When you get a cup of coffee in the morning, where do you stop? What about when you want a burger on the highway or a soda at the convenience store? Which airline do you usually fly?
We live in a world where we have multiple options for just about everything, we all have our preferences. For one reason or another, one brand makes more of an impression on us than its competitors. But why?
As part of their branding and marketing, every business needs a positioning statement. A brand positioning statement summarizes your unique value proposition — what you do differently from your competitors that should make customers choose you over them.
As a B2B company, effective brand positioning can make or break your business growth strategies. When done correctly, it helps you establish a loyal customer base that can sustain your business in the long term. There are many ways to craft an effective positioning statement. Here are 6 companies in the B2B space that have got brand positioning down to a science.
1. The Value Proposition Positioning Statement
Why does anyone buy anything? If you want to go into specifics, the answers are almost unlimited. However, in a general sense, people all buy things for the same reason: because they feel that they have a lack or need in their life that only that product can fill.
A value proposition positioning statement focuses on the benefits of the product or services being offered and how the business creates value for its customers that they can’t get anywhere else. Start by focusing on a specific pain point or need that the customer has, and then clearly articulate how your offer can solve it for them.
Example: HubSpot
HubSpot offers CRM software for sales and marketing with a specific focus on inbound marketing tactics. Their positioning statement is “grow your business with the inbound methodology”and clearly states their unique value proposition. They help businesses acquire a larger audience and make more sales by giving them the tools to attract, engage, and delight audiences through inbound marketing tactics.
2. The Differentiation Positioning Statement
There are a dizzying number of available options for just about any product or service on the market these days. However, to avoid copyright and patent infringements, even very similar products have their differences. However slight these differences may be, brands like to call attention to what sets them apart from their competition in any way they can. This is called a differentiation positioning statement. Differentiation highlights what sets a business apart from its competitors in the market and why customers should choose them over the other options.
Example: Ford
A great example of a simple differentiator within a positioning statement is Ford's theme of family-oriented content. Using "The Family of Ford" as an overall brand statement, they invite their audience to join their family and set themselves apart from their competition as a caring company. While all of their competitors are focusing on what they can offer their customers, Ford's messaging focuses on valuing their customers like family members and inviting them to join the family.
3. The Audience-specific Positioning Statement
In most major American cities and a fair amount of smaller towns, you could easily walk past a Dunkin Donuts, a Starbucks, and a locally-owned independent coffee shop all within about a 5-minute radius of each other. Not too long ago, a single coffee shop for a town was more than enough–after all, coffee is coffee. But there are coffee fans who swear by Starbucks’ espresso, Dunkin loyalists who think Starbucks is overpriced and overcomplicated, and the anti-corporate customer who only shops locally owned.
An audience-specific positioning statement lets you speak directly to your target audience and let them know that you see their pain and frustration and that you have a solution to help them.
Example: LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media platform specifically aimed at professionals and businesses. One of the site’s most used features is its job board, where users can come to look for new opportunities and, in some cases, apply directly on LinkedIn. Users’ profiles are set up to mimic resumes, and the site also enables users to network with others in their industry. LinkedIn’s positioning statement is “Connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful.”
Unlike on other social media sites, LinkedIn’s users aren’t there to entertain themselves and relax; they’re there to grow their careers. LinkedIn’s audience-specific positioning statement tells its users that they understand this and are there to support them in their endeavors.
4. The Problem-solving Positioning Statement
We’ve already talked about how all purchases are driven by consumers trying to fill an unmet need. Another way of looking at an unmet need is as a problem that needs to be solved. If you need food, the problem is that you are hungry. Some brand positioning statements highlight the problem that their target audience is facing, and they propose their products or services as a solution.
This is called a problem-solving positioning statement. Problems don’t necessarily need to be life or death to matter to customers. If you can offer them relief from whatever frustration, inconvenience, or pain they are facing, you are going to grab their attention.
Example: Slack
Slack is a leading provider of team collaboration software for companies. Their product creates a centralized platform where organizations can set up internal communication channels, host video huddles, collaborate with external partners, and more. Slack’s brand positioning statement is “Make work life simpler, more pleasant and more productive.” The problem they call attention to is the difficulty and inefficiency of trying to coordinate professional communications across multiple platforms. They offer a simple solution: start using Slack to streamline the communication process and get more done.
5. The Emotional Appeal Positioning Statement
We like to think, especially in business, that we always make logical choices based on careful consideration of the facts. But any marketing professional will tell you that our emotions play a significant role in our purchasing decisions. An emotional appeal positioning statement seeks to connect with viewers on an emotional level and create a meaningful experience. It evokes an emotion and demonstrates how buying the product or using the service helps the customer experience that emotion for themselves.
Example: Apple
Apple is one of the most popular technology brands in the world for both businesses and consumers. Apple has been at the forefront of innovation for the past several decades. They may not have been the first to create an mp3 player, smartphone, or tablet, but their products are often the first thing that comes to mind in any of the aforementioned categories.
Apple’s positioning statement is “Apple emphasizes technological research and advancement and takes an innovative approach to business best practices — it considers the impact our products and processes have on its customers and the planet.” This is an emotional appeal to those who value creativity, innovation, and individuality. If you want to stand out from the crowd, then you need to use products that are a cut above the rest too.
6. The Competitive Advantage Positioning Statement
Marketing isn’t just about showing customers what you do differently than your competitors, but how what you do is better. Maybe you can offer more services or offer the same value at a better price. Maybe you get the job done faster but with the same results. This is your competitive advantage. Warren Buffet also calls this an “economic moat” because, like the moat of a medieval castle, it protects the company from its competition. A positioning statement that highlights your competitive advantage communicates your unique strengths and capabilities and communicates how they give you an edge over your competitors.
Example: Amazon
Amazon’s positioning statement claims that it is “Our vision is to be the earth's most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” There are many e-commerce platforms available, but Amazon has grown to dominate all of them. Why? Their positioning statement clearly communicates their competitive advantage–they focus on consumer experience. Satisfied customers become repeat customers, and they often recruit friends through word-of-mouth. By offering unmatched convenience and innovation, Amazon can do e-commerce better than any of its competitors.
Experience What it Takes to Build a Strong Brand Through a Strong Foundation
Brand positioning sets you up for success by helping you establish a strong brand identity. In turn, this drives sales and customer loyalty. Whether you want to focus on what makes you different from your competitors, how you solve customers’ unique problems, or the unique value you provide, crafting a statement that effectively communicates your brand position is a crucial component of your marketing strategy.
Effective brand positioning can make or break your business. Download this framework to get started, and we’ll help you align it to your business.
