After the positioning exercise

Positioning is a high-level strategic exercise. There’s not much in the way of deliverables after a positioning exercise — not something you can hold in your hand or digital files to pass around (actually, there is a positioning canvas created specifically so that you can easily share your positioning, but it’s definitely an internal document. Don’t share it with prospects/customers).

After doing a positioning exercise with me, another positioning consultant or on your own, you’ll need to translate that positioning into both actions and other documents. When I say ‘actions’ I mean things like:

  • Marketing campaigns directed at the niche you’ve identified as most likely to care about the value you provide

  • Sales outreach campaigns directed at the individuals (people who hold the job title most likely to care about your product at companies most likely to care about your product)

  • Advertising campaigns in trade magazines relevant to your target niche

  • PR campaigns aimed at those same publications

  • Changes in your product’s pricing. If you’re targeting investment banks in New York City, you might want to increase your prices. If you’re targeting rural credit unions, you might want to lower them.

  • Remove confusing features from your product

Then there’s some concrete documents you’ll want to create, some of which will be public facing. They include:

  • A messaging document to ensure your positioning is accurately communicated by the marketing team, your PR team and anyone who represents the company in a public way

  • A sales narrative that will provide the structure for the entire sales team’s sales decks and presentations

  • A product roadmap that includes features that reinforce your positioning and avoids distractions

  • Web copy. Web copy is pretty important because it’s usually your company’s first impression. It has to represent your positioning accurately.

If you work with me, I can help create the sales narrative and messaging guidelines and serve as your gut check as you plan marketing, sales and advertising campaigns. Positioning is key part of business strategy but it won’t do you much good unless you and your team take action as a result.

Emily Omier