When it comes to branding, the true key to success stems from your brand positioning – the place you hold in the marketplace and, more importantly, in your target audience’s mind.
You see, our world is filled with brands, companies and advertising. Customers are bombarded left and right with marketing messages and it can often be pretty hard for any single brand to stand out among the clutter.
The brands that do stand out do so because of brand positioning.
Somehow, they’ve managed to occupy a unique position in the customer’s mind; they’ve connected with some deeper need or want, and they’ve managed to carve out a permanent place in the person’s consciousness.
Does your brand do that? Does it stand out amongst the clutter? Or does it simply blend in, using the same old tactics and marketing strategies that every other brand on the market is using?
If you’re not sure, then the answer probably isn’t good. Fortunately, pivoting your position and turning your brand around is actually quite simple.
The first place to start is to decide what type of positioning is best for your company. In general, there are six types of positioning you can opt for:
- Geographic positioning targets an audience in a specific geographic area. This is a great option for aviation, aerospace and travel companies, as they’re often targeting travelers and clients in very specific areas of the country.
- Distribution positioning targets an audience based on how your product or service is distributed. This can vary greatly and can factor in what season your products are used in, what type of weather your planes or products fly best in and other changing variables.
- Psychographic positioning targets an audience based on some psychological fear or need they have. A good example would be a product that has green or environmentally friendly benefits or luxury goods that target higher-end clients.
- Broad market positioning involves targeting a broad audience, rather than a very niche one. An example would be a plane manufacturer that, instead of positioning itself as a substitute for other plane brands, positions itself as a substitute for all methods of travel – helicopter, car, bike, train and more.
- Price positioning involves targeting an audience based on their budget or price.
- Usage positioning targets an audience based on one specific usage. A good example would be an airline that targets only business travelers or travelers with pets.
While many of these can work for many brands, it takes nailing down the perfect position if you really want to see branding success. And the way to do that is by getting to know your target audience.
Want to do that and get your brand positioning down pat? Make sure to check back for part 2 of this series! Until then, check out HaleyAerospace.com for more branding blogs.
