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- #7 - Positioning your brand for success
Last week, we talked about how "differentiation" can be a trap when trying to stand out, and why being obvious is a healthier approach.
Now comes the second important part: being clear about what people should compare you to.
Value is built based on perspective. Nothing has inherent value.
Here's a little story to illustrate the idea:
On my last trip to Brazil, my dad told me he was considering buying a property at the beach and monetizing it as an inn.
Knowing my dad and what he was expecting to get out of it, I knew this was not the way to go.
My dad is getting older and he doesn't want to make it a big business, he wants to monetize a potential investment.
"Dad, if you want this to work for you, you should think about making it into an Airbnb property, not an inn. Here's why:
When people go to Inns/hotels - They are not buying a room, they are paying for SERVICE. You will have to invest heavily in people that can offer great service to the guests.
When people go to an airbnb property - They are not buying service, they are paying for a NICE PLACE to stay.”
“Even if you are willing to invest in making someone available to serve guests, as an Airbnb property, you would stand out because no other Airbnb offers the same.However, if you position the property as an inn, you will have to work very hard to provide the same level of service as other inns in the area.”
See, we are talking about the same "product" but with different positioning.
As an inn, it would struggle to compete.
As an Airbnb with an added service, it would delight and stand out.
There are multiple ways to present the same idea, product, or brand.
One way to make your brand stand out in the right context is to think about comparisons.
I will show you how to put yourself in your audience's shoes to make sure that when they compare your brand/product with other alternatives, you are the one that stands out.
Changing how you see your business changes everything.
In what ways can people compare your product/brand to make it the obvious choice?
How does this question help you?
It helps you position your brand in the right category.
It makes it clear to your audience what they are actually buying.
It highlights what your product or brand's unique aspects are.
Let’s discover your answer by breaking down the question:
Part 1: "Make it the Obvious Choice" → What Is Your Strength?
To ensure that people will compare you to other options and that you will stand out, you need to first know what your brand or product's true strength is.
I say "true" because I have met many brands in the past that were blind to their true strengths. A strength is not necessarily about what you deliver, but it might be about how your company does something or the specific knowledge it possesses. (More about this in the examples below.)
Part 2: “Compare Your Product/Brand” → What Is Your Audience Looking For?
We often assume that people are looking for what we have to offer when, in fact, they are looking to solve a specific problem or fulfill a desire (want/need).
It’s common to find brands or products that solve multiple things for people. I totally get that, but now I want you to think through your audience's perspective. What is the ONE THING (first thing) they are looking for? What is the first problem/want/desire that comes to their mind?
Part 3: “How would people” → Who are the people that benefit the most from your strength to fulfill what they are looking for?
Find the crossroad between what your unique strength is and who the people looking for it are.
You want to move from an obvious product category to your obvious strength.
Usually, when people think about comparison, they think about comparing their brand and products with others they assume are competitors. Don’t. That’s not how your audience thinks at first.
They are first focused on what they want/need. And only when they identify potential solutions (products/brands), will they compare them.
To become the obvious solution, don’t position yourself in a category; position yourself for a need/want.
Recap:
Strength x relevant niche = good positioning
So the real question we're trying to answer is:
Who are the people who benefit the most from your brand strengths?
Here’s a real example of repositioning:
A former client of mine was a textiles distributor selling a commodity with the challenging goal of wanting to grow and stand out in a crowded market.
How did we achieve that?
First, we identified their strengths:
The owner of the company had a personal passion and the ability to spot textile trends before they came to the market. Believe it or not, this was hidden from their own eyes, but we uncovered it through their data analysis and customer stories.
Another strength, at the time perceived as a weakness by them, was their business model. Their buying process limited them from taking orders from bigger brands that wanted to buy their collections in advance for the long term. This was seen as a limitation for growth and couldn't be changed in the short/mid-term.
2nd - Who is looking for these strengths?
Small to mid-size fast-fashion brands. They are the ones that sell trends to their audience, so they are looking to buy textiles that will be trending. They need to buy and produce NOW because they sell in-the-moment trends and don't have time to plan collections in advance. What was a weakness has become a strength for them to differentiate themselves for a specific group of customers.
3rd - Crossing Roads
That's how we repositioned their brand from a Textiles Distributor to a Textiles Trend Curator - notice that their product and how they do things didn't change. But the way they show up and present themselves, as well as the client experience, changed completely!
Same product, different value perception.
Now when their customers come to them, it's not just the product they are buying but also their expertise. They are moving from a highly competitive space to become the obvious choice of their ideal audience.
Now, it’s your turn…
Action step
👉 Set aside 20 min to work on your version of this prompt to get the clarity you need to set your business for authentic growth.
Who are the people who benefit the most from your brand strengths?
Warmly,
P.S : Ready to find out exactly what you need to do next to grow your business?
Here's how I can help:
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PS2: New here? Read the previous issues of this newsletter here.