If I said, Aldi, Sainsburys, Tesco, Fortnum and Mason, Waitrose and Morrisons I’m pretty sure you would instantly sort them in relation to each other. You might sort by price, quality, variety, type of customer or something else that matters to you. But you would distinguish one brand from another.
Attendees at our recent Otterbourne Summer Special were treated to a tour of our host care home, Shawford Springs. Sonja, our tour guide said that the aim was to provide a four star hotel experience. I instantly differentiated the brand from my mother’s care home which is arranged as small ‘houses’ around a communal living space. It also made it very easy for us to understand what the experience would be like.
This clear idea of position helps potential customers to decide if you offer what they are looking for. It can also help them anticipate what a fair price would be.
When you think about going out for a meal you probably have some restaurants on your ‘special occasion’ list and others for when you just want a break from the kitchen. Again these businesses will clearly have positioned themselves in our minds.
When we don’t understand a business and where it sits in its market we tend not to use it for fear of it not meeting our needs at that time.
How do you want to be perceived?
Of course positioning is in the eye of the beholder but there is a lot we can do to help people to understand how we want to be seen.
Many years ago we stayed at a small hotel in Somerset. It wanted us to consider them as a luxury country house hotel. There were a number of things that they did to establish that position but the whole feeling was destroyed by cheap and nasty toilet paper! There were one or two other areas where corners were cut so we were left feeling the place was overpriced.
That’s not what we want for our businesses. Have you stopped to think how you want to be perceived in comparison with your competitors? If not here are some things you might think about…
- Variety of products or services
- Product/service quality
- Delivery methods
- Customer service
- Sustainable credentials
- Touch points… e.g. your reception area or first call
- Price
- Communication style
You might want to think whether you want to be seen as high end or value… Fortnum and Mason or Aldi! Are you exclusive or for the masses or somewhere in between? Do you offer a bespoke service or a templated option?
Is everything you do consistent with the positioning you desire? Don’t spoil the high end experience with cheap loo paper! Are all your communications… verbal, written, social media, mass mailings etc. in the same, and appropriate, tone of voice? Does the imagery you use reflect the position you want to occupy? Do you always dress appropriately?
Trucking company Eddie Stobart differentiated themselves from their competitors by insisting their drivers wore uniforms, never exceeded the speed limit and their lorries left the depot clean. This clarity has contributed to their successful expansion.
Has your network got you filed in the right place?
Do you explain your position in your marketplace when you are networking? Do your business cards and marketing materials reflect that position? Does the way you dress position you appropriately? Does the way you present your offer or deliver your talks reaffirm your ideal position? Do you re-enforce our understanding in your follow up?
If you haven’t nailed your positioning yet your network may be able to help. How would your regular contacts describe you? What do visitors think? What are they confused by? What do they find inconsistent?
I know only too well how easy it is to get too close to our own businesses to see where we might be making mistakes. Honest support (and criticism or questions) from my network really helps. It’s one of the things I value most about Fabulous Networking. Why not pay us a visit and see if we can help you too?
