🧭 6 ways to position your product 🧭

🟡 Anchor to a well-known product for a new segment

Ex: Figma for non-designers → Canva

When to use?

→ When you are in the very early stages trying to get first customers

→ When you are taking a niche product strategy

This approach can work in many different ways depending on the criteria used for segmentation

🟣 Anchor to well-known product in adjacent category

Ex: Robinhood for crypto → Coinbase

When to use?

→ When the technology/product is not well known

This one can be useful when there isn’t anyone “in-category” to compare to.

This approach rarely creates a complete picture of what the product is or exactly who it is for…

But it can help start the conversation with customers

🟢 Highlight a key feature in and existing category

Ex: Circus w/ a production storyline → Cirque Du Solei

When to use?

→ When taking a blue ocean approach to creating a new category

→ When you have a kick-ass feature that sets you apart

This approach acts as a bridge from a well-known category to something that competes with a new set of features.

🔵 Highlight a key benefit in an existing category

Ex: The cheapest way to fly → Southwest Airlines

When to use?

→ When you are in a mature category

This is similar to #3, but without creating a new category.

🟠 Be first in a new category

Ex: The first cloud CRM → Salesforce 

When to use?

→ When you are trying to solidify existing marketing awareness

This approach doesn’t exactly create clarity.

But it does create intrigue for early adopters.

⚫ Tout external approval (most used, highest rated, most popular)

Ex: The most used search engine → Google

When to use?

→ When you are already a market leader

This is all about maintaining the current customer perspective.

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The common thread for all these approaches?

⚓ They all anchor to something well-known

Why?

Because positioning is relative.

And if there is nothing for a customer to relate you to...

💢 They won’t find or understand you.