Nike founders Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman understood the importance of shoes as they were athletes themselves. Having spent time with promising athletes, Bowerman developed a great understanding of their needs and pain points regarding shoes. As he was not satisfied with the running shoes available in the market, Bowerman took it upon himself to redesign them, making them lighter and more comfortable. Now athletes could use that extra energy to increase their agility.
If you see from a corporate lens, Nike’s initial target audience was “the runners”. However, its offering has now moved beyond shoes. Now they offer athletic attires that promote performance. From “Just do it” to the Greek Goddess of Victory, Nike has positioned itself as the market leader of sports equipment, providing rich quality and innovative designs.
Drawing parallels, if you ask a customer to name a cola brand, “Coke” will spurt out. If you ask them to name a toothpaste that comes to their mind, most apparently, “Colgate” will pop out. “Red Bull” is always the first choice for an energy drink.
But why do these brand names are the first preference of any customer? The secret is to know how to occupy space in the target customer’s mind and heart. This association that the customer will hold with the brand is called positioning strategy.
Philosophy is not positioning!
“We exist just to endear brands to people” OR “Our history of ROI states return on inventiveness. The spirit to invent new things is a part of our DNA.” Both of these are mere philosophies and not a positioning strategy for a brand. Positioning describes how a brand’s offerings are unique. It's how a brand wants to be perceived in the customers’ minds in relation to the competitors.
“Positioning is not what you do to a product. Positioning is what you do to the mind of a prospect. That is how you position the product in the mind of the prospect.” Ries and Trout, 2001.
To make the most significant impact in the shortest amount of time, businesses need to create an effective positioning strategy. Let’s check how to create one!
- Find your company’s current position
- Perform competitor analysis
- Identify gaps and opportunities by creating a perceptual positioning map
- Develop your company’s unique position (that will work best for you)
- Create a positioning statement
- Create a robust and engaging tagline
- Test your market positioning (as nothing should be left to chance)
Customers can clearly understand whether a brand is competing on price or quality. Therefore, clearly define your positioning strategy across the value chain. Getting your story straight is critical.
You can base your positioning on the following five strategies. To help you establish confusion-free communication, we have also shared our ingenious positioning strategy templates, three for each strategy. Let’s explore them one by one.
1. Product
You can use product characteristics or benefits as a positioning strategy by associating your brand with a particular feature favorable to the customer. For example, in the automobile sector - Volvo owns “safety”, BMW owns “driving”, Toyota owns “reliability”. So communicate the unique benefits of your product or service with these innovative templates.
Template 1
Product positioning is crucial for effective marketing strategic planning. This template helps you highlight a unique benefit of your brand in the customer market. The template is easy to edit. Therefore, download and use it to your benefit.
Download Positioning Strategy PPT Topics
Template 2
This positioning strategy template includes 19 well-structured slides. Put it to use for implementing a smooth positioning strategy plan in your organization. Download and give your audience a reason to choose your brand.
Download Positioning Strategy Powerpoint Presentation Slides
Template 3
You can select this well-structured delta model template to create three distinct strategies for achieving long-term business success. Along with the product-centered approach, it helps you focus on the entire system economics. So grab it immediately!
Download Delta Model Positioning Strategy
2. Price
Positioning your brand on price is called competitive pricing. With the pricing positioning strategy, a brand aims to be the cheapest in the market, thus making “value” their position. For example, supermarkets generally have a house brand with low prices in multiple categories. So use price to create a strong market position by taking advantage of these well-designed templates.
Template 1
Convey the attractiveness of your brand to the largest market with this inventive template. Share the pricing objectives with your team members. Download this design to create a universal and consistent identity for your brand.
Download Brand Positioning Strategy Objectives PPT
Template 2
This product positioning complete deck contains 39 well-researched templates. Utilize them to portray your product’s benefits targeting current and prospective customers. Our team of professional designers has created these slides. So pick it right away.
Download Product Positioning Strategies Powerpoint Presentation
Template 3
Choose this template to describe your customers and paint a picture of how you want the market to perceive your brand. Focus on the four important elements in this process: target audience, frame of reference, point of difference, and reason of belief. Download and present!
Download 4 Nodes To Develop Brand Positioning Strategy
3. Quality or luxury
In consumers’ mind, high price is associated with superior quality or luxury. But positioning a brand based on quality is different from price. Often brands communicate high quality or prestige as the focal point to create desire. However, customers ignore the fact that luxury does not mean better quality, but they still associate both. For example, Acura ILX was launched as a luxury car, but in reality, it is a Honda Civic underneath. Build your brand’s reputation by including these positioning strategy slides.
Template 1
Pick this template to strategize the steps mentioned above for creating a winning market positioning strategy. Besides luxury, you can also illustrate factors such as competition, product, price, and more for creating a positioning strategy. So download and edit without any hassle.
Download Steps For Creating Winning Market Positioning Strategy
Template 2
Before determining the brand's position in the market, a firm should decide on the segment that they wish to target. After selecting the segment, display a powerful positioning strategy in this well-constructed template. Download it and rack up your efforts.
Download Market Segment Value Proposition Positioning Strategy
Template 3
Use this strategy positioning template design and reflect your company’s choices about creating value. Develop the highest pricing power by leveraging all the intangible elements of singularity such as time, heritage, prestigious clients, and more. Download it and captivate your audience.
Download Strategy Positioning PowerPoint templates Shapes
4. Product use or application
You can position your brand by associating it with a particular usage of your product or service. For example, meal replacement supplements can be used by people who lack time, want a convenient meal on the go, or want to have low calories for a lean diet. So position your product’s use according to your target audience. The following templates will surely help you in your endeavors.
Template 1
Pick this template to create a global brand market positioning strategy. It includes certain key considerations like objective, strategy, and result. Select this template to create a solid and consistent brand culture.
Download Key Considerations While Building Global Brand Market Positioning Strategy
Template 2
This is yet another prefabricated complete deck that presents 51 exclusively-curated slides. You can employ them in any positioning presentation and design a fruitful framework. So download it immediately and edit as per your strategy.
Download method templates to Create Product Positioning Strategy
Template 3
Highlight your brand’s quality of service for positioning it in the market. The template comes with a host of features, of which flexibility tops the list. So without further delay, choose this creative bundle.
Download Positioning Strategies Service Sector Powerpoint
5. Competition
You can use competition as a reference point for depicting differentiation. Brands often highlight the key differences that their product or service offers to make it seem unique compared to the competitors. For example, if a brand has a large market share, you can attract their customers by offering a product with similar benefits. Employ our magnificent templates to create an invigorating positioning strategy.
Template 1
Achieve an edge over your competitor brands by creating a leadership positioning strategy. This template will help you target those who will get impacted by your positioning. Therefore, download it and start writing a positioning statement for your company.
Download Leadership Positioning Strategy Powerpoint templates
Template 2
A business should initially segment the market to create a significant position. This template will help you incorporate your brand’s singularity in the position statement. Therefore, download it to improve your public relations.
Download Market Segmentation And Positioning Strategy Process Framework Templates
Template 3
A clear brand position will enable your business to effectively and efficiently communicate and reach the target customers. Pick this design and quickly tell the recipients of your marketing message why they should care about your solution, product, or company. Download this design and beat the competition.
Download Positioning Strategy Clear Positioning PPT Templates
In conclusion
Once you become brave, do your homework, and position your business organization strategically, you will never second guess your decisions. It will help you align with the market and reach your customers bringing a greater impact than ever! So take advantage of our creative positioning strategy templates and achieve a better rapport in your niche.
PS: To attain the pinnacle of success with foolproof branding techniques, check out our top picks for one-page brand strategy templates here.