How to Build a Winning Brand Position to Stand Out in a Crowded Market

Did you know that there are 359 million businesses around the world today? And chances are you’re competing with quite a lot of them!

Creating a standout brand is both an art and a science. A compelling brand position isn’t just about being different - it's about being relevant, authentic, and aligned with your audience's deepest desires and needs.

Let’s explore brand positioning strategies that don’t just survive the competition but thrive, setting you apart in a meaningful and lasting way.

What is Brand Positioning?

Brand designing and positioning goes beyond just a tagline or a catchy logo. It’s the perception that lives in the minds of your audience, i.e. how they see your brand in relation to others. It’s the subtle difference between why someone would choose your brand over a competitor’s.

Think about it as the unique fingerprint your brand leaves on the market. This fingerprint is formed by your brand’s values, mission, product offering, customer experience, and the way you communicate with your audience.

The Importance of Brand Positioning

Why is working with a brand positioning agency so critical? Because in the absence of a clear position, your brand is just one more option on a crowded shelf. Easy to overlook and forget.

A powerful brand position creates a magnetic pull, attracting customers who align with your values, trust your expertise, and believe in the quality of your offerings.

Memorability

A strong brand position makes your brand memorable, turning one-time customers into repeat buyers and advocates.

Market Share

Brands with clear positioning can carve out a significant market share, even in competitive industries.

Profit Margins

When your brand is well-positioned, you can command higher prices because customers perceive the added value, not just the product.

78% of customers make at least one purchase per year based on values!

Brand Positioning Strategy Process

Creating a winning brand position requires a strategic and thoughtful process. Let’s break down the key steps to ensure your brand isn’t just different but that it’s different in a way that matters.

1. Deep Market Analysis

Start with a deep dive into your market landscape. This brand positioning analysis goes beyond just knowing your competitors. It’s about understanding the broader trends, customer pain points, and the emotional triggers that influence buying behaviour.

Tools like SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) can be invaluable here, but don’t stop there. Use customer surveys, social listening tools, and focus groups to get a pulse on what truly matters to your audience.

2. Audience Segmentation

Understanding your audience is more than just knowing their demographics. It’s about diving into psychographics. What are their values, lifestyles, and attitudes?

Create detailed buyer personas that represent your ideal customers, going as far as mapping out their daily routines, pain points, and decision-making processes.

For example, Peloton didn’t just target fitness enthusiasts; they honed in on busy professionals who value convenience but don’t want to compromise on quality or community.

3. Defining Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP)

Your UVP is the core of your brand positioning. It’s the promise you make to your customers that sets you apart.

However, this isn’t just about stating what you do. It’s about framing it in a way that resonates with the customer’s emotions and needs.

Innocent Drinks is one of the best brand positioning strategy examples here. Their UVP isn’t just about selling smoothies; it’s about providing healthy, ethically sourced beverages that make you feel good about your choices.

Their entire brand, from packaging to marketing, communicates this value proposition clearly and consistently.

4. Crafting Your Brand Narrative

Your brand narrative is the story you tell the world. It’s the emotional journey you take your customers on, rooted in your brand’s mission and values.

This narrative should be woven through every aspect of your communication, from marketing campaigns to customer service interactions.

5. Designing a Cohesive Visual and Verbal Identity

Your brand’s visual and verbal identity is how you communicate your positioning at a glance.

Every element, from your logo and colour scheme to your tone of voice and taglines, should reinforce your brand’s position.

6. Execution and Continuous Optimisation

Brand positioning isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. As market conditions change and your brand evolves, so too should your positioning.

Regularly revisit your strategy, assess its effectiveness, and be prepared to pivot if necessary.

There’s no better example here than Netflix! Netflix started as a DVD rental service but has continuously evolved its positioning to stay relevant, first by transitioning to streaming, and now by creating original content, positioning itself as a leader in entertainment.

Types of Brand Positioning Strategies

There are different positioning strategies in marketing you can employ depending on your market, audience, and business goals.

1. Customer-Centric Positioning

This strategy revolves around deeply understanding and catering to a specific customer segment. It’s not just about meeting needs but anticipating them and delivering solutions that make your brand indispensable to this group.

Specsavers identified a gap in the UK eyewear market by addressing the frustration many consumers felt over the high cost and inconvenience of purchasing glasses.

By offering affordable, stylish eyewear combined with accessible, high-quality eye care services, Specsavers positioned itself as the go-to brand for both value and convenience.

Their famous “Should’ve gone to Specsavers” campaign reinforced their commitment to customer-centricity, making the brand synonymous with both affordability and reliability.

This strategy disrupted the traditional optometry market and established Specsavers as a household name across the UK.

2. Competitor-Based Positioning

This approach involves positioning your brand in direct contrast to a competitor, highlighting where you outperform them. This strategy works well when there’s a clear and measurable difference in your offering.

Burger King has long positioned itself against McDonald’s with its “Have it Your Way” campaign, emphasising the customisation and flame-grilled taste of its burgers compared to McDonald’s more standardised approach.

3. Benefit-Based Positioning

Here, you focus on the unique benefits your product or service offers, particularly if these benefits solve a significant pain point for your audience.

Just look at Dyson. Dyson positions its vacuum cleaners not just as cleaning tools but as high-performance machines that deliver superior suction power and advanced technology.

This benefit-driven positioning has helped Dyson command a premium price in the market.

4. Value-Based Positioning

This strategy emphasises delivering superior value, whether through competitive pricing, quality, or a combination of both.

IKEA is known for its value-based positioning, offering well-designed, functional home furnishings at prices accessible to the masses.

Their flat-pack furniture concept is a key part of this positioning, allowing them to keep costs low while still delivering on quality and design.

5. Niche Positioning

Niche positioning targets a very specific segment of the market, often an underserved or overlooked group, with a tailored product or service.

Aesop, a skincare brand, has positioned itself in the niche market of premium, plant-based products with a minimalist aesthetic.

They appeal to a discerning audience that values quality ingredients and sophisticated design, setting them apart in a crowded beauty market.

Winning Brand Positioning Strategies

To truly carve out a winning brand position, consider employing these advanced offline and online brand positioning tactics:

1. Building an Emotional Connection

Brands that can tap into their audience’s emotions are often more memorable and successful.

This involves more than just selling a product; it’s about aligning with your audience’s values, aspirations, and identities.

Dove has masterfully positioned itself as a champion of real beauty and body positivity.

Their “Real Beauty” campaign challenged traditional beauty standards and resonated deeply with a global audience, fostering a strong emotional connection that transcends the product.

2. Innovation as a Core Identity

Positioning your brand as an innovator within your industry can set you apart, especially in sectors where technology and trends evolve rapidly.

SpaceX has positioned itself as a leader in space innovation, constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

Their ambitious goals and groundbreaking achievements have not only differentiated them from competitors but have also inspired a new generation of space enthusiasts.

3. Leveraging Brand Authenticity

In an era where consumers are increasingly sceptical of corporate motives, authenticity can be a powerful differentiator.

Ensure your brand is transparent, genuine, and consistent in its values and actions.

The Body Shop has built its brand on a foundation of authenticity and ethical practices. Since its inception, The Body Shop has been committed to cruelty-free products, fair trade ingredients, and environmental sustainability.

Their campaigns against animal testing and for environmental causes are not just marketing tactics but are deeply ingrained in the brand’s DNA.

This commitment to authentic, ethical practices has resonated strongly with consumers, helping The Body Shop to cultivate a loyal customer base that values more than just the products - they value the principles the brand stands for.

4. Experience-Driven Positioning

Creating unique, memorable experiences can help your brand stand out, especially in industries where the product alone isn’t enough.

Disney is a prime example; it positions itself not just as an entertainment company but as a purveyor of magical experiences.

From their theme parks to their movies, every interaction with Disney is designed to be an immersive, joyful experience, which has cemented their position as a leader in family entertainment.

Crafting Your Brand’s Distinct Position

Your brand’s position is the lens through which all your marketing, product development, and customer engagement should be viewed. When done right, it’s what will make your brand not just a choice but the preferred choice in a crowded market.

Remember, the goal is to create a position that’s not only unique but also deeply resonant with your audience. That’s the real key to standing out and staying ahead.

If you’re looking for an experienced and proven creative branding agency in London, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team here at Appnova to get started.