, 2017, from intestinal cancer. In the world of Marketing, he was a pioneer of positioning theory.
I have worked for major companies such as General Electric, AT&T, Apple, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble, Airlines, Xerox, and the Papa John’s pizza chain.
In 2002, Trout began working directly with the United States government training new diplomats in the art of projecting a positive image of the country abroad. His love for him for radio led him to promote the importance of sound in advertising media. outdoor time nature
