Why Marketing is not just an end-game
Marketing. It’s a word that is thrown about constantly in business, but is sometimes misunderstood. Often marketing is seen as the end game, the campaign that you tackle when you’ve hustled your way along, and have your products ready to go. The truth is that marketing is present in all aspects of your business.
Marketing is about creating value for your customers, and this doesn’t happen by chance. It requires a clear positioning strategy to ensure all aspects of your brand – from branding, product design, packaging, manufacturing considerations, distribution strategy, pricing, through to your advertising messages – work together in a cohesive way to create a package that is compelling and motivating for your customers.
So where do you start? Creating a brand positioning strategy starts with the answers to these questions…
What was the spark that triggered the idea for your business – what was the opportunity or need that drove you, or the problem you wanted to solve?
This insight is the basis of your brand’s reason for being - your purpose. The guiding light for every decision that you make.
Who are you creating for?
Customer first. Always. Who your customer is and what makes them tick is the most important thing you need to understand in order to satisfy their needs, and connect with them in an engaging way.
What role does your brand play in their lives?
Understanding the role that your brand plays in their lives is key to ensuring that your product or service delivers a benefit that is relevant, and motivating enough to change their behaviour (such as prompting them to try your brand for the first time).
What does your brand uniquely offer?
Having a point of difference can be a powerful competitive advantage. If you are entering a market with a lot of competition, understanding your competitors and their relative strengths and weaknesses will help you identify your opportunity to cut through.
A point of difference can come in many forms, such as a unique product feature, a service model, a unique brand identity, or it can be linked to a core value such as a sustainability platform. The thing to remember is that a point of difference only matters if it is meaningful to the market you’re in.
Why should they believe you?
Brand credibility has never been more important. We are all looking for proof points that demonstrate a product or service does what it says it does. Identify what these are for your brand and communicate them clearly!
