2) Planning - develop a road map for brand identity programs.
3) Protection - guard the integrity of your brand.
4) Promotion - build awareness of and preference for your brand.
Easy, huh? Well, not according to the mini-firestorm of comments I got. "What do you mean by positioning?' "How do I figure out a plan?" "What do I need to do to protect my brand?" "And how do I promote it?" All excellent questions. I'm glad you asked.
Let's take these Ps individually, starting with Positioning. First, remember this simple equation:
Position = Promise = Central Message = Key Benefit = USP (Unique Selling Proposition)
This idea goes by many names, but they all get down to the same thing -- what sets you apart? What makes you different from and better than the competition in a way that's meaningful to prospective customers?
How do you find your message? Here's what I suggest:
1. Talk to buyers about why they buy, what they like and don't like.2. Talk to prospects and ask what they're looking for. Do they buy your competition's products? Ask them why they buy what they buy, and what they like/don't like.
3. Talk to all parts of your sales channel and get their perspectives on what sets you apart.
4. Review competitive literature, web content, ads and so on to see what they're promising.
5. Read industry literature to learn about important trends.
6. Contemplate all this input, your view of company strengths, and come up with alternatives.
You're looking for one short sentence like: XYZ Company delivers accounting software that saves its customers time. Or, John Smith is an accountant who understands the human side of business.
Now it's time to drag out the five tests. Is this message meaningful? Is is memorable?(Probably not in this form. Memorability is a topic to be covered on its own.) Is it supportable? Sustainable? Easy to understand? Does your message pass these tests? If yes, you've got a winner, and it's on to PLANNING!
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