A summary of the book 'Positioning - The Battle for your minds' that highlights why you need to position your company/product/service in the minds of the customer that can positively impact your business growth and brand.

1. Positioning
The Battle For Your minds

2. Definition
Positioning is an organized system of creating product awareness in
the minds of prospective customers
Goal is not to create something new and different, but to connect your
product/service meaningfully to the mental perceptions that already
exist in mind of prospective customers

3. Concept of
Positioning
Positioning suggests that new brand/services should
be selectively compared to existing brands in such a
way as to create a clear competitive advantage
Trick is to establish and maintain a market position
that nobody else is targeting
Customers filter out whatever they consider is of no
value and give attention to only those things they
perceive as valuable
People accept new information only if it aligns to
their previous perceptions and reject anything that
does not
Position a product against what it is not rather than
what it is

4. Positioning V/s Advertising
Advertising focused on the sending end of the communication process
Positioning focuses on the receiving end of the communication process
- what are the mental perceptions of your prospect and what will they
think when they read your ads

5. Over the decades
Product era - focused on the features and benefits.
Image era - building an image
Positioning era - creating unique perception in mind of the prospect

6. Product Names &
Positioning
Most important marketing decision is what to call a product
Reliable approach is to use a descriptive name which positions it
Names are first point of contact
Avoid using initials for new companies

8. Colgate v/s P&G Approach
Product names that are aligned with positioning statements are far more
effective than product names that confirm a corporate heritage

9. Positioning
Strategies
1. What positioning do you currently own in
the mind of your prospect?
1. What position do you want to own? And can
successfully defend?
1. Who will be your competitors in
establishing your preferred position?
1. Do you have enough resources?
1. Can you stick it out?
1. Do you match your position
Positioning as a:
Market Leader
Market Follower
Repositioning Competitors
Positioning a
company/product/service

10. As a Market
Leader
Once a company is successfully
positioned, it can’t break the mold
Sustain market leadership:
- Introduce new brands to become
their own competition, each
occupying a specific location in mind
of prospect
- Main threat is change. Start new
divisions to cover emerging techs or
change name of the company to
encompass emerging growth area as
well

11. As a Market
Follower
Differentiation is key for market
followers.
Find a niche and own it. Eg: Product size,
high end, low end, male, female etc

12. Repositioning
Competitors
If all market niches are already filled,
make room by repositioning your
competitors in the minds of your
prospect
Move competitors out of a mental
position they previously occupied of a
prospect, through use of facts they were
not previously aware of
Good repositioning ads wil use the same
facts to reposition their product in the
now vacant spot in prospect’s mind

13. Positioning a
Company
Select a corporate name that accurately
matches business operations
Stand for something unique on which you
can deliver and which conveys your
competitive advantage. (Not “we’re
better”)
Strong positions are build on solid/depth
of achievements, not breadth of a
product line

14. Positioning a
Product
Key to positioning is in the mind and not
in the product
Look inside mind of the prospect
Look at the competition
Develop a market position

15. Positioning a
Service
Visual medium like TV ads works better
for Products
Verbal medium like radio works better
for Services

16. Personal Applications of
Positioning
Decide on one single positioning statement for yourself
Instead of the showcasing your diverse experience, draw
attention to your core skills across all of them
Don’t use initials
Look at yourself as a brand. Build it via thought leadership

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