In this post you’ll learn a little about positioning.
In marketing online or offline the goal is always to bring to the mind of the prospect the idea that the product or service we are providing is the best solution for his/her problem. Often enough though, when introduced to a new product/service, the prospect tends to reject it without even thinking deeper on the subject. And as crazy as it may sound, many will still do it even if the later is better in terms of price and efficacy. The reason for this is something called positioning.
What is positioning?
Positioning is an idea that states that the first in the mind of the prospect will be the one with the most influence for the rest of the prospect’s lifetime unless a reason for the opposite is given. Didn’t get it?
ok. In simpler words: if you are the first in your niche to advertise your product to a specific prospect, your product will be the one he/she will take as the #1 unless you break his/her trust. Its that simple. This explains why sometimes the public tends to hold on to old brands even if there are way, way better products out there for them. The brand/product they are holding on to was the first to occupy their minds. That brand/product kind of has a special place in the heart of the prospect you’re trying to sell to.
This idea can be verified in many other parts of life. Examples are: the first person you ever dated, the first person you had sex with, the most read book in the world(the bible), your first car…and essentially all firsts you can possibly imagine.
It is easy to remember each of the above when asked, but it gets harder when someone asks us about the name of the 3rd …4rth.. or 5th person we dated, or third most read book in the planet? The highest mountain in the planet is the mount Everest, but what about the second highest?
For your first car for example, research shows that you’re more likely to hold on to its brand for the rest of your life. The same happens to the brand of your deodorant. That’s why deodorant brands advertise more for young people instead of the older who already their deodorant brand set.
If you happen to be in a niche where the majority of the public already have a brand imprinted in their minds, the book below suggests you to look for a new and not crowded niche. If you’re a manufacturer of cars for example, and everybody is in the luxurious and expensive cars, you could be the first to occupy the position of inexpensive cars. Remember: the first one to occupy the mind is never forgotten.
Positioning: The battle for your mind by Al Ries and Jack Trout
This is a good reading on the topic of positioning that I definitely recommend if you want to get a deeper understanding of the subject. The book is also available is audio version on audible.com if you find it hard to read a book from cover to cover 🙂
It is all about knowledge and experience 😉
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