Wrestling with Product Positioning

Product positioning is hard.

But its significance can’t be overstated.

How customers perceive your product will ultimately define its success, making it a crucial aspect of every business's journey.

Lately, I've been immersing myself in a wealth of positioning content to understand how the best companies approach this task.

In this process, it has become evident how many companies struggle with positioning.

Here are the four most common mistakes I've seen, and ones I'm determined to avoid as I wrestle with the positioning for my product:

1. Not being specific about your target customer

Knowing your target customer is essential for successful positioning. Understanding their demographics, psychographics, and needs allows you to tailor your positioning in a way that truly speaks to them. Without knowing them intimately, you risk positioning your product in a way that feels irrelevant and fails to resonate.

2. Not being clear about your product's unique value proposition

What sets your product apart from the competition? If you can't answer this question, your positioning lacks clarity and doesn't effectively communicate your product's strengths. Defining your unique value proposition is crucial.

3. Not using consistent messaging

Consistency is key when it comes to positioning. Your messaging needs to align across all marketing materials, from your website to sales materials and campaigns. Inconsistency only confuses customers about your product's identity.

4. Not being clear about which market category you're operating in

It's a strategic decision regarding which market category you position your product in. If you don't do this consciously, customers will position you in a market where you might not stand a chance. For instance, if you’re a CRM company, are you an enterprise CRM competing against Salesforce, or are you a CRM for financial planners?

Conclusion

Positioning is often underestimated and misunderstood, but I believe it's one of the most important levers a business can pull.

So if you haven't given it much thought, grab a coffee and a notepad, and set aside some time this weekend to get to work.

Your future self will thank you for it (though your competitors won’t).