Brand Against the Machine: How to Build Your Brand, Cut Through the Marketing Noise, and Stand Out from the Competition

6

The Right Position

THE NUMBER ONE GOAL OF YOUR MARKETING should be to establish and position yourself as an authority in your industry or field. Authority leads to easier sales, more opportunities.

Flashy marketing campaigns and high-pressure sales tactics are no longer effective. Today your success depends on your ability to position yourself as the go-to authority in your field.

Let me stress that there is a difference between an expert and an authority. An expert is someone who knows a lot about something. An authority is someone people listen to when they speak. Being an authority is about more than your expertise. It's about your influence.

If you can't communicate your expertise, you'll never be influential. Communicate frequently and consistently. Simplify so they can take action; otherwise, it's just noise.

Positioning is about what makes you different and where you fit in the marketplace. It's all about what prospects think of you.

You don't want to be perceived as having no clear position in the minds of your prospects. You don't want to fit in with what everyone else is doing. Offer prospects a better product or service than everyone else.

The most important element of branding is positioning.

Everything you do should fit in with your positioning. Positioning matters whether you are big or small. The right positioning will give you a strong brand image.

7Up is known as the “un-cola.” It is their position in the marketplace. It is different and is accurately positioned ...