Gypsy Rose Lee recognized the importance of marketing. She knew that everybody needed to have an "angle." This "angle" would give her a better chance at being successful since it would enable her to be perceived as "different" from the rest of the..uh..er… folks making their living in the same industry.

In marketing parlance this "angle" is known as "positioning." This term refers to the way the buyer views your product on its own merit and relative to the competition. To repeat, positioning has nothing to do with how you, the seller, view the product, but how you know (through research) or perceive (through conversations and experience) potential and current customers view (position) your product in their minds.

To be effective a product's positioning needs to include:

• A unique selling proposition - Tells how the product is meaningfully different from competition.

• Benefit(s) statement(s) - Tells how this difference makes the lives of potential customers easier.

• Reason(s) to believe - Tells why potential customers should believe this product will deliver the promised benefit.

These three components are critical to a success in the marketplace because:

• Customers are complacent and busy! - Let's be honest, most customers are likely already using some other product in lieu of yours and are probably pretty satisfied. Further, they are likely not waiting and watching for your company to come out with something new. If your product can provide a unique and meaningful solution to improve their life they will be much more likely to consider switching. If not, your message will not even register on their radar. (Note: If these meaningful differences are proprietary and sustainable they will result in long revenue streams for the company.)

• Customers buy benefits and results - Customers don’t buy patents, features, processes, etc. If they don't quickly understand and relate to the benefit of using the product they’re not going to buy it. If the benefit is not overt, "in-their-face" it really isn't there at all!

• Customers are wary - There has to be solid "supporting evidence" for customers to believe that your product can and will deliver the promised benefit(s).

A solid market-based positioning statement is important to internal operations, too! It can and does:

• Create internal direction - If the company knows what the product is (and what it isn’t) then time, financial, and human resources can be focused on work and ideas that are going to enhance that positioning.

For example, since Domino’s Pizza positioning is about quick delivery the company is likely to invest in faster ovens, but NOT in better-tasting, higher cost cheeses and sauces.

• Maximize marketing spending - When a product positioning is clear and consistent over time then communication to external and internal audiences is extremely cost effective. This is a result of the audiences being exposed to the same, clear message. Each exposure builds and leverages on the previous (and previously paid for) exposures.

• Keep you focused on the market - In order for a firm's internal efforts to succeed they must continue to satisfy a need in the marketplace. The periodic exercise of defining and evaluating the positioning of products demands that these efforts happen with market and customer input - not in an internal vacuum!

So take a look at how your key products are positioned in the market. Do they each have an "angle" that sets them apart from the competition? Is this difference meaningful and important to your potential customers? If so, great. If not, it's time to call Mosaic.

Remember, Mosaic creates customers and increases sales for business-to-business companies through specific project work, on-going retainer assignments or marketing coaching sessions.

Until next time.....

Rosemary Walter
847-483-5018
Rose1Walter@MosaicMM.com

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"By Rosemary Walter of Mosaic Marketing Management, Inc. Please visit Rosemary's web site at http://www.MosaicMM.com for additional marketing articles and resources on marketing for business to business companies."