What is Positioning?
The act of designing the company’s offering and image to occupy a
distinctive place in the mind of the target market - Phillip Kotler
3 Positioning Pillars to Define
1. Who You Are
2. Who You Serve
3. How You Serve Them
Who You Are
Beliefs
People will be drawn to your work when they resonate with what you believe
in. When your intended audience resonates with your beliefs, it creates a
powerful bond with them.
Questions
1. What beliefs motivate your work?
2. What would you like your intended audience to believe about
themselves and/or the world after hearing your message and working
with you?
Vision
To gain attention, trust, and support as a leader, you need to inspire and
motivate your intended audience by offering a vision for the future.
Questions
1. What changes do you want your work to create in the world?
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2. What is the future you imagine for the world?
Contribution
Research shows that consumers believe companies must do more than just
make money; they must positively impact society as well. This is what infuses
your message and mission with something that transcends monetary gain. It
turns your message into a movement.
Questions
1. Why is your work important to society, your industry, or your
community?
2. How does the work you do create value that goes beyond the direct
benefits to your customers?
Who You Serve
Create a description of your ideal client/customer using the following
categories.
Demographics
Are you focused on a certain segment of customers in any of the following
demographic categories?
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Gender
Sexuality
Age
Location
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Profession
Are they in a certain profession or professions?
How many years of experience do they have?
What skills have they mastered already?
How much money are they making per year?
Experiences
Have they been through a specific experience in the past?
What milestones or achievements have they already accomplished?
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What do they need to have already done in order to work with you?
Resources
What kind of resources do they need to already have in place (e.g. large
professional network, an online following, money, time, a team, certain
supplies or equipment, etc.)?
How Do You Serve Them
RESULTS: What measurable results will you help them achieve?
TRANSFORMATION: How will they be or feel different? What changes will
this make in their life? What will they believe or see differently about
themselves and the world?
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RELIEF: What are the mental, emotional, and physical symptoms (pains) that
you will help them remove?
CAPABILITIES: What will they be able to do that they couldn’t do before?
What choices or options will open up for them?
NEEDS: Which 3-5 of the following fundamental human needs are most
important to your ideal student that this course will help them fulfill?
1. Achievement
13. Discovery
24. Power
2. Admiration
14. Ease
25. Productivity
3. Authenticity
15. Empathy
26. Purpose
4. Beauty
16. Equality
27. Recognition
5. Belonging
17. Freedom/
28. Respect
6. Challenge
Autonomy
29. Security
7. Clarity
18. Intimacy
30. Self-Expression
8. Compassion
19. Mastery
31. Stability
9. Competence
20. Novelty
32. Transparency
10. Connection
21. Order
33. Trust
11. Contribution
22. Peace
34. Spontaneity
12. Creativity
23. Play
SOURCE: Center for Non-Violent Communication
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