Brand Positioning Strategy FAQ

At Quill Creative Studio, we understand the importance of brand positioning. An efficient positioning strategy is one of the most fundamental aspects of any successful organization. But what is brand positioning, exactly? And how do you go about creating a succinct brand positioning statement or set a course that brings it to life? This positioning strategy resource will answer those questions and more. We'll also provide some helpful branding tips and examples along the way. So whether you're just starting out with your branding efforts or you're looking to refine your current strategy, this post is for you.

In an era where consumers have a seemingly endless supply of options and technology at their disposal to perform research, audiences are longing for  experiences that are authentic and memorable. This is where branding comes into play. Your brand positioning is much more than just a logo or product; it's the sum total of everything your organization does, from the way you answer the phone to the design and messaging on your website. Your company's promise is at the heart of your brand, so defining this first will allow for future clarity and will inevitably empower you and your team to live out that promise in meaningful ways.

What is brand positioning?

Simply put, brand positioning is the strategy you'll use to make your brand stand out from the competition and appeal to your target audience. This process begins with understanding your audience and what they're looking for, then developing a unique value proposition that sets you apart. In a world of me-too companies, every brand has an opportunity to frame their features and attributes in a way that's differentiated and meaningful. As an example, every orthodontist provides services that straighten people's teeth; however, a clinic that's gone through the process of brand strategy development discovers that what they really do is build confidence. With their new brand position, they can align the customer experience, messaging and testimonials to bring this to life and make them stand out from others in their field. More often than not, you don’t need to add a bunch of features to your product or service; rather, your positioning strategy should focus on reframing your customers’ mindsets at every step of their journey.

How do I develop a brand positioning statement?

A brand positioning statement is a concise description of your target audience, their need, your differentiating benefits and a reason to believe. Prior to writing this branding statement, you must clearly define these talking points by doing proper research and organizational soul searching. You must understand your competition and how you're going to frame your brand in comparison to theirs. The team at Quill Creative Studio can tackle all of these steps for you, to ensure you're getting the right insight and perspective to move forward effectively. 

Once these foundational pieces are in place, you can craft a brand positioning statement that articulates how you will occupy a distinctive space in the minds of your target market. Typically, the positioning statement is the last step of the brand strategy process as it sums up everything you’ve discovered and decided, so rushing to write it before you're ready would be considered jumping to conclusions.

It's important to keep this statement short, sweet, and to the point so that it's easy for stakeholders to understand and put into action. When reading your brand positioning statement, be sure that no other competitor could claim the same thing.

Can I use a free brand positioning template?

We've developed a strategy playbook that's available for free on our brand strategy service page. The playbook will guide you through valuable topics that require a deep understanding of your brand. After working through this brand strategy playbook either on your own or with additional stakeholders, you'll be armed with the information needed to validate and complete a proper position and strategy. If you're a do-it-yourself kind of person, we still recommend speaking with a professional brand strategist to ensure your strategy is rooted in research or data and not assumptions. We’re happy to talk more about your brand and initial research, to answer any questions and help guide you to a more meaningful, polished brand strategy.

What is the brand positioning process?

The process we use at Quill Creative Studio begins with a positioning discovery workshop where we guide discussions and collaborate directly with an organization's leadership team. The goal of this workshop is to uncover the organization's features, attributes, benefits, differentiators and competitors to gain perspective, uncover assumptions and allow space for everyone to share personal preferences. After we complete this discovery workshop, we study competitors, administer surveys, and review market trends. With all of this information in hand, our brand strategist leads the project team in testing positions until a solution proves effective.

In addition, we gather and refine messaging platforms, brand voice and visual inspiration to be presented as a complete solution for brand position, brand strategy and brand identity.

Why does brand positioning matter in marketing?

One of the key elements of a brand position is to clearly define your niche and market. By understanding product or service differentiators and knowing exactly who you're in business to serve, your promotional targeting will be narrowly focused and armed with messaging, visuals and promotions that appeal specifically to that audience. After our brand positioning and identity process is implemented, we've witnessed costs of customer acquisition drop while increasing the odds of repeat business due to enhanced customer experience. 

With a solid brand positioning strategy that permeates through all customer experiences, customers will be more likely to buy again and to recommend your brand to their friends and family, creating a flywheel effect. Anyone producing marketing efforts on your behalf should have a complete understanding of your brand's position and strategy to maintain consistency and impact.

Does Quill Creative Studio offer brand positioning analysis?

Yes we do. If you're unsure of your brand position or strategy, contact us to chat with an experienced brand strategist. We'll start by having you and your leadership team fill out a digital questionnaire so we can review your understanding of the key elements that make up your brand strategy. After reviewing the information gathered, we'll lead you and your team through a fruitful discussion to uncover cognitive gaps and make recommendations for next steps. Depending on the size and magnitude of your organization and industry, this analysis will be a nominal investment in comparison to how much you'll have to gain.

If you have any questions about brand positioning or the branding process that we’ve found most successful, don’t hesitate to contact Quill Creative Studio and speak with an experienced brand strategist today.