Positioning.
Positioning is the deliberate decision about what a company or offering should stand for in the minds of a specific target group and how it differs from the alternatives. It defines who you serve, which problem you solve and why you do it your way.
Positioning — Explained in Detail
The term became widely known through the US advertising executives Al Ries and Jack Trout, whose book 'Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind' was published in 1981. Their idea: positioning does not happen in the product but in customers' perception. A company cannot be everything to everyone. It has to occupy a place that customers with a particular need associate with it, such as 'the electrician who also comes on Saturdays' or 'the accountants for start-ups'.
Positioning is a decision first and communication second. It answers four questions: for which target group? Which problem do we solve? In which category does the customer place us? And why should they choose us over an alternative? The answer to the last question is often the USP. The USP is therefore one building block of positioning, not the same thing: a positioning can work without a unique feature if it serves a target group more consistently than others.
Positioning always involves giving something up. A firm that specialises in restaurants is also saying that medical practices are not its focus. Many SMEs shy away from this step because they do not want to lose any jobs. The result is a presence that fits every company in the sector. Search engines and AI assistants find such a profile hard to classify; a clearly positioned company, by contrast, is more likely to be named for matching questions, because website, profiles and mentions paint the same picture.
Positioning should be distinguished from corporate identity and brand voice. Positioning defines what you stand for. Corporate identity translates this into behaviour, communication and visual appearance; brand voice translates it into the way you speak. Without positioning, logo and colours remain decoration. A SWOT analysis is often the basis for positioning, as it shows which strength meets which demand.
The positioning statement as a tool
A widely used aid is a single sentence following a fixed pattern: 'For [target group] who [need], [offering] is the [category] that [benefit]. Unlike [alternative], we [difference].' The statement is not meant for the website but as an internal yardstick. Every text, campaign and new offering can be checked against it: does this fit what we want to stand for?
A good positioning statement is specific enough that a competitor cannot simply copy it, and it can be backed up. 'Highest quality' is not a positioning; 'bathroom renovation in ten working days with a fixed date' is, provided it is true. How positioning becomes a visual identity is shown on corporate design agency. If the positioning itself is still open, digital marketing consulting starts earlier.
Example: an accountancy firm sharpens its profile
A constructed example, not a client case: an accountancy and fiduciary firm with five staff in Zug offers everything from bookkeeping to tax and payroll, for individuals and companies alike. Its website lists twelve services, and enquiries mostly concern tax returns, which earn little. An analysis of its mandates shows that the most profitable clients are young companies with international founders who speak English.
The firm repositions itself: 'For founders in Zug building a Swiss company, we are the fiduciary firm that handles bookkeeping, payroll and dealings with the authorities in German and English from a single source.' The website gets an English version, service pages for company formation and payroll, and a page of common questions. Tax returns for individuals stay on offer but are no longer in the foreground. Whether enquiries fit better afterwards is measured via the source of enquiries in the CRM.
Related Page
USP (Unique Selling Proposition)Frequently Asked Questions About Positioning
Positioning describes the place a company wants to occupy for a specific target group. The USP is the concrete feature that sets it apart from others. The USP is part of the positioning, not a substitute for it.
In the short term you may lose enquiries that were a poor fit anyway. In return, the customers you want recognise more quickly that they are in the right place, and referrals become more accurate. Existing customers outside the positioning can usually still be served.
With data rather than gut feeling: which customers are the most satisfied and the most profitable? Which problems do you solve better than others? What do these customers search for? A SWOT analysis and conversations with existing customers provide the basis.
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