Positioning for Beginners

In short, positioning is "The effort of the business to create benefit and perception in the mind of the consumer. Positioning, the key to the advertising and communication world, has different interpretations by the professionals.

According to Bolen, positioning is a strategy to determine how the market for the good will be, while for Wright it is a strategy to ensure that the good is perceived differently in the eyes of the user compared to competing goods. Otto and Ogilvy define positioning closer to the target audience, focusing on the lifestyle of the consumer and the benefits the consumer will get.

To summarize all these different but essentially the same definitions of positioning; it is how and where the consumer sees the value offered. Positioning is all about the place in the consumer's mind and perception. This place may be acquired according to competitors, market position, target audience or consumer expectations and needs. Factors such as the benefits of the product offered by the brand, its features, and the image gained over time are also effective in the position acquired in the minds of consumers.

The concepts of authenticity and ownership are at the core of positioning, which enables the brand to differentiate, manage the pricing strategy and work on the right ground for creativity.

Positioning, which can also be seen as the creation of a perception world that matches the consumer's previous knowledge and experiences or the regulation of existing perceptions, is not a process that remains constant. It is an issue that should always be worked on according to the current situation of the brand, the position of its competitors, competitive conditions and consumer expectations.

So, what should be considered and what questions should be asked when working on positioning?

- For whom is the brand developing a product or service, who is the brand's audience, who do we want to use or not use the brand?

- How can we expand and adjust the use of the product or service?

- What is the current situation of the competitors? Is there a noticeable or subtle change in their positioning?

- Are changes in competitive conditions expected, what are the opportunities and threats?

Similar questions need to be answered when starting targeted positioning efforts from scratch to win the race in consumer mindsIdentifying the needs of the target audience, finding the common points of these needs with the reasons for entering the market and looking for the advantageous position among competitors will be a good starting point for those starting from scratch.