Even TP Needs a Rep: Positioning and What your Market Thinks of You.

Hey Gorillas,

Hope tax season is treating everyone well. Small Businesses are especially feeling the weight this year. Apart from maneuvering the IRS maze ( I swear the IRS does this on purpose to make us feel like we're going crazy), loans and other funding are virtually unavailable to us little guys. But you know what they say, necessity is the mother of invention and this is most evident in the innovation and flexibility exhibited by all you small business warriors out there.

Keyboard Gorilla Marketing will be chatting to their tax person later this week. Goal - to write off food as a business expense. We welcome any tips you may have.

Ok - let's jump right into it.

The last time we spoke - I asked you to do some homework on Market Segmentation and post for others to benefit from. I'm flabbergasted to report that I received a whopping NADA, Zero. But that's fine - the post is still open and waiting for your responses.

This week, we'll be talking about 'Positioning'. Positioning is simply: Designing/creating your role to your target market. Positioning is the perception your consumer has about your market (product group) and your brand. Naturally, there's a possibility that consumers don't think anything about your brand which means you're not even at the edge of the playing field. Don't fret though, there's a silver lining. Your brand's invisibility gives you the opportunity to re-evaluate your product, your message and your overall marketing approach. You can see the position of your competition; what the market actually thinks of your competition, if that perception is true or not; and if there's an undiscovered or untapped niche in the industry that you can claim and become top dog.
Perception may not always be true but it is one of the top motivators in consumer purchase decision and even the basest commodities must develop a position to compete. Yes, even toilet paper as can be seen with the Cottonelle lab puppy and the bears in Charmin. No one thought of TP as cute. Not until that puppy showed up. Please remember that positioning is about perception (what the market thinks about your brand), not about what your brand actually is.

For more fun toilet paper news, see the link below:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/02/11/rolls-royce-of-loo-paper-115875-22034233/


Here's a hypothetical example.

Brand Super TP is a new Toilet Paper brand trying to break into the market. It's a saturated market and as a functional commodity, there are limited angles a marketer can use to position their brand with consumers. Many competitors have already established their position in the market and have claimed top position in the main factors that influence purchase decision in the Toilet Paper industry: Price, texture and luxury. Recently, a newer brand positioned itself as the leader in a new niche: texture and green. However, Brand Super TP discovers that there's a group of consumers who are (a). Environmentally conscious (b). Inclined towards luxury items. This group is outer-directed which means their choices are usually motivated by what others see and think. (Inner-directed people are motivated by what they personally prefer).
This finding helps Brand Super TP to create a niche that positions them as a green, luxury toilet paper brand. They are the only brand in that category (for now), thereby establishing them as niche leaders and removing the need for them to compete with others in the more saturated niches.

Brand Super TP Positioning.
Visual Representation Here:

http://keyboardgorilla.com/blog-image.html

School's out!
Until next time, listen to your market. What they think of you is paramount to your success.
KBG~

friends@keyboardgorilla.com
www.keyboardgorilla.com
(619) 8000 KBG