Strategy
Positioning
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Positioning is a way to answer to core questions about your business: who your customer is, what your product is and does, and how it’s differentiated. It defines how you want your customer to think about your company.
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The Practica AI Coach helps you improve in Positioning by using your current work challenges as opportunities to improve. The AI Coach will ask you questions, instruct you on concepts and tactics, and give you feedback as you make progress.Intro to Positioning
Positioning is the art of creating a unique identity for a product or brand in the mind of the consumer. It involves identifying the key benefits that differentiate the product from competitors and communicating them effectively.
Positioning Your Startup is Vital — Here’s How to Nail ItThis article is a great introduction to positioning and why it's important. It includes a positioning exercise with examples, and then explains naming and messaging methodologies in the context of a positioning foundation.
Positioning: The Battle for Your MindOriginally published in 1980, this book makes the case for why positioning is so important and is considered a classic must-read. However, it includes few practical steps; for those, read April Dunford's book, below.
How to Develop Positioning
Developing a strong positioning strategy requires a deep understanding of the target audience, their needs, and their preferences. It involves conducting market research, analyzing the competition, and crafting a unique value proposition that resonates with customers.
Strategic Communication: How to Develop Strategic Messaging and PositioningMyk provides details on how to assess whether your messaging is effective, how to design strategic messaging, and how to implement new messaging in organizations with a strategic messaging map.
Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love ItApril's new book (published 2019) provides a clear 10-step process to define your positioning, using examples from April's hands-on experience with Pinterest and IBM.
Customer Behavior Changes and New Product Adoption
Customer behavior is constantly evolving, and new product adoption can be influenced by a range of factors, including social norms, personal beliefs, and cultural Influences. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective positioning strategies that resonate with customers and drive adoption.
Eager Sellers and Stony Buyers: Understanding the Psychology of New-Product AdoptionJohn explains why consumers may fail to buy innovative products even when they offer distinct improvements over existing ones. He covers: • The Psychology of Gains and Losses • A Framework for Companies and Behavior Change • Balancing Product and Behavior Changes • Minimizing Resistance
Positioning Case Studies
Positioning case studies provide valuable insights into how successful brands have differentiated themselves in crowded markets. By examining the strategies and tactics used by leading companies, marketers can gain inspiration and ideas for developing their own positioning strategies.
Real-world Example: GitLab's Internal Positioning DocThis actual positioning example not only includes a positioning statement, but also an FAQ that positions GitLab relative to specific competitors.
The Three Tools Netflix Used to Build Its World-Class BrandGibson explains three tools - positioning, the Branding pyramid, and a concept summary - through his work at Netflix.
We Don’t Sell Saddles HereStewart sent this memo when Slack launched, explaining how Slack's value proposition is translatable into what their customer want. They are not selling group chat, or a collection of features, but rather valuable results that their customers get, such as "75% less email".