Positioning = Inevitable Success
Positioning is everything you do defines your positioning in other minds, and this is the key to inevitable success.
The definition for positioning goes something like this: How you differentiate your product or service from that of your competitors and then determine which market niche to fill.
But positioning yourself is much more than that we feel, and it is so often undervalued as a marketing goal.
It is extremely important and here’s why, just think – why is it that anyone would ever;
- Buy from you?
- Subscribe to you?
- Invite you to speak?
- Be accepted to do a guest blog?
- Be invited to do a guest blog?
- Asked to collaborate?
Because you have positioned yourself or your company in such a way that you are trusted to do what you do. Positioning helps establish your product’s or service’s identity within the eyes of the purchaser.
Take for example Nike, they don’t just make shoes, they make shoes for people that are ambitious or trendy or sporty, the types of people who live life in the moment, people who want to ‘just do it’. So if I am that kind of person, they’re the company I’m going to go to because they have positioned themselves well. I would resonate with them, and I would know exactly where/who to look for when buying my shoes. All of a sudden I am brand loyal, they just have it right and I want to always check out what they’re doing.
If you need marketing support and run a small business who doesn’t have a huge budget, but is still ambitious – then atomic is here for you! What is your position in the market?
We all have a ‘position’ whether we choose to work on it or not. Importantly, you can not fully define your positioning (because it is different to different people), but you CAN influence it. By doing so, you can resonate with your target market more strongly, giving you a natural magnetism they can’t resist and a better chance at selling.
You’ll notice that what we don’t ever do is sell high ticket price items, or give information that is irrelevant to small businesses. Similarly Nike, doesn’t make non-sporty shoes. We always say we work with small and micro businesses and all our blogs address their issues, similarly nike always features active aspirational characters in their ads.
Therefore positioning is all about being consistent to your brand, your values, and your target market so that you resonate with them.
We were talking to someone the other day who said they saw a high end jewellery maker, trying to sell t-shirts and failing miserably. Why? Because it is confusing, and contradictory – high end jewellery and t-shirts are complete opposites.
We see this all the time and we bet you are guilty too at some point of not being consistent to the position you want to be seen in. It can be so easy to slip up, and each time you do your credibility falls. But get it right and the world is your oyster! So many more doors are open to you because you look the part and you appear to have a reputation.
So how can positioning make you successful?
Well just look at the experts in your industry, the people and businesses you wish you were successful as. What makes them so successful? Or more importantly, what makes you think that they are so successful? Because if they can position themselves in that way to make you think that they are credible, so can you! It might take some time and effort but you can do it!
What they do must be working for them, but what is it, here’s your chance to see what their secret ingredient is. Is it the photography used, the experience they give you, or perhaps the techniques they use, is it the free ebooks they provide, is it the people they collaborate with, is it that their webinars are great, does their website build more credibility for them, is it who they network with, maybe it’s just their level of skill that sets them out or a cool back end membership area to their website?
Whatever it is, you can do it too. And when you do, you can have that same level of respect, trust, credibility that comes with the position.
You can position yourself in such a way that new business is just naturally attracted to you consistently. Success will find you.
We see it all the time, once you get to a certain stage (position in the market), your business just takes off.
What’s important…
The people in your community: Who do you associate yourself with, partner with, collaborate with, mention, name drop, hang out with, sell to, buy from – it all counts.
Yourself: The way you act (it is nervous or is it confident), the way you dress (yes clean shoes help!), the way you speak, the language you use (do you know the lingo).
Imagery: Your logo, website, business cards graphics, social media accounts and so on.
Consistent Brand: All your touch points, all the thing you do, all the content you put out there, the messages you use, the same consistent imagery.
Reputation: Featured blogs, social proof, number of subscribers/followers/likes/connections/pins, news, Pr, word of mouth, testimonials and reviews. Are you an author? A Lord? An award winner?
Health: People can tell when you aren’t looking after yourself, and that is a negative sign.
Niche: Your positioning rests upon who you are targeting and what you are good at? You can’t be an expert at everything.
Yes these are all thing to work on but the key here is confidence.
Remember, if you say you are, then people will believe you.
Your own self belief is the crucial part when it comes to positioning yourself. You must have the confidence to say, “hey everyone this is what I do, and this is who I do it for, and i’m amazing at it!” If you can’t say that, or don’t believe it, then you will fail. If you truly believe you are amazing at what you do then others will see you in that light too and be naturally drawn to you… success is inevitable
ACTION: Create a positioning statement. Just one or two sentences that elaborate on who your target market is, how you’ll reach them, what they’re really buying from you, who your competitors are, and what your USP (unique selling point) is.
ACTION: Keep this positioning statement in mind for every written or visual communication from now on.
ACTION: Look at the list of ‘what’s important’ and mark yourself out of ten on each one. What can you look to improve upon in the future?
ACTION: Don’t skimp on design for your marketing materials and online presence.
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For more tips on positioning check out our positioning fast track video by Lesley Calland.