When I was a kid we had a board game called Pente. Pente's slogan was "moments to learn, a lifetime to master". Such is the art of creating positioning statements. I don't really know anyone great at writing positioning statements. Inevitably it's a trial and error, grind it out process. But for those that get it right, there is exponential reward! In the next post I will introduce a simple format for positioning statements. It will take moments to learn, and in my experience, a lifetime to master.
But before we get started, a couple of pointers.
- Audience: You are writing the positioning statement for business associates (creatives, sales people, engineers, marketers, etc). This is not a consumer communication.
- Concise: The fewer the words the better.
- Clarity: The language cannot leave room for interpretation, it must be 100% clear, free of jargon and hype.
- Positioning vs Positioning Statements: Don't lose site of the fact that positioning statements are ASPIRATIONAL by design. They are not current state. That said, the aspiration must be rooted in something that is obtainable and reasonable. Brand positioning is current state in CONSUMERS' minds (not the marketer's mind). Brand positioning is where you are, brand positioning statements are where you want to be.
- Choosy: Great positioning statements make tough choices. They narrowly focus and avoid the temptation of overly broadening the benefit or consumer target.
- Perseverance: Plan on this taking a while. They must be meticulously crafted, refined, checked and tested with the audience. This isn't a one day project nor should it be. This is the central load bearing wall for your brand architecture. Take the time and get it right!
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