A lot of marketers talk about positioning and messaging like they’re the same thing. They're not. Or talk about positioning when what they really mean is branding. Let's demystify these concepts.
Positioning vs. Branding
First, let's clarify one thing. Positioning is not branding. Positioning is a rational appeal to the mind. It’s an expression of why you exist as as a company, and how you want to be perceived in the market. Branding is an emotional appeal to the heart. It expresses who you are as a company, what you stand for, and the feelings you want to evoke.
As an avid ice cream eater, I'm going to break out of tech speak for a minute and share an example. Ben & Jerry's positions itself as a super premium ice cream product (i.e. higher density and butterfat content) with creative, unique flavors that use wholesome, natural ingredients. Ben & Jerry's brand is rooted in progressive values and sustainable business practices. Ben and Jerry's strives to "minimize negative impact on the environment", to "show a deep respect for human beings" and "the communities in which they live".
Positioning vs. Messaging
Positioning is also not the same thing as messaging.
Positioning is an internal construct. It’s what you tell yourself internally to align on your strategy, the perceptions you want to create, your differentiated role in the market, and your relevance to your customers.
There are 5 main inputs to defining your positioning:
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Market Category – the space in your customer's mind where your company and/or product fits. This is the frame of reference for your buyers.
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Target Audience – your ideal customer profile + the buyer personas and user personas who are a good fit.
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Competitive Alternatives – how your target audience would try to solve this problem if you didn't exist, and why they'd fall short.
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Value Proposition – the main problem you solve for your customers, and the key benefit you provide.
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Differentiation – how you’re unique or comparatively better than alternatives.
While not critical, I also find that it can be useful to document the market perceptions of your company that you want to create, shift or reinforce. I like to describe this in a set of From > To statements. This is particularly useful if you are expanding into an adjacent market via acquisition or new product development, or as you're repositioning your company to respond to changing market dynamics.
Messaging is derived from your positioning. It’s what you say externally to communicate your positioning to the market, including prospects, customers, partners, analysts, press and investors. It's the words that show up in your elevator pitch and your sales messaging, and becomes the foundation for customer-facing content on your website, thought leadership content like ebooks and white papers, press releases, email content and ad copy.
Why is it important to start with positioning? Positioning is foundational to your strategy. It provides a North Star and a frame of reference as you create messaging. It ensures that your messaging is tailored to the right customer segments, anchored in customer problems, conveys value, and answers the question of how you're different.
