Mastering Product Positioning with Mike Gospe: Moderated by Cindy F. Solomon

© AIPMM 2014 www.aipmm.com

Mastering Product Positioning

www.aipmm.com


Association of International Product Marketing & Management


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Moderator:

Cindy F. Solomon, CPM, CPMM @cindyfsolomon

Today’s Speaker

Presenter:

Mike GospeMarketing Guru, KickStart [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.kickstartall.com/

http://astore.amazon.com/kickalli-20/detail/1456439804


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Poll Question #1

How familiar are you with “product positioning”?

Very familiar. I lead these exercises often. Somewhat familiar. I’ve participated in these exercises before. I know what they are, but I’ve never participated in the exercise. This is a brand new concept to me.


IntroducingThe

BetterMousetrap

This is a real ad that appeared in several popular magazines in 1955.


This is the headline


Actual size: 15 ½ x 3 ½ x 15 inches

Weight 12 lbs (not including 2 ½ quarts of water)


It’s for a lot of people who work in a lot of

different places

Grain Elevators * Restaurants * Warehouses * FoodProcessers * Manufacturers * Chain Stores * Farms* Meat Packers * Institutions * Ships * Homes* Orchards * All Others Needing Rodent Control.

MASS CATCHING

Our record 102 mice to one setting of 8 hours.Amazing revolutionary method of eliminating

one of the most dangerous and destructivemammals on earth – MICE!

* FOR *


SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP insures complete destruction of mice, ticks, lice, fleas and all other vermin in a quick, sanitary, efficient manner.SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP is neat in appearance, can be placed anywhere without attracting attention or causing embarrassment.SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP is a sanitary, sealed, locked unit: two traps in one, but simple in construction.SELF SETT MOUSE TRAP will prevent FILTH AND DISEASE, LAW SUITS, POSSIBLE FIRE LOSSES, AND OTHER COSTLY DAMAGE.BE PREPARED to face city, county, and federal inspectors who may inspect your place of business at any time without notice.

And it offers a lot of benefits


$29.95Nearest competitive alternative: 5


Advertising Strategy


There are

4 fundamental flaws

with the positioning strategy behind this

ad.


Flaw #1

1 • Who is the target audience?x Everybodyx Trying to be “all things to all

people”


Flaw #22

• The Self Sett Mousetrap is the name of the product

• But the category makes no sense because . . .x This product is neither sanitary,

self-setting, nor portable!


Flaw #3

3

• Too many benefitsx Aimed at too many

audiencesx A laundry list of benefits

that may or may not be meaningful


Flaw #4

4

• Not compelling vs. competitive alternativex $29.95 vs. 5 centsx Even if catching 102 mice,

$29.95 vs. $5.10x Complicated pricing doesn’t

equate to value


The messaging in this ad was. . .

X ConfusingX Off-targetX Irrelevant

. . .because there was no positioning strategy to guide the messaging!!!


Poll Question #2

Which of these issues have you experienced? We’re trying to appeal to “everybody”. We don’t know our target audience very well. We’re communicating too many benefits. We confuse features and benefits. Our product is a commodity. We don’t have a real differentiator.


The mousetrap ad is a metaphor for problems commonly encountered by high-tech marketers

Courtesy of Rob Blair: www.robbieblair.com


V A L U E


Control is an illusion.

Customers & prospects define your position in the market.


Positioning is what you do

to the mind of the prospect

So, how do we influence the minds of our prospects?


The positioning statement guides product development

& marketing programs

A marketing tool for internal use only


Poll Question #3

What is a “positioning statement”? It’s a tagline or slogan. It’s covered in the data sheet. It’s the product requirements document (PRD). It’s whatever the product marketing manager says it is. None of the above.


A positioning statement is not . . .


TaglineJust because

(TM)



TaglineJust because

(TM) Company history



Data sheet

Company history

TaglineJust because

(TM)



Product plans

Data sheet

Company history

TaglineJust because

(TM)



Definition: A positioning statement is . . .A tool used by marketers to gain internal agreement and clarity around the specific value being offered to specific target audience segments (personas).


Definition: A positioning statement is . . .A tool used by marketers to gain internal agreement and clarity around the specific value being offered to specific target audience segments (personas).

However, the positioning statement is not the message to the customer.


It’s all in how you position!


Positioning Statement FormatTo: is the one

that

unlike

.

(One Target/Persona)

(Product/Company Name)

(Category)

(Key Customer Benefit)

(Differentiator)


• Introduction: Why we need a “positioning statement”

1. Line 1 – Target segmentation & the persona2. Lines 2 & 3 – Names & categories3. Line 4 – A good key benefit4. Line 5 – Competitive differentiation5. Positioning statements in action6. How to bring positioning statements to life• Conclusion

Lessons in Mastering Product Positioning

www.udemy.com


The cure for jetlag


Frequent Flyer Business Executive (Globetrotter persona)

EXAMPLETo:

(One Target/Persona)

© AIPMM 2014 www.aipmm.com ©Spice Catalyst 2013

The “globetrotter” persona focuses on travel-related concerns and priorities of the traveling executive.


FlyRight

EXAMPLE

(Product/Company Name)

Frequent Flyer Business Executive (Globetrotter persona)To:


EXAMPLETo: is the one

(Category)

Frequent Flyer Business Executive (Globetrotter persona) FlyRight

jet lag remedy


EXAMPLETo: is the one

that

FlyRight


jet lag remedy

allows you to stay healthy through the flight and arrive at your destination feeling as invigorated as when you left so you can get right to work

(Key Customer Benefit)


EXAMPLE

FlyRight


jet lag remedy

allows you to stay healthy through the flight and arrive at your destination feeling as invigorated as when you left so you can get right to work

To: is the one

that

unlike

sleeping pills and caffeinated drinks that provide temporary relief, but take a huge toll on productivity later on.

(Differentiator)


A near disaster!


An example of the wrong headline!

• ORIGINAL HEADLINE:

Agilent Introduces High-performance

Signal Generator with New Low Price

This headline was written without the benefit of a positioning statement to guide the messaging.


Creating & evaluating positioning statements

To RF communications equipment production engineers:

• the Agilent E4438C ESG is the one • vector signal generator that • offers the lowest cost-per-test • unlike other solutions that are incomplete, limited in

scope, and require additional costly components to conduct the same series of tests.

Target audienceAgilent’s Positioning Statement


• To RF communications equipment production engineers:

the Agilent E4438C ESG is the one • vector signal generator that • offers the lowest cost-per-test • unlike other solutions that are incomplete, limited in


Product Name


Agilent’s Positioning Statement



• the Agilent E4438C ESG is the one vector signal generator that • offers the lowest cost-per-test • unlike other solutions that are incomplete, limited in


Category







Benefit




Does “New Low Price” = “Lowest Cost per Test”???


• Actually, our signal generator costs MORE than the competition!





Differentiator

Aha!




Positioning statements drive good messaging

REVISED HEADLINE: Agilent’s New High-performance Signal Generator Reduces Test Costs

This is NOT a story about low price!

It’s a story about lowering

test costs!

X ORIGINAL HEADLINE:

Agilent Introduces High-performance

Signal Generator with New Low Price


6 questions to guide your positioning statement

1. Who is the product for?2. What problem are they trying to solve?3. Why will they select your product?4. How will they use it?5. What is the nearest competitive alternative?6. How will their life be better, having selected your product?


Don’t fall victim to your own “mousetrap”

Focus on the solving the customers’ problem

Be relevant!

Follow the positioning statement template


Poll Question #4

Which of the following statements is true? The advertising manager owns the final positioning statement. The product marketing manager drafts the positioning statement alone. The positioning statement should be built by a cross-functional team. Sales people are never involved in the positioning statement exercise. Engineering determines the positioning statement.


Positioning Statements work!

http://astore.amazon.com/kickalli-20/detail/1456439804


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Moderator:

Cindy F. Solomon, CPM, CPMM @cindyfsolomon

Q & A

Presenter:

Mike GospeKickStart [email protected]



http://www.kickstartall.com/



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Mastering Product Positioning with Mike Gospe: Moderated by Cindy F. Solomon

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Transcript of Mastering Product Positioning with Mike Gospe: Moderated by Cindy F. Solomon