How often have you struggled defining your brand, perception, values and its differentiation factors?
How is positioning shaped in today's evolving communication ecosystem?
Below is a process I've developed that makes it easy to marketers to analyse their brand, interpret what the edge can be, decide on the differentiation factors, develop the brand zone, mix the right communication mediums and achieve a legit perception for the brand.
First: Analyse the brand
1. Who's your brand? Male, Female; Luxury, Convenient; Practical, Sophisticated and relate to existing brands.
2. Observe those brands' activities, and pick what best works, or doesn't work and should not exist with your brand.
3. Who's your competition? Apple to Apple comparison and positioning matrices (quality, price, design, presence, promise)
Second: Interpret the Edge
1. What are the common factors among competition?
2. Where is the gap? Why it has been there and never filled? Is there an opportunity in filling the gap or not? If not, then what's the edge that you can create to overpass the competition?
3. Is this gap feasible to fill? How can we build strongly on it and reinforce it throughout our communication?
Third: Differentiation Factors
1. Apart from the gap, what will your differentiation factors be?
2. Can you give a promise? What will the promise be?
Fourth: Develop the Brand Zone
1. Build the observation from the gap and the differentiation factors
2. In one word (zone), brief your observation. This word shall be the focal center for your brand character, attributes, communication and behavior.
3. Test the word (zone): meet with your team, arrange for a focus group if possible, present, discuss, argue and shortlist (zones) to decide upon.
4. Finalize your Zone
Fifth: Marcom Mix
1. What are the marcom channels that best fit your communication objectives and best fit your positioning zone?
2. Can we budget this mix?
3. What's the best activation mix that compliments this zone?
Sixth: Break the Barriers with your Target Audience
1. In today's word, social media (online & offline) provides a great room to socialize with your audience.
2. Kill the commercial appeal, enliven the humanized perception of your brand. Let it speak out its opinions, express its character, comment on news, reward followers, promote advocates, create a vibe and continue doing the same.
Seventh: Achieve the Legit Perception
1. Stand up for your promise
2. Create a brand culture and educate your staff on it, make them your first ambassadors and let them breath the brand inside out.
3. Commit to deliver the quality and the perception you seek.
We hope we made sense here, and we're open to discuss and debate.
Awaiting your input.
Thank you for reading.
Omar
