Positioning your product and business

Positioning is the process of forming a clear perception of a brand in the minds of customers. It answers the question: why should a buyer choose you? Strong positioning allows you to:

• stand out from competitors;
• explain the value of the product in 1–2 sentences;
• build trust and loyalty.

Without positioning, marketing campaigns do not produce systematic results. Therefore, the first step in launching a strategy is to develop brand positioning.

Positioning development is the creation of a strategy that defines:

1. Who is your target audience?
2. What problem do you solve?
3. What makes your offer unique?
4. What associations should the brand evoke?

In practice, this translates into a document with a positioning formula, hypothesis testing, and communication recommendations. We apply this approach when developing marketing strategy.

What does the positioning formula contain?

Classic positioning formula:

• For whom (audience segment).
• What is the need (problem/«pain point»)?
• Our product (category, solution.)
• Provides an advantage (unique value).
• Unlike (key difference from competitors).

Example: «For IT startups that need to quickly test hypotheses, Solve Marketing is a remote marketing department that launches campaigns in one week, as opposed to hiring an in-house team in three to six months.»

Main types:

• The product has unique characteristics (quality, design, technology).
• In terms of price — premium, optimal value, affordability.
• By audience — focus on a specific segment (B2B, B2C, IT).
• In terms of values, the brand is associated with its mission and philosophy.
• By competitor — comparison and contrast.

The choice of type depends on business goals and the market. We help you choose the best option within the framework of developing positioning for startups and businesses.

Positioning systems can be divided into:

• The classic USP (unique selling proposition) model.
• Choice factors — Solve Marketing’s multi-criteria approach (100+ analysis parameters).
• Emotional positioning — creating associations and meanings.
• Matrix models (SWOT, STP, Brand Key).

Each system is designed to meet different objectives: entering a new market, rebranding, or attracting investment.

Successful positioning should be:

• Focused — up to 20 words.
• Unique — don’t copy your competitors.
• Reliable — corresponding to real advantages.
• Emotionally charged — evoke associations.
• Adaptive — work in different channels (website, advertising, PR).

If positioning does not meet these criteria, the marketing strategy loses its effectiveness.

The main goal is to occupy a stable place in the minds of the target audience. The brand should be associated with a specific value or solution. For example: Uber = «a ride in a minuter», Dropbox = «files always at hand».

This approach increases loyalty, shortens the transaction cycle, and increases conversion in lead generation.

The essence of positioning is to create a simple and clear brand image. The customer must understand:

• what you offer;
• for whom;
• how you differ from your competitors.

This is the strategic foundation that determines the tone of communications, visual style, and choice of promotion channels.

The process consists of 6 steps:

1. Market and competitor analysis.
2. Identifying the target audience and its “pain points.”
3. Analysis of choice factors.
4. Formation of USP.
5. Development of a positioning formula.
6. Testing and implementation.

Each stage is recorded and used when launching advertising campaigns and developing marketing strategy.

Key criteria:

• Clarity — simple wording without complex terms.
• Uniqueness — differentiation from competitors.
• Alignment — the fit between the product and the business model.
• Long-term — relevant for at least 2–3 years.
• Flexibility — the ability to adapt to new segments.

These criteria help to create a strategy that will work in the long term.

Positioning technology is a step-by-step process that includes:

1. Data collection and analysis.
2. Audience segmentation.
3. Identification of choice factors.
4. Formation of USP.
5. Communication strategy.

At Solve Marketing, we use our own choice factors methodology (100+ criteria), which increases positioning accuracy and reduces the risk of errors.

Attributes are characteristics of a brand that shape its perception. They are divided into:

• Functional (quality, speed, price).
• Emotional (trust, prestige, innovation).
• Social (status, community membership).

The right set of attributes helps a brand establish itself in the minds of customers.

Positioning is necessary in order to:

• increase brand awareness;
• increase customer confidence;
• reduce advertising costs;
• accelerate sales;
• attract investment.

Without a clear positioning strategy, a business operates blindly, spending more money on marketing.

At Solve Marketing, positioning development involves:

• market and competitor analysis;
• Customer Development with customers;
• identification of choice factors;
• creating a positioning formula;
• testing hypotheses and implementation.

The result is a documented strategy and communication plan that forms the basis for all marketing activities.

It should be:

• short — wording of up to 1–2 sentences;
• clear — without complicated language;
• associative — evoke a specific image;
• confirmative — backed up by cases and facts.

This positioning is easy to use in advertising, presentations, and negotiations.

The correct wording should include:

1. Defining the audience.
2. A problem or a need.
3. A unique solution.
4. The main difference from competitors.

Example: «For small businesses that want to get applications fast, Solve Marketing is a remote marketing department that generates leads with guaranteed results».

Stages:

• Diagnostics — audit of the company and the market.
• Target audience research — interviews, surveys, customer development.
• Formulation of hypotheses — options for positioning formulas.
• Testing — A/B experiments in advertising.
• Finalization — documented strategy + implementation.

This process enables you to create positioning that works and is backed up by figures.