BETTER TO BE A BIG FISH IN A SMALL POND
Your new product is about to launch. You’ve done the research. You know the market. You know your customers. You’re ready to begin the online marketing campaign to drive customers in. Where exactly do you start?
Greg Head, Chief Marketing Officer of Infusionsoft recommends you start first with a positioning statement. This document is a detailed description of your potential market as well as an engaging picture of how you want potential customers to perceive your new brand. It’s an internal tool, rather than a set of promotional materials. It’s a roadmap for your marketing efforts, helping you keep your focus once the chaos of a marketing campaign starts.
The basic template for a positioning statement looks like this:
- For (target customers), (company) is the leading (category) that provides (unique benefit). Unlike (competitors), (company) does (unique differentiator).
It’s important to remember that the positioning statement isn’t a tagline, it’s a strategy. All marketing efforts must be aligned around that strategy.
“Infusionsoft is the leading sales and marketing software for true small businesses, designed to help them get organized, grow sales, and save time.”
- What exactly can you provide to your customers? What do you do? This must be spelled out clearly and concisely in all your marketing. People will remember and refer you only if they know exactly what you are and what you do.
- Who is your target? It’s important to know who you will be selling to. Your target audience is never everybody. By trying to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up spreading yourself too thin. Your marketing efforts will end up unfocused and unproductive.
- What is your category? What industry do you fall into? Having a clear grasp of this information can help ensure your visibility. Remember, online search engines like Google use categories and key words. Know which ones describe you and your business.
- What is your unique benefit? What is it you offer that your competitors don’t? Here, Greg uses the example of Chipotle’s, a burrito restaurant.
- What is your competition? Identifying your competitors also help potential customers identify which category your business falls into. Your competition forms a baseline that you can use to separate yourself through your unique benefits.
“Unlike other small business software providers, Infusionsoft is solely focused on small business success and provides one easy to use system for sales and marketing.”
“Food with integrity is our commitment to finding the very best ingredients raised with respect for the animals, the environment, and the farmers. Natural, made in front of you, organic.”
Writing this statement helps Chipotle’s become a unique place, rather than just another restaurant.
By maintaining focus and keeping what you do and what you can offer firmly in mind, you can be the leader in your specific industry.