Brand Positioning: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Get Started
Brand positioning is the foundation of every successful marketing strategy. It shapes how customers perceive your brand, differentiates you from competitors, and guides everything from messaging to pricing. This post breaks down the essentials of brand positioning and how to get it right.
I started this blog because I’ve been a marketer for well over a decade.
And in that time, I’ve learned one core truth about the business: brand positioning is the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy.
It’s the key to differentiating your brand from the competition and shaping how customers perceive your business. Even the best products or services can get lost in the noise without a clear and compelling position in the market.
When you define where your brand fits and how it should be perceived you create a roadmap for everything—from messaging to pricing to customer experience to acquisition strategy.
So let’s talk about it.
This post will break down:
What brand positioning is (and what it isn’t)
Why it’s critical to every other marketing decision you make
How to build a positioning strategy that sets your brand apart
What is brand positioning
Brand positioning is the deliberate and strategic process of becoming known for a specific thing by a specific audience segment within your industry in order to distinguish yourself from competitors.
It’s about owning a distinct place in the minds of your customers so that when they’re ready to buy, they think of you—not your competitors.
Al Ries and Jack Trout first introduced the concept of positioning in the 1970s, emphasizing that "positioning compensates for our over-communicated society by using an oversimplified message to cut through the clutter."
The goal was to define a brand’s space in the market—not just in terms of advertising, but in product development, business strategy, and customer experience.
What they posited, and what we’ve learned over time to be true, is that done well, brand positioning can help your company:
✅ Bring unique value to the market—so customers choose you for a reason.
✅ Target a viable market segment—ensuring there’s demand for what you sell.
✅ Stand out from competitors in a meaningful way—instead of blending in.
✅ Use the right messaging to connect with prospects—so they see why you’re the best choice.
✅ Remain relevant over time—so your brand isn’t forgotten when trends shift.
Why brand positioning drives every other marketing decision
If you’re struggling with marketing strategy—whether it’s messaging, content, ad campaigns, or pricing—it likely comes back to unclear brand positioning.
When positioning is weak, brands end up:
❌ Competing on price alone (a race to the bottom)
❌ Changing messaging frequently (confusing customers)
❌ Targeting too broad an audience (wasting budget on the wrong people)
Positioning is what makes marketing work. It provides the foundation for:
Messaging and Campaigns: If your positioning is clear, your marketing team knows exactly what to say, where to say it, and to whom.
Product Development: A well-positioned brand builds products and services that align with customer needs—not just what’s trendy.
Sales and Pricing Strategy: When you’re known for something specific and valuable, you can price based on perceived value, not just cost.
Common roadblocks to strong brand positioning
Getting buy-in for positioning work can be tough. Here are two common misconceptions that often stand in the way:
1. “Brand Positioning is Just a Marketing Thing”
While marketers often lead positioning efforts, it’s a business-wide strategy, not just a marketing task.
If a company promises innovation but delivers outdated products, no amount of great marketing will change customer perception. That’s why positioning must be aligned across marketing, sales, product development, and leadership.
2. “There’s No Clear ROI on Brand Positioning”
Many executives resist investing in brand positioning because it doesn’t have an immediate conversion metric. However, research shows strong positioning directly contributes to business success:
✅ Brand awareness leads to sales growth: A Nielsen study found that a 1-point gain in brand awareness can drive a 1% increase in sales.
✅ Well-positioned brands charge more: Perceived value allows premium brands to price higher than competitors
✅ Familiarity breeds repeat purchases: Customers buy more often from brands they recognize and trust.
If leadership hesitates to invest in positioning, share data-backed evidence that strong branding leads to higher revenue, better profit margins, and long-term customer loyalty. You can find more of that in 11 Proven Reasons to Build a Brand Positioning Strategy.
How to start positioning your brand
If you’ve been tasked with developing or refining a brand’s positioning, start with the following framework:
Find Your Differentiated Value—What unique problem do you solve that competitors don’t?
Define Your Target Audience—Who are you positioning this brand for? What do they care about?
Analyze Competitors—Where do they currently “own” space in the market? How do you stand apart?
Craft your Message— How will you communicate your unique value proposition? How will it be used across every customer touchpoint?
Align Internally—Ensure leadership, sales, and product teams support and reinforce your positioning.
Final Thoughts: positioning is an ongoing commitment
Brand positioning isn’t a one-time task—it’s a daily commitment that influences everything from messaging to product strategy.
If you’re working on your company’s positioning and need expert guidance, I’d love to help. Send me a message on LinkedIn or an email at ashley@peoplethebrand.com, and let’s talk.
