In a crowded market, a strong brand positioning strategy is what makes your brand unforgettable — it’s the reason customers choose you over anyone else. But what exactly is brand positioning and how do you get it right? In this article, we’ll break down everything you need to know about creating a brand positioning strategy that effectively communicates the unique value your business provides. With practical steps for writing a brand positioning statement, brand positioning examples and specific tips to improve brand positioning over time, you’ll learn how to position your brand in a way that captures audiences’ attention and builds customer loyalty.
Key takeaways:
- Brand positioning is the process of defining your brand’s unique value and place in the market — it’s what sets you apart from competitors and makes you memorable to customers.
- The benefits of strong brand positioning include increased brand awareness, customer loyalty and competitive differentiation.
- A brand positioning statement is a concise summary that communicates who your brand serves, what it offers and what its benefit is, backed by proof points that give customers a reason to believe.
- Key steps for writing a brand positioning statement include understanding your current position, defining your market category, researching competitors and identifying your unique value proposition.
What is brand positioning?
Brand positioning is a marketing term that refers to the unique value that a brand presents to its customers. It’s a branding strategy that conveys your value proposition — what do you stand for, what sets you apart from others and why should customers choose you?
Think of it as the story you tell that connects your brand to a clear benefit or value — whether that’s quality, innovation, affordability or something unique to what you offer — so customers instantly recognize why they should choose your brand over the others out there.
Source: Brand positioning in a brochure via VistaPrint
For example, think about Volvo. They’ve positioned themselves as the “safety-first” car brand and so that’s what customers immediately think of when they see a Volvo. Some other solid brand positioning examples include Nike, which is all about empowerment and athletic performance — its tagline “Just Do It” has the power to instantly motivate.
Why is brand positioning important?
When done right, brand positioning makes brands memorable, relevant and resilient. Effective brand positioning:
- Clarifies a brand’s unique value, making it easy for customers to see why they should choose you
- Helps build brand awareness and brand recognition
- Differentiates a brand from the competition
- Boosts customer loyalty
- Offers more control over how a brand is perceived
- Enhances pricing power
- Creates resilience in market fluctuations
- Guides consistent marketing, where all communications reinforce the same message
- Expands growth opportunities and market share
Source: Loyal customers holding a branded water bottle via VistaPrint
How can you position your brand?
Brand positioning runs through every part of your business, building brand consistency and shaping your marketing mix. It steers product development and sets the tone for customer service so that every interaction reflects what your brand stands for. It shows up in your packaging, marketing materials and online presence, keeping each touchpoint true to your brand identity.
Source: Brand positioning strategy reflected in product packaging via VistaPrint
In physical retail spaces, brand positioning is at play in storefront and in-store design and atmosphere. It influences how employees are trained and which partnerships are formed, ensuring that your team and collaborators reinforce your brand’s position.
Source: Storefront design with custom flags via VistaPrint
Source: Team of employees in branded T-shirts via VistaPrint
But where does brand positioning start? It all begins with a brand positioning statement.
What is a brand positioning statement?
A brand positioning statement is a clear, concise description of how a brand wants to be perceived by its target audience. It articulates the unique value a brand offers and the reasons customers should choose it over competitors.
Source: Brand positioning statement on a brochure via VistaPrint
How to write a brand positioning statement
Before we jump into the steps, let’s look at the foundation of every strong brand positioning statement — the 3 C’s of brand positioning.
What are the 3 C’s of brand positioning?
- Customer: Who is your target market and what are their needs, desires and pain points?
- Competitor: What do your competitors offer and where are the gaps or opportunities for your brand to stand out?
- Company: What unique products, services or benefits does your business bring to the table?
Knowing who your customers are and what they care about helps you craft a message that genuinely resonates. Looking at your competitors helps to figure out what sets your brand apart. And understanding your value, strengths and benefits helps to craft a brand promise you can actually deliver.
With these in mind, writing a brand positioning statement becomes a lot more straightforward — and way more effective. While the process may vary depending on factors like brand size, mission or market, the core elements of a strong brand positioning statement remain consistent.
Step 1: Know who your target market is
Before crafting a brand positioning statement, you need to know exactly where your brand stands right now in your customers’ eyes. But who are your customers?
Source: Gym Sisters target customers wearing branded T-shirts via VistaPrint
Start by narrowing down who your target customers are. Go beyond basics like age and location and dig into demographics (income and lifestyle) and psychographics (values, interests, buying behaviors). Are you targeting eco-conscious young adults or busy professionals who value efficiency and reliability? Knowing your audience inside and out helps align your brand message with what matters to them.
Use platforms like HubSpot or Xtensio to build detailed customer persona profiles based on your findings.
Step 2: Understand your current brand position
Once you’ve identified your audience, gather data on how they perceive your brand. This will reveal the strengths and potential gaps in your current positioning. Gather this information by:
- Running targeted customer surveys
- Reading and listening to online reviews and testimonials
- Using social listening tools, like Sprout Social or Hootsuite
- Measuring loyalty with NPS (Net Promoter Score)
Source: A review of VistaPrint’s business card printing services via VistaPrint
By now, you should have a clear idea of who your customers are, what they think about your brand and the strengths or gaps in your current brand position. This brand research increases the chances of your brand positioning statement resonating with your target audience.
Step 3: Define the market category
Start with the broad industry you’re in, then narrow it down to your specific area. For example, within the food industry, are you focusing on organic snacks, gourmet sauces or affordable meal kits? The more specific you are, the easier it is for customers to understand exactly what your brand offers.
Use tools like Statista or Google Trends for trending terms and emerging customer needs in your market category.
Then, use feedback from the second step to see how your customers categorize your brand. Their perspective might reveal whether your brand positioning aligns with their view — or point out a niche you hadn’t considered. Finally, sum up your market category in one clear, simple sentence. This will serve as a quick reference for your brand positioning statement.
Example: “We’re a budget-friendly tech brand specializing in high-quality, user-friendly electronics for everyday use.”
Step 4: Identify competitors and conduct research
Now that you’ve defined your market category, it’s time to zoom in on the competition. Analyzing competitors gives you insight into their brand positioning strategies, helping you to understand how yours differs and what makes your brand unique.
First, make a list of your competitors (both direct and indirect). Don’t limit your research to just the businesses in your niche. Check out adjacent market categories for brand positioning ideas. For example, if you’re an eco-friendly beauty brand, explore how other sustainable brands (like green cleaning products or vegan meal kits) are positioning themselves. This can help you spot gaps or fresh angles within your market space.
Use tools like SEMrush or SimilarWeb to see who ranks in your market space, and look out for emerging players who might be testing innovative angles.
Analyze competitors’ taglines, website copy, social media and ads, paying close attention to their messaging and tone: Which keywords or phrases are repeated across their messaging? What promises or guarantees do they emphasize? Then create a word cloud from your findings to spot patterns. This can highlight common language and areas where you can set a different tone.
Source: A graphic design word cloud via DepositPhotos
Pinpoint the specific value propositions competitors lead with. Are they focusing on efficiency, luxury, sustainability or affordability? Note any gaps in their messaging — if most brands in your market space focus on price but ignore quality, that could be an opening for your brand positioning statement.
Read customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot or Yelp to see how competitors are perceived and note recurring themes — what customers like, dislike and value most.
Step 5: Determine your unique value proposition
Now it’s time to pinpoint what makes your brand different from the rest. Your unique value proposition (UVP) is the core reason customers should choose you — it’s the specific benefit, feature or experience your brand delivers that no one else does quite the same way.
- Start by conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to clarify what you excel at, where you can improve and where the market offers opportunities to stand out.
- Map out specific features and benefits your brand offers. Use tools like Ahrefs to identify keywords related to your product’s unique benefits.
- Mark out your competitors in a competitor analysis chart against four components of your brand positioning, noting their key features and benefits alongside your own.
Source: Window vinyl via VistaPrint
Step 6: Provide evidence
With your unique value proposition in place, the next step is to back it up with credible evidence. Proof points give customers a solid reason to believe in your claim, adding weight to your brand’s promise and making it more trustworthy. When selecting proof points, always go for evidence that specifically aligns with your UVP.
Examples of evidence you can use in your brand positioning statement:
- Certifications and accreditations. Example: A coffee brand positioned around ethical sourcing can highlight its Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certifications.
- Customer testimonials. Example: A tech company centered on customer service could use this testimonial: “The friendly team resolved my issue within hours and I was up and running the same day!”
- Endorsements and partnerships. Example: A fitness apparel brand with a focus on performance and comfort might partner with a professional athlete who endorses their products, “I wear these for every training session — they’re the most comfortable I’ve tried.”
- Scientific research or data-driven proof. Example: A skincare brand with a UVP around anti-aging results can share clinical data, like “Proven to reduce fine lines in as little as two weeks.”
- Awards and recognitions. Example: A tech company positioned as an innovator might showcase awards like CES Innovation Awards or Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list.
Step 7: Write your positioning statement
With all the groundwork in place, it’s time to craft a succinct statement articulating the value your brand provides. Your brand positioning statement should answer:
- Who is your target customer?
- What is your product or service category?
- What is the primary benefit of your product or service?
- What is the proof or reason to believe in that benefit?
Brand positioning statement templates
- For [target customer] who [a specific need or challenge], [brand name] is the [market category] that [primary benefit], because [proof or supporting evidence].
For example, “For eco-conscious coffee drinkers who want to support ethical practices, GreenBean Coffee is the premium coffee brand that delivers ethically sourced coffee, backed by Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance certifications.”
Source: Branded signage via VistaPrint
- [Brand name] is the [market category] for [target customer] that [primary benefit], proven by [proof or supporting evidence].
For example, “ClearSkin Labs is the skincare brand for teenagers that provides fast-acting solutions for clearer skin, proven by clinical studies showing a 40% reduction in blemishes within five weeks.”
Step 8: Evaluate, refine and test the statement
Now, it’s time to review your positioning statement to make sure it’s clear, focused, memorable and true to your brand’s purpose. Share it with your team to see whether they agree it authentically represents your brand — does it capture what you’re all about? Run it by customers to see if it resonates with them, too. Then use feedback to fine-tune the statement.
Step 9: Measure and improve brand positioning over time
To stay relevant and impactful, continue to measure the effectiveness of your brand positioning and reevaluate your brand’s unique value over time.
Key metrics to track brand positioning success:
- Brand awareness: Measure brand recognition and recall through surveys or tools like Google Trends and social listening platforms.
- Customer loyalty and retention: Use customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) or Net Promoter Score (NPS) to understand customer loyalty and retention rates.
- Market share: Analyze shifts in market share and compare them with competitors.
- Perception and sentiment: Track sentiment analysis from customer reviews, social media comments and surveys.
- Conversion rates: Measure conversion rates from awareness to purchase, revealing whether your brand positioning appeals to new customers.
Ready to position your brand?
Brand positioning is the foundation for brand success and lasting customer connection. Crafting a clear and compelling positioning statement gives your brand the direction it needs to stand out and resonate with its target audience.
Once you’ve nailed the statement, align every branding and marketing strategy around that core message, creating consistent brand experiences that keep customers coming back.
Brand positioning FAQs
What are the 4 strategies of brand positioning?
There are four key ways to position your brand: differentiation (emphasizing what makes you unique), cost leadership (being the affordable choice), focus/niche positioning (targeting a specific market) and quality-based positioning (highlighting premium quality). Each strategy helps carve out a distinct space in the market for your brand.
How do I determine the best brand positioning strategy for my business?
Start by establishing who your audience is and what makes your brand special. Look at what competitors are doing and where there are gaps in what they offer. This way, your brand can satisfy a real need in the market.
What’s the difference between a brand positioning statement and a tagline?
Think of your brand positioning statement as your brand’s internal blueprint — it defines who you’re for, what you offer and why you’re different. A tagline is a catchy, public phrase that sums up a brand’s vibe, like “Just Do It” for Nike.
How can I tell if my brand positioning is working?
You’ll know your brand positioning is hitting home if you’re seeing more brand awareness, repeat customers and positive feedback. Keep an eye on things like market share and conversion rates to measure how effective your brand positioning is.
