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Positioning

For the most part, positioning usually focuses upon
product pricing. You can be the low cost leader that
everyone can afford, the blue collar service
provider, or the play thing of the rich. There are
several factors to consider - the size of the
market at your positioned price, the competition at
that price, and how you will handle the image issue
necessary to convey that positioning (we'll get into
Image next).


Keep in mind that there is often more money in
positioning your product at the high end instead of
at the low end. I'm reminded of what my mother use to
tell me, "Paul, it's just as easy to fall in love with a rich girl as it is a poor
one,"...










Image

Image is a lot of things. It's how you wear your hair.
It's the location of your office, it's furniture, the
color and make of your vehicles, the clothes you
have on, how you answer the phone, your business
cards, and the look of your letterhead. Consistency
is the key. Obviously, if you're selling high cost
business services you'll need a classier look than if
you're selling earthworms to fishermen. But it
should still be consistent across the board.


Your letterhead logo should match logo on your
business cards. Your high priced stationary
suggests you should be wearing high priced suits.
The typeface on your brochures should match the
typeface in your ads. All your marketing copy and
materials should have a common tread or link
between them. EVERYTHING should be tied together.


Here's the hooker. It's all too easy to over-do or
under-do the image thing. What you determine is
enough doesn't mean much. It's your buyers and the
marketplace that will evaluate your image. For the
most part, they won't tell you how you rated, not
directly at least. But it will, of course, affect your
sales in the long run.


It's probably better to over-do things a bit than to
under-do it. People are quick to notice þbad.þ
They're indifferent to AVERAGE or SLIGHTLY ABOVE.
It takes SPECIAL to get noticed.


Below, rate your (1) office; (2) the personal
appearance of you and your staff; (3) your marketing
materials; and (4) your business cards/stationary,
etc. for a consistent image. There's no right answer
here. The purpose is only to take a critical look at
your current image.



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